To treat one's neighbors as a drainage ditch, diverting one's own problems or burdens onto them; to selfishly transfer difficulties or harms to others for one's own benefit.
Era:
Ancient
Frequency:
Synonym:
Story:
During the Warring States period, Bai Gui, the prime minister of the State of Wei, devoted himself to water conservancy projects and agricultural development. In managing floods, he built dikes to prevent floodwaters from entering his own state. He proudly told Mencius that his methods of flood control surpassed those of Yu the Great.
Mencius replied that Yu the Great managed floods by directing them to the sea, making the sea a natural receptacle, whereas Bai Gui was treating his neighbors as a drainage ditch, transferring the disaster to neighboring states.