苛政猛於虎

See also: 苛政猛于虎

Chinese

		tyrannical government; oppressive government; despotic rule tyrannical government; oppressive government; despotic rule; tyranny	ferocious; suddenly; fierce ferocious; suddenly; fierce; violent; abrupt	in; at; to in; at; to; from; by; than; out of; surname	tiger
trad. (苛政猛於虎)		苛政	猛	於	虎
simp. (苛政猛于虎)		苛政	猛	于	虎

Etymology

From a story in the Book of Rites:

孔子過泰山側，有婦人哭於墓者而哀，夫子式而聽之。使子路問之，曰：「子之哭也，壹似重有憂者。」
而曰：「然。昔者吾舅死於虎，吾夫又死焉，今吾子又死焉。」
夫子曰：「何為不去也？」
曰：「無苛政。」
夫子曰：「小子識之：苛政猛於虎也。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

孔子过泰山侧，有妇人哭于墓者而哀，夫子式而听之。使子路问之，曰：“子之哭也，壹似重有忧者。”
而曰：“然。昔者吾舅死于虎，吾夫又死焉，今吾子又死焉。”
夫子曰：“何为不去也？”
曰：“无苛政。”
夫子曰：“小子识之：苛政猛于虎也。” [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: The Book of Rites, c. 4^th – 2^nd century BCE

Kǒngzǐ guò Tàishān cè, yǒu fùrén kū yú mù zhě ér āi, fūzǐ shì ér tīng zhī. Shǐ Zǐlù wèn zhī, yuē: “Zǐ zhī kū yě, yī sì chóng yǒu yōu zhě.”
Ér yuē: “Rán. Xī zhě wú jiù sǐ yú hǔ, wú fū yòu sǐ yān, jīn wú zǐ yòu sǐ yān.”
Fūzǐ yuē: “Héwéi bù qù yě?”
Yuē: “Wú kēzhèng.”
Fūzǐ yuē: “Xiǎozǐ shí zhī: kēzhèng měng yú hǔ yě.” [Pinyin]

In passing by the side of mount Tai, Confucius came on a woman who was wailing bitterly by a grave. The Master bowed forward to the cross-bar, and hastened to her; and then sent Zi-lu to question her. “Your wailing,” said he, “is altogether like that of one who has suffered sorrow upon sorrow.”
She replied, “It is so. Formerly, my husband's father was killed here by a tiger. My husband was also killed (by another), and now my son has died in the same way.”
The Master said, “Why do you not leave the place?”
The answer was, “There is no oppressive government here.”
The Master then said (to the disciples), “Remember this, my little children. Oppressive governments are more terrible than tigers.”

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Pinyin): kēzhèng měng yú hǔ
(Zhuyin): ㄎㄜㄓㄥˋ ㄇㄥˇ ㄩˊ ㄏㄨˇ
Cantonese (Jyutping): ho¹ zing³ maang⁵ jyu¹ fu²

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: kēzhèng měng yú hǔ
  - Zhuyin: ㄎㄜㄓㄥˋ ㄇㄥˇ ㄩˊ ㄏㄨˇ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: kejhèng měng yú hǔ
  - Wade–Giles: kʻo¹-chêng⁴ mêng³ yü² hu³
  - Yale: kē-jèng měng yú hǔ
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: kejenq meeng yu huu
  - Palladius: кэчжэн мэн юй ху (kɛčžɛn mɛn juj xu)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʰɤ⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂɤŋ⁵¹ mɤŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹¹ y³⁵ xu²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
  - Jyutping: ho¹ zing³ maang⁵ jyu¹ fu²
  - Yale: hō jing máahng yū fú
  - Cantonese Pinyin: ho¹ dzing³ maang⁵ jy¹ fu²
  - Guangdong Romanization: ho¹ jing³ mang⁵ yu¹ fu²
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /hɔː⁵⁵ t͡sɪŋ³³ maːŋ¹³ jyː⁵⁵ fuː³⁵/

Proverb

苛政猛於虎

Oppressive governments are more terrible than tigers.