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Synopsis
A famous Chinese idiom about mistaking a bow's reflection for a snake in a wine cup. It means being paranoid and scaring yourself.
Meaning
Bei Gong She Ying literally means seeing a snake's shadow in a wine cup when it is just a bow's reflection. It describes paranoia and self-frightening.
The Story
A guest saw what he thought was a snake in his wine cup. After drinking it, he fell ill. The truth was a bow hanging on the wall cast its reflection into the cup. Once the truth was revealed, he recovered immediately.
References
- Ying Shao, Fengsu Tongyi
- Dictionary of Chinese Idioms
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