Who doesn't know this one? If you never read "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" perhaps you might not know this one. In all the thousands of years of Chinese culture and history, this gem from Luo Guanzhong's novel is very high on the list. Here's a quick retelling of the tale about that day Liu Bei met Zhang Fei and Guan Yu and their sworn brotherhood in Zhang Fei's peach garden. The Táoyuán Jiéyì 桃园结义. This chengyu can only be used when describing the most sincere and honorable of oaths taken to ...
Jan 29, 2023•11 min
In this second installment of the 7th Season, Laszlo once refers to "The Mengzi" for this short tale of the foolish farmer who wasn't satisfied with nature's pace. This time we look at 揠苗助长 Yà Miáo Zhù Zhǎng. Let's face it, some things in life take time, especially when the natural order of things is involved. This farmer back in the ancient Song State thought he had developed a winning technique to speed the growth of his fields. It didn't turn out like he expected. Learn more about your ad cho...
Jan 15, 2023•8 min
Happy New Year everyone!! We begin 2023 with a brand new season of The Chinese Sayings Podcast. For the Season 7 opener, we're going with another one that came straight from The Chronicles of Zuo: Chún Wáng Chǐ Hán 唇亡齿寒. If the lips are gone, the teeth get cold. Those of you familiar with the Korean War might recall Chairman Mao using this one. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 01, 2023•14 min
Once again, Warring States heavy, Han Feizi, pulls through for us with an excellent chengyu in this Season 6 closer. Bào Xīn Jiù Huǒ 抱薪救火. Sometimes you think you're helping...but all you're doing is making things worse. Our story goes back to the early 3rd century BC rivalry between Qin and Wei. During the reign of pugnacious King Zhaoxiang of Qin, Wei State had to figure out how to survive this ambitious and energized rival kingdom. The King of Wei's advisors offered conflicting advice about h...
Nov 06, 2022•7 min
Here's another good chengyu that goes all the way back to the Zuo Zhuan, The Commentaries of Zuo Qiuming. The story takes place during the 6th century BC and concerns the Spring & Autumn Period states of Chu and Jin. Sima Hou of Jin advised his king against forcing the unlikable Chu King Ling into a corner. The king's advisor explained, when nations find themselves in a tight spot and the heat is on, 多难兴邦 Duō Nàn Xīng Bāng, many hardships can rejuvenate the nation. Learn more about your ad c...
Oct 23, 2022•11 min
Here's another great one from the good old days of the Western Han Dynasty. Does the Book of Han deliver or what? If you like happy endings, this is one you'll enjoy. Two star-crossed lovers, one rich and one poor, don't stop believing and end up happily ever after. This is the story of Sima Xiangru 司马相如 and Zhuo Wenjun 卓文君. He knew it as soon as he saw Zhuo Wenjun, despite their different stations in life, he was made to love her. This beauty from such an exalted household saw that Sima Xiangru...
Oct 09, 2022•12 min
Here's one that goes back all the way to the Huananzi 淮南子. And it's still used today. And quite often too. Sài wēng shī mǎ, yān zhī fēi fú 塞翁失马焉知非福. Eight characters that remind us sometimes you never know when a good thing turns out to be a bad thing and a bad thing turns out to be a blessing in disguise. This is the Chinese Saying that reminds us fate rewards us in strange and roundabout ways. It also taketh away just when you thought you were lucky. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit meg...
Sep 25, 2022•8 min
This week's Chinese Saying is a well-worn one brought to us by none other than Sima Qian, the Grand Historian. Featured in this story are Lian Po, Zhao She, Zhao Kuo, Bai Qi and the whole Battle of Changping. This is the story of Zhǐshàng Tánbīng 紙上談兵, a useful chengyu for all kinds of occasions where the end result doesn't necessarily go according to the carefully crafted plan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Sep 11, 2022•15 min
This Chinese Saying for this time, 东山再起 Dōng Shān Zài Qǐ is a good one for any situation involving someone whose career everyone thought finished but who came back for one more great moment. This tale, taken from the Book of Jin, tells the story of Xie An who, after already doing great things for the Eastern Jin, came out of retirement to shine one more time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Aug 28, 2022•14 min
We've all been in this situation in our lives. Here's one for all seasons. Poor old Zhou Bo was caught ill-prepared when the emperor was grilling him. Enjoy this one, gifted to us by The Grand Historian himself, Sima Qian: Hàn Liú Jiā Bèi 汗流浃背. The weather doesn't need to be hot and humid to relate to this ancient classic. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Aug 14, 2022•11 min
The story behind today's Chinese Saying is an old favorite of all lovers of popular Chinese history. How can we forget Zhao Gao 赵高 from the Qin Dynasty and the famous story behind Zhǐ Lù Wéi Mǎ 指鹿为马. In our connected age when it's so easy to hoodwink one another in news feeds and social media, this is the perfect chéngyǔ to keep handy at all times. And of course, because this Zhǐ Lù Wéi Mǎ strategy worked so well for Zhao Gao in the 3rd Century BC, many an autocrat since, also found it handy and...
Jul 31, 2022•12 min
We're back with another good one, this time with a rare appearance of a twelve-character Chinese Saying. This one is perfect for our modern times. It' become a regular thing to see politicians, celebrities, and everyday people, talking the talk on social media about how to act, but not following through so much with walking the walk. Politicians stand on soapboxes and tell the people to obey the Covid regulations. But next thing you know, they're caught on video flaunting their own rules. This c...
Jul 17, 2022•12 min
The CSP is back for another season. We're coming out of the starting gate nice and strong for the Sixth Season opener with one of the great all-time classics: Point at the Mulberry Tree and Scold the Locust Tree. Zhǐ Sāng Mà Huái 指桑骂槐. This one has a double provenance, coming to us from both The Thirty-Six Strategems and Dream of the Red Chamber. This Chinese Saying is quite useful and strongly favored by lovers of the art of passive aggression. Nine more good ones lined up for this season. Enjo...
Jul 03, 2022•14 min
For the Chinese Sayings Podcast Season 5 closer, we reach into the treasure box to bring you another useful and memorable Chinese chengyu. This time we tell the story of the Golden Millet Dream, the Huáng Liáng Měi Mèng 黄粱美梦. A bitter petty official, dissatisfied with his lot in life, after a chance encounter with a Daoist priest, learns a powerful life lesson. This is a good Chinese saying for all dreamers out there. That's going to be it for this Fifth Season of the Chinese Sayings Podcast. We...
Jun 05, 2022•19 min
In this penultimate CSP episode for Season 5, we harken back to the Three Kingdoms Period, and the time of the two brothers Sun Ce and Sun Quan. When Sun Quan's lugubrious grieving over Sun Ce's unexpected and early passing leads him to neglect his kingdom, he learns from a trusted voice that he is Kāi Mén Yī Dào 开门揖盗. Opening the door and welcoming a robber. He's asking for it! Enjoy this story lifted directly from the Record of the Three Kingdoms. And thanks for listening. Learn more about you...
May 22, 2022•11 min
For this latest CSP episode, we welcome China's great historian, Sima Qian to the stage where he plays in a starring role in this tragic story behind the well-known Chinese Saying Jiǔ Niú Yī Máo 九牛一毛. One hair from nine oxen. Most Chinese speakers know of this one but not the story behind it. When faced with a tough choice after displeasing Han Emperor Wu, the future Grand Historian, after careful consideration accepted his sad fate and went on to finish the epic history of China from mythical t...
May 08, 2022•12 min
Another good one from The Zhuangzi, the Second Book of the Dao. This idiom concerns a craftsman in Lu (southern Shandong Province) who was particularly masterful at carving these wooden stands that held ceremonial bells. So great was his workmanship, people who beheld his handiwork declared it was Shén Gōng Gǔi Fǔ 神工鬼斧. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Apr 24, 2022•7 min
The Chengyu, Chinese Saying, for this time is one of the most well-known of all. This story is a staple when discussing the true meaning of a selfless mother who only lives for her children. This is the story of Mengzi's mother or "Mèng Mǔ" and her pursuit of the perfect location to raise her son. It took three tries but after Mèng Mǔ Sān Qiān 孟母三迁, she found the perfect place to raise her pride and joy. Through this, and other demonstrations of doing her best for her son, Mengzi's mother receiv...
Apr 10, 2022•8 min
Another staple from the "Greatest Chengyu of All-time" Box Set. The Frog at the Bottom of the Well, 井底之蛙 Jǐng Dǐ Zhī Wā. This one has a multitude of uses and comes to us straight from The Zhuangzi. This story concerns a small frog living happily at the bottom of a well. He lived a happy and contented life but remained oblivious to what was going on outside the small space he resided in. He thought he knew everything till Mr. Sea Turtle came along. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphon...
Mar 27, 2022•9 min
The CSP is back with another good one coming to us courtesy of the Book of Jin. 木人石心 Mù Rén Shí Xīn. This story features real-life historical person Jia Chong, a high-up official in the Jin Dynasty and a long-time crony of the royal Sima Family. This is a good idiom to describe people who are principled and cannot be bought. No amount of temptation can lead them to stray from their mission. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit meg...
Mar 13, 2022•13 min
The story behind this Chinese Saying is a great one from Chinese history. The story of Tóu Bǐ Cóng Róng 投笔从戎 revolves around the esteemed Ban Family of historians. The patriarch was Ban Biao who co-wrote the Book of Han. Unfortunately, he passed away before completing this momentous work. His children Ban Gu and Ban Zhao completed the Book of Han. They had another sibling named Ban Chao who also toiled away as a historian. In this episode, we'll look at the story of Ban Chao before we went on to...
Feb 28, 2022•10 min
Another good one for you today from the golden age of chengyu's, The Warring States Period. This Chinese Sayings is taken from the Zuo Zhuan 左转 and concerns Duke Jing of the powerful State of Jin 晋景公. This gruesome story of revenge and deceit gave us the chengyu 病入膏肓. Bìng Rù Gāo Huāng. When any kind of situation reaches this Bìng Rù Gāo Huāng condition, it's hopeless. There's nothing that can be done. It's too late baby! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more ...
Feb 13, 2022•13 min
We're back with another season of wonderful and useful chengyu's for your Chinese sayings repertoire. Everyone knows this one. Well, maybe not everyone but it's pretty well-known. We ended last season in the Later Han Dynasty and that's where we'll start Season 5. Though this story was written during the Ming dynasty it concerns the 3rd Century character Sima Hui 司马徽. He was the original Hǎo Hǎo Xiānshēng 好好先生 who lived not to upset anyone or take a contrarian stance against anything that was ev...
Feb 01, 2022•7 min
For the Season 4 closer, we end with a story taken from the Later Book of Han from the chapter all about the model official Zhang Gang. Not even the evil Liang Ji of Han Emperor Shun's time could poison the reputation and deeds of Zhang Gang. In this week's CSP offering, we see Zhang Gang talk some sense with the rebel bandit Zhang Ying. We'll see how he throws Zhang Ying a lifeline to rescue him from a situation that this remorseful bandit leader described as Fǔ Dǐ Yóu Yú 釜底游鱼. Learn more about...
Dec 19, 2021•14 min
Laszlo dredges up another great one from China's ancient times. This one not only features a story from Zhuangzi's Second Book of the Dao (a.k.a. The Zhuangzi) but also stars the great Confucius himself. In this story from the 5th century BC, Confucius is taken on a wild and bumpy ride with the violent and course "Robber" Zhi 盗跖. After trying to convince "Robber" Zhi of the error in his ways, Confucius is given a major dressing down and his philosophy is utterly rejected, leaving The Great Sage ...
Dec 06, 2021•23 min
Here's another good one to remember if your life should temporarily hit the skids and your friends scatter. This one comes from the Grand Historian himself, Sima Qian, who tells us all about Lord Zhai, a loyal and respected public servant during the long reign of Han Emperor Wu. I hope you never have to use this one in your life but keep Mén Kě Luǒ Què 门可罗雀 handy just in case. And take a page out of the Record of the Grand Historian and what Lord Zhai's classy response was to his fair-weather-fr...
Nov 21, 2021•9 min
Welcome back to another CSP. This time I'm happy to present to you another great one direct from The Zhuangzi. Everyone's favorite Daoist tells us the story about a young kid from the sticks who had a chance encounter with no less a personage than The Yellow Emperor himself. When engaging the young kid about matters regarding how to rule the world we learn the useful idiom of Hài Qún Zhī Mǎ 害群之马. This one has all kinds of uses and is worth remembering. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Vi...
Nov 08, 2021•7 min
In the latest CSP episode, we harken back to the early Jin Dynasty 晋朝 and the zaniness of the Sima Clan following the death of Emperor Wu of Jin. Plenty of blood flowed during the shake-out period as the 3rd century AD came to a close. But it wasn't all bad. From this period we get the great Chinese Saying, Gǒu Wěi Xù Diāo 狗尾续貂. Keep this one in your back pocket for use in case of something that started off good but ended up turning into a major farce in the end. Learn more about your ad choices...
Oct 24, 2021•16 min
Today's CSP offering goes way way back to the time of Ancient Chu State during the 7th century BC. The famous "Hé Shì Bì" 和氏璧 Jade ornament discussed years ago in CSP episode S3E01 once again takes center stage. In this prequel to that S3E01 episode, we see how a poor farmer (He Shi) discovers this priceless jade and makes multiple failed attempts to hand it over to the King of Chu. This is really the prequel to that Season 3 opener that saw King Zhaoxiang of Qin renege on his offer to trade a b...
Oct 10, 2021•9 min
Today's Chinese Saying, Bān Mén Nòng Fǔ 班门弄斧 comes to us courtesy of the Tang and Song Dynasty luminaries Liu Zongyuan and Ouyang Xiu who teach us about the Zhou Dynasty hero Lu Ban. He knew how to use an ax to build stuff like no one else. You don't want to stand outside his doorway and brag about your ax-wielding skills. This is a good one to use when you see people talking up their skillset in front of a true master. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more ab...
Sep 27, 2021•8 min
