Waiting by the Stump for a Hare

Synopsis

A Chinese idiom from Han Feizi about a farmer who waits by a tree stump for another rabbit to crash into it.

Source

From "Han Feizi" (韩非子)

Meaning

Shou Zhu Dai Tu (守株待兔): To wait by a tree stump for a hare. A metaphor for rigidly sticking to narrow experience or hoping for unearned gains.

The Story

A farmer in the state of Song found a hare that had accidentally crashed into a tree stump in his field. Overjoyed at his free meal, he abandoned his farming tools and spent every day waiting by the stump for another hare to appear. No more hares ever came, and he became the laughingstock of Song.

Moral

Don't mistake a lucky accident for a reliable strategy. One-off events shouldn't become the basis for your life plan.

References

1. Baidu Baike: https://baike.baidu.com/item/守株待兔