第五章 三人成虎

During the Warring States period, there was a minister in the state of Wei named Pang Cong.

Once, he was to accompany the crown prince to Handan, a distant city, and stay there for a while.

Before departing, Pang Cong's greatest concern was not the dangers of the road, but that after he left, someone might speak ill of him in front of the King of Wei.

He went to see the King of Wei and asked a strange question.

"Your Majesty, if a person ran to tell you that a tiger has appeared in the marketplace, would you believe it?"

The King of Wei smiled. "People come and go in the marketplace. If there were really a tiger, everyone would have seen it long ago. Of course I wouldn't believe it."

Pang Cong asked again, "If after a while, a second person also comes to tell you that there is a tiger in the marketplace?"

The King of Wei thought for a moment.

"Then I might have a little doubt, but I still wouldn't believe it."

Pang Cong continued, "If a third person comes running and also says there is a tiger in the marketplace, what would you think?"

The King replied, "If three people all say the same thing, I would probably believe it."

Pang Cong said, "It's clear that there can't be a tiger in the marketplace. But if three people repeat the same statement, a tiger that doesn't exist seems to have really appeared."

The King of Wei understood his meaning.

Pang Cong continued, "Handan is far from here. After I leave, there will probably be more than three people who speak ill of me before you."

The King of Wei said seriously, "I understand. Without evidence, I will not easily believe such words."

Only then did Pang Cong leave.

In the early days, indeed someone came to the King of Wei and said that Pang Cong was not earnest in handling affairs.

The King of Wei immediately thought of the tiger in the marketplace.

"Pang Cong warned me before he left. I can't make a judgment based on only one person's words."

After a few days, another person came to say that Pang Cong had his own plans and was not truly serving the King of Wei.

This time, the King of Wei did not immediately object.

He asked, "Do you also think so?"

The other person replied, "It's not just me; many people are saying this."

The King of Wei began to feel a little uneasy.

Later, a third person mentioned Pang Cong before him. What he said was not exactly the same as the previous two, but they all said Pang Cong was not worthy of trust.

Having heard so much, the King of Wei gradually forgot his promise made before Pang Cong's departure.

He thought, "If only one person dislikes Pang Cong, it might be a personal conflict. But if so many people are dissatisfied with him, can they all be wrong?"

He did not send anyone to Handan to ask Pang Cong, nor did he carefully check the truth of those words. He just heard similar statements again and again, and his suspicion grew heavier and heavier.

The King of Wei never mentioned Pang Cong's name again.

After some time, Pang Cong returned to Wei with the crown prince.

Following his usual custom, he requested an audience with the King of Wei.

But from the palace gate came the message that the King of Wei did not want to see him.

Pang Cong stood outside the gate, recalling that conversation before his departure.

A tiger had never appeared in the marketplace of Wei. After hearing the lie again and again, the King of Wei did not verify it, but believed it.

That nonexistent tiger did not appear, yet it blocked Pang Cong's way to see the King of Wei.

Later, people used the saying "Three people make a tiger" to mean that if a lie is repeated many times, it may be taken as true.