承前啟後 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
HSK 5
inherit, receive; succeed
前 qián
HSK 1
in front, forward; preceding
啟 qǐ open; begin
後 hòu behind, rear, after; descendents