Wù Yǐ Lèi Jù | 物以类聚

from Season 8, Episode 8: Let’s Stick Together

Once again, for all CHP listeners, I'm featuring the latest episode of the Chinese Sayings Podcast. It's said that we human beings have been called social animals by nature. Some of us love other kinds of people more than others do. But no matter how enamored one might be about another culture, nation, or people, we all tend to stick with our own kind. This 4th Century BC Chinese Saying comes from "The Strategies of the Warring States." and concerns the witty and capable minister to King Wei of Qi and his son King Xuan: Chunyu Kun.

King Xuan needed to round up several talented souls to help him manage the Kingdom of Qi, where the stunning and beautiful Shandong Peninsula is located. Answering the king's call, Chunyu Kun gathered a whole bunch of worthy and talented men and schooled the king about how easy it was to find them. This is the story behind Wù Yǐ Lèi Jǔ 物以类聚. I also mentioned another chengyu that goes along with this episode: yīmíng jīngrén 一鸣惊人. You get that one too, at no extra cost, I might add.