胸有成竹 (Xiōng yǒu chéng zhú)
Have an image of bamboo in one's mind (before drawing)---Well prepared
One Song Dynasty painter named Wen Yuke loved bamboo very much. He planted many groves of bamboo around his house, and watched them during every season. This inspired him to paint many different bamboo styles. He often formed images of bamboo in his mind, before he actually started painting. He could finish his masterpieces in one sitting, and the bamboo always looked truth to life.
Chao Buzhi wrote a poem about the artist, saying when Yuke draws bamboo, " he has the finished picture in his mind."
Another idiom based on the same story is 成竹在胸(chéng zhú zài xiōng) which also means "as well prepared as an artist who has an image of bamboo in his mind before painting". This is taken from comments on how Wen Yuke painted by Song Dynasty scholar Su Shi, otherwise known as Su Dongpo.
Both 胸有成竹(Xiōng yǒu chéng zhú) and 成竹在胸(chéng zhú zài xiōng) are used to describe someone who acts with confidence because of his preparation.
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