Chinese Idiom: 塞翁失马 (Sai Weng Shi Ma)
English Translation: The Old Man Loses His Horse
pīn yīn: sài wēng shī mǎ
Idiom Meaning: This idiom illustrates that what seems like a misfortune may turn out to be a blessing, and vice versa. It highlights the unpredictability of life and that losses can sometimes lead to future gains.
Historical Source: From “Huainanzi” (《淮南子·人间训》).
Idiom Story:
Once upon a time, there was an old man skilled in divination and fond of horse riding, living on the border between two countries. This old man had a deep understanding of philosophy.
One day, his only horse ran away to the land of the Hu (a nomadic tribe). The villagers expressed their sympathy for his loss, but the old man remained indifferent. He said, “This is nothing. Losing a horse may not necessarily be a bad thing.”
Sure enough, not long after, his horse returned, bringing with it a magnificent steed from the Hu. The villagers learned of this and came to congratulate the old man on his good fortune. However, the old man was not pleased; he remarked, “This is nothing either. Gaining a horse for free might lead to trouble.”
The old man had a son who also enjoyed horse riding. One day, the son rode the newly acquired horse. Unfortunately, due to his lack of skill, he fell off and broke his leg. The villagers heard of this accident and came to console the old man. Again, he remained calm and said, “It’s nothing. While his leg is broken, it may not necessarily be a bad thing.”
A year later, war broke out between the two countries, and all able-bodied young men were conscripted to fight. Most of the young men from the frontier perished in battle. However, because the old man’s son had a limp from his injury, he was not sent to the front lines. The father and son were able to take care of each other and remained safe.
This story embodies a simple yet profound philosophy, teaching that good and bad, gain and loss, fortune and misfortune are not fixed; they can transform into each other under certain circumstances.
Thus, the phrase “塞翁失马” (The Old Man at the Frontier Loses His Horse) was derived from this tale.
