What does it mean to look at the mountains from a distance and Sichuan from a distance?

From a distance, something or a scene looks like a mountain; When I got closer, I found that it was actually a river or a stream.

This idiom is full of philosophy and reveals that people are often influenced by distance and perspective when they know things. From a distance, you may only see the overall outline or general shape of things, just like seeing a mountain. However, with the approach, the details and true colors of the matter gradually appear, and it may be found that it is not what it is, but a flowing river.