During the late Eastern Han Dynasty, a scholar named Mou Rong had a deep understanding of Buddhist scriptures. However, when he lectured on Buddhist teachings to Confucian scholars, he always used Confucian classics like the *Analects* and the *Book of Documents* to explain the principles, rather than directly citing Buddhist texts. The Confucian scholars objected to this approach, to which Mou Rong calmly replied, "If I were to speak to you about the Buddha's teachings using his own scriptures, you would not understand them, just as a blind man cannot see the sun or a deaf man cannot hear thunder. By using the classics you already know, I can lead you step by step to the truth."
"I know you are all familiar with Confucian classics but unfamiliar with Buddhist scriptures. If I were to explain using Buddhist texts, wouldn't it be like speaking in vain?" Then, Mou Rong told them the story of "playing the lute to a cow" to further illustrate his point.
In ancient China, the great musician Gongming Yi, a master of the zither, could weave melodies so vivid that listeners felt transported into the scenes he played. One day, seeing a cow grazing nearby, he decided to perform a refined, elegant piece for it. The cow, however, paid no attention, continuing to munch grass. Disappointed, Gongming Yi sighed, "It's not that my music is poor, but that this beast cannot appreciate such subtlety." He then changed his tune, imitating the buzzing of mosquitoes and the lowing of calves. Immediately, the cow pricked up its ears, swished its tail, and began to sway, listening intently. This story reminds us that communication must match the audience's understanding—playing a sublime tune to a cow is simply lost on its ears.
One fine day, a musician strolled through the countryside under a clear sky. Spotting a cow grazing peacefully on lush green grass, the serene scene inspired him to play a tune for the animal.
First, he played the profound piece "Pure Horn Melody" with great care, producing beautiful music, but the ox remained unmoved, simply lowering its head to graze, completely ignoring the elegant tune.
Gongming Yi was initially furious, but after quietly observing and reflecting, he realized the ox wasn't deaf to the zither—it simply didn't understand the refined melody of the "Qingjiao Overture."
Gongming Yi then played a more popular tune, and when the ox heard sounds in the music resembling mosquitoes, gadflies, and the calls of calves, it stopped eating, pricked up its ears, and seemed to listen intently.
After finishing the story, Mou Rong continued, "My use of Confucian classics to explain Buddhist teachings is exactly the same principle."
The Confucian scholars, upon hearing this, were completely convinced.
Later, the idiom "playing the lute to a cow" came to describe explaining profound truths to a foolish person, or to mock a speaker who fails to consider their audience and shoots without a target.
Source: *Hongming Ji*
Meaning of the Idiom: Later, the Chinese idiom "对牛弹琴" came to describe explaining profound truths to a foolish person, or to mock a speaker who fails to consider their audience and shoots without a target.