This sentence means that there are many thousand-mile horses, but there are very few people who recognize them. The deeper meaning is that there are many talented people and good ministers who govern the country, but there are very few people who have the vision to appreciate them.

This sentence comes from the article "Horse Theory" by Han Yu, one of the eight great masters of the Tang and Song Dynasties. Although this article talks about the way to know horses, it is actually the principle of the monarch's appointment of ministers. The situation is used to compare the situation of talented people.

Excerpt: There is Bole in the world, and then there is a thousand-mile horse. A thousand-mile horse often exists, but a bole does not always exist. Therefore, even though there is a thousand-mile horse, it will be carelessly grown and be dead in a stall, never being called as a thousand-mile horse.

Translation: There is Bole in the world, and then there will be a thousand-mile horse. A thousand-mile horse often appears, but Bole does not always appear. Therefore, even if there is a thousand-mile horse, it will only suffer humiliation in the hands of servants and die in the stable alongside ordinary horses. It cannot be known as a thousand-mile horse.

Extended information:

The first sentence of "Horse Theory" is the major premise: "There is a Bole and then there is a thousand-mile horse." This proposition is illogical. Because existence determines consciousness, the knowledge and experience of Bo Leshan's horses must be obtained from the large number of horses that exist in society (or in nature), and then gradually summarized.

So some people think that Han Yu’s words are putting the cart before the horse and are idealistic. From the perspective of materialist principles, this statement is wrong. Han Yu used it as a language, but it was a thought-provoking aphorism and a famous saying. Because there are too few people in the world with Bole's knowledge and skills. Therefore, the author clearly points out the main idea below and expresses Chollima's infinite grievances.

Because "Bole is rare", many thousand-mile horses not only cannot find a good herdsman, but are "humiliated in the hands of slaves" and are spoiled by ignorant villains. These BMWs died in the stables, suffering misfortunes and ending tragically. If these horses are not regarded as thousand-mile horses, the death of the thousand-mile horse will be insignificant.

"A thousand-mile horse is not called a horse" contains the following meaning: no one even sympathizes with them, let alone expresses regret, regret, remorse and heartache for the death of a thousand-mile horse. From the surface of the article, the author has said it thoroughly, but there is a lot of bitterness and pain that has not been revealed. It seems unrestrained, but in fact it has rich connotations.