司sī馬mǎ昭zhāo之zhī心xīn——lù——路rén人jiē皆zhī知

What does 司馬昭之心——路人皆知 (sī mǎ zhāo zhī xīn——lù rén jiē zhī) mean?

司馬昭之心——路人皆知 (sī mǎ zhāo zhī xīn——lù rén jiē zhī) is a two-part riddle-saying (xiēhòuyǔ 歇後語). Word for word it reads "Sima Zhao's intentions-known to every passerby." In use it means: An open secret. Everyone can see through someone's poorly hidden ambitions. Refers to the Wei dynasty general whose desire to usurp the throne was obvious to all. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Fire note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Snake.

Literally: "Sima Zhao's intentions-known to every passerby.."

The reading

Ambition that thinks itself hidden is often the most visible thing in the room. The passerby sees clearly precisely because they have no stake in pretending otherwise. Self-deception about our own transparency is one of the quieter forms of arrogance. Power that cannot admit what it wants is already compromised by the energy spent on disguise. Honesty about intention, even when it is uncomfortable, at least spares everyone the theater.

What kind of proverb it is

• Typexiēhòuyǔ 歇後語
• FocusLooks back
• Element火 Fire
• Zodiac tie蛇 Year of the Snake

Source Historical xiehouyu from Records of the Three Kingdoms (Sanguozhi)

Sits beside

Keep reading

Return to the Proverb Pond to draw another of the eighty-seven, or hear one read aloud. Read the rest of its chapter in Wisdom & Learning, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Snake, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.