The King of Wei decided to invade Handan, the capital of the state of Zhao.
Although Ji Liang was on a journey when he heard this, he turned back at once and, without waiting to smooth his crumpled garments or brush the dust from his head, went to see the king.
“On my way back,” he said, “I came across a man at Taihang Mountain, who was riding northwards. He told me he was going to the state of Chu.”
“In that case, why are you heading north?” I asked him.
“That’s all right, I have good horses, ” he replied.
“Your horses may be good, but you’re taking the wrong direction.” I said.
“Well, I have plenty of money.” he answered.
“You may have plenty of money, but this is the wrong direction.” I questioned.
“Well, I have an excellent charioteer.” he responded.
Finally I told him, “The better your horses, the more money you have and the more skilled your charioteer, the further you will get from the state of Chu.”
Allegorical Meaning
This Warring States parable, strategically deployed by Ji Liang to dissuade the Wei king from attacking Zhao, criticizes strategic suicide through goal-action dissonance.
The Irony of Misdirected Excellence
The traveler boasts superior resources: fast horses, skilled driver, ample funds — yet races away from his destination (Chu in the south).
The Arrogance of Means over Ends
When challenged, the traveler doubles down on method (horses/driver/money), ignoring purpose.
This mirrors the king’s flawed logic — military might and tactical advantages cannot offset the reputational damage of unjust wars. The story exposes how means corrupt ends when divorced from ethical alignment.
Ji Liang’s Diplomatic Genius
By framing Wei King’s invasion of Zhao as the charioteer driving north to reach Chu, Ji Liang masterfully makes abstract strategic folly physically tangible yet avoid direct accusation, preserving the king’s ego.
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