If three people in a row say there is a
tiger in the street, then I will believe that there really is a tiger in the
streets of the capital..(三人成虎)
During the Warring States period, there
were more than 20 kingdoms in China. These kingdoms would form alliances with
each other and also go to war for their own benefit.
Some kingdoms that were allied with each
other would send princes from their own kingdom to live in the other's kingdom
in order to strengthen each other's trust.
Although these princes are not in danger,
they have lost their freedom of movement. These princes are essentially
hostages exchanged between the two kingdoms.
After the Kingdom of Wei formed an alliance
with the Kingdom of Zhao, the King of the Kingdom of Wei appointed a minister
named (Pang Cong) as his ambassador.
He ordered Pang Cong to take the princes of
the Wei Kingdom as hostages to the Zhao Kingdom.
Pang Cong also has another task, which is
to stay in the Zhao Kingdom to take care of the Prince, and to do his best to
protect the Prince's safety.
Before leaving, Pang Cong said to the king
If someone told you today that a tiger had
appeared in the streets of the capital, would you believe them?
Replied the king.
I wouldn't believe what that person said.
Pang Cong asked again.
If five minutes later another person told
you that a tiger had appeared on the streets of the capital, would you believe
that a tiger had appeared on the streets of the capital?
The King thought for a moment and then
replied.
I still don't believe that there are tigers
in the streets of the capital.
Pang Cong asked again.
If another person came to you five minutes
later and told you that a tiger had appeared on the streets of the capital,
would you believe that a tiger had appeared on the streets of the capital?
Replied the king.
If three people in a row say there is a tiger
in the street, then I will believe that there really is a tiger in the streets
of the capital.
Pang Cong asked again..
It is certain that there will be no tigers
on the streets of the capital. But why do you want to believe this rumour?
Pang Cong paused and continued.
After I leave the Kingdom of Wei, many
people who hate me may take the opportunity to say bad things about me.
I will tell you this story and hope that
you will believe me.
I am very loyal to the Kingdom of Wei, and
I am very loyal to you. I will never betray you. I hope you will not lose your
trust in me just because you have heard some rumours.
The king nodded and said to Pang Cong.
I will absolutely trust your loyalty.
A few months after Pang Cong left the
Kingdom of Wei, just as Pang Cong had expected, many people who hated him began
to speak ill of him to the king.
At first, the king did not believe these
rumours, but after a few months, he did.
The king no longer trusted Pang Cong.
The literal translation of this idiom is
that if three people in a row say that there is a tiger in the street, people
will believe that there really is a tiger in the street.
This idiom means that false rumours can
make people believe that they are true as long as they are repeated over and
over again.
Dear friend, what inspirations or thoughts
do you have after listening to this story?
How do you check what you hear? Do you have
a habit of checking whether the information you hear is true?
I hope this story can give you some new
insights.
三人成虎(If three people in a row say there is a tiger in the street, then I will believe that there really is a tiger in the streets of the capital.)
中國的戰國時代有超過20個王國，這些王國為了利益會相互結盟也會為了利益發生戰爭。
有些彼此結盟的王國為了強化彼此的信任就會各自派遣自己王國的王子到彼此的王國居住。
這些王子雖然可以不會有生命危險但也失去了活動的自由，這些王子實質上就是彼此交換的人質。
魏王國與趙王國結盟後，魏王國的國王命令一個名字叫做(龐蔥)的大臣擔任大使。
他命令龐蔥帶著魏王國的王子到趙王國去作為人質。
龐蔥還有一個任務，就是他要留在趙王國照顧王子，他要盡力的保護王子的安全。
在這個大使團出發前，龐蔥對國王說。
如果今天有一個人對你說首都的大街上出現了一隻老虎，請問你會相信這個人的話嗎?
國王回答。
我會不相信這個人說的話。
龐蔥又問。
如果五分鐘後，又有一個人對你首都的大街上出現了一隻老虎，請問你會相信首都的街上出現了一隻老虎嗎?
國王想了一下然後回答。
我還是不相信首都的街上會出現老虎。
龐蔥再問。
如果又過了五分鐘後又有一個人來對你說首都的大街上出現了一隻老虎，請問你會相信首都的街上出現了一隻老虎嗎?
國王回答。
如果連續有三個人說大街上出現了一隻老虎，那麼我會相信首都的街上上真的出現了一隻老虎。
龐蔥對國王說。
首都的大街上根本不可能出現老虎，這是很確定的事情。但為何你會選擇相信這件謠言呢?
龐蔥停頓的一下接著說。
我離開魏王國之後可能會有許多討厭我的人趁這個機會說我的壞話。
我會說這個故事，我就是希望你一定要相信我。
我對魏王國非常忠誠，我對你非常忠誠，我絕對不會做出背叛你的事情，我希望你一定不要因為聽到一些謠言就失去對我的信任。
國王點著頭對龐蔥說。
我絕對會相信你的忠誠。
龐蔥離開魏王國的幾個月後，就如同龐蔥所預料，開始有很多討厭他的人開始對國王說他的壞話。
國王起初也不相信這些謠言，但是幾個月後，國王還是相信了這些謠言。
國王不再信任龐蔥。
這句成語直接翻譯的意思是連續有三個人說大街上出現老虎後人們就會相信街上真的出現了老虎。
這句成語的意思是虛假的謠言只要不停地重複出現就可以讓人們相信這些虛假的謠言是真的。
親愛的朋友，你聽完這個故事有怎樣的啟發或有怎樣的想法呢。
你用什麼方式查證你所聽到的事情呢? 你是否有確認自已聽到的訊息是否正確的習慣嗎?
我希望這故事能讓你產生一些新的收穫。
出處為戰國策-魏策二
20250101更新