Bei Gong She Ying – A Bow’s Shadow Resembles a Snake

Bei Gong She Ying A Bow's Shadow Resembles A Snake

Chinese Idiom: 杯弓蛇影 (Bei Gong She Ying)

English Translation: A Bow’s Shadow Resembles a Snake

pīn yīn: bēi gōng shé yǐng

Idiom Meaning: This idiom is used to describe a situation where someone is overly suspicious or fearful, mistaking the false for the true, and causing unnecessary alarm or distress.

Historical Source: The Book of Jin (《晋书》), written by Fang Xuanling during the Tang dynasty.

Idiom Story:

In the Western Jin Dynasty, there lived a man named Le Guang from Nanyang, who served as the governor of Henan and later as the Minister of the Left, a position equivalent to that of a prime minister. Known for his eloquence and hospitality, Le Guang was not particularly skilled at writing.

One day, after a close friend visited him, that friend fell gravely ill. Curious and concerned, Le Guang visited him to inquire about the illness. The friend explained, “During my visit, I was grateful for your generous hospitality. However, when I thought about drinking, I suddenly saw a snake swimming in my cup! Terrified, I hesitated to drink, fearing it would disrespect you, yet I ultimately drank and felt nauseated afterward. When I returned home, I fell ill.”

Le Guang, intrigued yet skeptical, returned home and pondered the matter. While wandering in his hall, he glanced at a horn bow decorated with animal horns on the wall. An idea struck him: could the bow be the cause of the illusion? He poured a cup of wine and placed it on the table, noticing that the shadow of the bow indeed resembled a wriggling snake in the cup.

Excited, Le Guang invited his friend back to his home, setting up another banquet at the same spot. He filled a cup with wine and asked his friend what he saw. The friend gasped in shock, exclaiming, “The snake is back, just like before!”

Le Guang laughed and pointed at the wall, explaining that it was merely the shadow of the bow. The friend realized his mistake, and upon understanding the illusion, he immediately felt better and recovered from his illness.

This story illustrates how misunderstandings and fears can arise from misinterpretations, leading to unnecessary distress. Thus, the phrase “杯弓蛇影” became a metaphor for the tendency to be overly suspicious and to mistake harmless situations for threats.

Scroll to Top