Source: The Historical Records
Meaning: A fight in which both sides are left seriously damaged. It is generally used like the English expression "cutting each others' throats," as one might say "let the two of them cut each others' throats, it will be to our advantage."
[Picture Caption]
1. During the Warring States period, the states of Wei and Han had been at war for a year. King Hui of the state of Qin considered entering the fray to make some gains out of the fighting. Some of his ministers urged him to dispatch troops, while others counseled him not to. The King was at a loss what to decide.
2. Chen Zhen, a well-known roving ambassador-for-hire and a man of great persuasive skills, happened to come along. King Hui asked him: Should Qin dispatch troops and take part in the fighting?
3. Chen did not respond directly, but rather told the following parable: There once was a warrior named Bianzhuangzi. On a certain occasion when he was passing through a rural area someone told him that they had just seen two tigers fighting.
4. Bianzhuangzi ran to have a look, and saw two tigers fighting ferociously over a water buffalo. He was preparing to jump into the fray when an innkeeper pulled him aside and said, "These two tigers will certainly go at it until the smaller one is dead, with the larger one left seriously injured. Then you jump in, and you can have two dead tigers with one thrust of your lance."
5. Bianzhuangzi followed the advice, and waited until one tiger was dead and the other maimed-until, that is, they were "both on the losing end."
6. He then attacked the wounded surviving tiger, thus getting two tigers at once.
7. King Hui ot Qin was enlightened by this story, and did not commit his troops. Han and Wei continued fighting until one side was wiped out and the "winner" exhausted. King Hui then sent in his forces and occupied both states.
8.The King succeeded all because of Chen Zhen's sage advice that caused the other two states to be "both on the losing end."
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1. During the Warring States period, the states of Wei and Han had been at war for a year. King Hui of the state of Qin considered entering the fray to make some gains out of the fighting. Some of his ministers urged him to dispatch troops, while others counseled him not to. The King was at a loss what to decide.
5. Bianzhuangzi followed the advice, and waited until one tiger was dead and the other maimed-until, that is, they were "both on the losing end.".
2. Chen Zhen, a well-known roving ambassador-for-hire and a man of great persuasive skills, happened to come along. King Hui asked him: Should Qin dispatch troops and take part in the fighting?
3. Chen did not respond directly, but rather told the following parable: There once was a warrior named Bianzhuangzi. On a certain occasion when he was passing through a rural area someone told him that they had just seen two tigers fighting.
4. Bianzhuangzi ran to have a look, and saw two tigers fighting ferociously over a water buffalo. He was preparing to jump into the fray when an innkeeper pulled him aside and said, "These two tigers will certainly go at it until the smaller one is dead, with the larger one left seriously injured. Then you jump in, and you can have two dead tigers with one thrust of your lance.".
6. He then attacked the wounded surviving tiger, thus getting two tigers at once.
7. King Hui ot Qin was enlightened by this story, and did not commit his troops. Han and Wei continued fighting until one side was wiped out and the "winner" exhausted. King Hui then sent in his forces and occupied both states.
8.The King succeeded all because of Chen Zhen's sage advice that caused the other two states to be "both on the losing end." (Xuan Yong-shen/tr. by Phil Newell)