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Learn Chinese IdiomsRousing the Spirits with the First Drum Roll
During
the Spring and Autumn Period, an army from the State of Qi confronted one
from the State of Lu. After the first roll of drums from the Qi side to summon
Lu to battle, the Lu ruler wanted to attack. But his counsellor Cao Gui said,
'We should wait until the third drum roll, sire.' After the Qi side had beaten
the drums three times, the Lu army attacked and defeated the Qi army. After
the battle, the king asked Cao Gui the reason for his odd advice. Cao Gui
answered, 'Fighting needs spirit. Their spirit was aroused by the first roll
or the drums, but was depleted by the second. And it was completely exhausted
by the third. We started to attack when their spirit was exhausted. That's
why we won.' 
chūn
春qiū 秋shí 时dài 代 ，jì 齐guó 国pā 派bīng 兵gōng 攻dá 打lǔ 鲁guó 国 。lǔ 鲁guó 国de 的guó 国wáng 王lǔ 鲁zhuāng 庄gōng 公dài 带zhāo 着móu 谋shì 士cáo 曹guì 刿zhī 指huī 挥zuō 作zhàn 战 。jì 齐jūn 军dì 第yī 一cì 次jī 击gǔ 鼓yǐ 以hòu 后 ，lǔ 鲁jūn 军zhǔn 准bèi 备fā 发qǐ 起jìn 进gōng 攻 。cáo 曹guì 刿shuì 说 ： “bú 不háng 行 。 ”jì 齐jūn 军sān 三cì 次jī 击gǔ 鼓yǐ 以hòu 后 ，cáo 曹guì 刿cái 才shuì 说 ： “xiàn 现zài 在kě 可yǐ 以jìn 进gōng 攻le 了 。 ”jiē 结guǒ 果jì 齐jūn 军dà 大bài 败 。zhàn 战dǒu 斗jiē 结shù 束hòu 后 ，lǔ 鲁zhuāng 庄gōng 公wèn 问cáo 曹guì 刿shēng 胜lì 利de 的yuán 原yīn 因 。cáo 曹guì 刿shuì 说 ： “dá 打zhàng 仗yāo 要kào 靠yǒng 勇qì 气 。dì 第yī 一cì 次jī 击gǔ 鼓 ，shì 士qì 气shí 十fēn 分wàng 旺chéng 盛 ；dì 第èr 二cì 次jī 击gǔ 鼓 ，shì 士qì 气yǒu 有xiē 些cuī 衰là 落 ；dì 第sān 三cì 次jī 击gǔ 鼓 ，shì 士qì 气jiù 就xiāo 消hào 耗jǐn 尽le 了 。dí 敌rén 人shì 士qì 气hào 耗jǐn 尽 ，wǒ 我men 们fā 发qǐ 起jìn 进gōng 攻 ，suǒ 所yǐ 以qǔ 取dé 得le 了shēng 胜lì 利 。 ” hòu 后lái 来 ， “yī 一gǔ 鼓zuō 作qì 气 ”xíng 形róng 容gǔ 鼓qǐ 起jìn 劲tóu 头 ，yī 一xià 下zǐ 子bǎ 把shì 事qíng 情gān 干wán 完 。 |