螳螂捕蟬, 黃雀在後 (Tángláng bǔ chán, huáng què zài hòu)

[Daimashin]

螳螂捕蟬, 黃雀在後 (Tángláng bǔ chán, huáng què zài hòu) - Create a distraction or only cares what's in front and neglects other things.

螳螂捕蟬 (Tángláng bǔ chán) - Mantis stalking cicada, 黃雀在後 (huáng què zài hòu) - Canary at the rear.

During the end of the Spring and Autumn Era, the King of Wu only cared to celebrate its victories in battle but completely neglected that the Kingdom of Yue is still plotting against him. His son the prince came up with a story, he appeared wet in front of his father and this prompted the king to inquire about what happened to his son. The prince replied with the following story: "I was out hunting today and I saw this cicada resting on a tree branch, all of a sudden a mantis appears and ate the cicada. While the cicada was enjoying its meal, a canary was approaching the mantis from the rear. The cicada was so focused it completely missed the canary. I tried to save it by shooting the canay but I was so focused on that canary that I didn't realise that there was a pond behind me." The king laughed hearing his son's story saying that the prince only bothered on what's at front but neglected his rear. The Prince then replied, "It's true father but isn't that what we're doing right now. Kingdom of Yue is looking for the perfect time to attack us." The King replied, "What, this again? I'll not listen to such rhetorics anymore!"

The King's stubbornness has finally led to the demise of the Kingdom of Wu as the Kingdom of Yue launched its assault.

螳螂捕蟬, 黃雀在後 (Tángláng bǔ chán, huáng què zài hòu) was used to decribe about people that only cared of what's in front but neglected other things around. Now it can also be used to desribe people using something as distraction while plotting behind.

Example:

"你去前面分散他的注意力， 我在後面暗算他. 這就是「螳螂捕蟬，黃雀在後」， 哈哈哈!"