During the Spring and Autumn period, Duke Xian of Wei was a notoriously arrogant and brutal ruler.
In 559 BCE, during the 13th year of King Ling of Zhou's reign, the Wei noblemen Sun Wenzi and Ning Huizi staged a military coup, ousting Duke Xian of Wei from power. Forced into exile, Duke Xian fled to Qi with his mother and younger brother, living a life of wandering.
After expelling Duke Xian of Wei, Sun Wenzi and Ning Huizi seized control of the court and installed a new ruler, Duke Shang of Wei, named Gongsun Piao.
However, on his deathbed, Ning Huizi realized that expelling the ruler was a disgrace to his family. He summoned his son Ning Daoxi and instructed, "You must bring Duke Xian of Wei back."
Soon, Duke Xian of Wei also began his restoration efforts. He sent envoys back to the state to contact Ning Daozi, promising that after his return, he would not interfere in state affairs and would only oversee matters of the ancestral temple and sacrifices.
However, many ministers opposed Duke Xian's restoration. After meeting Duke Xian, Minister You Zai Gu returned and advised Ning Daozi, "Though Duke Xian has been in exile for twelve years, his violent temper hasn't changed at all. If we let him return, our deaths will be upon us."
Another senior minister, Dashu Yi, also warned Ning Daoxi, "Actions must be consistent. Your Ning family first joined in expelling the ruler, then wants to bring him back—this is worse than playing chess. A chess player who hesitates over a move will lose, let alone when dealing with the appointment or deposition of a ruler. Such recklessness will surely bring destruction upon your entire clan."
But Ning Daozi acted autocratically, using "my late father's final command" as an excuse, ignoring all advice, determined to seize total power. Later, he destroyed the Sun clan, killed Duke Shang of Wei, Gongsun Piao, and welcomed back Duke Xian.
In the end, Duke Xian of Wei used the nobleman Gongsun Mianyu to eliminate Ning Daozi, crushing the Ning clan's power and avenging his own exile at their hands.
Later, the idiom "hesitating over a move" came to describe someone who is indecisive and unable to make up their mind.
Source: *Zuo Zhuan*, "Duke Xiang, Year 25"
Meaning of the Idiom: Later, the Chinese idiom "举棋不定" came to describe how someone is indecisive and unable to make up their mind.