to bear heavy responsibilities and accomplish great, long-term goals; to shoulder arduous tasks and persevere over a long period.
Era:
Ancient
Frequency:
Synonym:
Story:
During the late Eastern Han Dynasty, Pang Degong, a renowned scholar from Xiangyang, had a very talented nephew named Pang Tong. At that time, Zhuge Liang, who lived in seclusion in Longzhong, often visited Pang Degong and became good friends with Pang Tong. Pang Degong greatly admired their talents, calling Zhuge Liang 'Crouching Dragon' and Pang Tong 'Phoenix Fledgling'. In Pang Degong's eyes, both of them were outstanding talents of their time.
When Zhou Yu was the Grand Administrator of Nanjun, Pang Tong served as a clerk under him. Soon after, Zhou Yu died of illness, and Pang Tong escorted his funeral procession to Wujun. Many scholars in Wujun had long heard of Pang Tong's reputation, so when he was about to return west to Nanjun, everyone went to visit him. Even famous scholars of the time, such as Lu Ji, Gu Shao, and Quan Cong, came. They gathered at Changmen to bid farewell, discussing ancient and modern affairs, and had a very pleasant time.
During their discussions, the scholars asked Pang Tong to comment on those present. Pang Tong first commented on Lu Ji, a renowned scholar from Jiangdong, saying: 'Mr. Lu is like a horse that can't run fast but has strong legs, possessing extraordinary talent.' The scholars all agreed that his assessment was spot on. Next, Pang Tong commented on Gu Shao. He said: 'Mr. Gu is like a diligent ox that walks slowly but can bear heavy burdens and deliver them to distant places.' Someone asked him to comment on himself, and he said rather boastfully: 'As for devising strategies for emperors and governing the realm, I am certainly capable.'