One winter, the King of Chu went hunting and set up camp at Qianxi. A heavy snow fell, and the cold was biting. The king, wearing a fur hat, a feathered robe gifted by the State of Qin, a blanket made from kingfisher feathers, leopard-skin boots, and holding a leather whip, commanded his surroundings with an air of supreme authority. Yet, even in his warmth, his mind was already plotting war, scheming to force the other feudal lords into submission.
One chilly evening, with a biting north wind still blowing, the Chu king received his advisor Zige. The king, showing him respect, removed his fur cap, set aside his feathered cloak, and put down his whip to discuss state affairs. "Long ago," the king began, "my ancestor Xiong Yi served King Kang alongside the rulers of Qi, Wei, Jin, and Lu. They each received a treasured bronze tripod, but our state got none. If I send someone to Zhou to demand a tripod, would the Son of Heaven grant it?" Zige replied, "He certainly would, Your Majesty!" The king pressed on, "The land of Xu, once my granduncle's domain, is now held by Zheng. If I demand it, would Zheng yield?" Zige agreed, "If Zhou dares not begrudge a tripod, how could Zheng begrudge land?" The king continued, "The feudal lords once feared Jin. Now I have annexed Chen, Cai, and Bugeng, making their capitals my cities. Will the lords fear me now?" Zige quickly echoed, "Those four states alone inspire fear; with Chu added, who would dare not fear Your Majesty?"
When the Chu king briefly stepped away, his attending minister Puxifu seized the moment to whisper to Zige, "You are a man of great reputation in Chu, yet your words echo the king's like a mere reflection—what will become of our state?" Zige replied with calm confidence, "I am merely sharpening the blade. When His Majesty returns, I shall strike at his tyranny and cruelty."
When King of Chu returned, he continued conversing with Zi Ge, who said, "Long ago, King Mu of Zhou wished to travel the world freely, leaving his chariot tracks and horse prints everywhere. The minister Ji Gong Moufu composed a poem called 'Qi Zhao' to dissuade King Mu from such wanderings, and thus King Mu avoided being usurped or assassinated." The King of Chu, eager to know the poem's content, pressed Zi Ge, who replied, "The poem says: 'Qi Zhao, be calm and peaceful, clearly proclaim good counsel. Use the people like gold and jade—shape them according to the vessel, employ them according to their strength. Cast away the heart of drunkenness and overindulgence!'"
The King of Chu was deeply shaken
Tracks of chariot wheels and horse hooves: marks left by traveling across the world.
Source: *Zuo Zhuan*, Chapter "Duke Zhao's 12th Year"
Meaning of the Idiom: Later, the Chinese idiom "车辙马迹" came to describe how a ruler should govern with restraint and wisdom, using people according to their abilities and avoiding reckless indulgence.