姜太公钓鱼

　　AWillingVictimLettingHimselfBeCaught

　　Thestoryhappenedaround3000yearsago.TherewasawisemannamedJiangZiyalivinginavillageneartheWeishuiRiver.HeoftenwentfishingattheWeishuiRiver,buthewouldfishinanunusualway.Hehungastraightfishhook,withoutbait,therefeetabovethewaterOnedayafarmernamedWuJiwenttotheriver,andsawthestrangewayoffishingbyJiHelaughedandsaid,“Howstupiditistoeventhinkaboutfishingthisway,howmanyfishescanyouget?”JiangZiyareplied,”lfafishdoesn’twanttoliveanymore,itwillcomeandswallowthehookitself.”SoonhisstrangewayoffishingwasreportedtoJiChang,theCountofthefeudalestate.JiChangwasveryinterested,andwenttovisitJiangpersonally.SoontheybecamegreatfriendsasJiChangrealizedthatJiangmightbeagreattalent.HeinvitedJiangtoworkforhim.JianghelpedJiChangandhissonturnovertheShangDynastyandestablishtheZhouDynasty.JiangwasgiventhetitleofTaigong,sopeoplecalledhim’’JiangTaigong.”Today,peopleusethisoldidiom“AwillingvictimLettingHimselfBeCaught”todescribesomeonewhowillinglyfallsinatrapordoessomethingregardlessoftheresult.

　　毛遂自荐

　　MaoSuiRecommendedHimself

　　IntheWarringStatesPeriod,thekingofZhaoplannedtoasktheKingoftheStateofChutoresistQin’sattackstogether.HesentPingyuantoChuconvincetheirkingBeforePingyuanleft,amancalledMaoSuishowedup,volunteeredtogowithhim.Pingyuansaid,”Ihaven’theardthatyouhaveanyspecialabilities,sowhathelpcanyoudooverthere”MaoSuisaid,”Youputmeinabag,andmyspecialabilitieswillstickoutlikeanawl.”SoPingyuanagreedtotakeMaoSuitotheStateofChu.Thenegotiationsbetweenthetwostateslastedfrommorningtonoon,andstillcouldn’tcometoaconclusion.AtthistimeMaoSuicameupandsaid,”Chuisastatebigenoughtoruletheworld.However,youaresoafraidofQin.ItissuchashamethatweZhaopeopleareembarrassedbyyou.Nowweaskyoutocombineourtroops,butyouareactinglikeacoward!”ThekingofChufeltashamedafterMaoSui’spassionatewords.HefinallyagreedtosendtroopstpfightQin.Thisidiomdescribesthecourageofself–recommendingbypeoplewithgreatabilities.

　　对牛弹琴

　　PlayingtheLutetoaCow

　　Onceuponatime,therewasamanwhoplayedtheluteverywellOneday,heplayedatuneinfrontofacow,hopingthatthecowwouldappreciateit.Thetunewasmelodious,butthecowshowednoreaction,andjustkeptoneatinggrass.Themansighed,andwentaway.Thisidiomisusedtomocktheideaofreasoningwithstupidpeopleortalkingtothewrongaudience.