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澶╃綏鍦扮綉 (tian1 luo2 di4 wang3) - Dragnet of deception
September 13, 2009, Sunday
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MANY Chinese idioms have survived thousands of years and remain very active today simply because of their vivid expression and rich imagination. "tian1 luo2 di4 wang3" or "a sky-size snare and an earth-large net" is one of them.
This saying was first quoted by Wu Yuan, a general who lived during the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC).
Wu's father was an official and the teacher of the prince in the royal court of the State of Chu. However, he was later victimized in a court scandal involving the king and the prince.
Following ill advice from another official, the king decided to marry a young woman who was originally selected as the bride for the prince.
Fearing that someday the prince and his teacher Wu might hold him responsible for creating such a scandal, the venal official repeatedly urged the king to kill both Wu and the prince.
The king, head over heels in love with the young woman, agreed.
Consequently the old Wu and his family were all executed, except his son Wu Yuan who was then stationed in a remote town. But the king immediately sent out an envoy to bring him back to the court.
Luckily, the prince rushed to the remote town and told the young Wu what happened to his father and family.
He urged the young general to flee before the arrival of the envoy.
The young Wu was outraged and decided to confront the envoy.
The envoy arrived and told Wu that the king wanted him to return to court to receive a royal accolade for his excellent services.
Wu asked the envoy how his father and family were. The envoy said they all were well. "You are lying," shouted Wu. "I know you are trying to trick me into a sky-size snare and an earth-large net."
Wu beat up the envoy and then escaped to the neighboring State of Wu.
The Wu king admired Wu Yuan for his courage and sagacity and later promoted him to a high position in his own court.
Eventually, Wu Yuan took revenge on his enemies for killing his father and family.
And his expression "ti(r)掳?n lu(r)? d(r)掳? w(r)掳铆ng" has been repeatedly quoted for centuries.
Today, it suggests an inescapable dragnet or the mills of God that grind not so slowly.
This saying was first quoted by Wu Yuan, a general who lived during the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC).
Wu's father was an official and the teacher of the prince in the royal court of the State of Chu. However, he was later victimized in a court scandal involving the king and the prince.
Following ill advice from another official, the king decided to marry a young woman who was originally selected as the bride for the prince.
Fearing that someday the prince and his teacher Wu might hold him responsible for creating such a scandal, the venal official repeatedly urged the king to kill both Wu and the prince.
The king, head over heels in love with the young woman, agreed.
Consequently the old Wu and his family were all executed, except his son Wu Yuan who was then stationed in a remote town. But the king immediately sent out an envoy to bring him back to the court.
Luckily, the prince rushed to the remote town and told the young Wu what happened to his father and family.
He urged the young general to flee before the arrival of the envoy.
The young Wu was outraged and decided to confront the envoy.
The envoy arrived and told Wu that the king wanted him to return to court to receive a royal accolade for his excellent services.
Wu asked the envoy how his father and family were. The envoy said they all were well. "You are lying," shouted Wu. "I know you are trying to trick me into a sky-size snare and an earth-large net."
Wu beat up the envoy and then escaped to the neighboring State of Wu.
The Wu king admired Wu Yuan for his courage and sagacity and later promoted him to a high position in his own court.
Eventually, Wu Yuan took revenge on his enemies for killing his father and family.
And his expression "ti(r)掳?n lu(r)? d(r)掳? w(r)掳铆ng" has been repeatedly quoted for centuries.
Today, it suggests an inescapable dragnet or the mills of God that grind not so slowly.
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