During the Spring and Autumn period, Prince Zhouyu of the Wei state murdered his elder brother, Duke Huan of Wei, and seized the throne for himself. The people of the state were deeply dissatisfied with him.
To divert public attention, he imposed harsh domestic policies while rallying the states of Cai, Chen, and Song to attack Zheng, all to bolster his own prestige.
After learning of Zhou Yu's fratricide and usurpation, Duke Yin of Lu asked his minister Zhong Zhong, "I hear Zhou Yu has killed Duke Huan of Wei and taken the throne. Do you think his rule will last long?"
Zhong Zhong shook his head and said, "Zhou Yu seized the throne through deceit, bringing disaster to the people, who will never support him. His actions only lead to rebellion from his own followers and alienation from the masses. Before long, he will be despised by all. As for his alliance with other states to attack Zheng, using war to divert the people's hatred, the end result will be: those who play with fire will surely burn themselves. His fate will be to die by the flames of war."
Sure enough, within a year, with the help of the Chen ruler, the people of Wei overthrew Zhou Xu's brutal reign. Zhou Xu was killed, meeting the fate of one who plays with fire and ends up burning himself.
Later, the idiom "Playing with Fire Gets You Burned" came to be used as a metaphor for engaging in risky or harmful deeds that ultimately lead to self-inflicted consequences.
Source: *Zuo Zhuan*, Chapter "Duke Yin, Year Four"
Meaning of the Idiom: Later, the Chinese idiom "玩火自焚" came to describe engaging in risky or harmful deeds that ultimately lead to self-inflicted consequences.