皮之不存，毛将焉附

皮之不存，毛将焉附 [pí zhī bù cún máo jiāng yān fù]

1. ■ With the skin gone, to what can the hair attach itself; A thing cannot exist without its basis.; If the skin does not exist, what could the hair adhere to -- One thing is dependent on the other; mutually dependent (of neighboring states); usefulness of having a buffer state in between; It is impossible for a thing to exist without its basis.