This entry explains the Chinese idiom “A thousand‑mile dike collapses from ant holes” from Han Feizi. It covers its literal‑figurative meanings, origin, core warning, real‑world uses and matching English proverbs.
Han Fei’s four-layer framework for power – position, channels, legitimacy, and structure – and why character alone will not protect you. The only thing you can really rely on: Building your own ‘Shi’.