Be willing to take someone’s correct advice 從善如流

Translated

啟示:從善如流【Cóng shàn rú liú】 指採納高明正確的意見和建議,接受善意的規勸,像流水那樣暢快而自然。比喻樂於接受別人正確的意見。在生活中如能做到從善如流,這不但可以融洽周圍的人際關係,而且也能使大家變得更聰明,智慧,快樂!

In 585 BC, the State of Chu attacked the State of Zheng. Zheng requested the State of Jin to support it. Marshal Luan Shun arrived in Zheng with his army. Seeing the Jin support troops, the Chu army retreated. Then, someone in the Jin army suggested that they should take the opportunity to attack the State of Cai, an ally of Chu.

“ General, our men are in hight spirits. We’d better attack the State of Cai now!”
Everbody replied, “ Right! Please dispatch the troops now General!”
The general’s subordinate Zhi Zhuangzi disagreed. 🙁
“ With the retreat of the Chu army, the State of Zheng has returned to safety. We shouldn’t attack the state of Cai. If we attack Cai, the Chu army would definitely support it. Even if we won, we would be merely defeating the armed forces of two counties of Chu. If we lost, the consequences would be even worse. We should return home and continue training to consolidate our strength.”

They all said,” we’d better attack Chu now!!”
The general said, “ There is no need for you to argue any more. Zhi Zhuangzi is right. Now we retreat and return home.” Thus the Jin army led by Marshal Luan Shu returned home.
The strength of the Jin army improved greatly Two years later, Jin defeated Cai.
People praised Marshal Luan Shu forr his willingness to take a subordinate’s advice as quickly and naturally as a river flows downward.

【Cóng shàn rú liú】 To be willing to take someone’s correct advice.

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