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Third party thinking (yu4 bang4 xiang1 zheng1)
By Zhang Ciyun |
March 7, 2010, Sunday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
In ancient times, many Chinese politicians were good at creating thought-provoking stories to illustrate their arguments.
Some of these stories later became popular Chinese idioms.
"yu4 bang4 xiang1 zheng1, yu2 weng1 de2 li4" -- "When the snipe and the clam grapple, the fisherman profits" -- is a good example.
During the Warring States Period (475-221 BC), the State of Zhao planned to launch a military offensive against the State of Yan. The two states were quarreling over some trivial problems.
After learning about the plan, a man named Su Dai from Luoyang, the ancient city in today's Henan Province, paid a visit to the State of Zhao, attempting to persuade the Duke of Zhao to cancel the move.
Instead of getting directly to the point, Su first told the duke a story.
"On my way here, I saw a snipe grappling with a clam near the Yishui River," Su said. "The bird's long beak was locked shut by the clam.
"The snipe told the clam that it would just wait until the clam dried up and died. But the clam replied that it would not let go of the bird's beak until the snipe starved to death.
"When the two were nearly exhausted, a passing fisherman caught them both."
Then Su told the Duke of Zhao that the State of Zhao and the State of Yan were equal in military strength, so that a war between the two would damage both, without either turning out to be a winner.
Meanwhile, the State of Qin, a neighboring superpower, might benefit from the dispute. Therefore, Su said, it was in the State of Zhao's own interest to call off the planned military move against the State of Yan.
The Duke of Zhao was convinced and he immediately cancelled the military plan. "I believe there is truth in the story that Su has just told me," he said.
Today, "yu4 bang4 xiang1 zheng1" is often used to persuade two parties to avoid a possible tussle between them which might be taken advantage of by a third party.
And it may also be deemed as the Chinese answer to the English saying: "Two dogs fight for a bone, and a third runs away with it."
Some of these stories later became popular Chinese idioms.
"yu4 bang4 xiang1 zheng1, yu2 weng1 de2 li4" -- "When the snipe and the clam grapple, the fisherman profits" -- is a good example.
During the Warring States Period (475-221 BC), the State of Zhao planned to launch a military offensive against the State of Yan. The two states were quarreling over some trivial problems.
After learning about the plan, a man named Su Dai from Luoyang, the ancient city in today's Henan Province, paid a visit to the State of Zhao, attempting to persuade the Duke of Zhao to cancel the move.
Instead of getting directly to the point, Su first told the duke a story.
"On my way here, I saw a snipe grappling with a clam near the Yishui River," Su said. "The bird's long beak was locked shut by the clam.
"The snipe told the clam that it would just wait until the clam dried up and died. But the clam replied that it would not let go of the bird's beak until the snipe starved to death.
"When the two were nearly exhausted, a passing fisherman caught them both."
Then Su told the Duke of Zhao that the State of Zhao and the State of Yan were equal in military strength, so that a war between the two would damage both, without either turning out to be a winner.
Meanwhile, the State of Qin, a neighboring superpower, might benefit from the dispute. Therefore, Su said, it was in the State of Zhao's own interest to call off the planned military move against the State of Yan.
The Duke of Zhao was convinced and he immediately cancelled the military plan. "I believe there is truth in the story that Su has just told me," he said.
Today, "yu4 bang4 xiang1 zheng1" is often used to persuade two parties to avoid a possible tussle between them which might be taken advantage of by a third party.
And it may also be deemed as the Chinese answer to the English saying: "Two dogs fight for a bone, and a third runs away with it."
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