The Chinese Sayings Podcast

Join Laszlo Montgomery for bi-weekly episodes that introduce commonly used Chinese Sayings and the stories, history and rich meanings behind each phrase. Whether you speak Chinese or not, enjoy a few nice stories and pick up a new and useful phrase or two from China’s ancient times.

S9E10 | Finished behind the last place guy 06/30/2024

S9E10 | Finished behind the last place guy Firstly, hats off to Emma and her 团队 at the CYZ for all their hard work, all season-long. We close out the season 9 with an amusing story from a source, as yet never featured on this long-running educational program, called the Guòtínglù 过庭录. The author was Song literary figure Fàn Gōngchēng 范公偁 who had the misfortune to be born during the exact time when the Northern Song ended and the Southern Song began. In this tale, our young hero Sūn Shān 孙山 heads off to the capital to take /episode/index/show/5ae915c5-d79e-401d-b356-7c4b4c7fea0e/id/35744970

S9E09 | First Strike 06/16/2024

S9E09 | First Strike Season 9 is starting to wind down. For the ninth chengyu of the season, we take Sima Qian's "Record of the Grand Historian" and open to the chapter on Xiang Yu. This time we look at the story of Xiān Fā Zhì Rén 先发制人. In this well-known story from the fall of the Qin Dynasty, we see Xiang Yu and his uncle Xiang Liang seizing the day and the hour to attack Qin forces and bring the dynasty to an end. But before they do that, they first weigh their options by talking with the governor of a local com /episode/index/show/5ae915c5-d79e-401d-b356-7c4b4c7fea0e/id/35744975

S9E08 | Owned! 06/02/2024

S9E08 | Owned! For our eighth CSP offering this season, we open up the Book of Han once again and hear the story behind Jiāo Bīng Bì Bài 骄兵必败. It doesn't always happen this way but the timeline of history is filled with examples of more powerful military forces being defeated on the field of battle by their weaker opponent. Arrogant soldiers must be defeated. Look what happened in Vietnam between 1954 and 1975. When you look into it, even today in our own time, Jiāo bīng bì bài is still happening. On a geo /episode/index/show/5ae915c5-d79e-401d-b356-7c4b4c7fea0e/id/35744980

S9E07 | You Can Get it if You Really Want (But you must try) 05/19/2024

S9E07 | You Can Get it if You Really Want (But you must try) Here's another well-worn favorite from the long list of great chengyu's: 磨杵成针 Mó Chǔ Chéng Zhén. The story behind this Chinese Saying stars none other than (one of China's greatest poets) Li Bai. As a youngster, Li Bai chanced upon an old woman, surnamed Wu, who was intent on accomplishing a seemingly impossible (in Li Bai's eyes) task. Don't let any naysayers deter you. Don't fear the impossible. Listen to this quick story and maybe acquire a little bit of inspiration in what you're trying to a /episode/index/show/5ae915c5-d79e-401d-b356-7c4b4c7fea0e/id/35744985

S9E06 | The First Cut is the Deepest 05/05/2024

S9E06 | The First Cut is the Deepest This one may be a bit of a departure from the average CSP episode. The Chinese Saying for this time is Jiǎn Bú Duàn, Lǐ Hái Luàn-剪不断理还乱. Many Chinese poetry lovers and aficionados may already be familiar with this line from the 10th-century poem 相见欢. Today's CSP offering is more of a history lesson than an introduction to a chengyu but it's worth it to hear it out to the end. The star of this episode is the final ruler of the Southern Tang Dynasty. Like his kindred spirit emperor /episode/index/show/5ae915c5-d79e-401d-b356-7c4b4c7fea0e/id/35744990

S9E05 | Had enough yet? 04/21/2024

S9E05 | Had enough yet? Here's a good one from the Three Kingdoms Era in which we feature the famous story of Meng Huo, Zhuge Liang, and Qī Qín Mèng Huò 七擒孟获. Some people just can't accept defeat but in the end, they bow to the inevitable. Cao Pi of Wei thought he'd have some fun and employed Meng Huo to harass his enemy. That didn't go as planned. But Zhuge Liang enjoyed a little fun in the process. /episode/index/show/5ae915c5-d79e-401d-b356-7c4b4c7fea0e/id/35744995

S9E04 | Be like Kong Rong 04/07/2024

S9E04 | Be like Kong Rong This Chinese Saying, or at least the story, is rather well-known. The story of young Kong Rong and the bowl of pears. Kǒng Róng Ràng Lí 孔融让梨. This perennial children's favorite has a nice moral lesson to teach. When you see young children exhibiting generosity and kindness, many might recall these kids were just like Kong Rong back in the late 2nd Century. /episode/index/show/5ae915c5-d79e-401d-b356-7c4b4c7fea0e/id/35745000

S9E03 | Please allow me to introduce myself 03/24/2024

S9E03 | Please allow me to introduce myself Sima Qian strikes again. This time around we look at the well-known saying, Máo Suì Zì Jiàn 毛遂自荐. I tend to favor those 成语's from the Warring States Period. This one concerns the particularly volatile time in the Warring States during the reign of the aggressive and pugnacious Qin King Zhaoxiang. After a disastrous defeat at Changping in 260 BC, the State of Zhao had to seek urgent assistance from Chu. In this familiar story, we see how Mao Sui, at the time, no one of consequence, steps up t /episode/index/show/5ae915c5-d79e-401d-b356-7c4b4c7fea0e/id/35745015

S9E02 | R-E-S-P-E-C-T 03/10/2024

S9E02 | R-E-S-P-E-C-T This week's Chinese Saying is another good and respectable one that comes to us compliments of the Book of Song. It concerns the Northern Song official and literatus Yang Shi. His two main teachers were the famous Cheng Brothers, Cheng Hao 程颢 and Cheng Yi 程颐. Those two were giants in Neo-Confucian philosophy which flourished during the Song. This episode features Chéng Mén Lì Xuě 程门立雪. It's a story of respect and reverence for those teachers who had a profound effect on the direction of /episode/index/show/5ae915c5-d79e-401d-b356-7c4b4c7fea0e/id/35745020

S9E01 | The Truth Always Gets Out 02/25/2024

S9E01 | The Truth Always Gets Out For the Season 9 opener, we bring you a good one that takes place in the early years of the Southern Song Dynasty. Qin Hui, the reviled chancellor of Emperor Gaozong is back again, starring in another Chinese Saying, inspired by his historic perfidy. He conspired with his wife, Lady Wang, to have the great hero Yue Fei rubbed out. Their careful conspiracy, discussed in the utmost secrecy in a private spot in their residence, was somehow discovered. This is the story behind Dōng Chuāng Shì Fā 东窗事� /episode/index/show/5ae915c5-d79e-401d-b356-7c4b4c7fea0e/id/35745025

Bonus Episode, An old favorite of Laszlo's 01/07/2024

Bonus Episode, An old favorite of Laszlo's I wouldn't technically call this a Bonus Episode. We're in between seasons right now. And while Laszlo and Emma are busy brainstorming the chengyu lineup for Season 9, here's a re-recording of one of Laszlo's favorite episodes from the seven-year history of the CSP. How can anyone forget Mr. Nanguo, 南郭先生, who posed as a musician for three years without knowing how to play his instrument? He was a Làn Yú Chōng Shù 滥竽充数. He got the gig because the band only needed one more musician. And i /episode/index/show/5ae915c5-d79e-401d-b356-7c4b4c7fea0e/id/35745030

Bonus CSP Episode featuring Emma in the narrator's seat 12/17/2023

Bonus CSP Episode featuring Emma in the narrator's seat As promised and advertised, to cap off another winning season of the Chinese Sayings Podcast, we're proud to feature none other than our very own Emma, presenting a special bonus episode. This time we look at another good one: 鹬蚌相争, 渔翁得利. Yù bàng xiāng zhēng, Yú wēng dé lì. This one comes from the Strategies of the Warring States. It tells the story of the Clam, the Sandpiper, and the fisherman, amidst the backdrop of the early 3rd century BC. This chengyu, like many presented be /episode/index/show/5ae915c5-d79e-401d-b356-7c4b4c7fea0e/id/35745035

S8E10 | Don't Count Me Out Yet 12/04/2023

S8E10 | Don't Count Me Out Yet For the second time in a row, we feature the Cao Family of Wei in a Chinese Sayings Podcast Episode. This one concerns a story of someone who made the grade late in life. There are a lot of people in history who all throughout their early years and even into their prime, didn't make much of their life. But come their 50's or 60's they achieve greatness. This time we look at Dà Qì Wǎn Chéng 大器晚成 and the story of Cui Yan and his no-good young relative Cui Lin. February 1, 2024, I'll be in London /episode/index/show/5ae915c5-d79e-401d-b356-7c4b4c7fea0e/id/35745040

S8E09 | Why Can't We Live Together 11/19/2023

S8E09 | Why Can't We Live Together So much rancor in this world these days. Here's one that describes the feeling of mutual enmity that existed between two giants of their day, Cao Cao and Sun Quan. During the waning years of the Eastern Han Dynasty, three powerful forces jockeyed for position to see who might push the Liu's off the throne and take over to found a new dynasty. There was no reconciliation in the tea leaves. As far as Cao Cao of Wei and Sun Quan of Wu were concerned, that throne was only big enough for one of them. Here's /episode/index/show/5ae915c5-d79e-401d-b356-7c4b4c7fea0e/id/35745045

S8E08 | Let's Stick Together 10/22/2023

S8E08 | Let's Stick Together 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, /episode/index/show/5ae915c5-d79e-401d-b356-7c4b4c7fea0e/id/35745050

S8E07 | Help! 10/08/2023

S8E07 | Help! We're back for the seventh time this season. This time we're happy to feature once again the great Daoist philosopher who never disappoints. This story about the fish in a rut is a rather well-known one from the Outer Chapters of The Zhuangzi, or Second Book of the Dao as it's sometimes called. Zhuangzi himself stars in today's episode: Hé Zhé Zhī Fù 涸辙之鲋. /episode/index/show/5ae915c5-d79e-401d-b356-7c4b4c7fea0e/id/35745055

S8E06 | Looks can be deceiving 09/24/2023

S8E06 | Looks can be deceiving For the second time this season, we refer to Zuo Qiuming's "Chronicles of Zuo" for another good and useful chengyu. This one takes place in the Spring and Autumn Period and concerns a haughty self-important minister from Jin State stopping for the night at an inn in Ningyi (河南宁邑). He left quite an impression on the innkeeper there but when this simple innkeeper looked more closely at this official, he saw he was Huá Ér Bù Shí 华而不实. Enjoy this ancient story and learn a new Chinese Saying /episode/index/show/5ae915c5-d79e-401d-b356-7c4b4c7fea0e/id/35745060

S8E05 | Shock the Monkey 09/10/2023

S8E05 | Shock the Monkey Lovers of all things Song Dynasty will surely recall the story of Qin Hui. He has top billing in this tale concerning the story behind Shù Dǎo Húsūn Sàn 树倒猢狲散. This one has practical applications these days when we see political and corporate leaders fall from grace. When that happens, we often get to view the spectacle of hangers-on and sycophants scattering and heading for the hills, to search once more for someone to suck up to. This Chinese Saying comes in handy when this happens. We /episode/index/show/5ae915c5-d79e-401d-b356-7c4b4c7fea0e/id/35745065

S8E04 | Run for your life 08/27/2023

S8E04 | Run for your life Once again we thank The Grand Historian for giving up another good one. This one's an eight-character chengyu. The story goes back to 206 BC and the famous story of Liu Bang and Xiang Yu's meeting at The Banquet at Hongmen. Here, the two contenders for the emperorship of China, meet face to face. Only one of them could sit on that throne and beginning right here, the Chu-Han Contention begins. The chengyu for this time, 项庄舞剑, 意在沛公 Xiàng Zhuāng Wǔ Jiàn, Yì Zài Pèi Gōng comes from this /episode/index/show/5ae915c5-d79e-401d-b356-7c4b4c7fea0e/id/35745070

S8E03 | Gimme Three Steps 08/13/2023

S8E03 | Gimme Three Steps With a cast of characters like the Dukes of Jin and Chu and everyone's favorite exile Chong Er, you're guaranteed a treat. This is the story behind the chengyu: 退避三舍 Tuì Bì Sān Shè. The story of Chong Er, his escape from persecution by his father Duke Xian of Jin, and his triumphant return to Jin in 636 BC is one of the countless unforgettable stories from ancient Chinese history. Before Chong Er became Duke Wen of Jin, he experienced a nineteen-year odyssey that took him throughout the states o /episode/index/show/5ae915c5-d79e-401d-b356-7c4b4c7fea0e/id/35745075

S8E02 | Blue, Blue, My World is Blue 07/30/2023

S8E02 | Blue, Blue, My World is Blue This time we're featuring another oldie but goodie, Qīng Chū Yú Lán 青出于蓝. Though Xunzi was the inspiration for the chengyu, the tale behind this Chinese Saying comes from the Northern and Southern Dynasties period. The longer version of the saying goes 青出于蓝, 而胜于蓝 but we'll just focus on the front four and that's all you need for most situations where you want to remark about a student or apprentice, surpassing their teacher or master. Don't forget, all the terms for all the episo /episode/index/show/5ae915c5-d79e-401d-b356-7c4b4c7fea0e/id/35745080

S8E01 | Wouldn't Change a Thing 07/16/2023

S8E01 | Wouldn't Change a Thing Welcome back my all history and Chengyu lovers to another Season of The Chinese Sayings Podcast. We're coming out of the starting gate fast and strong with another well-known and useful chengyu. Today we examine the 3rd century BC story behind Yī Zì Qiān Jīn ( 一字千金 ). This is the one that came to us direct from The Grand Historian Himself and it features Lü Buwei, Lady Zhao, and the father of the future first emperor of China, King Zhuangxiang. This is one of the classic stories from the Qi /episode/index/show/5ae915c5-d79e-401d-b356-7c4b4c7fea0e/id/35745085

Bonus Episode: Emma debuts on the Chinese Sayings Podcast 05/21/2023

Bonus Episode: Emma debuts on the Chinese Sayings Podcast Emma's been integral to the CSP for a few seasons now. Here's one more nice chengyu that has loads of utility value. This time Emma herself, introduces the story behind the saying 世外桃源 Shì Wài Táo Yuán. This comes straight from the great Eastern Jin literatus Tao Yuanming. Many of us dreamers have thought about getting away from it all to escape to a utopian paradise. I hope you enjoy the story and Emma's telling of it. We'll be back next season with more useful and interesting Chinese Sayings. /episode/index/show/5ae915c5-d79e-401d-b356-7c4b4c7fea0e/id/35745090

S7E10 | She's a Woman! 05/07/2023

S7E10 | She's a Woman! Another season, another twenty weeks. Thanks to everyone who tuned in to the CSP and to all of you who have discovered the show since I began posting it to my CHP feed. We end Season 7 with an old one from the Book of Jin 晋书 that contains two venerable co-stars from the Three Kingdoms era. This time we look at the amusing story behind the 巾帼英雄 Jīn Guó Yīng Xióng. The CSP will be back one more time with a bonus episode featuring Emma, the G.M. of the Teacup 成语研究中心. You won't want /episode/index/show/5ae915c5-d79e-401d-b356-7c4b4c7fea0e/id/35745095

S7E09 | I want you to show me the way 04/23/2023

S7E09 | I want you to show me the way 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 ende /episode/index/show/5ae915c5-d79e-401d-b356-7c4b4c7fea0e/id/35745100

S7E08 | All I Want Is To Be Next To You 04/09/2023

S7E08 | All I Want Is To Be Next To You That's right. The story behind our Chinese Saying for this time is quite recent as Chinese history goes. It takes place merely a thousand years ago, during the time of the Northern Song Dynasty. Just like location, location, location is what matters most in real estate, when it comes to getting ahead in your career, the same often holds true. One's location, relative to the boss, can sometimes make it or break it for you. As this story will show, if you're hoping to climb the ladder of success, sometimes a /episode/index/show/5ae915c5-d79e-401d-b356-7c4b4c7fea0e/id/35745105

S7E07 | I Should've Known Better 03/26/2023

S7E07 | I Should've Known Better This time around we're reaching all the way back to those fateful years following the fall of the Qin Dynasty and the contentious period of conflict between Liu Bang of Han and Xiang Yu of Chu. As these two rivals battle it out, Liu Bang sought advice from one of his advisors on a plan of action. But as we'll see, that plan is blown out of the water by the great hero of the early Han, Zhang Liang. In order to persuade Liu Bang of the folly of this plan, Zhang Liang will 借箸代筹 Jiè Zhù Dài Chóu, bo /episode/index/show/5ae915c5-d79e-401d-b356-7c4b4c7fea0e/id/35745110

S7E06 | Locked and Loaded 03/12/2023

S7E06 | Locked and Loaded Here comes one more textbook chengyu from the Spring and Autumn Period, as written by Master Zuo Qiuming 左丘明 himself. 厉兵秣马 Lì Bīng Mò Mǎ. Lots of marquee names from that exciting time, including Duke Mu of Qin and Duke Wen of Jin. Be sure to check the website for a handy downloadable cheat sheet listing all the Chinese names and terms. This one has a fair number of characters and place names. The kind of inter-kingdom rivalries that were one of the hallmarks of the Eastern Zhou are front a /episode/index/show/5ae915c5-d79e-401d-b356-7c4b4c7fea0e/id/35745115

S7E05 | I Carry the Burden and Shame 02/26/2023

S7E05 | I Carry the Burden and Shame We've reached the midway point in Season 7 with this exciting Chinese Saying from the Record of the Three Kingdoms. The backstory for this chengyu concerns the aftermath of the killing of Guan Yu by the forces of Eastern Wu. The star of this tale is Lu Xun 陆逊 (not 鲁迅). Sun Quan entrusted Lu Xun with an all-important mission. And from this mission to defeat Liu Bei came the saying 忍辱负重 Rěn Rǔ Fù Zhòng. Sometimes even when you're right, you must suffer ridicule and mockery for the sake of /episode/index/show/5ae915c5-d79e-401d-b356-7c4b4c7fea0e/id/35745120

S7E04 | Mirror Mirror On the Wall 02/12/2023

S7E04 | Mirror Mirror On the Wall This time we wander back to the 4th century BC to the State of Qi under its great King Wei. There was a handsome resident of Qi named Zou Ji who had a thing about a certain Mr. Xu. From Zou Ji's obsessive concern about his good looks compared to Mr. Xu, it ultimately leads to a fateful meeting with the King of Qi. And from this meeting and the results that followed we get the Chinese Saying 门庭若市 Mén Tíng Ruò Shì. Why was the King of Wei's palace courtyard compared to a crowded marketplace? Liste /episode/index/show/5ae915c5-d79e-401d-b356-7c4b4c7fea0e/id/35745125

The Chinese Sayings Podcast

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