Chinese Idiom: 解铃还须系铃人 (Jie Ling Hai Xu Xi Ling Ren)
English Translation: To Untie the Bell, One Must Find the Person Who Tied It
pīn yīn: jiě líng hái xū xì líng rén
Idiom Meaning: This idiom implies that a problem or knot that one has created must be solved by the same person; it suggests that one must take responsibility for their own issues.
Historical Source: From “The Catalog of Directives” (《指目录》) by Qu Rujie in the Ming Dynasty.
Idiom Story:
In ancient times, there was a monk named Fa Deng (法灯), known for his bold personality and disregard for the strict rules of Buddhism. Other monks looked down on him because of his behavior. However, only Master Fa Yan (法眼) treated him well, believing that he was a person of insight.
One day, Fa Yan asked the people around him, “Who can untie the golden bell from the tiger’s neck?” This question puzzled everyone, and no one could provide an answer. At that moment, Fa Deng happened to walk in, and Fa Yan repeated his question. Without hesitation, Fa Deng responded, “The one who tied it can untie it.” This means that only the person who tied the bell can remove it.
Fa Yan nodded in approval and praised Fa Deng to the others, saying, “Do not underestimate him!”
From this story, the idiom “解铃还须系铃人” was derived, highlighting the idea that the responsibility for resolving a problem lies with the person who created it.
