来龙去脉 lái lóng qù mài

DEFINITIONS

  1. the rise and fall of the terrain (idiom)
  2. (fig.) the whole sequence of events
  3. causes and effects

CHARACTERS

来 lái come, coming; return, returning
龙 lóng dragon; symbolic of emperor
去 qù go away, leave, depart
脉 mài blood vessels, veins, arteries