This Chinese expression basically means: “knowledge is power.”
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The saying first appeared during the Song Dynasty in China. Civil service exams became the quintessential way to choose the best candidates for government posts. ⁠
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One had to know Confucian classics, calligraphy, poetry, law, government, and more, inside and out. If you studied hard enough, no matter what your original station was in life, you could earn your golden ticket out of poverty. ⁠
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Although this type of rigorous exam has long disappeared, the original meaning of this expression still rings true — books are powerful, and gaining precious knowledge is key to succeeding at whatever you do.⁠