In 1050 BCE, King Wu of Zhou conquered the Shang dynasty and, to pacify its remnants, enfeoffed Zhou's son Wu Geng as a lord at Zhaoge, while stationing his own three brothers—Guan Shu, Cai Shu, and Huo Shu—to the east, west, and north of Wu Geng to keep watch over him.
After King Wu of Zhou conquered the Shang dynasty, his younger brother the Duke of Zhou, along with Grand Duke Jiang and the Duke of Shao, were rewarded for their great contributions by being retained in the capital to assist in governance. Among them, the Duke of Zhou was the most favored and entrusted with the highest responsibilities.
Two years later, King Wu fell gravely ill, throwing his ministers into deep anxiety. The Duke of Zhou specially performed a ritual to the Zhou ancestors, declaring his willingness to die in his brother's place and begging the former kings to bless King Wu's recovery. After the ceremony, the Duke sealed the prayer in a stone chamber and strictly ordered the court historians never to reveal its contents.
By a stroke of fortune, the very next day after the Duke of Zhou's prayer, King Wu's illness began to show signs of recovery, bringing great joy to the Duke and his ministers. However, the excessive strain of his duties caused the king's old ailment to relapse, and he ultimately succumbed. The young crown prince, Ji Song, was enthroned as King Cheng of Zhou, and the Duke of Zhou, acting on King Wu's dying wish, assumed the role of regent.
When the Duke of Zhou acted as regent, his brothers, including Guanshu, grew suspicious. They spread rumors that the Duke was plotting to seize the throne, sowing doubt in King Cheng's mind. Unable to defend himself against the accusations, the Duke of Zhou left the capital and retreated to the eastern city of Luoyang.
Wu Geng, unwilling to accept the Shang Dynasty's fall, saw the rift between the Zhou brothers and sent messengers to stir up Guan Shu and others, sowing discord between them and the Duke of Zhou, while secretly preparing to launch a rebellion.
When the Duke of Zhou arrived in Luoyi, after two years of investigation, he finally uncovered the source of the rumors and the impending rebellion of Wu Geng. Deeply anxious, he composed a poem titled "The Owl" for King Cheng. The poem's message was: "Owl, oh owl, you have stolen my children—do not destroy my nest! Before the rain falls, I must strip mulberry roots to mend my doors and windows. My hands are numb, my beak worn, my feathers nearly gone—yet my nest still sways in the storm!"
This poem, written in the voice of a mother bird, voiced the Duke of Zhou's deep anxiety over state affairs, but the young King Cheng, failing to grasp the Duke's heartfelt intentions, remained unmoved. Later, King Cheng accidentally discovered the Duke of Zhou's prayer in a stone chamber and was deeply moved. He immediately sent someone to invite the Duke back to Haojing.
After returning to the capital, the Duke of Zhou was ordered by King Cheng to lead an expedition against the Three Guards and Wu Geng. The Duke, known for his wisdom and strategy, swiftly quelled the rebellion, and the Zhou dynasty's rule was firmly consolidated.
Later, people used the idiom "Repair the Roof Before It Rains" to describe making preparations in advance.
Source: *Book of Songs*, "Bin Feng" "Owl"
Meaning of the Idiom: Later, the Chinese idiom "未雨绸缪" came to describe making preparations in advance.