A man from Zheng had a son about to take official service. The son told his family: “Repair the broken wall promptly, or thieves will break in.” A neighboring townsman gave the same warning.
The household delayed repairs, and burglars stole their belongings later. The Zheng master praised his son for foresight yet suspected the helpful neighbor of being the thief.
Note
People tend to favor relatives and suspect outsiders irrationally when verifying predictions, resulting in unfair judgment.
Late Warring States Legalist, records this famous fable to criticize biased subjective judgment.
Classic pre-Qin fable
This is the source of the well-known idiom “Zheng people suspect neighbor”, used to warn against nepotistic prejudice in politics and judgment.
Pre-Qin household security custom
Ordinary families relied on courtyard walls to guard property, repairing damaged wall was daily precaution against theft.
Legalist thought
Han Fei emphasizes objective evidence over personal affection; subjective favoritism distorts truth and leads to wrong conviction.
鄭人有一子，將宦，謂其家曰：「必築壞牆，是不善人將竊。」其巷人亦云。不時築，而人果竊之。以其子為智，以巷人告者為盜。
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