During the Warring States period, the state of Qi had a renowned physician named Bian Que.
Once, Bian Que was passing by the palace of the Guo state capital when he happened upon the crown prince who had just died. The palace attendants were preparing a coffin for the prince, so he stepped forward and asked, "What illness caused the prince's death, and how long has he been dead?"
An official in charge of audiences told him, "The crown prince suddenly collapsed and died, and it's been less than half a day." Bian Que replied, "Please inform the king that I am Bian Que, a physician from Qi. I can bring the dead back to life and revive the prince."
The official looked at Bian Que with disbelief and said, "Surely you must be joking, sir? How can the dead be brought back to life? I've heard of a legendary physician from ancient times named Yu who could diagnose illness simply by examining a patient's clothing, then cut open the skin to clear the meridians and cure them. If you possess such skill, then perhaps the crown prince can be revived. Otherwise, you are nothing but a charlatan."
When Bian Que heard this, he smiled and replied, “The methods you just described are like looking at the sky through a tube or examining patterns through a crack. My approach is different—the moment I see a patient’s posture and expression, I know their ailment; even from a mere description, I can grasp the condition. If you doubt me, go back and check on the crown prince—you will hear a faint ringing in his ears, detect the barest breath, and find his inner thighs still warm to the touch.”
The official, astonished, rushed to check on the crown prince and found him exactly as Bian Que had described. Filled with wonder, he hurried to report this to the ruler.
The king was astonished and urgently summoned Bian Que to the palace to treat the crown prince. Bian Que examined the prince, selected the right acupuncture points, and inserted a golden needle—the prince immediately regained consciousness. Bian Que then prescribed several herbal remedies, and after just twenty days of treatment, the crown prince made a full recovery.
After Bian Que revived the crown prince of the Guo state, people praised his ability to bring the dead back to life. Bian Que said, "I have no such power. The prince was never dead—I merely restored him to health."
Later, the idiom "Looking at the Sky Through a Tube" came to describe a very one-sided view and narrow perspective.
Source: *Records of the Grand Historian*, "Biographies of Bian Que and the Duke of Cang"
Meaning of the Idiom: Later, the Chinese idiom "以管窥天" came to describe a very one-sided view and narrow perspective.