Chinese proverb of the day

It’s The Tiger Behind The Fox That Possesses The Real Power

This proverb came from the Warring State era of China. During the Chu State’s peak, the Emperor found that most of the smaller states in the North were scared of one of his Generals, Zhao Xi Xu, and could not understand the reason why this was so. A Chancellor subsequently explained it, with the help of a story.  In the jungle, a tiger was wandering around seeking food and captured a fox. The fox said to the tiger that he was sent by God and he bet that the tiger would not dare to eat him. The tiger didn’t believe him and so the fox suggested that he could follow him around the forest and see how the rest of the animals would react. All the animals ran away as they saw the combination come forward and the tiger failed to realise that he himself was the real reason why all the other animals ran away.  He then believed that the fox was something truly special and sent by God. By using this story, the Emperor understood that it was not General Zhao that the smaller states were afraid of, but really, the Emperor himself. Today, the proverb is used to describe ‘small potatoes’ assuming someone else’s (big cheese) fame and power to benefit themselves.