To spend a long period of time (metaphorically ten years each) diligently building up resources and population (生聚), and then educating and training the people (教训). This idiom signifies a strategic, long-term commitment to accumulating strength, resilience, and capabilities through persistent effort and preparation, often in response to past failures or to achieve a significant future goal.
Era:
Ancient
Frequency:
Synonym:
Story:
During the Spring and Autumn period, a war broke out between the states of Wu and Yue. King Fuchai of Wu captured King Goujian of Yue and made him a slave in Wu.
Goujian offered the beautiful woman Xishi as tribute to King Fuchai. Meanwhile, Goujian himself endured extreme hardships, sleeping on brushwood and tasting gall to remind himself of his humiliation.
He adopted the strategy proposed by his minister Wen Zhong, which emphasized "ten years for accumulating population and resources, and ten years for education and training." Goujian focused on increasing the population, gathering wealth, and actively developing agriculture and military strength within his state.
After two decades of persistent effort and preparation, Goujian successfully launched a counterattack and conquered the state of Wu.