Meaning of the Idiom
yi ming jing ren（Startling the World with a Single Cry）
In the Warring States Period, it had been three years since King Zhuang of Chu ascended the throne, but he had neither issued a decree nor dealt with any state affairs. Furthermore, there were no deeds worth mentioning. All the civil and military officials of the court couldn’t understand what was the matter.
One day, a military official quietly asked King of Chu in the carriage:
“Your Majesty, I heard that in the south, there was a big bird dwelling in the hills. Three years passed, it neither flew nor cried. Could Your Majesty tell me the reason?”
King Zhuang of Chu smiled and answered:
“It didn’t spread its wings to fly for three years in order to grow full-fledged. It didn’t cry for three years in order to carefully observe the conditions of the people in the world. This bird, once it flies, will soar high into the sky; once it cries, it will startle the world with a single cry.”
Another half a year passed before King Zhuang of Chu began to personally administer state affairs. He abolished ten outmoded rules and regulations, issued nine new policies, sentenced five ministers to death for their evil deeds and promoted six persons with real talents. From then on, the State of Chu became stronger and stronger.
一鸣惊人
yī míng jīng rén，原义是一叫就使人震惊，现比喻平时没有突出的表现，一下子做出惊人的成绩。
出自《韩非子·喻老》。
例句
他平常成绩并不出色，这次竞赛竟然得了全校第一，真是一鸣惊人。
这位喜剧演员果然具有实力，首次公演便一鸣惊人。
他平时不露声色，关键时刻却往往一鸣惊人。
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