第七章 曲突徙薪

In ancient times, a guest went to visit a friend's home.

After entering the courtyard, he saw a lot of firewood piled beside the kitchen. The woodpile was very close to the stove, and the chimney above the stove was straight and short.

When the host lit a fire to cook, sparks often flew out of the chimney. One spark happened to fall beside the woodpile and quickly went out.

After seeing this, the guest immediately said to the host, "It is easy to catch fire here. You had better change the straight chimney into a bent one, and move the firewood farther away."

The host looked up at the chimney.

"This stove has been used for many years and has never caused a fire."

The guest said, "Just because nothing has happened in the past doesn't mean sparks will never fall into the woodpile. It's still not too late to change now."

The host thought it was troublesome to change the chimney, and moving so much firewood also took time.

He smiled and said, "You worry too much. I'll just be more careful when using fire in the future."

The guest had no choice but to leave.

In the following days, the host took firewood from the pile every day to cook. The chimney remained straight, and the firewood still piled in the same place.

One evening, there was only a little fire left in the kitchen, and the family went to rest.

The wind suddenly grew stronger. A spark that had not completely gone out flew out of the chimney and landed on the driest firewood at the top.

At first, there was only a little red glow in the woodpile. Soon, flames rose up.

"Fire!"

By the time the host noticed, one wall of the kitchen had already begun to burn.

Neighbors nearby heard the shouts and came running. Some carried water, and some moved things.

Everyone worked for a long time and finally put out the fire.

One neighbor's hair was burned off, and another person's arm was injured. The host's kitchen had already been burned.

A few days later, the host prepared wine and food, and invited the neighbors who had helped fight the fire to eat.

The most seriously injured person sat in the most important seat. Others who had helped also received thanks.

After everyone sat down, one neighbor asked, "Why didn't the guest who suggested you change the chimney come?"

The host was stunned.

The neighbor said, "If you had listened to him then, you wouldn't have to repair the house today, nor invite us to dinner."

The host looked at the wall blackened by fire and immediately went to invite that guest.

When the guest came, the host asked him to sit in the most important seat.

He had not fought the fire. But before the fire started, only he had seen the spark that fell beside the woodpile.

The big fire did not come suddenly. When the first spark fell beside the woodpile, danger had already begun. The host did not pay attention until the flames rose, and then he realized that the guest was right.

Later, people used the idiom "qū tū xǐ xīn" to mean: make preparations before danger occurs to prevent problems from arising.