Idiom Explanation:
When the breeze blows, the grass sways. It is a metaphor for a slight movement or change.
Pronunciation:
风吹草动
fēng chuī cǎo dòng
Origin:
西汉·刘安《淮南子·泰族训》：“风之至矣，莫见其象而木已动矣。”
Story:
During the Spring and Autumn Period, King Ping of Chu, the king of the state of Chu, was so lethargic and lascivious that he was obsessed with women to the extent that he took over his own daughter-in-law. The king was so angry that he had him arrested and asked him to write to his two sons who were abroad to come back and kill them together.
Wu Shang, the eldest son of Wu She, went to Ying Du (the capital of the state of Chu, north of Jiangling in Hubei province) with his younger brother Wu Zixu, following his father’s instructions. As a knowledgeable warrior, Wu was expected to go to the capital and advised his brother not to be fooled. Wu Shang didn’t listen, and as a result, when he arrived at Ying, he was killed by King Ping together with his father.
In order to eliminate the root of the problem, King Ping of Chu sent his soldiers to hunt down Wu Shuan, and drew images at all the gates and offered a reward for his capture. Wu Shu disguised himself and fled to Wu. On the way, Wu travelled day and night, and took more than ten days to approach Zhaoguan. It was impossible for Wu to pass through Zhaoguan because it was a dangerous place and was heavily guarded by officials and soldiers.
Wu Xie’s friend, Duke Donggao, sympathized with Wu’s plight. He invited him to his home and prepared to help him get out of the pass. After staying for seven days in a row, he still could not find a chance to get out of the pass. Wu was so anxious that his hair and beard turned white overnight. Seeing this, Duke Donggao suddenly came up with an idea and said, “Your hair and beard have turned white, so it is difficult for the soldiers to recognize you. My friend, Huangfu, looks like you, so let him dress up like you, and if he is caught at the pass, you can take the opportunity to get out.” So, according to this method, Wu Shu got out of the pass.
In his haste, he came to a river and hid among the reeds for fear that his pursuers would arrive. After a while, he saw a fishing boat, and he hurriedly shouted, “Fisherman, come and ferry me!” When Wu got on the fishing boat, the fisherman saw that he did not behave like a normal person, so he asked him who he really was. When he arrived at the other side, the fisherman asked him to wait for a while to find some food for him. After waiting for a while, he did not see the fisherman come back, so he was suspicious and hid deep in the reeds for fear of being caught.
The fisherman fetched the food, and when he didn’t see Wu, he shouted, “Come out, I won’t betray you!” Wu Shu came out and had a full meal, then untied his ancestral sword to give it to him. The fisherman said to him that the king of Chu had offered a high reward to catch Wu Shu, but he himself did not covet it, so how could he accept the sword? Wu asked the fisherman for his name, but the fisherman did not want to repay him and did not tell him. He asked the fisherman not to tell him his name, but he did not want to repay him. When the fisherman saw that Wu was suspicious, he threw himself into the river and died, thus eliminating Wu’s suspicions. Seeing this scene, Wu was very sad and he had to continue to flee. Later on, Wu Shu gained power and fought his way back to Chu, finally avenging his father’s murder.
