天高皇帝远 tiān gāo huáng dì yuǎn

DEFINITIONS

  1. lit. the sky is high and the emperor is far away (idiom)
  2. fig. remote places are beyond the reach of the central government

CHARACTERS

天 tiān sky, heaven; god, celestial
高 gāo high, tall; lofty, elevated
皇 huáng royal, imperial; ruler, superior
帝 dì supreme ruler, emperor; god
远 yuǎn distant, remote, far; profound