Chinese Idiom: 削足适履 (Xue Zu Shi Lu)
English Translation: Cutting off one’s foot to fit the shoe
pīn yīn: xuē zú shì lǚ
Idiom Meaning: This idiom describes a foolish or unreasonable action taken to conform to a situation, reflecting a lack of wisdom or flexibility.
Historical Source: The idiom originates from Liu An’s text “Huainanzi” (《淮南子》), specifically the section “Shuo Lin Xun” (《说林训》).
Idiom Story:
The story behind this idiom involves a historical account during the reign of King Ling of Chu (楚灵王). One year, King Ling personally led an army to conquer the State of Cai and successfully captured it. Satisfied with his achievements, he left his ambitious brother, Qi Ji (弃疾), in charge of Cai while he continued his campaign against the State of Xu.
Qi Ji was not only morally corrupt but also harbored greater ambitions than merely ruling a small territory. His advisor, Zhao Wu (朝吴), suggested a treacherous plot: while King Ling was away, Qi Ji should return to Chu, assassinate the king’s son, and establish himself as the new ruler.
Convinced by this deceitful counsel, Qi Ji returned, killed King Ling’s son, and installed another nephew, Zi Wu (子午), as the new king. When King Ling learned of his son’s murder while on campaign, he was devastated and chose to end his own life.
Upon hearing of the king’s death, Qi Ji coerced the new king, Zi Wu, into committing suicide, thus seizing power for himself and becoming known as the infamous King Ping of Chu (楚平王).
This incident of betrayal and fratricide prompted Liu An to comment that trusting evil advisors led to the slaughter of family members, which was as illogical as cutting off one’s toes to fit into a shoe. The essence of this commentary is that such actions are fundamentally foolish and detrimental.
The phrase “削足适履” serves as a cautionary tale against blindly following harmful advice and sacrificing one’s integrity or well-being for the sake of conformity or ambition.
