S7E09 | I Want You To Show Me The Way
Saying: “an old horse knows the way home”
Pinyin: Lǎo Mǎ Shí Tú
Chinese: 老马识途
For our ninth offering of the season here's another golden oldie with a story that goes back almost 2,700 years to the time of the early Spring and Autumn Period. The story concerns the two major states of Qí and Yān and the two minor (and mostly forgotten) states of Lìngzhī and Gūzhú. Two major and extremely consequential characters from those times star in this story. These were Duke Huán of Qí and his advisor Guǎn Zhòng. They led their troops into the mountains on a punitive expedition and ended up getting hopelessly lost in the process. Fortunately, for all concerned, 老马识途 Lǎo Mǎ Shí Tú, and they were able to escape from their dilemma and live on to fight another day.
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Terms in Episode
| Pinyin/Term | Chinese | English/Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Chéngyǔ | 成语 | A Chinese Saying or idiom |
| Lǎo Mǎ Shí Tú | 老马识途 | The old horse recognizes the way |
| Hán Fēizǐ | 韩非子 | c. 280-233 BC, Warring States philosopher, statesman and Legalist School great. His work, the Han Feizi, is the greatest representation of "Chinese Legalism" |
| lǎo mǎ | 老马 | Old horse |
| shí | 识 | recognize, know |
| tú | 途 | way, route, road |
| Guǎn Zhòng | 管仲 | 720-645 BC, Chinese philosopher and politician, also known as Guǎnzi (管子). He was a major reformer and served as Duke Huan's chancellor |
| Qí | 齐国 | Ancient Zhou-era state located in Shandong province that lasted from 1046 to 221 BC |
| Duke Huán | 齐桓公 | Ruler of the State of Qi from 685-643 BC. He transformed the state of Qi into the most powerful state. |
| Yān State | 燕国 | An ancient Chinese state during the Zhou Dynasty that lasted from the 11th century to 222 BC |
| Yān Mountains | 燕山 | The mountain range in Hebei that is located north of Beijing |
| Lìngzhī | 令支国 | A mountain state ruled by the Shanrong people in the Spring and Autumn Period.located In today's Hebei Province, Qian'an 迁安, Qianxi 迁西 and the northern part of Luan 滦 County. |
| Gūzhú | 孤竹国 | an important vassal state in the northeast of Hebei and the west of Liaoning during the Shang Dynasty. Its culture has an important connection with the Yin 殷 and Shang 商 culture |
| Tángshān | 唐山 | City in Hebei Province to the northeast of Tianjin |
| Héběi Province | 河北省 | Northern province in China |
| Bóhǎi Sea | 渤海湾 | The northwestern and innermost extension of the Yellow Sea. Liaoning and Hebei are located along the coast of the Bohai Sea |
| Shānróng | 山戎族 | The Rong were a collection of tribes that lived in Northern China during the Spring and Autumn period. The Shanrong were considered a branch of Northern Rong. |
| Shāng Dynasty | 商朝 | Ancient Chinese dynasty that lasted approximately from 1600 to 1046 BC |
| Huáng Huā | 黄花 | A Guzhu spy who was sent to the Qi army camp to lay a trap for them and trick them into getting lost in the mountains |
| Chéngyǔ Yánjiū Zhōngxīn | 成语研究中心 | The Teacup Chengyu Research Center, led by Emma |
