This describes a situation where someone has lost their former popularity, wealth, or social status, and now few people visit or pay attention to them. It reflects the fickleness of social relationships based on status.
In imperial China, the number of visitors and carriages at one's gate was a direct indicator of one's political and social influence. This phrase often appears in classical literature to lament the decline of a once-powerful family or official.
Chinese people use this saying to express a sense of disillusionment with fair-weather friends and the transient nature of fame. It serves as a cautionary reminder that social connections built on status are fragile, and it validates the feeling of being abandoned.
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