承前启后 chéng qián qǐ hòu

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 inherit, receive; succeed
前 qián in front, forward; preceding
启 qǐ open; begin, commence; explain
后 hòu queen, empress, sovereign; (simp. for 後) behind, rear, after