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