Expressions

Chinese Expression: Cast a Long Line to Catch a Big Fish (放長線釣大魚)

Chinese Expression: Cast a Long Line to Catch a Big Fish (放長線釣大魚)

As we become accustomed — perhaps even addicted — to instant gratification, we can feel so impatient that we only want to do things that lead to immediate results.

Sometimes, though, it pays to play the long game. The fruits of our labor may not appear right away, but careful planning can bring us results that are far more satisfying.

Today, we’re doing a deep dive into a Chinese expression “cast a long line to catch a big fish” (放長線釣大魚) from 2,000 years ago that illustrates exactly this idea.


The Basics

Translation

Cast a long line to catch a big fish

Original Text

放長線釣大魚 / 放长线钓大鱼

Meaning

By looking ahead into the future rather than going after immediate benefits, you can reap even greater rewards later.

Country

China

The Saying’s Origins

A version of this Chinese expression first appears in the Records of the Three Kingdoms, a historical text that covers the history of the late Eastern Han Dynasty (184 – 220 CE) and the Three Kingdoms period (220 CE – 280 CE).

Liu Ye, an official in the state of Cao Wei, is quoted as saying:

夫釣者中大魚,則縱而隨之,須可制而後牽,則無不得也。

Which means:

When a big fish takes the bait and pulls on the line, you don’t want to reel it in too quickly. Instead, let it swim around a bit until it gets tired, then you can get to work. That’s how you catch a big fish.

While this quote isn’t phrased exactly the same as our Chinese expression, the idea is similar, and the consensus today is to attribute the saying to Liu Ye.

Now, we’ll fill you in on who Liu Ye was.


The Story Behind the Saying

Meet Liu Ye

Liu Ye was a brilliant strategist and politician who advised three generations of emperors in the Cao family: Cao Cao, Cao Pi, and Cao Rui.

Early in his career, Liu Ye was known as a talented political and military strategist who helped all three of these rulers win important campaigns on and off the battlefield.

The saying we are exploring, though, appeared toward the very end of his career, when his reputation was no longer so positive.

The Emperor’s Invasion Idea

One day in 232 CE, Emperor Cao Rui, one of the rulers who Liu Ye advised, was considering an invasion of neighboring state Shu Han. He sought counsel from his advisors, most of whom poo-pooed it.

Yang Ji, a military official, was one of the most vehement opponents against the idea of the invasion. He had a lot of respect for Liu Ye and always consulted him regarding matters of the state.

When he asked Liu Ye his opinion privately, Liu Ye said he, too, was against the invasion.

The Drama Heightens

A few days later, Emperor Cao Rui sent for Yang Ji again to discuss the plan. Yang Ji stood firm in his anti-invasion position, and confidently encouraged the emperor to seek Liu Ye’s opinion, thinking that the latter adviser would back him up.

Emperor Cao Rui, meanwhile, was starting to feel confused. In a separate conversation, Liu Ye agreed with him and thought that the invasion was a great idea.

The emperor decided to summon Liu Ye immediately so the three of them could talk about the invasion together. During the meeting, though, Liu Ye neither supported nor opposed the plan and skated by with vague platitudes.

Liu Ye Craftily Plays Both Sides

Afterwards, Liu Ye privately went to Emperor Cao Rui and told him that he didn’t feel it was right to discuss such an important, top-secret matter in the open; he was afraid that officials in Shu Han had already got wind of the invasion.

Meanwhile, Liu Ye also had a heart-to-heart with Yang Ji. He compared the act of convincing the emperor to that of catching a big fish:

In order to catch a big fish, you have to let it struggle and get tired before you reel it in.

When talking to the emperor, therefore, you have to bide your time and plan for the right moment to make the biggest impression.

It, Of Course, Doesn’t End Well

Both Emperor Cao Rui and Yang Ji thanked Liu Ye for his insightful suggestions, and Liu Ye felt that he’d played both sides quite well.

His duplicity, though, was uncovered by other court officials and eventually revealed. He lost the trust of the emperor and died a broken man. (Wow. That got dark really quickly.)

While Liu Ye met a tragic end, his strategic brilliance during the Three Kingdoms period was undisputed. And ultimately, he left us with a saying that proves to be very relevant today.


Usage Examples

Here are a few examples of how this particular Chinese expression can be used in conversation. As you can see, it can be used in either a positive or negative way, depending on the context.

  1. 我們可以用放長線釣大魚這個策略: 短期內的虧本算是一種投資,讓未來獲利更可觀。 We can take a long-term approach and look at losses right now as an investment for bigger profits down the line.
  2. 巴菲特的價值型投資哲學,就是放長線釣大魚的最佳典範。 Warren Buffet’s value investing philosophy is the best example of the tremendous rewards long-term planning can bring.
  3. 你別以為他真的誠心對你好,搞不好是放長線釣大魚,希望以後能佔你便宜。 Don’t be fooled by his kindness, he could be planning for something down the line to take advantage of you.

Fun to Know

David Lynch Talks Fish

In 2006, director David Lynch released a book titled Catching the Big Fish: Meditation, Consciousness, and Creativity. The title alludes to Lynch’s rumination that:

ideas are like fish. If you want to catch little fish, you can stay in the shallow water. But if you want to catch the big fish, you’ve go to go deeper.

The book is inspired by the insights he learned from his experiences with Transcendental Meditation. Though there aren’t any references in the book to the Chinese expression; it’s fascinating that Lynch basically arrived at similar conclusion.

Chalk it up to “great minds think alike”?


We think that there’s value in slowing down, making mindful choices and waiting to see the results somewhere down the line.

Keep this expression in mind the next time you’re trying to figure out your 401K allocation or plotting a scheme against your all-powerful emperor.


This unique saying is captured in our Sparks of Courage deck, a set of illustrated cards featuring 26 translated Chinese expressions on bravery, persistence and grit. It’s also available as a postcard.
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