Chinese Idiom: 四分五裂 (Si Fen Wu Lie)
English Translation: Four divisions and five splits
pīn yīn: sì fēn wǔ liè
Idiom Meaning: To be thoroughly fragmented and disordered, with no coherence or unity.
Historical Source: Strategies of the Warring States: Wei Strategy One (《战国策·魏策一》).
Idiom Story:
During the Warring States period, the state of Qin was the most powerful. The other six states had implemented the “vertical alliance” (合纵) policy, uniting against Qin. In response, Qin’s strategist Zhang Yi employed the “horizontal alliance” (连横) strategy to sow discord and divide these six states, convincing them to ally with Qin.
Zhang Yi first visited the state of Wei and met with King Wei. He presented a detailed analysis of the conflicts between the six states and the potential threats facing Wei. Zhang Yi argued that the state of Wei was surrounded by powerful neighbors: to the south was Chu, to the east was Qi, to the west was Han, and to the north was Zhao. He warned that maintaining defenses against all these threats would be challenging, and Wei might become a battleground on all sides.
Zhang Yi explained that if Wei did not ally with Qin, it would face attacks from its neighbors:
- If Wei did not ally with Chu, then Qi would attack from the east.
- If Wei did not ally with Qi, then Zhao would attack from the north.
- If Wei did not ally with Han, then Han would attack from the west.
- If Wei did not ally with Chu, then Chu would attack from the south.
He used the phrase “四分五裂” to describe this situation, meaning that without a strategic alliance, Wei would face fragmentation and disarray from its neighbors.
The term “四分五裂” has since come to signify a state of complete disintegration and disorder, reflecting the fragmented and chaotic nature of such a situation.
