Chinese proverb: an old horse knows the way. Today, it means a person who is very experienced at any given thing may be referred as "the old horse who knows the way".
It derived from an ancient Chinese story.
In 663 B.C., Qi Huangong was asked by Yanguo to fight against the invaders of Shanrong, a strong minority from northern China. The Premier Guan Zhong and the senior official Xi Peng accompanied him. The Qi army had gone to fight in spring and returned triumphant in winter. Due to the change of the seasons, the army couldn't find its way out of the valley. Transporting the supplies would become too difficult. If they did not find a way out of the valley soon, the army would not be able to survive. The Premier Guan Zhong had an idea: dogs can always find their way back home even if they are very far away. Should not the old horses in the army be able to do so too? Guan Zhong immediately chose several old horses and allowed them to walk in front freely. It was quite strange to see these old horses all, without hesitation, walking in the same direction. Finally, they went out of the desert safely.
The Details: Duke Huan of Qi was the best-known ruler of the state of Qi in the Spring and Autumn Period of Chinese history. He was the Duke of Qi from 685 BC until his death; under this period Qi reached its zenith, and the Duke himself was elected to be one of the Five Hegemons. This Proverb is used to describe an experienced person who knows how to deal with difficult situations or people. It reflects the Chinese idea about the elderly. They may not run or skip like the young people, but they are surely indispensable at the critical moment.
Link : | China Daily | Chinaculture.org |
