King Zhuang of Chu intended to attack Yue. Du Zi remonstrated: “Why does Your Majesty plan to attack Yue?” The king replied: “Its government is chaotic and its army weak.”
Du Zi said: “I am troubled by this. Wisdom is like the eyes: they can see a hundred paces away yet cannot see one’s own eyelashes. Your army was defeated by Qin and Jin, losing hundreds of li of territory—this is military weakness. Zhuang Qiao rebelled within your borders and officials could not stop him—this is political chaos. Your own weakness and disorder are no less than Yue’s, yet you wish to attack it. This is wisdom like the eyes.”
The king then halted his plan.
Thus the difficulty of knowledge lies not in seeing others, but in seeing oneself. Hence the saying: “Self‑awareness is called discernment.”
Note
This passage teaches that genuine wisdom consists in self‑knowledge; rulers must examine their own state’s flaws before launching external military campaigns.
Late Warring‑States Legalist philosopher. This passage is from Illustrating Laozi (Yu Lao), his commentary on the Dao De Jing. He stresses self‑reflection as core political wisdom for rulers.
King Zhuang of Chu
King Zhuang of Chu, a famous Spring‑and‑Autumn hegemon, prone to ignoring internal problems while targeting external foes.
Du Zi
Wise advisor who used the eye‑eyelash metaphor to urge self‑examination.
Zhuang Qiao
A rebel leader who caused internal unrest in Chu.
Eye‑Eyelash Metaphor
Classic Chinese analogy: people easily spot others’ faults but overlook their own weaknesses.
Self‑Awareness Principle
True political insight requires self‑assessment before judging or attacking others.
Legalist Self‑Examination Doctrine
Rulers must first fix internal chaos and weakness before expanding externally.
楚莊王欲伐越，杜子諫曰：「王之伐越何也？」曰：「政亂兵弱。」杜子曰：「臣愚患之。智如目也，能見百步之外而不能自見其睫。王之兵自敗於秦、晉，喪地數百里，此兵之弱也。莊蹻為盜於境內而吏不能禁，此政之亂也。王之弱亂非越之下也，而欲伐越，此智之如目也。」王乃止。故知之難，不在見人，在自見。故曰：「自見之謂明。」
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