承上起下 chéng shàng qǐ xià

DEFINITIONS

  1. to follow the past and herald the future (idiom); part of a historical transition
  2. forming a bridge between earlier and later stages

CHARACTERS

承 chéng
HSK 5
inherit, receive; succeed
上 shàng
HSK 1
top; superior, highest; go up, send up
起 qǐ
HSK 1
rise, stand up; go up; begin
下 xià
HSK 1
under, underneath, below; down; inferior; bring down