Idiom Explanation:
Repairing sheep pens after sheep are lost，the metaphor is to find a way to remedy the problem after it has gone wrong, which can prevent further losses.
Pronunciation:
亡羊补牢
wáng yáng bǔ láo
origin:
《战国策·楚策四》：见兔而顾犬，未为晚也；亡羊而补牢，未为迟也。
story:
During the Warring States period, there was a minister in the state of Chu named Zhuang Xin. One day, Zhuang Xin said to King Xiang of Chu, “When you are in the palace, the Marquis of Zhou is on your left and the Marquis of Xia is on your right; when you go out, the ruler of Yanling and the ruler of Shou are always following you. If you and these four people only care about luxury and pleasure and ignore the affairs of state, Ying will be in danger!” When King Xiang heard this, he was very unhappy and scolded him angrily, “Are you old and confused? You have deliberately said something sinister to confuse the people!”
Zhuang Xin replied unhurriedly, “I really feel that things must come to this point, so I dare not deliberately say that Chu has any misfortune. If you keep on trusting the villain, the state of Chu will definitely be destroyed. Since you do not believe my words, please allow me to hide in the state of Zhao and see how things will really go on.” King Xiang agreed.
As a result, after Zhuang Xin had lived in Zhao for only five months, Qin sent troops to invade Chu, and King Xiang was forced to go into exile in Yangcheng (northwest of Xixian, Henan Province). Only then did he feel that Zhuang Xin’s words were good, and he hurriedly sent someone to get him back and asked him about the solution. Zhuang Xin said sincerely, “I have heard that it is not too late to see a rabbit’s tooth and think of a hound; it is not too late to mend a sheep pen only after a sheep has run away. ……” Next, Zhuang Xin then told King Xiang a story.
Once upon a time, there was a man who had some sheep. One morning, he went to herd the sheep and found that one was missing. It turned out that a hole had been broken in the sheep pen and a wolf had come in through the hole at night and taken the sheep away. The neighbors advised him, “Hurry up and fix the sheep pen and plug the hole.” He said, “What is the point of fixing the sheep pen when the sheep have already been lost?” He did not accept his neighbor’s advice. The next morning, he went to let the sheep go and found that another one was missing. It turned out that the wolf had come in through the hole again and taken the sheep away. He regretted that he had not accepted his neighbor’s advice. He quickly plugged the hole and fixed the sheep pen solidly. From then on, no more of his sheep were taken away by wolves.
Seeing that King Xiang was listening with great interest, Zhuang Xin gave him a specific analysis of the situation at that time: “In ancient times, the wise kings Shang Tang and King Wu of Zhou both developed and became strong in a land of only about 100 miles, creating the Shang and Zhou dynasties. While the tyrants Xia Jie and Shang Zhou had the world, but they could not avoid the death of their country. Now the territory of Chu is smaller than before, but the total is several thousand miles, not only about a hundred miles. Although the capital of Chu has been broken, as long as you pull yourself together and correct your past improprieties, Qin will not be able to destroy Chu.” When King Xiang of Chu heard this, his eyes lit up and he really followed Zhuang Xin’s words and really got through the crisis and revived the state of Chu.
Similar Idioms:
- 见兔顾犬
