[Idiom]: Change the course

Pinyin: gǎi xián gēng zhāng

[Explanation]: Change: change; Zhang: String the instrument. Change and adjust the strings on the instrument to harmonize the sound. It is a metaphor for reforming the system or changing the plan or method.

【Idiom Story】:

This idiom is found in the "Hanshu Dong Zhongshu Biography": "The piano of stealing is not in tune, and even it will be solved and changed, but it can be drummed." See also the Southern Dynasty Song He Chengtian's "Evil Chapter": "When the piano is not tuned, change the strings and change the tension." The following story is from the Book of Han.

In the Western Han Dynasty, there was a famous philosopher and master of literature and classics named Dong Zhongshu, a native of Guangzhou (now Zaoqiangdong, Hebei). He studied very hard, buried himself in the study all day long, and he couldn't take care of the garden near the study for two or three years. Later, he specialized in "The Legend of the Ram in the Spring and Autumn Period", and served as a doctor, Jiang Duxiang and Jiaoxi Wang Xiang.

At that time, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, Liu Che, raised virtuous scholars and asked them to make suggestions on the policy of governance. Dong Zhongshu said: The Han Dynasty succeeded the Qin, and the old system of the Qin Dynasty was no longer applicable. It's like the strings on the piano are so old that they can't harmonize the tone, and they have to be untied and replaced with new ones before they can be played. The same is true for policy regimes. If it doesn't work, we have to reform and then we can do things well. The strings should be changed without changing them, and even the first-rate musicians will not be able to play beautiful tones; Reform should not be changed, and even the wisest politicians will not be able to create satisfactory political achievements.

…… Dong Zhongshu also suggested to Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty: "Those who are not in the six arts (i.e., the Six Classics of Li, Music, Poetry, Books, Yi, and Spring and Autumn) and the sorcerers of Confucius are all out of their own way, and do not make them go hand in hand." These were all adopted by Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, and opened the precursor of Confucianism as orthodoxy in feudal society for more than 2,000 years.

The idiom "change course" is often used as a metaphor for changing a policy, plan, or approach.

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