During the Warring States period, Ji Liang of Wei was abroad on a diplomatic mission when he heard that the King of Wei planned to attack Handan. He rushed home to dissuade the king. He told a story: 'At the foot of Mount Taihang, I saw a man driving his chariot north, saying he was heading to Chu.' The king laughed: 'Chu is to the south - why go north?' Ji Liang said: 'I told him the same! But he insisted his horses were fast, his money plentiful, and his driver experienced.' The king laughed harder: 'What a fool!' Then Ji Liang struck: 'Your Majesty is right. But by attacking neighboring states, are you not racing toward the opposite of your goal of hegemony?'
战国时代，魏国的臣子季梁，奉命出使到外国，可是他在路途中听到魏王准备要攻打赵国邯郸的消息，就赶紧回国去劝魏王。匆忙回国的季梁对魏王说：我在太行山下，看到一个驾着车子的人，他赶着马想要去北边，说他准备到楚国去。魏王说：楚国应该是向南走的，为什么他要往北走呢？季梁回答说：我也这么跟他说的啊！可是，他认为他的马是匹好马，速度非常快，加上他也带了足够的钱；而且车夫经验丰富，所以他觉得没有什么好担心的。魏王听了之后哈哈大笑说：这个人是个疯子。接着季梁就告诉魏王说：大王说的话一点也没错。但是，像大王现在这样一直攻打附近的国家，这种举动也会让大王离称霸的目标越来越远，这不也是和那个往反方向去走的人一样吗？
Reflection & Analysis · 寓意解读
Core Wisdom
Having excellent means is useless if your direction is wrong. The idiom warns that the wrong strategy, no matter how well-resourced, only takes you further from your goal.
Having excellent means is useless if your direction is wrong. The idiom warns that the wrong strategy, no matter how well-resourced, only takes you further from your goal.