Duke Mu of Lu sent his princes to serve as officials, some in Jin and others in Chu. Li Chu advised him: “To ask people from Yue to rescue a drowning child though Yue folk are good swimmers, the child will surely die. To fetch water from the sea to put out a fire boundless as seawater is, the fire will never be quenched. Distant water cannot put out a nearby fire. Powerful as Jin and Chu are, Qi lies right next to Lu. I fear they will not come to our aid when trouble arrives.”
Note
This text is excerpted from Han Feizi, Chapter: The Forest of Persuasions (Part I). This story tells that when facing emergencies, distant allies cannot replace nearby forces. In making plans, one should focus on immediate situations instead of blindly relying on remote powers.
Late Warring States Legalist philosopher. He uses this story to explain diplomatic strategy.
Duke Mu of Lu
Ruler of the State of Lu. He sought support from distant powerful states.
Li Chu
Li Chu was a minister of the State of Qi. At the alliance meeting between Qi and Lu at Jiagu (Jia Valley), he proposed that Duke Jing of Qi to kidnap Duke Ding of Lu by force, but the plan failed. Later, he devised a scheme to send female musicians and decorated horses to the State of Lu, which caused Duke Ding of Lu to indulge in wine and women, neglecting state affairs. This deepened the rift between Confucius and the Lu authorities, ultimately leading to Confucius leaving Lu. As an important strategist of Qi, Li Chu interfered in Lu’s internal affairs through diplomatic tactics, and his political methods were typical of the power struggle between Qi and Lu.
States of Lu, Jin, Chu, Qi
Vassal states in the Spring and Autumn Period. Qi was Lu’s immediate neighbor, while Jin and Chu were far away.
Sending Princes to Serve Abroad
A common diplomatic practice: sending royal family members to work in other states to build alliances and win support.
Idiom: Distant water cannot put out a nearby fire
Derived from this text, it means remote help is useless for an urgent crisis.
Diplomatic Geography
In ancient interstate relations, geographical distance was a key factor. Neighboring states often posed the most direct threats or offered timely assistance.
魯穆公使眾公子或宦於晉，或宦於荊，犁鉏曰：「假人於越而救溺子，越人雖善遊，子必不生矣。失火而取水於海，海水雖多，火必不滅矣，遠水不救近火也。今晉與荊雖強，而齊近，魯患其不救乎？」
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