The Chinese Sayings Podcast

That's right. The story behind our Chinese Saying for this time is quite recent as Chinese history goes. It takes place merely a thousand years ago, during the time of the Northern Song Dynasty. Just like location, location, location is what matters most in real estate, when it comes to getting ahead in your career, the same often holds true. One's location, relative to the boss, can sometimes mak...

This time around we're reaching all the way back to those fateful years following the fall of the Qin Dynasty and the contentious period of conflict between Liu Bang of Han and Xiang Yu of Chu. As these two rivals battle it out, Liu Bang sought advice from one of his advisors on a plan of action. But as we'll see, that plan is blown out of the water by the great hero of the early Han, Zhang Liang....

Here comes one more textbook chengyu from the Spring and Autumn Period, as written by Master Zuo Qiuming 左丘明 himself. 厉兵秣马 Lì Bīng Mò Mǎ. Lots of marquee names from that exciting time, including Duke Mu of Qin and Duke Wen of Jin. Be sure to check the website for a handy downloadable cheat sheet listing all the Chinese names and terms. This one has a fair number of characters and place name...

We've reached the midway point in Season 7 with this exciting Chinese Saying from the Record of the Three Kingdoms. The backstory for this chengyu concerns the aftermath of the killing of Guan Yu by the forces of Eastern Wu. The star of this tale is Lu Xun 陆逊 (not 鲁迅). Sun Quan entrusted Lu Xun with an all-important mission. And from this mission to defeat Liu Bei came the saying 忍 辱负重 Rěn...

This time we wander back to the 4th century BC to the State of Qi under its great King Wei. There was a handsome resident of Qi named Zou Ji who had a thing about a certain Mr. Xu. From Zou Ji's obsessive concern about his good looks compared to Mr. Xu, it ultimately leads to a fateful meeting with the King of Qi. And from this meeting and the results that followed we get the Chinese Saying 门庭若...

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...

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 techni...

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...

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 t...

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...

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...

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 roundab...

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 abo...

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....

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

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 s...

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 C...

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 strong...

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 fo...

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 sto...

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 car...

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...

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 pri...

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 tho...

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. Le...