Refers to a situation that has suffered so much damage or loss that it cannot withstand any further harm, indicating a warning against repeated and excessive actions that lead to complete depletion or ruin.
Era:
Ancient
Frequency:
Story:
During the reign of Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty, Empress Wu Zetian gradually took control of state affairs. Driven by ambition and employing ruthless methods, she first deposed Crown Prince Li Zhong and established Li Hong as the new crown prince. Later, she poisoned Li Hong and then appointed Li Xian as the crown prince.
Fearing his own impending doom, Li Xian composed 'The Ballad of the Yellow Terrace Gourds' (《黄台瓜辞》).
The poem reads: 'Planting gourds beneath the yellow terrace, when ripe, they are numerous. A first pluck improves the gourds, a second makes them scarce, a third is still tolerable, but after all are plucked, only the vine remains.'
Through this metaphor, Li Xian expressed his deep anxiety and implicitly pleaded with his mother, Empress Wu, to cease her relentless purging and replacement of her own sons, lest she be left with nothing.