Zhi Lu Wei Ma (Calling a Stag a Horse)
Taking off the pants to break wind—make an unnecessary move
Waiting for a Hare to Turn up （守株待兔）
The bird Jingwei tries to fill the sea（精卫填海） |
In the Qin Dynasty, the prime minister, Zhao Gao, plotted to usurp the throne. Fearing that the other ministers would oppose this, he thought of a way of testing them. He presented a deer to the emperor, and said, "This is a horse." The emperor laughed, and said, "You must be joking, this is a deer." Then Zhao Gao asked the ministers present. Some kept silent, some said that it was a deer, and others agreed that it was a horse. Later Zhao Gao had all the ministers who had not said that it was a horse killed. This metaphor describes distorting facts by calling white black. |
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