During the Northern and Southern Dynasties, Wang Pi served as a general of Western Wei, guarding Huazhou (modern Huaxian, Shaanxi). When Gao Huan, the Grand Chancellor of Eastern Wei, led a massive army to Tong Pass, preparing to attack Huazhou, the Western Wei soldiers were terrified. Wang Pi, however, remained calm and ordered the city gates wide open. His subordinates panicked and asked, "General, the enemy is at our doorstep! Why leave the gates open?" Wang Pi replied with a laugh, "If we close the gates, they'll think we're afraid. Let them see we're not intimidated." When Gao Huan's scouts reported the open gates, Gao Huan hesitated, suspecting an ambush, and ultimately withdrew his forces without a fight. This story shows that sometimes boldness and composure can be more effective than force.
Wang Pi rallied his troops and ordered repairs to the city walls to prepare for Gao Huan's attack. Every day, soldiers set up ladders outside the city to reinforce the fortifications.
When the Western Wei army first began repairing the city walls, they always brought their ladders inside the city each day after work to prevent the enemy from using them to attack. But after several days of repairs with no sign of the Eastern Wei army, they gradually grew careless and left the ladders outside overnight, too lazy to bring them in.
One night, Gao Huan suddenly dispatched General Han Gui and his troops to launch a surprise attack on Huazhou from the east of the river. By dawn, the Eastern Wei army had already reached the city walls. Spotting ladders propped against the battlements, they gleefully climbed up and slipped into the city.
At this moment, Wang Pi was still lying in bed, not yet risen. He suddenly heard voices outside the door, unusually noisy, and realized something was wrong. He immediately leaped up, without even putting on socks, grabbed a white wooden club, rushed outside, and shouted loudly, "Old Pi lies across the road—how can a raccoon dog pass by!"
The Eastern Wei forces, caught completely off guard, panicked and fell back. Wang Pi, brandishing his club, chased them all the way to the East Gate. When the Western Wei troops inside the city heard Wang Pi was in pursuit, they rallied together and fought desperately, defeating the enemy. Han Gui, seeing the tide had turned against him, leaped from the city wall and fled back to his own lines.
Soon, Gao Huan's army arrived at Huazhou. Facing each other in battle, Gao Huan said to Wang Pi, "The great army is here, why not surrender quickly!" Wang Pi shouted, "This city is my home, my life and death are here. If you want to die, come quickly!"
Gao Huan recalled how Han Gui had been routed the previous day and, not daring to assault the city walls, withdrew his forces and marched away.
Later, the idiom "Old Bear Blocks the Path" came to describe a warrior's heroic spirit or a fierce general holding a strategic pass that enemies cannot breach.
Source: *History of the Northern Dynasties*, "Biography of Wang Pi"
Meaning of the Idiom: Later, the Chinese idiom "老罴当道" came to describe a warrior's heroic spirit or a fierce general holding a strategic pass that enemies cannot breach.