Chinese Idiom: 高屋建瓴 (Gao Wu Jian Ling)
English Translation: Pouring water from a high roof
pīn yīn: gāo wū jiàn líng
Idiom Meaning: Refers to a situation where someone holds a high or advantageous position, making it easy to dominate others with unstoppable force or momentum. The image is of water being poured from a high roof, an action that cannot be countered due to the overwhelming natural advantage of height.
Historical Source: Records of the Grand Historian (《史记》) – Biography of Emperor Gaozu (《高祖本纪》)
Idiom Story:
In 201 BC, during the early Han Dynasty, someone reported to Emperor Gaozu of Han (Liu Bang) that the King of Chu, Han Xin, was plotting a rebellion. This worried Liu Bang greatly because he knew that Han Xin was a formidable general, difficult to defeat in battle.
Liu Bang gathered his trusted advisors and generals to discuss how to handle the situation. While generals like Zhou Bo and Fan Kuai were eager to launch a military attack against Han Xin, the strategist Chen Ping advised against it. Chen Ping said, “Han Xin is no ordinary general; if you fight him directly, it will be very difficult to win. Instead, use a clever plan to capture him. Your Majesty should pretend to be on a tour in Yunmeng (an area in present-day Hubei Province) and summon all the vassal lords to come and meet you at Chen County (now in Henan Province), which is close to Han Xin’s territory. Han Xin will have no choice but to come, and when he arrives, you can have him arrested by your guards.”
Liu Bang followed Chen Ping’s advice and made his way to Yunmeng for a ceremonial tour, sending word to the vassal lords to gather in Chen County. Although Han Xin had no intention of rebelling, he was suspicious of Liu Bang’s intentions and hesitant to attend. At that point, someone suggested to Han Xin that he kill the fugitive general Zhongli Mo, who had sought refuge with him, and offer Zhongli Mo’s head to Liu Bang as a peace gesture.
Zhongli Mo had once saved Han Xin’s life, and they were close friends. However, feeling he had no choice, Han Xin ultimately presented Zhongli Mo’s head to Liu Bang. This action only confirmed Liu Bang’s suspicions, and as soon as Han Xin arrived, he was accused of treason, arrested, and taken to the capital, Chang’an, where he was demoted to the rank of Marquis of Huaiyin.
After Han Xin was captured, a minister named Tian Ken congratulated Liu Bang, saying, “You have captured Han Xin and established your capital in the Qin region (modern-day central Shaanxi Province), which is excellent. The terrain of Qin is naturally fortified, and with only 20,000 soldiers, you can resist an army of one million. Conversely, when attacking from such a strong position, it is like pouring water from a high roof (高屋建瓴)—an unstoppable force. Other regions like Qi are similarly important, and such places should only be entrusted to members of your own family.”
Liu Bang, pleased with this advice, rewarded Tian Ken with 500 pounds of gold. The phrase “高屋建瓴” originated from this description, symbolizing overwhelming strength and dominance due to a strategic advantage, just like pouring water from a high place that no one can resist.
