指鹿为马Call a stag a Horse

Call a stag a Horse(成语 指鹿为马 英文)


Zhao Gao(1) harboured the intention of usurping power, but he was afraid that the ministers would not follow and obey him. So, he tried to test which ones would be faithful to him.

One day he offered a stag to Emperor Ershi(2) and said,"Your Majesty, here is a horse I would like to offer to you."

"You're mistaken, Prime Minister," said the Emperor with a smile."You've called a stag a horse."

Zhao Gao turned to the other ministers present and asked them whether it was a horse or a stag. Some kept silent; other, to please Zhao Gao, affirmed that it was a horse; and still others said that it was a stag.

Later, Zhao Gao secretly framed charges against all those who had asserted that it was a stag and had them executed.

______________remark______________
(1) a eunuch in the Qin court, who after the decease of Qinshihuang(First Emperor of Qin) hounded his heir, Prince Fushu, to death and through a coup detat replaced him with Huhei,while he himself assumed the post of Prime Minister.
(2) Emperor Qin the Second, i.e., young Prince Huhei--made Emperor by Zhao Gao,wishing to usurp his power, later compelled the young emperor to commit suicide.

指鹿为马(chinese idioms)

赵高想要谋反，恐怕群臣不听从他，就先设下计谋进行试验，带来一只鹿献给二世，说：“这是一匹马。”二世笑着说：“丞相错了，把鹿说成是马。”问左右大臣，左右大臣有的沉默，有的故意迎合赵高说是马，有的说是鹿，赵高就在暗中假借法律陷害那些说是鹿的人。

指鹿为马,比喻故意颠倒黑白,混淆是非。

纸上谈兵Strategic Planning on Paper

Strategic Planning on Paper(成语 纸上谈兵 英文)


Zhao Guo(1) had had lessons in the art of war since he was very young. Therefore, in speaking of military strategy and tacties, he thought none could excel him. Once he had a discussion with his father Zhao Seh, a senior general, about the command of troops and conduct of wars. He talked in such a self-assured way that his father, though finding it impossible to refute him, distained to say a word in his praise. For this Guo's mother asked her hushand the reason.

"To fight a war entails fatal danger," answered Zhao Seh." But Guo passed it off as something easy in his talk. It would be better if our state did not appoint him as a commander.If they do, he will surely be the one to lead our troops to doom."...

In the seventh year(2) (259 BC), the army of the State of Qin drove into the State of Zhao, and their troops confronted each other at Changping(3). By that time Zhao She had passed away and Lin Xiangru was very ill, and so the King of Zhao ordered Lian Po to take command and attack Qin. Having suffered several defeats, the Zhao troops firmly held their position in the defence and stopped fighting. In spite of Qin's repeated challenges, Lian Po refused to make any move. Then Qin sent a spy to Zhao to spread a rumour, which said:"Qin has only one thing to worry about. They are afraid that Zhao Guo, son of Zhao She, might come out to command the army." The King of Zhao believed the rumour and had Lian Po replaced by Zhao Guo....

As son as Zhao Guo took the place of Lian Po he changed all the latter's orders, rules and systems, and dismissed many military officers. When General Bai Qi of Qin got this information, he started an ingenious military move. Feigning to retreat after a defeat,his troops went to sever Zhao's food supply line and cut Guo's troops in two. This put the soldiers into great trepidation. Forty days later, the soldiers weakened from hunger Zhao Guo himself went into combat with his crack troops and was shot to death by the arrows of the Qin troops.

____________remark________________
(1) of the State of Zhao during the Warring State Period(475-221 BC).
(2) the seventh year of the regin of Xiacheng Wang of Zhao(259 BC). Another version of the story says that it was the sixth year(258 BC).
(3) present-day Gaoping County, Shanxi Province.

纸上谈兵(chinese idioms)

赵括从小就学习兵法，谈论兵事，认为天下没有比得上他的。曾经和他的父亲赵奢谈论兵事，赵奢都难不倒他，但是并不称赞他。赵括的母亲问赵奢其中的原因，赵奢曰∶“打仗，是生死攸关的地方，而赵括太轻率地讨论它了。如果赵王不让他当将军就罢了，如果一定要让他当将军，他一定会使赵军遭受失败。”...

孝成王七年（前259），秦军与赵军在长平对阵，那时赵奢已死，蔺相如也已病危，赵王派廉颇率兵攻打秦军，秦军几次打败赵军，赵军坚守营垒不出战。秦军屡次挑战。廉颇置之不理。赵王听信秦军间谍散布的谣言。秦军间谍说：“秦军所厌恶忌讳的，就是怕马服君赵奢的儿子赵括来做将军。”赵王因此就以赵括为将军，取代了廉颇。蔺相如说：“大王只凭名声来任用赵括，就好像用胶把调弦的柱粘死再去弹瑟那样不知变通。赵括只会读他父亲留下的书，不懂得灵活应变。”赵王不听，还是命赵括为将。...

赵括代替廉颇（担任抗秦大将）后，全部更改（原有的）纪律和规定，撤换军官。秦将白起听到了这些事，派了变化莫测的军队，假装败退，截断了赵军运输军粮的道路，把赵国的军队一切为二，（于是）军心离散。经过四十多天，军中兵士饥饿，赵括带领精锐的兵士亲自上阵战斗。（结果）秦军射死了赵括。赵括的军队大败，数十万兵士便投降了秦国，秦国把他们全部活埋了。

纸上谈兵,比喻空谈理论,不能解决实际问题。

负荆请罪Bear a Birch to offer a Humble Apology

Bear a Birch to offer a Humble Apology （成语 负荆请罪 英文)

When Lin Xiangru returned to Zhao(1), he was made a high official ranking above Lian Po because he had rendered an outstanding service to the State.

At this, Lian Po complained to everyone:"I am a general of the State of Zhao and have rendered meritorious services on the battlefield. Now, Lin Xiangru is put in a position superior to mine for his mere eloquence. Besides, he is a man of humble birth. I can't bear to be below him, it is a disgrace." In the end he went so far as to declare:"If he comes into my sight, I'll cry shame on him." On hearing this, Xiangru decided to avoid Lian Po in every way.

When the time came for the ministers to appear at court, Xiangru always absented himself and stayed home on the pretext of ill health. This was simply to avoid contending with Lian Po for precedence at court. Later, whenever Xiangru was out driving and sighted Lian Po on the way, he would order his carriage to turn about and avoid him.

Lin's guest advisers all began to protest at his undue humility, saying:"The reason why we left our own people and came to serve you is just that we admire your noble quality. Now, you are of equal rank with Lian Po, who has been openly speaking evil of you,yet you fear him so much that you hide yourself away from him. This is more than needed and is something even the common people would feel ashamed of ,not to say a prime minister or any other ranking official. It seems we are not useful here. Please allow us to leave."

Lin,however,insisted on their staying and asked them a question:"You gentlemen please tell me who is more formid able?Lian Po? Or the King of Qin?"

"Of couse, Lian Po is not so formidable as the King of Qin," was the answer.

"Well," Lin Xiangru came to the point at issue,"despite the awesomeness of the King of Qin, I dared rebuke him in his court and bring shame on his courtiers. Incapable as I may be, I don't think I have any reason to fear General Lian. What I have been turning over in my mind is why the pewerful Qin so far dare not invade Zhao. Isn't it merely because Lian Po and I are both in the service of Zhao at court? Suppose we two 'tigers' now pitch into each other, one of us must to out of existence. That I've been treating Lian Po in the way known to you all is to show I put the safety of the state above private grievances."

When these words of Lin Xiangru were passed on to Lian Po, he was extremely moved. Stripping him self to the waist and carrying a birch on his back, he asked his guest adviser to take hime to the mansion of Lin Xiangru to offer a humble apology. Lian said to Lin,"What an ignorant man I am! I never realized how magnanimous you are." In the end , the two were on good germs and vowed to be life-and-death companions.

_____________remark_______________
(1) see the story "Return the Jade Intact to Zhao"

负荆请罪(chinese idioms)

...回国后,由于相如功劳大，被封为上卿，位在廉颇之上。廉颇说：“我是赵国将军，有攻城野战的大功，而蔺相如只不过靠能说会道立了点功，可是他的地位却在我之上，况且相如本来是卑贱之人，我感到羞耻，在他下面我难以忍受。”并且扬言说：“我遇见相如，一定要羞辱他。”相如听到后，不肯和他相会。相如每到上朝时，常常推说有病，不愿和廉颇去争位次的先后。没过多久，相如外出，远远看到廉颇，相如就掉转车子回避。

于是相如的门客就一起来直言进谏说：“我们所以离开亲人来侍奉您，就是仰慕您高尚的节义呀。如今您与廉颇官位相同，廉老先生口出恶言，而您却害怕躲避他，您怕得也太过分了，平庸的人尚且感到羞耻，何况是身为将相的人呢！我们这些人没出息，请让我们告辞吧！”蔺相如坚决地挽留他们，说：“诸位认为廉将军和秦王相比谁厉害？”回答说：“廉将军比不了秦王。”相如说：“以秦王的威势，而我却敢在朝廷上呵斥他，羞辱他的群臣，我蔺相如虽然无能，难道会怕廉将军吗？但是我想到，强秦所以不敢对赵国用兵，就是因为有我们两人在呀，如今两虎相斗，势必不能共存。我所以这样忍让，就是为了要把国家的急难摆在前面，而把个人的私怨放在后面。”

廉颇听说了这些话，就脱去上衣，露出上身，背着荆条，由宾客带引，来到蔺相如的门前请罪。他说：“我是个粗野卑贱的人，想不到将军您是如此的宽厚啊！”二人终于相互交欢和好，成为生死与共的好友。

负荆请罪,形容主动向人认错、道歉，自请严厉责罚。

完璧归赵Return the Jade Intact to Zhao

Return the Jade Intact to Zhao（成语 完璧归赵 英文)


When King Huiwen was ruling the State of Zhao, he was fortunate enough to acquire a piece of jade discovered by Bian He of the State of Chu. Hearing this, King Zhao of the State of Qin set a letter to the King of Zhao, offering fifteen cities in exchange for the treasure.The King immediately sought counsel with General Lian Po and his ministers, confessing that he was worried he might thus lose the jade for nothing if the ruler of Qin broke his word and refused to give hime the cities, and on the other hand, if he did not let go the jade, Qin might come to attack Zhao. Much discussion went on, but the matter was not settled. Pending the solution of this problem, King Huiwen looked for a person who could give Qin a satisfactory reply, yet he was not able to find the right man...

The King, then, summoned Lin Xiangru to his presence and brought out the question.

"Shall I give the King of Qin my jade in exchange for his fifteen cities?" asked the prince.

"Since Qin is more powerful than Zhao, it seems you have to comply with the request,"answered Xiangru.

"Suppose he takes my stone without giving me the cities, what is to be done?"

"If Qin offers the cities in exchange for the stone and Zhao refuses, Zhao will be in the wrong. If Zhao gives the jade and Qin does not give the cities, Qin will be in the wrong.Weighing these two situation, I prefer to give consent to Qin's request so that Qin will be put in a position susceptible of going wrong."

"Then, who is eligible for this mission?"

"I know Your Highness can't find the right person. I am willing to be the messenger and escort the jade on Qin. If Zhao gets the promised cities, then I will leave the jade in Qin; otherwise,upon my word, I will bring it back intact."

So,the King of Zhao despatched Xiangru westward to Qin with the jade. On arrival, Xiangru was received by the King of Qin in Changtai Palace. Xiangru offered the jade to the ruler of Qin who was greatly pleased. He showed it round among his palace maids and attendants. The courtiers hailed and applauded.

Seeing that the King of Qin had no intention of giving the promised cities to Zhao, Xiangru stepped forward and said,"The jade has flaws. PLease let me show it to Your Highness." The King of Qin handed the jade over to Xiangru who with the stone in hand retreated a few steps to lean on a column and in great fury addressed the King,"When Your Highness wrote to the King of Zhao expressing your wish to possess the jade our prince immediately called in all his ministers to seek their opinion. The ministers said,'Qin is a greedy state and on the strength of its power and might only wants to get the jade for nothing. We are afraid that we may not be able to get the cities promised by Qin.' So it was their concensus that we should not give you the jade. But, to my mind, not even commoners will ever resort to cheating when making friends, let alone a powerful state. Moreover, it is not worthwhile for Zhao to offend the powerful Qin's friendly feelings merely because of a piece of jade. Having listened to my advice the King of Zhao fasted for five days before he asked me to bring the jade here, and when he sent me off, he even went through a ceremony in the courtyard for the solemn act of giving me the credentials. Just think, why should the King of Zhao do all that? It only shows his double respect for the prestige of a powerful state like yours. Well, now I am here and you receive me in an ordinary palace like this without any protocol, which cannot but be a sign of your arrogance. What is more, you have just passed the jade around among the maids to make me look ridiculous. Since I see that Your Highness has no intention of compensating Zhao with the cities which you definitely promised, I claim the jade back. If Your Highness chooses to put pressure on me to submit it , I will immediately knock both the stone and my head against this column, and break both."

Saying this, Xiangru help up the jade and directed his eyes toward the column,ready to act. Afraud that he was going to smash the jade, the King of Qin made an apology and entreated Xiangru not to do so. Then, he summoned the official concerned to read the map of Qin to Xiangru and mark off fifteen cities to be given over to Zhao.

Being a cautious man, Xiangru had a notion that the King of Qin was only playing a trick, pretending to make Zhao a gift of the cities, but not intending that Zhao should actually obtain them. So he said to the King of Qin seriously,"Heshi Jade is known by all to be a treasure. That Zhao has offered it to Qin is out of fear. Since our King when he sent the jade to you fasted for five days, it is only proper that Your Highness should do likewise and, later, perform a solemn ceremony of reception in the main palace. Only then dare I offer the jade to you." Realizing that after all he could rob it from Xiangru by force, the King of Qin promised to fast and ordered Xiangru to be lodged in the Guangheng Palace Guest House.

Considering again that the King of Qin, although he had promised to fast and might actually do so, was any minute ready to go back on his words and refuse to give the cities, Xiangru asked his attendant to disguise himself as a commoner by putting on a coarse hemp coat and to return to Zhao with the jade by a short-cut.


完璧归赵(chinese idioms)

赵惠文王的时候，得到了楚国的和氏璧。秦昭王听说了这件事，就派人给赵王一封书信，表示愿意用十五座城交换这块宝玉。赵王同大将军廉颇及大臣们商量：要是把宝玉给了秦国，秦国的城邑恐怕不可能得到，白白地受骗；要是不给呢，就怕秦军马上来攻打。怎么解决没有确定，想找一个能派到秦国去回复的使者，没能找到。...

于是赵王立即召见，问蔺相如说：“秦王用十五座城请求交换我的和氏璧，能不能给他？”相如说：“秦国强，赵国弱，不能不答应它。”赵王说：“得了我的宝璧，不给我城邑，怎么办？”相如说：“秦国请求用城换璧，赵国如不答应，赵国理亏；赵国给了璧而秦国不给赵国城邑，秦国理亏。两种对策衡量一下，宁可答应它，让秦国来承担理亏的责任。”赵王说：“谁可以派为使臣？”相如说：“大王如果确实无人可派，臣愿捧护宝璧前往出使。城邑归属赵国了，就把宝璧留给秦国；城邑不能归赵国，我一定把和氏璧完好地带回赵国。”赵王于是就派遣蔺相如带好和氏璧，西行入秦。

秦王坐在章台上接见蔺相如，相如捧璧献给秦王。秦王大喜，把宝璧给妻妾和左右侍从传看，左右都高呼万岁。相如看出秦王没有用城邑给赵国抵偿的意思，便走上前去说：“璧上有个小红斑，让我指给大王看。”秦王把璧交给他，相如于是手持璧玉退后几步站定，身体靠在柱子上，怒发冲冠，对秦王说：“大王想得到宝璧，派人送信给赵王，赵王召集全体大臣商议，大家都说：‘秦国贪得无厌，倚仗它的强大，想用空话得到宝璧，给我们的城邑恐怕是不能得到的。’商议的结果不想把宝璧给秦国。我认为平民百姓的交往尚且不互相欺骗，何况是大国呢！况且为了一块璧玉的缘故就使强大的秦国不高兴，也是不应该的。于是赵王斋戒了五天，派我捧着宝璧，在殿堂上恭敬地拜送国书。为什么要这样呢？是尊重大国的威望以表示敬意呀。如今我来到贵国，大王却在一般的台观接见我，礼节非常傲慢；得到宝璧后，传给姬妾们观看，这样来戏弄我。我观察大王没有给赵王十五城的诚意，所以我又收回宝璧。大王如果一定要逼我，我的头今天就同宝璧一起在柱子上撞碎！”

完璧归赵,比喻把原物完好地归还本人。

两败俱伤Both Sides Lose, Neighter Side Gains

Both Sides Lose, Neighter Side Gains（成语 两败俱伤 英文)


The State of Han and the State of Wei(1) were fighting each other. For a whole year, the two were locked together in the tussle.King Hui of the State of Qin was thinking of interfering, and so he asked his ministers for their opinion. Some said that interference would bring good to the state while others asserted that it would only bring harm. This left King Hui in a dilemma, unable to come to a decision.
...
An eloquent debater called Chen Zhen(2) opened up, saying:"Has anyone ever told Your Highness the story of Zhuangzi(3) killing tigers? Well, Zhuangzi was going to kill tigers having an ox as their prey when an attendant in his inn came to stop him, saying:'Not now. The two animals are just beginning to eat the ox, and when they find the taste of the meat really delicious, they will certainly come to contend for it . And contention will lead to a fight, and in fighting the big one will sufferinjury while the small one will be killed. Then you can go and kill them and you will win yourself the fame of having killed two tigers at one stroke.' Bian Zhuangzi thought that the man had said the right thing and waited.Before long the two beasts as predicted came to a strife and also as had been said, the big one got injured and the small one succumbed. Zhuangzi then thrust his sword into the wounded one and obtained two dead tigers at once."

Chen Zhen paused and then went on,"Now, Han and Wei have been fighting each other for a year and come out even. But it will turn out that the bigger state is to suffer from damage and the smaller one to collapse. Talking advantage of this, we will reap double gains, just like the case of Zhuangzi, the tiger-killer."

"Good!" uttered King Hui, who then gave up the idea of interference. Truly, things happened as expected: the bigger state Wei lost much of its strength and the smaller Han was vanquished. Qin then despatched its troops to attack both and won an overwhelming victory.


两败俱伤(chinese idioms)

韩魏相攻，期年不解。秦惠王欲救之，问于左右。左右或曰救之便，或曰勿救便，惠王未能为之决。

...

陈轸对曰：“王闻夫越人庄舄乎？”王曰：“不闻。”曰：“越人庄舄仕楚执珪，有顷而病。楚王曰：‘舄故越之鄙细人也，今仕楚执珪，贵富矣，亦思越不？’中谢对曰：‘凡人之思故，在其病也。彼思越则越声，不思越则楚声。’使人往听之，犹尚越声也。今臣虽□逐之楚，岂能无秦声哉！”惠王曰：“善。今韩魏相攻，期年不解，或谓寡人救之便，或曰勿救便，寡人不能决，愿子为子主计之余，为寡人计之。”陈轸对曰：“亦尝有以夫卞庄子刺虎闻于王者乎？庄子欲刺虎，馆竖子止之，曰：‘两虎方且食牛，食甘必争，争则必斗，斗则大者伤，小者死，从伤而刺之，一举必有双虎之名。’卞庄子以为然，立须之。有顷，两虎果斗，大者伤，小者死。庄子从伤者而刺之，一举果有双虎之功。今韩魏相攻，期年不解，是必大国伤，小国亡，从伤而伐之，一举必有两实。此犹庄子刺虎之类也。臣主与王何异也。”惠王曰：“善。” 卒弗救。大国果伤，小国亡，秦兴兵而伐，大克之。

两败俱伤,斗争双方都受到损伤，谁也没得到好处。

门可罗雀You Can Trap Sparrows at the Quiet Door

You Can Trap Sparrows at the Quiet Door（成语 门可罗雀 英文)


When Zhai Gong, whose native place was Xiangui(1), was made administrator of justice, guests swarmed to his residence. But, when he was dismissed from office, it was so quiet at the door of his mansion that a sieve-trap for sparrows could be set there without fear of being disturbed.

Later, on his resuming office, his guests wanted to call on him again. He at once wrote some big words on a piece of paper and had it posted up at the gate. The words were: If one wats to know who is true-hearted, the best moment is when he becomes dead or, fortunately,escapes from death; and to find out who has a sincere attitude, then it is when he becomes poor or as the case may be rich. The best time to test friendship is when he is exalted or, unfortunately, humiliated.

_____________remark_______________
(1) present-day Weinart County in Shanxi Province.

门可罗雀(chinese idioms)

下邽人翟公，乃汉文帝时大臣，任廷尉时，为九卿之一，位高权重。每日车马盈门，宾客如云，络绎不绝，水泄不通。其失官后，宾客绝迹，门可罗雀。后官复原职，众宾客复登门求见。此一失一得，一贫一富之况，令翟公感世态炎凉，人多趋炎附势者，顿感忿懑，便于门首书一行大字曰：“一死一生，乃知交情；一贫一富，乃知交态；一贵一贱，交情乃见。”

门可罗雀,形容门庭冷清

围魏救赵Besiege Wei to Rescue Zhao

Besiege Wei to Rescue Zhao（成语 围魏救赵 英文)


The State of Wei attacked the State of Zhao and besieged its capital. Desperate, Zhao asked the State of Qi(1) for help. King Wei of the State of Qi was prepared to commission Sun Bin(2) as Commander-in Chief to carry out the operation. This Sun politely refused, saying:"It is not advisable for a man like me who has suffered corporal punishment." Then, the King gave the post to Tian Ji, and Sun was appointed military counsellor and arranged to sit in a covered van to mastermind the coming military moves.

Tian Ji was planning to march his troops directly to Zhao when Sun suggested:"It is common knowledge that to disentangle a messy skein of silk, closing one's fighting parties, taking part in the conflict won't work. Stay clear of the enemy's main forces and strike at his weak point to create conflicts and apprehension in the enemy, the inevitably the siege will be lifted."

"Now, Liang(3) is attacking Zhao," Sun added, coming to the point."Its mobile elite troops must be fatigued, having marched far from their homeland. On the other hand, its older, weaker forces that remain behind at home, must be under heavy strain. SO, it would be wise for you to rush our troops to the capital of Liang, cut of their line of communication and attack their weak spot; then, for sure, Liang will have to give up Zhao and turn to save its own capital. In this way we shall in one operation rasi the siege of Zhao and at the same time reap the rewards of Liang's collapse."

Tian Ji agreed and did as advised. Soon Wei withdrew from Handan(4) and on the way home its army encountered that of Qi at Guiling(5). Qi won an overwhelming victory over Liang.

_____________remark_______________
(1) These three states were among the seven powerful states at the time during the Warring States Period(475-221 BC).
(2) Sun was a descendant of the famous military strategist Sun Wu. He and Pang Juan were both students of the art of war under the same teacher. Knowing Sun was superior in talent, Pang invited Sun to serve the State of Wei as his assistant, and then on a frame-up charge sentenced Sun to corporal punishment, having his feet amputated. Later, Sun fled to the State of Qi and he was well received by King Wei and Tian Ji. He emerged as a famous strategist, and was known as Sun Bin(bin in Chinese bearing the meaning of being amputated) so that his actual name was never recorded in history.
(3) Wei was also called Liang because its capital was later moved to Daliang(present-day Kaifeng, Henan Province).
(4) the capital of Zhao(in present-day Hebei Province).
(5) near present-day Heze Country, Shandong Province.

围魏救赵(chinese idioms)

魏国攻打赵国，赵国危急，向齐国请求救援。齐威王想让孙膑担任将军，孙膑婉言推辞说：“受过刑的人不可做军中的主帅。”在这种情况下就让田忌担任将军，孙膑担任军师。田忌想带兵到赵国去，孙膑说：“解开乱丝不能整个的抓住了去拉，劝解打架不能在双方相持很紧的地方去搏拉。打击要害处冲击空虚处，现在的形势禁止我们直接去救援，如果打击敌人空虚处，那么自然就会解除危急。你不如带兵迅速奔向魏国都城大梁，占据交通要道，冲击正好空虚的地方，魏军必定会放弃攻打赵国而去救自己的国家，这样我军就能一举解除赵国的围困而对魏国可以收到使它疲惫的效果。”田忌听从了他的建议。魏军果然离开了赵国都城邯郸，和齐军在桂陵这个地方交战。结果齐军把魏军打得大败。

毛遂自荐Mao Sui offers His Own Services

Mao Sui offers His Own Services（成语 毛遂自荐 英文)


Qin's troops(1) laid siege to Handan, the capital of the State of Zhao. Therefore, the Prince of Zhao sent the merchant prince Pinyuan to the State of Chu to form an alliance against Qin. It was agreed that he could bring with him twenty of his own guest advisers who were well-versed in letters and martial arts...Pingyuan had pick nineteen; there was no one competent enough to fill the twentieth place.

Among the guests fed by Pingyuan was a man called Mao Sui who went up to his host and introduced himself, saying:"I heard that you are going to form an alliance with Chu and will take along twenty of your own guest advisers, without any outsiders. And I know there is one man lacking, so I would like to make up the number and go with you."

"Sir, may I know how long you have been here under my patronage?" asked Pingyuan.

"It's three years since I came here."

"Well, an able and virtuous man gets on in the world just like an awl getting in a cloth bag. No sooner does it enter than its point penetrates and comes out. Now, you have been here for three long years,sir, yet no one around me has ever said anything in praise of you nor have I ever heard of you. This shows you have no special skill at all. You can't go with me; you'll have to stay behind."

"Until today I didn't ask to get into the bag," answered Mao Sui."Had I been placed in it earlier, my point like the awl, would have broken through it long ago, and more than that, the whole awl itself would have come out."

Half-believing, Pingyuan asked Mao Sui to accompany him for the trip, while the nineteen chosen men eyed each other and laughed in their sleeves, although they did not protest.

When the party arrived in the State of Chu, Mao Sui began to discuss things with the nineteen men. During these discussions they soon became convinced of his talents. Soon Pingyuan began to talk over the alliance with the King of Chu, putting forward the advantages as well as the disadvantages involved. The negotiations went on from morning till noon, yet nothing definite came of them. Seeing this,the nineteen men asked Mao Sui to mount the platform where the negotiations were being held. Placing a hand on the hilt of his sword, Mao Sui ascended the steps and said to Pingyuan, "The advantages and the disadvantages of an alliance are clear enough; it takes only a few words to settle the matter. Why spend the whole morning on it?"

At this, the King of Chu turned towards Pingyuan and asked,"And who is this man?"

"He's one of my guest advisers,"answered Pingyuan.

"Then why do you come here, sir?" shouted the King of Chu."I'm talking with your patron. What has that to do with you?"

Mao Sui went forward, his hand on the hilt of his sword, and said,"The reason why Your Highness bawls at me is that Chu has a large backing force--more people and more troops. But within this short distance of ten paces separating you and me, the backing is of no avail,for you life is in my hand.....Qin's general Bai Qi is a nobody. But when he had several thousand troops under his command and fought with you, he took your capital--Yi and ten Chen--at the first encounter, and in the next he despoiled Yiling, the site of your late father's tomb, and the third battle brought shame on all you forefathers.You have a never-to-be-forgotten score to settle with Qin. We of the State of Zhao feel that it should be a galling shame to you, just to think on all this. Nevertheless, Your Highness feels no humiliation or disgrace! In fact, our proposed alliance is more to the advantage of Chu than of Zhao. Why then,with my lord present, do you shout so much?"

Awe-struck and convinced, the King of Chu said,"Indeed, indeed. You have said rightly,sir. I will devote the strength of our whole state to the formation of an alliance with Zhao."

_____________remark_______________
(1) belonging to the State of Qin during the Warring States Period(475-221 Bc).

毛遂自荐(chinese idioms)

　　秦兵围困邯郸的时候，赵国派遣平原君请求救兵，到楚国签订“合纵”的盟约。平原君约定与门下既有勇力又文武兼备的食客二十人一同（前往）....平原君找到十九个人，其余的人没有可以选取的，没办法补满二十人（的额数）。门下有（一个叫）毛遂的人，走上前来，向平原君自我推荐说：“毛遂（我）听说先生将要到楚国去签订‘合纵’盟约，约定与门下食客二十人一同（前往），而且不到外边去寻找。现在还少一个人，希望先生就以（我）毛遂凑足人数出发吧！”平原君说：“先生来到（我）赵胜门下到现在（有）几年了？”毛遂说：“到现在（有）三年了。”平原君说：“贤能的士人处在世界上，好比锥子处在囊中，它的尖梢立即就要显现出来。现在，处在（我）赵胜的门下已经三年了，左右的人们（对你）没有称道（的话），赵胜（我）也没有听到（这样的）赞语，这是因为（你）没有什么才能的缘故。先生没有才能，（所以）先生请留下！”毛遂说：“我不过今天才请求进到囊中罢了。如果我早就处在囊中的话，（我）就会象禾穗的尖芒那样，整个锋芒都会挺露出来，不单单仅是尖梢露出来而已。”平原君终于与毛遂一道前往（楚国）。那十九个人互相用目光示意嘲笑他却都没有说出来。

　　毛遂到了楚国，与十九个人谈论，十九个人都折服了。平原君与楚国谈判“合纵”的盟约，（反复）说明“合纵”的利害关系，从太阳出来就阐述这些理，到太阳当空时还没有决定，那十九个人对毛遂说：“先生上去！”毛遂手握剑柄登阶而上，对平原君说：“合纵’的利害关系，两句话就可以决定。今天，太阳出来就谈论‘合纵’， 日到中天还不能决断，（这是）为什么？”楚王对平原君说：“这个人是干什么的？”平原君说：“这是（我）赵胜的舍人。”楚王怒斥道：“为什么不下去？我是在同你的君侯说话，你算干什么的？”毛遂手握剑柄上前说道：“大王（你）敢斥责（我）毛遂的原因，是由于楚国人多。现在，十步之内，大王（你）不能依赖楚国人多势众了，大王的性命，悬在（我）毛遂的手里。...白起，不过是（一个）小小的竖子罢了，率领几万部众，发兵来和楚国交战，一战而拿下鄢、郢，二战而烧掉夷陵，三战而侮辱大王的祖先。这是百代的仇恨，而且是赵国都感到羞辱的事，而大王却不知道羞耻。。‘合纵’这件事是为了楚国，并不是为了赵国呀。我的君主在眼前，（你）斥责（我）干什么？”楚王说：“是，是！实在象先生说的，谨以我们的社稷来订立‘合纵’盟约。”

毛遂自荐,比喻自告奋勇去做某项工作。

一鸣惊人Once it Cries, the Cry Shocks All

Once it Cries, the Cry Shocks All（成语 一鸣惊人 英文)


King Wei of the State of Qi loved not only to use enigmatic language but also to spend whole evenings drinking. Because of his indulgence, he stopped dealing with state affairs and left them to his ministers. As a result, things went from bad to worse, as most of his officials, big and small, also neglected their trusted duties and led an easy life. This gave other principalities a chance to make inroads into Qi. The state was on the way to falling apart at any moment. No one around the prince, however, dared to remonstrate with him.

There was one man, a certain Chunyu Kun, who ventured to speak to the King. Using careful innuendo, he said,"There is a large bird perching in this court, and for three years it has not taken wing nor uttered a cry. Probably Your Highness can tell what has happened to this bird."

"Well, I know this bird. If it ever flies, it will soar into the sky; and if it ever cries, it will amaze the world," answered the King, knowing what Chunyu Kun was driving at.

After this talk, the King summoned all the seventy-two county magistrates in the state to his presence. Among the group he rewarded one good one and executed one bad one; then he mustered all his troops, who were now greatly encouraged and ready for action. Courageously they went out to repel the invaders. In great alarm, the other principalities returned to Qi all the lands they had seized from it. Qi's power thus remained strong for the next thirty-six years.

_______________remark_____________
(1) This idiomatic expression is used to speak of an obscure person who amazes the world with a single brilliant feat.

一鸣惊人(chinese idioms)

齐威王在位时喜好说谜语，彻夜陶醉于酒宴，不理政事，将国事委托卿大夫。文武百官也荒淫放纵，各国都来侵犯，国家危在旦夕。身边近臣不敢进谏。淳于髡用隐语劝谏说：“国中有大鸟，落在大王庭院里，三年不飞又不叫，大王猜这是什么鸟？”齐威王说：“这只鸟不飞则已，一飞就直冲云霄；不鸣则已，一鸣惊人。”于是就诏令全国七十二县长官来朝奏事，奖赏一人，诛杀一人；又发兵御敌，诸侯十分惊恐，都把侵占的土地归还齐国。齐国的声威竟维持三十六年。

一鸣惊人，比喻平时没有突出的表现,一下子做出惊人的成绩。

一字千金One Thousand Golds for Every Word

One Thousand Golds for Every Word（成语 一字千金 英文)


Three years after assuming the rule of the State of Qin, King Zhuangxiang passed away. He was succeded by his heir, Prince Zheng(2) who made Lv Buwei his Prime Minister and entitled him"Zhong Fu", or second father. The Prince of Qin, however was yet young, and his mother was all the time having an affair with Lv, who was rich and powerful, with as many as ten thousand servant boys in his house.

At that time, there were several powerful merchant-princes, such as Xinling of the State of Wei, Chunshen of the State of Chu, Pingyuan of the State of Zhao and Mengchang of the State of Qi. As a matter of prestige, they all vied with each other in making friends with talented men and loved to treat or feed them in their houses with great hospitality. Thinking that Qin was a powerful state, yet could not be compared with these states which were so proud of their merchant princes, Lv Buwei felt ashamed and began to collect scholars, too, giving them very generous treatment. The persons he was feeding numbered three thousand.

One thing more all principalities at that time were interested in recruiting numbers of gifted debaters,like the famous Xun Zi(Xun Kuang), who wrote books, which were widely read. Seeing this, Lv Buwei asked every one of his guests to put down in writing what they had heard or seen, and collected their writings into a book. It ran into more than two hundred thousand words under the headings of Ba Lan(Eight Series of Readings), Lv Lun(Six Categories of Essays) and Shi'er Ji(Twelve Chronicles). He gave this huge book the title of 'Lv Shi Chun Qiu'(Master Lv's Spring and Autumn Annals), claiming that it contained all things under the sky, ancient or contemporary. He also had a notice posted at the gates of Xianyang, the capital, and hung one thousand yi of hard currency above it, inviting all the scholars and guests of the principalities to read the book over. And any one who in reading found it necessary to add or take away one single word would get this monetary reward.

______________remark______________
(1) In the Qin times, one yi equalled to twenty(or twenty-four) ounces,that is ,one jin(catty),which in Chinese is represented by the same character as that for"gold", but at that time, the hard currency was a metal like copper, not gold. This idiomatic expression has thus used to mean that a word, if found to be very appropriate or valuable, is worth a thousand taels of gold.(2) later Qinshihuan(first Emperor of the Qin Dynasty) after he conquered all over principalities and achieved the unification of China.

一字千金(chinese idioms)

庄襄王即位三年之后死去，太子嬴政继立为王，尊奉吕不韦为相国，称他为“仲父”。秦王年纪还小，太后常常和吕不韦私通。吕不韦家有奴仆万人。

在那时，魏国有信陵君，楚国有春申君，赵国有平原君，齐国有孟尝君，他们都礼贤下士，结交宾客。并在这方面要争个高低上下。吕不韦认为秦国如此强大，把不如他们当成一件令人羞愧的事，所以他也招来了文人学士，给他们优厚的待遇，门下食客多达三千人。那时各诸侯国有许多才辩之士，像荀卿那班人，著书立说，流行天下。吕不韦就命他的食客各自将所见所闻记下，综合在一起成为八览、六论、十二纪，共二十多万言。自己认为其中包括了天地万物古往今来的事理，所以号称《吕氏春秋》。并将之刊布在咸阳的城门，上面悬挂着一千金的赏金，遍请诸侯各国的游士宾客，若有人能增删一字，就给予一千金的奖励。

一字千金，形容文辞精妙，不可更改。

塞翁失马When the Old Man on the Frontier Lost His Mare

When the Old Man on the Frontier Lost His Mare(1) （成语 塞翁失马 英文)


On the frontier(2) there was a man who was skilled in divination. One day his mare, for an unknown reason, fled north into the doman of the Hu tribes. On learning this, sympathetic people came to console him,but his father remarked,"Who says that this may not be a blessing?"

Several months later, the mare returned, not alone but with a fine steed of the Hu breed.Sympathizers again came to congratulate the owner of the new horse, but again his father observed,"Who says this won't be a misfortune?"

Now that there was a fine steed in his stable, the son, fond of riding mounted the new-comer. During the ride he fell from the horse and broke his hio bone. Sympathetic people again came to console him, but his father as usual passed the matter off with the same remark,"Who says this won't be a blessing?"

A year went by. The Hu tribes made inroads, crossing the frontier line. The able bodied took up arrows and bows to fight,and nine out of every ten of the frontier inhabitants were killed. But the son,being crippled, had not gone to fight, so he and his father survived.

Therefore, a blessing may turn out a misfortune and a misfortune, a blessing.It is extremely difficult to tell, as things are so changeable.

______________remark_____________________
(1) This idiomatic expression is generally followed by another phrase "yan zi fei fu", meaning "who knows it wasn't a blessing in disguise?"
(2) generally referring to the Great Wall, north of which was then called"beyond the frontier".

塞翁失马(chinese idioms)

边塞的地方，住着一位老翁。老翁精通术数，善于算卜过去未来。有一次，老翁家的一匹马，无缘无故（大概是雌马发情罢）挣脱羁绊，跑入胡人居住的地方去了。邻居都来安慰他，他心中有数，平静地说：“这件事难道不是福吗？”几个月后，那匹丢失的马突然又跑回家来了，还领着一匹胡人的骏马一起回来。邻居们得知，都前来向他家表示祝贺。老翁无动于衷，坦然道：“这样的事，难道不是祸吗？”老翁家畜养了许多良马，他的儿子生性好武，喜欢骑术。有一天，他儿子骑着烈马到野外练习骑射，烈马脱缰，把他儿子重重地甩了个仰面朝天，摔断了大腿，成了终身残疾。邻居们听说后，纷纷前来慰问。老翁不动声色，淡然道：“这件事难道不是福吗？”又过了一年，胡人侵犯边境，大举入塞。四乡八邻的精壮男子都被征召入伍，拿起武器去参战，死伤不可胜计。靠近边塞的居民，十室九空，在战争中丧生。惟独老翁的儿子因跛脚残疾，没有去打仗。因而父子得以保全性命，安度残年余生。所以福可以转化为祸，祸也可变化成福。这种变化深不可测，谁也难以预料。

塞翁失马，比喻一时虽然受到损失,也许反而因此能得到好处。

嗟来之食Food Handed Out in Contempt

Food Handed Out in Contempt（成语 嗟来之食 英文)


Now it happended that there was a great famine throughout the State of Qi. A man by the name of Qian Ao set up a charity kitchen on the roadside to feed the starving passers-by.

Then came a hungry man,trudging along in tattered shoes, with a sleeve raised to hide his face and eyes that looked vague and dim. With a bowl of food in his left hand soup in his right, Qian Ao shouted ,"Hey,come over and eat." The man opened wide his eyes and looked, then said:"I have never eaten 'any food handed out in contempt'. And just because of that, I am now a hungry man, as you see."

Hearing this, Qian Ao made an apology to him. But the man still refused to eat, and eventually he starved to death.


嗟来之食(chinese idioms)

春秋时齐国发生饥荒，黔敖准备了食物放在路边，等候饥民过来就给他吃。有一个饥民走来了，黔敖冲着他喊道：“嗟！来食！”那个饥民瞪着眼睛说：“我正因为不食嗟来之食才饿成这个样子。”尽管黔敖向他道歉，那饥民仍然坚决不吃，最后饿死了。

嗟来之食,指带有侮辱性的或不怀好意的施舍

苛政猛于虎Tyranny is Fiercer than a Tiger

Tyranny is Fiercer than a Tiger（成语 苛政猛于虎 英文)


Confucius(1) was passing by at the foot of Taishan Mountain when he heard a woman wailing before a grave. As he bent over the front bar of his carriage listening with concern, he sent his disciple Zi Lu over to inquire.

"From your crying we presume you have met many misfortunes,"Zi Lu said to the woman.

"Exactly. Some time ago my father-in-law was killed by a tiger, then later my hushand, and now my son." the woman responded.

"Then, why hasn't she chosen to quit this place?" wondered Confucius, putting this question to her through Zi Lu.

"Because this place is not plagued by tyranny," came the woman's answer.

At this Confucius admonished his disciples,"Keep this in mind-tyranny is indeed fiercer than a tiger."

____________remark________________
(1) 551-479 BC

苛政猛于虎(chinese idioms)

孔子路过泰山边，有个妇人在坟墓旁哭得很悲伤。孔子扶着车前的伏手板听着，派子路问她说：“你这样哭，真好象不止一次遭遇到不幸了。”她就说：“是啊！以前我公公死在老虎口中，我丈夫也死在这虎上，现在我儿子又被虎咬死了。”孔子说：“为什么不离开这儿呢？”回答说：“这儿没苛政。”孔子说：“弟子们记着，苛政比老虎还厉害！”

苛政猛于虎，形容政治的残暴。

尔虞我诈Cheat Against Cheat

Cheat Against Cheat（成语 尔虞我诈 英文)

The troops of the State of Chu were going to withdraw after having failed to subdue the State of Song.

Shen Shushi the charioteer then proposed to the ruler of Chu:"Build houses on the battlefields and send farm-soldiers home to grow grain to sustain the protracted siege we have just begun. Eventually Song will have to surrender."

The ruler of Chu did as suggested. This alarmed Song and Hua Yuan was immediately charged with an important mission to go to the Chu camps at night. When Hua Yuan sneaked into the tent of the Chu commander Zi Fan, he dragged him out of the bed,saying:"I am sent by our ruler to tell you the truth about our precarious situation. But his message is "My people have been exchanging their children and killing them for food, and dismembering the skeletons to serve as fuel. Nevertheless, we'd rather all die than conclude any treaty with you under coercion. We shall never sign any thing imposed on us.' Therefore, I advise you to withdraw your troops thirty li and we shall be prepared to accept your dictated terms."

Zi Fan was shocked at Song's resolureness and agreed to negotiate. He told this to his sovereign, who gave orders to sound a retreat and withdraw thirty li as proposed.

Song and Chu soon began negotiations.Hua Yuan was then kept in the Chu camps as a hostage, and in the final agreement it was stated:"We shall not cheat you and you will not cheat us."

____________remark_____________

(1) Its origin came from "We shall not cheat you and you will not cheat us", but it is generally used in the reverse.So this idiomatic expression has come to be "Cheat Against Cheat", "Plot and Connterplot" and the like.

尔虞我诈(chinese idioms)

楚国军队要撤离宋国 楚臣申叔时正为楚王驾车，他说：“修建房屋，把种田的人叫回来，宋国就一定会听从君王的命令。”楚王照他的话去做了。 宋人害怕起来，派华元在夜里潜入楚营，上了子反的床，把他叫起来说：“我们国君派我来把宋国的困难告诉你，说：“敝国人已经在交换孩子杀了吃，劈开尸骨烧火做饭。即使如此，兵临城下被逼签订的盟约，就算让国家灭亡，也不能答应。如果撤离我们三十里，宋国就一切听命。’”子反很害怕，就与华元 定了盟誓，并报告了楚庄王,楚军退兵三十里. 宋国与楚国讲和。华元当了人质。盟誓上说：“我不欺你，你不骗我。

尔虞我诈,比喻互相欺骗,互不信任。

病入膏肓Sick to the Vitals

Sick to the Vitals （成语 病入膏肓 英文)


Duke Jiang of the State of Jin was ill. He sought medical counsel from the State of Qin, whose ruler Huangong then sent a physician along to see what could be done.

Before the arrival of Huan the physician, Duke Jing had dreamt of his disease in the person of two kids. One of them was saying,"The coming physician is very competent;I'm afraid he will hurt us. Let's run away." The other rejoined,"No. We'll stay somewhere above huang and below gao(1). I bet he can do nothing to us."

At last the physician came. After making a diagnosis, he coucluded:"There's no cure for the disease. It lies above huang and below gao where no moxibustion can be applied nor acupuncture be manipulated, and drugs will never reach there. Nothing can be done about it."

At these words the Duke commended Huan as a truly eminent doctor and sent hime home richly rewarded.

____________remark_____________
(1) In ancient times huang was meant to be the term for the diaphragm;and gao the fat on the tip of the heart.So gao huang signified a region in-between the heart and the diaphragm where no medicioe could send any curative eftect.

病入膏肓(chinese idioms)

春秋时期，晋景公有一次生病，十分严重，国内所有的名医，都没有办法医治，便只好向临国请求名医。那时秦国有一位很高明的医生，姓秦名缓．字越人，又称扁鹊先生(今沧州任丘人)。于是景公派使者去请他，使者到了秦国，和秦伯商量，秦、晋两国，因为有婚姻上的关系，所以秦伯就让扁鹊去医治景公。

在扁鹊到达晋国之前，景公做了一个梦，梦中见他的病，变化成两个小孩。其中一个小孩对另一个说：“扁鹊是著名的良医．如果他到来，恐怕会伤害我们，我看我们还是逃跑吧。”另一个小孩回答说：“我和你分别躲在肓的上面和膏的下面，他就没办法奈何我们。”

景公醒来以后，觉得很奇怪。扁鹊到了晋国，给景公诊视了一番后，对景公说：“你的病已经很重，没有办法医治了，因为你患的毛病有两处：一处在肓的上面，一处在膏的下面。这两个地方是药物所不能达到的，所以没有办法了.”景公听扁鹊说出病的根源，恰恰和梦中两个小孩所说一样，不禁赞叹道：“唉!你真是一位好医生呀!”于是叫人送了很厚的礼品给扁鹊，送他回去。

病入膏肓,比喻事情到了无法挽救的地步。

退避三舍Retreat Three She to Give Way

Retreat Three(or san) She to Give Way(1)（成语 退避三舍 英文）


When Chong'er arrived at the State of Chu(2),the Prince of Chu gave a banquet in his honour.

"If one day you can return to your own state Jin, how would you reward me?"asked the host.

"So far as beautiful girls and attendants are concerned, I know you have plenty of them. As to birds' feather,elephant's tusks and animal skin,they are your native products. Of all these the State of Jin feels and obvious lack;what's been imported into Jin amounts only to a fraction of what you have. I really don't know how I'm to compensate you."answered Chong'er.

"What you have said is true.But, is there any way in which you can reward me?"

"If with your blessing I were able to return to my own state, then let me now make this promise: In case our two states came to be engaged in war and had to encounter each other in the central plain, I would order my troops to retreat san she without hesitation. How about that? Suppose I still fail to convince you of my good will, then I shall take up my bow and whip with my left hand my quiver with my right to deal with you."

_____________remark____________
(1) where san means "three" and she means "thirty li" in a military march--altogether ninety li.
(2) In 655 B.C, a strife went on in the court of Jin over the succession of the throne, with the result that the heir, Prince Sheng Sheng, was killed and his younger brother Chong'er had to flee the country. After taking refuge in one state after another, Chong'er finally came to the State of Chu where he was well received. He returned to his own state after nineteen years of exile.

退避三舍(chinese idioms)

到了楚国，楚成王设宴款待重耳，并问道：‘如果公子返回晋 国，拿什么来报答我呢？”重耳回答说：“美女。宝玉和丝绸您都 有了；鸟羽、兽毛、象牙和皮革，都是贵国的特产。那些流散到 晋国的，都是您剩下的。我拿什么来报答您呢？”楚成王说：“尽管如此，总得拿什么来报答我吧？”重耳回答说：“如果托您的福， 我能返回晋国，一旦晋国和楚国交战，双方军队在中原碰上了，我就让晋军退避九十里地。如果得不到您退兵的命令，我就只好左手拿着马鞭和弓梢，右边挂着箭袋和弓套奉陪您较量一番。”

退避三舍,比喻退让和回避,避免冲突

外强中干Out wardly Strong but Inwardly Weak

Out wardly Strong but Inwardly Weak（成语 外强中干 英文）


The Earl of Qin was attacking the Marquisate of Jin....After defeating it in three battles, he reached the place called Han.(1)

Marquis Jin said to his minister Qing Zheng."The enemy has now entered deep into our territory. What shall we do?"

"It was you yourself who invited their incursion into our domain.(2) There is nothing we can do now," replied Qing Zheng.

The Marquis reproached Qing Zheng for his imprudence and sought help from divination to decide who would be the Right Guard in command of the charioteers. The oracle was in favour of Qing Zheng but the Marquis refused to appoint him for that post. Instead he asked Bu Yang to take command and Jia Putu to be the Right Guard; the latter, however,after taking over the command, chose to use small chariots drawn by teams of four horses brought from the State of Zheng.

Seeing this,Qing Zheng pleaded to the Marquis,"Our forefathers whenever they dealt with an important affair like going to way only used horses of our own breed. Such animals are native-born and know the mind of the native riders;they obey their orders and are familiar with the local roads: therefore, no matter how you use them, they will always meet your purpose. Now we are using alien-bied horses in the war; they will be apprehensive and go against our intention. And apprehension causes uneven breathing, disturbs the spirit,swells the chest quickens the circulation of the blood and imtates the nerves. The horses may look strong but they are actually weak;they will find themselves lost,not knowing which way to turn-going forward or backward, this way or that way. I am sure you will regret your decision." The Marquis, however, refused to listen to him.

On the day of Renxu(3),the Qin and the Jin troops fought at Han. And it turned out that Jin's war horses could only go round and round, bogged down in deep mire. The Marquis then cried to Qing Zheng for help.

"You were adamant in refusing to listen to my remonstration and you disobeyed the oracle,so you have brought about your own defeat. Why should you now try to escape your fate?" Qing Zheng said,and left the Marquis to himself.

Liang Youmi was then driving the chariot for Han Jian,and Guo She became the Right Guard. They encountered the Duke of Qin on the way and were going to stop him when Qing Zheng came to ask them to go and save the Marquis. So, they missed the chance of capturing the duke.

In the end, Qin captured the Marquis and its army returned to their own state in triumph.

____________remark_____________
(1) The story took place in the Spring and Autumn Period(770-476 BC) and Han was place in present-day Shanxi Province.
(2) The reason was that Jin had promised to give Qin five cities in gratitude for Qin's helping the Marquis of Jin to assume the tule of the had a famine, Qing Zheng asked the Marquis to give aid for teller,but his proposal was unheeded, hence the war.
(3) the 13th day of the 9th month in the 15th year of the reign of Lu Xiaong,Duke of the State of Lu.

外强中干(chinese idioms)

　　三败及韩。晋侯谓庆郑曰：“寇深矣，若之何？”对曰：“君实深之，可若何？”公曰：“不孙。”卜右，庆郑吉，弗使。步扬御戎，家仆徒为右，乘小驷，郑入也。庆郑曰：“古者大事，必乘其产，生其水土而知其人心，安其教训而服习其道，唯所纳之，无不如志。今乘异产，以从戎事，及惧而变，将与人易。乱气狡愤，阴血周作，张脉偾兴，外强中干。进退不可，周旋不能，君必悔之。”弗听。

　　壬戌，战于韩原，晋戎马还泞而止。公号庆郑。庆郑曰：“愎谏违卜，固败是求，又何逃焉？”遂去之。梁由靡御韩简，虢射为右，辂秦伯，将止之。郑以救公误之，遂失秦伯。秦获晋侯以归.

外强中干,形容外表强壮,内里空虚。

上下其手Manipulate a Case by Raising and Lowering the Hand

Manipulate a Case by Raising and Lowering the Hand（成语 上下其手 英文）

The State of Chu was invading the State of Zheng. Zheng's general Huang Ji was therefore commissioned to defend the capital. When he went out to fight with the Chu troops,he suffered a great defeat and was captured by Chuan Fengxu,a magistrate of Chu. Immediately, however, Prince Wei came to claim the prisoner. The magistrate refused, while the prince stuck to his claim.So, they went to Bozhouli, Minister of Internal Affairs, for arbitration.

"The best way is to ask the prisoner himself for the facts," said the Minister.

The prisoner was brought in. Holding up his right hand, the Minister said to him,"This is Prince Wei, a favourite brother of our sovereign ruler."Then, lowering the hand, he said again,"This man is called Chuan Fengxu, a magistrate of one of our border counties. Well, tell us which of the two actually captured you."

Fully understanding the Minister's gesture, the prisoner answered,"I chanced upon Prince Wei and was defeated and taken captive."

上下其手(chinese idioms)

楚国侵犯郑国。郑将皇颉带兵守御，出城和楚军作战，大败。楚国的穿封戌活捉了皇颉，可是公子围（即楚共王之次子，楚康王之弟，亦即后来的楚灵王）向穿封戌争俘虏（他硬说皇颉是他俘获的）。两人争执不下，便到太宰伯州犁那里去评理。伯州犁说：“这最好问俘虏自己。”于是把俘虏皇颉带来。伯州犁向上高举起一只手，恭敬地指着公子围，对皇颉说：“这位是王子围，是我国国君宠爱的兄弟。”然后，把手放低，向下轻轻指着穿封戌说：“这人名叫穿封戌，是我国边远外地的一个县官。究竟是谁把你捉住的？”皇颉见伯州犁介绍时，手势语气，大不相同，心里早已明白了他暗示的意思，便趁机逢迎，撒谎道：“我皇颉遇到王子，就大败被俘。”

上下其手,比喻玩弄手法，串通做弊。

一鼓作气Accomplish in One Go

Accomplish in One Go （成语 一鼓作气 英文）


In the spring of the tenth year of the reign of Duke Zhuang(1), the State of Qi started to attack the State of Lu. Duke Zhuang was preparing to flight the war when Cao Gui asked for an audience. A villager, however, advised Cao,"War is the affair of the ministers.Why trouble to interfere?" To this Cao replied,"They are short-sighted; they can't think deeply and plan carefully for a war."

So Cao entered the court. When he saw the Duke, he asked him,"What makes Your Highness think that you can go to war?"

"Firstly, food and clothing give the people comfort; I dare not claim all for myself but share with them," the prince answered.

"Good. The people will certainly not follow your order before kindnesses, small as they may be, are given to all," Cao commented. "Sacrificial animals and jades and stilks which are marked for offering to the gods I dare not make a false account of, and I see to it that all is true and correct."

"The gods will not bless one when he is not true to his word even in small matters."

"Though I am not able to look into all cases,big or small, I make a point of judging every one fairly and carefully."

"This is a matter of full devotion to one's duty. Well, from what you have said, you can go to war. When you do, I request you to let me follow you to the batlefield," Cao finally appealed.

As promised, the Duke let Cao Gui sit by him in his chariot, when the battle was about to be fought at Changshao in the State of Lu.

With his troops deployed, the Duke wanted to beat the battle drum to start an attack. But Cao said,"Not yet." And not until the Qi troops had beaten their drums three times did Cao cry,"Now is the time to beat ours."

The Lu troops then charged and defeated the troops of Qi. The Duke of Lu was eager to pursue the retreating enemy, but he was again stopped by Cao who said,"Not yet."Instead, Cao alighted and had a look at the tracks of Qi's retreating cbariots, and then climbed on to the front horizontal bar of his chariot and looked into the distance for a while. Finally he said,"All right, go ahead." The Qi troops were thus driven out of the Lu territory.

After the victory was won, the Duke asked Cao Gui the reason for all his actions. Cao Gui'reply was:"In battle, it is all a matter of morale. The first beating of the drum is to rouse the soldiers to action. If no action is taken, then at the second beating their morale dwindles and at the third, it melts. When the enemy was at the end of their enthusiasm, we were just full of go. That is the time to attack. Because of this we were able to defeat them. Again, in the face of a powerful state like Qi, it is difficult to see through its tactics.I was therefore afraid that they might have an ambush ready for us,but when I found that during the retreat their chariot tracks were disorderly and their banners all down, I knew we could chase them out."

_______________remark_______________
(1) the year 684 BC during the Spring and Autumn period。

一鼓作气(chinese idioms)

鲁庄公十年的春天，齐国军队攻打我们鲁国，鲁庄公将要迎战。曹刿请求庄公接见。他的同乡说：“大官们会谋划这件事的，你又何必参与呢？”曹刿说：“大官们眼光短浅，不能深谋远虑。”于是进宫廷去见庄公。曹刿问庄公：“您凭什么跟齐国打仗？”庄公说：“衣食是使人生活安定的东西，我不敢独自占有，一定拿来分给别人。”曹刿说：“这种小恩小惠不能遍及百姓，老百姓是不会听从您的。”庄公说：“祭祀用的牛羊、玉帛之类，我从来不敢虚报数目，一定要做到诚实可信。”曹刿说：“这点诚意难以使人信服，神是不会保佑您的。”庄公说：“大大小小的案件，虽然不能件件都了解得清楚，但一定要处理得合情合理。”曹刿说：“这才是尽本职的事，可以凭这一点去打仗。作战时请允许我跟您去。”

鲁庄公和曹刿同坐一辆战车。在长勺和齐军作战。庄公（一上阵）就要击鼓进军，曹刿说：“（现在）不行。”齐军擂过三通战鼓后，曹刿说：“可以击鼓进军啦。”齐军大败。庄公正要下令追击，曹刿说：“还不行。”（说完就）下车去察看齐军的车印，又登上车前横木望齐军（的队形），（这才）说：“可以追击了。”于是追击齐军。

打了胜仗以后，鲁庄公询问取胜的原因。曹刿答道：“打仗，要靠勇气。头通鼓能振作士兵们的勇气，二通鼓时勇气减弱，到三通鼓时勇气已经枯竭了。敌方的勇气已经枯竭而我方的勇气正盛，所以打败了他们。（齐是）大国，难以摸清（它的情况），怕的是有埋伏，我发现他们的车印混乱，军旗也倒下了，所以才下令追击他们。”

一鼓作气,比喻:趁劲头大的时候鼓起干劲，一口气把工作做完

画蛇添足Supplying Feet to a Painted Snake

Supplying Feet to a Painted Snake（成语 南辕北辙 英文）

After offering sacrifices to his ancestors, a man in the State of Chu granted a goblet of letf-over wine to his attendants, who, however, after talking among themselves decided that the wine would not be enough for all, though more than enough for one. And that it would be better for every one of them to draw a snake on the ground so that whosoever fineshed first might drink the wine.

Then one of them came out first and complacently took up the goblet, ready to drink. Holding it in his left hand, he said,"Oh, there's still time for me to supply the snake with feet." So saying,he used the other hand to do it, but before he could finish the feet another man completed his snake. He immediately seized the vessel and cried,"A snake is born without feet. How can you give it them?" With that, he gulped down the wine, and the one doing the feet ended up losing what should have belonged to him

画蛇添足(chinese idioms)

有一家人家祭祀祖宗。仪式完毕后，把剩下的一壶酒，赏给手下的办事人员喝。人多酒少，很难分配。这几个人就商量分酒的办法。有个人说：“一壶酒分给几个人喝，太少了。要喝就喝个痛快。给一个人喝才过瘾呢！”大家都这样想，可是谁也不肯放弃这个权利。另一个提议说：“这样吧，让我们来个画蛇比赛。每个人在地上画一条蛇，谁先画完，谁就喝这壶酒。”大伙儿都赞成这个办法。于是每个人折了一根树枝，同时开始画起来。有一个人画得最快，转眼之间，把蛇画好了。他左手抓过酒壶，得意地看看同伴，心想，他们要赶上我还差得远哩。便洋洋自得地说：“我再给蛇添上几只脚，也能比你们先画完。”正当他画第二只脚的时候，另一个人把蛇画完了。他一把夺过酒壶说：“蛇本来是没有脚的，你画的根本就不是蛇。还是我先画完，酒应当归我喝。” 添画蛇脚的人无话可说，只好咽着唾沫，看别人喝酒。

画蛇添足，比喻做了多余的事，反而有害无益，徒劳无功。

门庭若市The Courtyard is as Crowded as a Market

The Courtyard is as Crowded as a Market（成语 门庭若市 英文）


Zhou Ji(1) went to the court to see King Wei of the State of Qi, and said to him:"To my knowledge I am indeed not so handsome as Xu Gong, but my wife says that I am, because she flatters me; so does my concubine because she fears me; and even my guests say the same thing because they want to ask me favours. From this I realize that since ours is a big state possessing a thousand square miles of land and 120 cities,there is no lady around you who does not flatter you, no courtier who does not fear you, and no one throughout the state who do not want to ask you a vavour. So, I should say Your Highness must have been much more fooled by honeyed words tha I."

"You are quite right." rejoined the King. Then he decreed that"whosoever among my subjects can point out my faults in my face will be highly rewarded; those who remonstrate with me in writhing will receive a reasonable reward; and those who lampoon me and speak ill of me in the court and the market and whose remarks eventually reach my ear will be moderately rewarded."

In the first few days of the proclamation, great numbers of subjects went to the court to remonstrate so that the courtyard was as crowded as a marketplace. A few months later,those who entered the court to criticize became less in number and they came only occasionally. A year later, nobody had any criticism to make though he wished he could have something to say.

At this news, the states of Yan,Chao,Han and Wei all came to pay tribute to Qi. This is what is meant by conquest through peaceful means starting right in the court.

_______________remark_______________
(1) Prime Minister in the court of the State of Qi,during the Zhou dynastic rule,known for his eloquence.

门庭若市(chinese idioms)

邹忌于是入朝见威王，曰：“臣诚知不如徐公美。臣之妻私臣，臣之妾畏臣，臣之客欲有求于臣，皆以美于徐公。今齐地方千里，百二十城，宫妇左右莫不私王，朝廷之臣莫不畏王，四境之内莫不有求于王：由此观之，王之蔽甚矣。” 王曰：“善。”乃下令：“群臣吏民能面刺寡人之过者，受上赏；上书谏寡人者，受中赏；能谤讥于市朝，闻寡人之耳者，受下赏。”令初下，群臣进谏，门庭若市；数月之后，时时而间进；期年之后，虽欲言，无可进者。 燕、赵、韩、魏闻之，皆朝于齐。此所谓战胜于朝廷。

门庭若市,厅堂热闹得像市集一样

鹬蚌相争When the Snipe and the Clam Grapple, the Fisherman Profits

When the Snipe and the Clam Grapple, the Fisherman Profits（成语 鹬蚌相争 英文）


The State of Zhao was going to assault the State of Yan.(1)

Su Dai came to see King Hui of the State of Zhao, and said,"On my way here I was crossing the Yishui River when I saw a clam just coming out to take the sun on the shore. A snipe came over to peck at the exposed flesh of the clam, which quickl closed its shell to clamp the bird's bill.

'If no rain comes today or tomorrow, there'll be a dead clam,' said the snipe.

'If you can't get your bill free today or tomorrow, there'll be a dead sinpe, riposted the clam.

None of the two would budge. Then along came a fisherman, who easily caught them both.

After a pause, Su Dai continued,"Now that Zhao is ready to attack Yan. But if both states were locked in a long stalemate with neither side ready to yield, then both peoples will be equally worn out. I'm afraid then the powerful Qin will turn up as the fisherman. Therefore, I do hope that Your Highness will give this matter careful consideration before you act."

"Well said." nodded King Hui and he gave up his military plan.

_____________remark_____________
(1) both in the Warring States Period()

鹬蚌相争(chinese idioms)

赵国将要讨伐攻打燕国，苏代为燕国去游说赵惠王说：“今天我来，渡过易水时，看到有个老蚌怕出来晒太阳，但有个鹬鸟跑来啄食它的肉，蚌马上合上两片壳刚好夹住了鹬鸟嘴巴，鹬鸟说：‘如果今天不下雨，明天不下雨，小蚌你死定了。”蚌说道：“你嘴巴今天抽不出，明天抽不出，等死的是你。”两个都不肯舍弃让步，这时刚好有个老渔翁走过看到把他们俩都捉住了。现在赵国攻打燕国，燕赵两国长时间相持，对两者都没好处。我恐怕强大的秦国要当渔夫了。所以请大王再仔细考虑这件事。”赵惠王说：“好。”于是停止了攻打燕国的计划。

鹬蚌相争,比喻双方争执不下，两败俱伤，让第三者占了便宜。

千金买骨Buy a Carcass with a Thousand Taels of Silver

Buy a Carcass with a Thousand Taels of Silver（成语 千金买骨 英文）


King Zhao of the State of Yan became ruler after clearing up a messy situation.(1) To take revenge on the State of Qi, he humbly offered a generous reward to any capable and honest man who was willing to serve hem....

He went to call on Guo Wei and asked him,"Whom should I visit, I mean, which talented man?"

"Well, let me tell you what I have heard. In the old days there was a ruler who offered a thousand taels of silver for any fine steed that could cover a thousand li a day. For three years he failed to get one. Then, a eunuch ventured to suggest,'Let me try.' So, the ruler gave him that mission, and in three months the eunuch found one real steed, but a dead one. He paid five hundred taels for its carcass and returned with it to report to the ruler. The ruler flew into a rage and shouted,'What I want is a living horse. What's the use of dead one? And you paid five hundred taels for it!"

"'Since a dead horse costs five hundred taels, how much more will a living one cost?' answered the eunuch.'From this transaction people of the whole land will certainly see that you are a serious buyer. Just wait, good steeds will come very soon.'Truly as the man had said, in less than a year three thousand-league horses were brought to the ruler."

"If Your Highness is serious about getting talented people to help you, please start with me. Then people will think that with a man like me in an important position, those who are much more talented than I am will surely be given still higher posts. Capable men will come from even a housand li away. Don't you worry."

Thereupon, King Zhao built a palace for Guo Wei and honoured him as his teacher. Soon Le Yi, a famous general, came to Yan from Wei; Zhou Yi, an eloquent debater, from Qi; Jue Xin, a gifted counsellor, from Chao; and many more scholars hailed from other states and gathered in the State of Yan.

_____________remark_________________
(1) The State of Yan was in a mess because of civil war followed by a great defeat at the hands of the State of Qi.

千金买骨(chinese idioms)


燕昭王收拾了残破的燕国以后登上王位，他礼贤下士，用丰厚的聘礼来招摹贤才，想要依靠他们来报齐国破燕杀父之仇。为此他去见郭隗先生，说：“齐国乘人之危，攻破我们燕国，我深知燕国势单力薄，无力报复。然而如果能得到贤士与我共商国是，以雪先王之耻，这是我的愿望。请问先生要报国家的大仇应该怎么办?”

郭隗先生回答说：“成就帝业的国君以贤者为师，成就王业的国君以贤者为友，成就霸业的国君以贤者为臣，行将灭亡的国君以贤者为仆役。如果能够卑躬曲节地侍奉贤者，屈居下位接受教诲，那么比自己才能超出百倍的人就会光临；早些学习晚些休息，先去求教别人过后再默思，那么才能胜过自己十倍的人就会到来；别人怎么做，自己也跟着做，那么才能与自己相当的人就会来到；如果凭靠几案，拄着手杖，盛气凌人地指挥别人，那么供人驱使跑腿当差的人就会来到；如果放纵骄横，行为粗暴，吼叫骂人，大声喝斥，那么就只有奴隶和犯人来了。这就是古往今来实行王道和招致人才的方法啊。大王若是真想广泛选用国内的贤者，就应该亲自登门拜访，天下的贤人听说大王的这一举动，就一定会赶着到燕国来。”

昭王说：“我应当先拜访谁才好呢?”郭隗先生说道：“我听说古时有一位国君想用千金求购千里马，可是三年也没有买到。宫中有个近侍对他说道：‘请您让我去买吧。国君就派他去了。三个月后他终于找到了千里马，可惜马已经死了，但是他仍然用五百金买了那匹马的脑袋，回来向国君复命。国君大怒道：‘我要的是活马，死马有什么用，而且白白扔掉了五百金?'这个近侍胸有成竹地对君主说：‘买死马尚且肯花五百金，更何况活马呢?天下人一定都以为大王您擅长买马，千里马很快就会有人送了。'于是不到一年，三匹千里马就到手了。如果现在大王真的想要罗致人才，就请先从我开始吧；我尚且被重用，何况那些胜过我的人呢?他们难道还会嫌千里的路程太遥远了吗?”

于是昭王为郭隗专门建造房屋，并拜他为师。消息传开，乐毅从魏国赶来，邹衍从齐国而来，剧辛也从赵国来了，人才争先恐后集聚燕国。

千金买骨,比喻重视人才，渴望得到人才。

亡羊补牢Mend the Fold After a Sheep is Lost

Mend the Fold After a Sheep is Lost（成语 亡羊补牢 英文）


Zhuang Xin(1), an aristocrat of the State of Chu, said to the King Xiang of the State of Chu,"In the palace you have Marquis Zhou and Marquis Xia to keep you company and when you are out in the carriage you have the two merchant-princes Yanling and Shoulin as you retinue. You have been wallowing in luxury and pleasure and neglecting state affairs. Alas, our capital Ying(2) is in danger and bound to fall."

"Have you lived so long that you've grown muddle headed?" King Xiang reproached him."And do you dare to foretell the fortune and misfortune of a state?"

"But as I see it, these things are bound to happen. It is not that I dare guess the fate of our land," explained Zhuang Xin."If Your Highness does not mend his ways, and keeps on favouring those four men, Chu is doomed to fall. Would you kindly let me take refuge in the State of Zhao and stay there for a while, till we see what is going to take place?"

So,Zhuang Xin went to Zhao, and it was only five months later that Qin attacked Chu and seized such places as Yan, Ying,Wu,Shangcai and Chen, and King Xiang had to quit the capital to seek shelter at Chengyang. At that hour KIng Xiang dispatched his attendant on horseback to invite Zhuang Xin to see him. To this summons Zhuang Xin readily responded.

When Zhuang Xin arrived, King Xiang said to him,"I regret I didn't follow your advice. Now, you see my situation, what shall I do?"

"Well, I heard a popular saying," Zhuang Xin rejoined."It runs:' It is not too late to look back and signal you hound to give chase, even after you have already caught sight of a running hare. Nor is it too late to mend the fold even after some of your sheep have been lost.'" Zhuang Xin paused and then continued,"Besides, we all know that in the early days Emperor Tang and Emperor Wu(3) started with a small state of a hundred square li but gradually won the world, whereas Emperor Jie and Emperor Zhou,(4) though they already had the world in their hands, finally lost it. Now,though Chu has been reduced to a small size, it still has, discounting the poor land and counting only the good, several thousand square li left, much more than a hundred. It is not a small state at all is it?..."

On hearing this,... King Xiang made Zhuang Xin the Marquis of Yangling and granted(5) him the land north of the Huai River.

______________remark________________
(1) who lived in the Warring States Period(475-211 BC), a descendent of Chu Zhuangwang, hence his surname being Zhuang.
(2) in present-day Hubei Province.
(3) referring to the first Emperor Tang of the Shang Dynasty and the first Emperor Wu of the Zhou Dynasty, both known for their winning the world by justice and benignity in rule.
(4) referring to the last Emperor Jie of the Xia Dynasty and the last Emperor Zhouof the Shang Dynasty, both known for their loss of the world because of their misrule cruelty and luxurious life.
(5) "Grant" is suspected to be a mistaken word. It should read"recover", mening "Chu recovered most of the land north of the Huai River."

亡羊补牢(chinese idioms)

　　庄辛对楚襄王说：“君王左有州侯右有夏侯，车后又有鄢陵君和寿陵君跟从着，一味过着毫无节制的生活，不理国家政事，如此会使郢都变得很危险。”楚襄王说：“先生老糊涂了吗？还是认为楚国将遇到不祥呢？”庄辛说：“臣当然是看到了事情的必然后果，不必认为国家遇到不祥。假如君王始终宠幸这四个人，而不稍加收敛，那楚国一定会因此而灭亡的。请君王准许臣到赵国避难，在那里来静观楚国的变化。”

庄辛离开楚国到了赵国，他只在那里住了5个月，秦国就发兵攻占了鄢、郢、巫、上蔡、陈这些地方，楚襄王也流亡躲藏在城阳。在这时候襄王才派人率骑士到赵国召请庄辛。庄辛说：“可以。”

庄辛到了城阳以后，楚襄王对他说：“寡人当初不听先生的话，如今事情发展到这地步，对这事可怎么办呢？” 庄辛回答说：“臣知道一句俗语：‘见到兔子以后再放出猎犬去追并不算晚，羊丢掉以后再去修补也不算迟。’臣听说过去商汤王和周武王，依靠百里土地，而使天下昌盛，而夏桀王和殷纣王，虽然拥有天下，到头来终不免身死亡国。现在楚国土地虽然狭小，然而如果截长补短，还能有数千里，岂止100里而已？

楚襄王听了庄辛这番话之后，大惊失色，全身发抖。在这时才把执?的爵位送给庄辛，封他为阳陵君，不久庄辛帮助楚王收复了淮北的土地。

亡羊补牢,比喻事后的补救。

惊弓之鸟A Bird Startled by the Mere Twang of a Bowstring

A Bird Startled by the Mere Twang of a Bowstring（成语 惊弓之鸟 英文）


Years ago, Geng Lei and the King Wei standing on a high terrace saw some birds flying past. At this Geng Lei boasted that he could down a bird by drawing his bow but not shooting.

"You mean to say that shooting skill can reach such a high level?" the King wondered.

"Indeed I do."

A while later a flock of wild geese came from the east. Geng Lei went into action and succeeded in downing a bird by merely producing a twang with his bowstring.

"Really, archery can go that far!"cried the King.

"Well, that bird has an unhealed wound."

"How do you know,sir?"

"Because it was flying slowly and uttering a plaintive cry. Generally, an old wound affects the speed of flying and lagging behind the crowd for long leads to a desperate calling. So, an unhealed wound means an unrecovered fright. At the twang of my bowstring the bird strove to soar but fell because the wound burst open."


惊弓之鸟(chinese idioms)

　　往时,更羸陪魏王在后花园里喝酒,他们抬头看见一只飞鸟,更羸对魏王说:"我为大王表演一个拉弓虚射就能使鸟掉下来的技能.魏王摇头笑笑:"射箭技术可以达到这麼高的水平吗 .更羸说:"能. 过了没有多久,一只孤雁从东方徐徐飞来,更羸摆好姿式,拉满弓弦,虚射一箭,雁应声而落.魏王简直不相信自己的眼睛,惊叹道:"先生怎么知道?更羸於下弓解释说:"这是一只有隐伤的鸟,听见弦声惊悖而下落的,并非我的技术高明!魏王更纳闷了:大雁在天空中飞,先生怎麼知道它有隐伤 .更羸回答说:"它飞得慢,鸣声又凄厉,是因为长久失群,原来的伤口没有愈合,惊恐的心理还没有消除,一听到弦声,就猛一下子搧动翅膀往高处飞,瞬间就牵动旧的创伤,疼得使它跌落下来.

惊弓之鸟,比喻曾遭祸患,因而心怀惊惧者.

狐假虎威The Fox Assumes the Tiger's Might

The Fox Assumes the Tiger's Might（成语 狐假虎威 英文）


A tiger caught a fox while looking for any beast that might come his way and fall a prey to him.

"Don't you dare eat me!" said the fox."The Emperor of Heaven has made me king of the beasts. You eat me and you will be going against His orders. If you don't believe what I say, just let me lead the way and you follow close behind. Then we'll see if they all flee or not at the sight of me."

The tiger agreed to the idea, and so the two of them set off together. When the other beasts saw them coming, they all turned tail. Not realizing it was he that was the cause of their panics-stricken flight,the tiger thought they were afraid of the fox.


狐假虎威(chinese idioms)

老虎寻找各种野兽来吃。找到了一只狐狸，狐狸对老虎说:“您不敢吃我，上天派我做群兽的领袖，如果您吃掉我，这就违背了上天的命令。您如果不相信我的话，我在前面走，您跟在我的后面，看看群兽见了我，有哪一个敢不逃跑的呢？”老虎信以为真，就和狐狸同行，群兽见了它们，都纷纷逃奔。 老虎不明白群兽是害怕自己才逃奔的，却以为是害怕狐狸

狐假虎威,比喻仰仗别人威势或倚仗别人的势力欺压人。

南辕北辙Trying to Go South by Driving the Chariot North

Trying to Go South by Driving the Chariot North（成语 南辕北辙 英文）



King Wei of the State of Wei(1) was planning to attack Handan,the captital of the State of Zhao.

Hearing the news, Ji Liang, who was on his way back to the state, hurried home to see the King.He was in such haste that he even did not have time to smooth his wrinkled gown and dust his face.

"On my way home, at the foot of Taihang Mountains(2). I saw a man preparing to drive his carriage north," began Ji Liang,"But he told me that he was going to the State of Chu. Then I said to him,'So you're going to Chu, I see. But why take the road north?' His answer was that his horses were good enough for the journey. I said,'Good or not, the road you're taking does not lead to Chu.' Then the man answerd that he could afford the travelling expenses. I said,'You may have plenty of money, but your direction is wrong!' Again the man insisted that he had execllent drivers to make the journey. I retorted,'Well, the better your horses,the more your money and the more skiful your drivers--all these combined, the further away you will be from Chu.'"

Ji Liang paused, and then added:"Now Your Highness wants to take action to achieve a hegemony--to become chief of all princes and dukes and extend your power over the whole land(3). What you depend on is the vastness of the area in your possession and the expertise of your troops, and your purpose is clear--to begin by attacking Handan in order to expand your territory and raise your prestige. Then it will come to this:the more frequently you make moves, the further you will deviate from your object, just like that man going north while he wishes to reach the State of Chu in the south."


________________remark______________

(1) a state during the Zhou dynastic rule.

(2) The two characters signifying "Taihang" can also be interpreted as a "a broad road";in that case, then they are not referred to the famous mountain.

(3) The expression 'xin yu tian xia' can also mean "winning the confidence of all the people",not necessarily "ruling the land"


南辕北辙(chinese idioms)

魏王准备攻打邯郸，季梁听到这件事，半路上就返回来，来不及舒展衣服皱折，顾不得洗头上的尘土，就忙着去谒见魏王，说：“今天我回来的时候，在大路上遇见一个人，正在向北面赶他的车，他告诉我说：‘我想到楚国去。’我说：‘您既然要到楚国去，为什么往北走呢?’他说：‘我的马好。’我说：‘马虽然不错，但是这也不是去楚国的路啊!’他说：‘我的路费多。’我说：‘路费即使多，但这不是去楚国的方向啊。’他又说：‘我的车夫善于赶车。’我最后说：‘这几样越好，反而会使您离楚国越远!’如今大王的每一个行动都想建立霸业，每一个行动都想在天下取得威信；然而依仗魏国的强大，军队的精良，而去攻打邯郸，以使土地扩展，名分尊贵，大王这样的行动越多，那么距离大王的事业无疑是越来越远。这不是和那位想到楚国去却向北走的人一样的吗?”

南辕北辙,比喻行动和目的正好相反

三人成虎Three Liars Make a Tiger

Three Liars Make a Tiger（成语 三人成虎 英文）


Pang Cong was going to go with the heir-apparent of the State of Wei to Handan, the capital of the State of Zhao, as a hostage(1). Before leaving he said to the Prince of Wei,"Suppose a man comes to report that he has seen a tiger in the open market, will You Highness believe it?"

"No," the prince answered.

"Suppose a second man comes to say so, will Your Highness believe it?" "I'll begin to wonder."

"Suppose a third man comes with the same report, will Your Highness take it as true?"

"I believe I will."

"Well, it is now as clear as daylight that no tiger dare go to the open market, but since three men have said the same thing, the presence of a tiger there becomes established. Now, Handan is much further from our capital Daliang than the market is from the court, and those who talk behind my back will be more than just three. When I'm gone I hope that Your Highness will not fail to judge what you will hear from them, and judge carefully."

"I know how to judge."

The Pang Cong asked to be excused and bid farewell to the prince, but after he had left calumnious words against him came at once to the prince's ears.

When the agreed period for the hostages was over, the heir-apparent returned. Just as expected, Pang Cong was not given an audience by the prince, who no longer trusted him.

______________remark________________
(1) This was a practice at the time between the states to dissipate mutual suspicion after marking an alliance. Pang Cong was a subject of the State of Wei, during the dynastic rule of Zhou.

三人成虎(chinese idioms)

　　庞葱要陪太子到赵国去做人质，庞葱对魏王说：“现在，如果有一个人说街市上有老虎，您相信吗”魏王说：“不相信。”庞葱说：“如果是两个人说街市上有老虎,大王相信吗?”魏王说：“那我就要半信半疑了。”庞葱又说：“如果三个人说街市上有老虎，大王相信吗?”魏王说：“我相信了。”庞葱说：“街市上不会有老虎那是很清楚的，但是三个人说有老虎，就像真有老虎了。如今赵国离大梁，比我们到街市远得多，而议论我的人超过了三个。希望您能明察秋毫。”魏王说：“我知道该怎么办。”于是庞葱告辞而去，魏王当时说自己会辨别是非，但后来果然相信了小人的谗言。后来太子结束了人质的生活，庞葱果真不能再见魏王了

三人成虎,比喻谣言多人重复，就能使人信以为真

掩耳盗铃Plug One's Ears While Stealing a Bell

Plug One's Ears While Stealing a Bell （成语 掩耳盗铃 英文）


A Fan(1) family deserted their homestead and went elsewhere. Someone caught sight of a bell they had left behind, and he was eager to carry it home. But the thing was too big for hime, and so he used a sledge hammer and tried to break it to pieces. His first hit produced a clangour so loud that he was afraid people would hear it and come to take the bell from him. As quick as could be, he plugged his own ears.

To be worried that people may hear the sound is within reason, but to fear that he himself hear it only shows his muddleheadedness.

______________remark________________
(1) a famous surname.

掩耳盗铃(chinese idioms)

晋国的大夫范氏灭亡的时候，有个老百姓得到一只钟，想要把它背走。只是钟太大，没法背。于是就用锤去把它打碎，这样钟又轰轰地响起来，那个老百姓怕别人听到响声来抢这只钟，赶忙把自己的耳朵堵起来，以为自己听不见，别人也就听不见了。

掩耳盗铃,比喻自欺欺人。

唇亡齿寒With Lips Gone, Teeth Are Exposed to Cold

With Lips Gone, Teeth Are Exposed to Cold（成语 唇亡齿寒 英文）


Earlier on, Duke Xian of the State of Jin.bade Xun Xi, launch an expedition against the State of Guo by wav of the State of Yu(1). Thereupon Xun Xi ventured to suggest:" To secure Duke Yu's promise to let our army pass when we come to Yu, the surest way is to buy him over with our Chuji jade(2) and Quchan steeds."(3)

"But the stone is a treasure by inheritance and the horses are for my own sue," said Duke Xian." Suppose Duke Yu accepted our gifts but refused our request, what is to be done then?"

"Well, if he didn`t mean to let us pass, he wouldn`t accept them; if he did and accepted, we'd only be allowing a temorary shift of the jade from our own stable to the kept in somebody else's," answered Xun Xi."What is there to be worried about?"

Duke Xian nodded with approval and readily sent Xun Xi to the State of Yu to achieve his purpose of attacking Guo by way of Yu.

The horses were soon displayed in the courtyard of Yu, with Xun Xi holding the precious stone in his hand. Duke Yu, greedy for the fine gifts, was about to make the messenger a promise when his subject Gong Ziqi came forward to protest:"There shall be no promise of any kind, Your Highness. What Yu is to Guo is like gums to cheeks. Gums are closely related to cheeks and cheeks to gums,(1) which exactly represents the situation of Yu in relation to Guo. Our ancestors had a saying,"If the lips are gone, the teeth will be exposed to cold.' That Guo is able to subsist depends on Yu while Yu's ability to survive hinges on Guo. If we make way for Jin, then the day will see Guo perish in the morning to be followed by Yu in the evening. Why should we ever let Jin pass?"

Duke Yu, however, refused to listen and gave the Jin troops access to Guo. Thus Xun Xi attacked Guo and conquered it, and on the way back attacked Yu and conquered it ,too.

Xun Xi triumphantly returned the jade and the horses to Duke Xian who, greatly pleased, said in a good humour:"The jade remains the same, but the horses have got some more teeth!"

The lesson is:"Seek a small gain, only to harm vital interests."

______________remark________________
(1) All these three states were in Shanxi Province during the Zhou Dynastic rule, with Jin occupying an area of present-day Shanxi Province and the southern part of Henan Province, and Yu and Guo founded in and around present-day Pinglu County.
(2) Chuiji in Shanxi Province was then famous for producing excellent jade stones.
(3) Quchan in Shanxi Province was at that time renowned for its fine horses.

唇亡齿寒(chinese idioms)


昔日晋献公让荀息借虞国之道来攻打虢国，荀息说：“请用垂棘宝玉和屈产宝马来 贿赂虞公，来借他的地方，必定可以得到啊！”晋献公说：“垂棘宝玉是我们先人的宝物， 屈产宝马是我的坐骑。若拿了我的钱财宝物而不借路给我，那怎么办呢？”荀息说：“ 不是这样的，他若不借道，必定不会接受我们的礼物。若接受赠礼而借给我们，不就像是从屋里藏到无外，从里面的马厩放到外面的马厩一样吗。您还怕什么呢？”献公同意了 让荀息用屈产宝马做为礼物，加上垂棘宝玉，用来同虞国借道而攻打虢国。虞公因为宝物宝马，想要借道给他。宫之奇上柬说：“您不可以啊。我们虞国与虢国，就象车有辅轴，车要依靠辅，而辅也依靠车，这就是虞国和虢国的形势啊。先人说过：‘嘴唇没有了牙齿就会感到寒冷’虢国没有灭亡是倚仗我们虞国，我们虞国没有灭亡也是倚仗虢国啊。若把道路借给 他们，那早上虢国灭亡，而我们虞国晚上就会灭亡啊！你怎么能借道给他们呢？”虞公不听他的劝告而借道给晋国，荀息攻打虢国，攻克了，返回时又攻打虞国，又攻克了。荀息拿着宝玉，牵着宝马向献公报告。献公开心的说：“宝玉还是完好的，马也是很健康的啊。” 所以说，贪图小利反而失去大的利益。

刻舟求剑Cut a Mark on the Boatside to Retrieve a Sword

Cut a Mark on the Boatside to Retrieve a Sword（成语 刻舟求剑 英文）


Once, a man of the State of Chu took a boat to cross a river. It so happened that his sword slipped off and fell into the water. Immediately he cut a mark on the side of the boat and assured himself:"This is where I have dropped my sword."

By and by the boat came to the destination and stopped. The man plunged into the stream at the point indicated by the incised mark trying to retrieve the lost sword.

The boat has moved on, but not the sword. To recover his sword this way--the man is indeed muddle--headed.

刻舟求剑(chinese idioms)

　　楚国有个渡江的人，他的剑从船上掉进了水里。他急忙在船沿上刻上一个记号，说："这儿是我的剑掉下去的地方。"船靠岸后，这个人顺着船沿上刻的记号下水去找剑。船已经走（行驶）了很远，而剑还在原来的地方不会随船而前进。用这样的办法来找剑，不是很糊涂吗？

刻舟求剑，比喻不懂事物已发展变化而仍静止地看问题

讳疾忌医Delusion over Health and Evasion of Treatment

Delusion over Health and Evasion of Treatment（成语 讳疾忌医 英文）

Bian Que, a celebrated physician, was granted an audience by Cai Huangong, Marquis Cai. He stood looking at the ruler for a while before he spoke,"Your Highness is suffering from an ailment, which for the moment remains in between the skin and the muscles. But it may get worse without treatment."

"I'm not at all indisposed," said the Marquis complacently. cine-man's usual practice to pass a healthy person as a sickman in order to show his brilliance."

The days later, Bian Que had another chance to see the Marquis. This time he pointed out to him:"The ailment has developed into the muscles. It will go from bad to worse if no treatment is given."

To this the ruler said nothing. But after Bian Que had gone, he showed a greater displeasure than before.

Another ten days went by. On seeing the Marquis again, Bian Que warned him that the illness had gone into the stomach and the intestines and that unless immediate treatment be given, it would certainly go on worsening. Again the Marquis said not a word. Unheeded, Bian Que had to leave, and the ruler looked strongly displeased.

After a third period of ten days, when Bian Que happened to see the Marquis on the way, he simply turned round and went away. Feeling it strange, the Marquis sent a man to overtake Bian Que and ask him for the reason.

"Well, an ailment lying in between the skin and the muscles remains on the surface, and so external application with warm water and ointment can cure it," said Bian Que. "If it sinks into the muscles, acupuncture will do good; if it resides in the stomach and the intestines, a decoction of herbs will take effect. But when the sickness penetrates into the bone marrow, it becomes fatal and nothing can be done about it. Now, the Marquis has come to that last stage; therefore, I have nothing to recommend."

Five days after that, the Marquis felt pains all over. He ordered his men to look for Bian Que, only to find that he had fled to the State of Qin.

Soon afterwards, the Marquis died.

讳疾忌医(chinese idioms)

　　扁鹊（què）是古代一位名医。有一天，他去见蔡桓侯。他仔细端详了蔡桓侯的气色以后，说：“大王，您得病了。现在病只在皮肤表层，赶快治，容易治好。”蔡桓侯不以为然地说：“我没有病，用不着你来治！”扁鹊走后，蔡桓侯对左右说：“这些当医生的，成天想给没病的人治病，好用这种办法来证明自己医术高明。”过了十天，扁鹊再去看望蔡桓侯。他着急地说：“您的病已经发展到肌肉里去了。可得抓紧治疗啊！”蔡桓侯把头一歪：“我根本就没有病！你走吧！”扁鹊走后，蔡桓侯很不高兴。又过了十天，扁鹊再去看望蔡桓侯。他看了看蔡桓侯的气色，焦急地说：“大王，您的病已经进入了肠胃，不能再耽误了！”蔡桓侯连连摇头：“见鬼，我哪来的什么病！”扁鹊走后，蔡桓侯更不高兴了。又过了十天，扁鹊再一次去看望蔡桓侯。他只看了一眼，掉头就走了。蔡桓侯心里好生纳闷，就派人去问扁鹊：“您去看望大王，为什么掉头就走呢？”扁鹊说：“有病不怕，只要治疗及时，一般的病都会慢慢好起来的。怕只怕有病说没病，不肯接受治疗。病在皮肤里，可以用热敷；病在肌肉里，可以用针灸；病到肠胃里，可以吃汤药。但是，现在大王的病已经深入骨髓。病到这种程度只能听天由命了，所以，我也不敢再请求为大王治病了。”果然，五天以后，蔡桓侯的病就突然发作了。他打发人赶快去请扁鹊，但是扁鹊已经到别的国家去了。没过几天，蔡桓侯就病死了

讳疾忌医，比喻有了错误、缺点，生怕别人批评指出。