呼風喚雨

呼風喚雨

1. to have strong supernatural powers and can summon the wind and rain; to control the forces of nature

   • 我那師父呼風喚雨，只在翻掌之間；指水為油，點石成金，卻如轉身之易。 [Written Vernacular Chinese, trad.]
     我那师父呼风唤雨，只在翻掌之间；指水为油，点石成金，却如转身之易。 [Written Vernacular Chinese, simp.]

     From: Wu Cheng'en, Journey to the West, 16^th century CE

     Wǒ nà shīfù hūfēnghuànyǔ, zhǐ zài fānzhǎng zhījiān; zhǐ shuǐ wéi yóu, diǎn shí chéng jīn, què rú zhuǎnshēn zhī yì. [Pinyin]

     My teacher had supernatural powers; in a flip of a hand and a turn of a body, he could turn water into oil, and stone into gold.

   • 內中還有一個道士，官封引化真人，能呼風喚雨，駕霧騰雲。 [Written Vernacular Chinese, trad.]
     内中还有一个道士，官封引化真人，能呼风唤雨，驾雾腾云。 [Written Vernacular Chinese, simp.]

     From: 1597, 羅懋登, 《三寶太監西洋記》, chapter 62

     Nèizhōng háiyǒu yī ge dàoshì, guān fēng Yǐnhuà Zhēnrén, néng hūfēnghuànyǔ, jiàwùténgyún. [Pinyin]

     There is also a Taoist priest among them, who was enfeoffed Yinhua Zhenren; he could summon the wind and rain, and could ride the mist and clouds.

   • 吾乃半壁山玄空觀蓮花道長大仙師之門人，善會呼風喚雨，降妖捉怪，你敢來這裡送死！ [Written Vernacular Chinese, trad.]
     吾乃半壁山玄空观莲花道长大仙师之门人，善会呼风唤雨，降妖捉怪，你敢来这里送死！ [Written Vernacular Chinese, simp.]

     From: Qing dynasty, 坑餘生, 《續濟公傳》, chapter 39

     Wú nǎi Bànbìshān Xuánkōngguàn Liánhuā Dàozhǎng Dàxiānshī zhī ménrén, shàn huì hūfēnghuànyǔ, xiángyāo zhuōguài, nǐ gǎn lái zhèli sòngsǐ! [Pinyin]

     I am a disciple of the Lotus Priest and Grand Divine Master from the Xuankong Temple in Banbi Mountain. I can summon the wind and rain, and can subdue demons and evil spirits. You'd be risking death if you dare come here!

2. (of a person) to have extraordinary capabilities (and be influential)