A black sheep; an individual who brings harm or discredit to a group or collective.
Era:
Ancient
Frequency:
Story:
The Yellow Emperor (Huangdi) is regarded as the ancestor of the Chinese nation. Once, the Yellow Emperor was on his way to Juzi Mountain but got lost in Xiangcheng.
He met a boy herding horses and asked him, "Do you know where Juzi Mountain is?" The boy replied, "Yes." The Yellow Emperor then asked, "Do you know where Dayuan lives?" The boy again said he knew.
The Yellow Emperor was delighted and said, "Child, you are truly remarkable, knowing both Juzi Mountain and Dayuan's residence. Let me ask you again, do you know how to govern the world?"
The boy replied, "Governing the world is not a big deal. A few years ago, I was traveling and fell ill. An elder told me, 'When you travel, you should wander out at sunrise and rest at sunset!' Now I'm much better and plan to go to more places. Governing the world is just like that."
The Yellow Emperor found the boy very clever and asked him again how exactly to govern the world. The boy reluctantly said, "Those who govern the world are no different from those who herd horses; they merely need to expel the bad horses that harm the herd!"
The Yellow Emperor was very satisfied with the boy's answer, called him a 'Celestial Master,' bowed to him respectfully several times, and then departed.