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One Word in the Spring and Autumn Annals

The Spring and Autumn Annals records a war between the ruler of Zheng and his younger brother Duan in one line: 郑伯克段于鄢, “The Earl of Zheng overcame Duan at Yan.”

The Zuo Commentary explains the words. Duan is not called the younger brother, because he did not act as one. The verb 克, “overcame,” is used because the brothers fought like two rulers. The ruler is called only “the Earl of Zheng” as a reproach, because he failed to teach his brother.

Chinese calls this way of passing judgment through word choice 春秋笔法, the brush of the Spring and Autumn Annals. The dictionary defines it as praise and blame hidden in indirect wording.

Never Take the Lead

On December 24, 1990, Deng Xiaoping spoke to leading officials about foreign policy. Some Third World countries, he said, wanted China to lead them. “But we must never take the lead. This is a basic state policy. We cannot afford to lead, and we are not strong enough. Taking the lead brings no benefit at all, and we would lose much of our room to act.”

The formula taoguang yanghui, hide one’s brightness and bide one’s time, is often credited to Deng. There is no clear evidence that he used it himself.

The Banquet at Hongmen

At the banquet at Hongmen in 206 BCE, Xiang Yu received his rival Liu Bang. Xiang Yu’s adviser Fan Zeng wanted Liu Bang killed. The Records of the Grand Historian says that Fan Zeng “looked at Xiang Yu again and again, and three times raised the jade ornament he wore to show it to him.” Xiang Yu “was silent and did not respond.”

Fan Zeng then sent in Xiang Zhuang to perform a sword dance and strike Liu Bang during it. Liu Bang’s adviser Zhang Liang saw the plan: “Xiang Zhuang is dancing with his sword, and his aim is always at Liu Bang.”

The idiom 项庄舞剑，意在沛公, Xiang Zhuang dances with the sword but aims at Liu Bang, describes words or acts that look proper but are aimed at someone else.

Choosing the Worthy and Able

The Liyun chapter of the Book of Rites describes the age of the Great Way: da dao zhi xing ye, tianxia wei gong, xuan xian yu neng, jiang xin xiu mu. “When the Great Way prevailed, the world was shared by all. The worthy and the able were chosen. Trust was upheld and harmony cultivated.”

Only Reading Stands High

The Poems of the Child Prodigy, a primer traditionally credited to the Song scholar Wang Zhu, contains these lines: “The Son of Heaven values heroes. Writing is what he teaches all of you. All other callings are low. Only reading stands high.”

Another of its lines is zhao wei tianshe lang, mu deng tianzi tang. “In the morning a farm boy, in the evening in the hall of the Son of Heaven.” One account says that tutors compiled the book from Wang Zhu’s short poems.

Daiyu’s Handwarmer

In chapter 8 of Dream of the Red Chamber, Baoyu wants to drink his wine cold. Baochai tells him that cold wine harms the body and that he must stop drinking it cold. He obeys at once. Just then Lin Daiyu’s maid Xueyan brings her a small handwarmer. Daiyu asks who sent it. Xueyan says that Zijuan was afraid her mistress was cold.

Daiyu takes it and says with a smile: “How good of you to listen to her. What I tell you, you treat as wind past your ears. When she tells you something, you obey faster than an imperial edict.” The novel adds: “Baoyu heard this and knew that Daiyu was using it to mock him.” He had no answer and only laughed.

Fan Jin Passes the Exam

In Wu Jingzi’s novel The Scholars, Fan Jin has failed the examinations for decades. When at last he passes the provincial exam, he loses his mind with joy. His father-in-law, the butcher Hu, who has always mocked him, is talked into slapping him back to his senses.

Now the butcher calls him xianxu laoye, “my worthy son-in-law, sir,” and says he is the Star of Literature come down to earth. The local gentry send silver and a house.

Seeing the Guest Out

The Chinese dictionary Handian gives two meanings for 送客, to see a guest out. The first is to see a visitor off. The second is that “the host signals that the guest should leave.”

Its example comes from chapter 49 of the novel A Brief History of Enlightenment (文明小史): “When he had finished speaking, he raised his teacup, and someone beside him called out: ‘See the guest out!'”

My Dad Is Li Gang

On the evening of October 16, 2010, a 22-year-old student, Li Qiming, drove a car into two female students on the campus of Hebei University in Baoding. One died, and the other was injured. When he was stopped, he said: “Sue me if you dare. My dad is Li Gang.” His father was a deputy director of a public security bureau in Baoding.

On January 30, 2011, a court sentenced Li Qiming to six years in prison. Wo ba shi Li Gang became a sarcastic catchphrase.