The Professors Weekly picked this idiom after a survey on 700 professors across the country of which 27 percent said “Zhi Lu Wei Ma” was exactly what’s going on in today’s Korean politics in which treacherous figures outnumber those who tell the truth.(image:Kobizmmedia/`Korea Bizwire)
SEOUL, Dec. 22 (Korea Bizwire) — “To point at a stag and say it’s a horse.” This is the four-character idiomatic expression that best describes the year’s political state of affairs selected by professors. The Professors Weekly picked this idiom after a survey on 700 professors across the country of which 27 percent said “Zhi Lu Wei Ma” was exactly what’s going on in today’s Korean politics in which treacherous figures outnumber those who tell the truth.
The Chinese expression originates from an old story of a eunuch named Zhao Gao during the Qin Dynasty in the 3rd century BCE. The eunuch conspired to seize power upon death of Emperor Qin. He served the first emperor’s son Hu Hai and one day he tested loyalty of all officials in front of the second emperor by bringing a deer and calling it a horse. “The emperor laughed and said, ‘Is the chancellor mistaken, calling a deer a horse?’ Afterward, Zhao had every official who said it was a deer in front of the emperor executed. Thereafter the officials were all terrified of Zhao and never questioned his judgment.
The newspaper said that this year was marred by unfortunate events in which lies replaced truths and an unofficial group of advisors controlled the state affairs, such as the ferry sinking tragedy and a series of government cover-up that followed, as well as the suspicions surrounding Chung Yoon-hoi who allegedly exerted influence on the President’s decisions.
By Sean Chung (schung10@koreabizwire.com)
