During the Han Dynasty, along the Xining River (湟水), lived the Qiang people, known as Xiqiang. After Emperor Wu of Han defeated the Huns, Xiqiang became relatively peaceful. During Emperor Xuan's reign, the imperial court dispatched an official, Qu Anguo, to inspect Xiqiang. Some local tribes requested the court to relax certain prohibitions, but the issue was not resolved, and Qu Anguo returned.

Not long after, some Xiqiang tribes united, crossed the Xining River, and made contact with the Huns. Qu Anguo led a contingent back to Xiqiang but was soundly defeated.

Who should be sent next? Emperor Xuan sent someone to consult the veteran general Zhao Chongguo. Zhao Chongguo said, “I am the most suitable person to go.” The emperor then sent someone to ask Zhao Chongguo, “Your Majesty asks the General to estimate the situation in Xiqiang, their strength, and how many troops should be dispatched?”

Zhao Chongguo replied, “A hundred hearings are not as good as one seeing. It's difficult to accurately assess the military situation of the opponent from the rear. It's better for me to go to the front, understand the situation, and then formulate a strategy!” Zhao Chongguo arrived in Xiqiang, first diligently investigated the situation, then adopted a strategy of division and dissolution, uniting the majority of the Xiqiang people, and finally brought peace to the region.

Zhao Chongguo's saying, “A hundred hearings are not as good as one seeing,” later became a proverb. It means that hearing something a hundred times is not as good as seeing it once in person; hearsay is unreliable, seeing is believing, and one must investigate and research everything before drawing conclusions.