Zhi Lu Wei Ma (Calling a Stag a Horse)
Kong Zhong Lou Ge (A Castle in the Air)
Kou Ruo Xuan He (A Waterfall of Words)
Ban Men Nong Fu (Showing Off One's Proficiency with the Axe Before Lu Ban the... |
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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