Beggar-for-neighbor interpretation: gully: deep ditch. Think of neighboring countries as big puddles that drain their own floods. Metaphor is to pass on one's own difficulties or disasters to others.

Idiom story:

During the Warring States Period, there was a prime minister named Bai Gui in Wei State. He was not only good at business, but also an excellent hydraulic scientist. He once built water conservancy and developed production for Wei, and had certain achievements. But his main method of water control is to build dams to prevent floods from rushing into his country. As for whether neighboring countries will be flooded, he doesn't care.

Bai Gui is very satisfied with his water control work. He once proudly said to Mencius: "I know how to control water, and my method is probably better than Dayu!" " Mencius sneered and said rudely, "Forget it! What do you call water control? Do you know how Dayu did it? "

It turns out that Dayu's water control method is completely different from Bai Gui's. Before Dayu, Gun (gǔn) had managed the water for nine years, but he still didn't manage it, because he only knew how to cover the water with soil and build dams. As a result, the dam collapsed and the flood was even worse. Shun thought Gun was invalid, so he killed him and took Gun's son Yu to control water.

Yu changed his father's practice and introduced the flood into the sea by opening canals to drain and dredging rivers. At that time, there was a Longmen Mountain in the middle reaches of the Yellow River, which blocked the way of the river, causing the river to flood and cause floods. Yu took people to dig Longmen Mountain and opened a big hole to make the river unimpeded. In this way, after thirteen years of hard work, the flood was finally defeated and the people lived a life of peace and contentment.

After reviewing this history, Mencius said to Bai Gui, "You are wrong. Dayu's water control is to conform to nature, let the flood flow naturally along the river, and finally lead the flood to the sea; However, your water control method is beggar-thy-neighbor, artificially building dams and rivers to lead floods to neighboring countries. Floods do not flow naturally along the river, but will still cause great floods in neighboring countries. This is something that no one with a conscience would do. How can you compare with Dayu? "

After listening to Mencius' criticism, Bai Gui couldn't help feeling ashamed, and never preached his achievements in water control.