Su Li, a political strategist during the Warring States period, once heard that the Qin general Bai Qi was about to attack Daliang, the capital of Wei. If Daliang fell, the nearby Western Zhou royal court would be in danger. So Su Li said to the King of Zhou:
"Over the past few years, Bai Qi has defeated states like Han and Zhao, seizing much territory. Now he is about to lead troops to attack Daliang; once Daliang falls to Bai Qi, the Zhou royal house will be in danger! You must find a way to stop Bai Qi from sending his army."
So the King of Zhou sent Su Li to the Qin state. Su Li told Bai Qi a story:
In the past, there was a man named Yang Youji from the Chu State, who was a skilled archer. He shot arrows at a willow tree from a hundred paces away, each arrow hitting the center of a willow leaf, hitting the target every time. The onlookers praised his skill. However, a passerby said, "This man can be taught how to shoot."
Yang Youji, upon hearing this, felt quite displeased and said, "Everyone says I shoot well, yet you claim you can teach me. Why don't you come and shoot that willow leaf yourself!"
The man said, "I cannot teach you the skill of drawing the bow with your left arm and releasing with your right; but have you considered that while you can hit a willow leaf every time, you are not good at resting. When you grow tired and miss a single shot, all your previous efforts will be wasted."
After telling this story, Su Li brought the topic back and said:
"You have already defeated Han, Zhao, and other states, acquiring much land with great merit. Now, if you are sent to lead troops through the pass, past the Zhou royal domain to attack Daliang, and this campaign fails, all your previous achievements will be lost. It would be better to claim illness and decline to march."
Bai Qi laughed and said, "I am invincible, victorious in every battle—how could I possibly fail to win?"
Despite Su Li's warnings, the general Bai Qi was not swayed. He led his army to attack the State of Wei, and as expected, achieved a decisive victory, capturing dozens of Wei cities.
Later, the idiom "Hitting the Target Every Time" came to describe never missing a shot with an arrow. It generally refers to superb shooting skills where every shot hits; it also metaphorically means having full confidence in predicting outcomes, never miscalculating.
Source: *Strategies of the Warring States*, Chapter "Strategies of Western Zhou"
Meaning of the Idiom: Later, the Chinese idiom "百发百中" came to describe never missing a shot with an arrow. It generally refers to superb shooting skills where every shot hits; it also metaphorically means having full confidence in predicting outcomes, never miscalculating.