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一箭雙鵰 (yī jiàn shuāng diāo) – Two hawks with one Arrow
[audio:yi1.mp3,jian4.mp3,shuang1.mp3,diao1.mp3]

There is an English expression, ‘Two birds with one stone’. However, this same idea is expressed in Chinese as Yi-jian-shuang-diao or Shooting two hawks with one arrow, and is an expression found in the Pei-shih or the official history of the Northern -Wei dynasty, 386-605 A.D., written by the Tang (唐 táng) historian, Li Yen-shou. In an historical anecdote, the following is related.

During the period of the Epoch of the division of the North and South (南北朝 nán běi cháo), 420-589 A.D., there was a general serving the Northern-Chou State (北周 běi zhōu), named Chang Sun Sheng (長孫晟 cháng sūn shèng). He was not only astute in military science and the art of war, but was also very good in archery. One year, his sovereign, King Xuan (宣帝 xuān dì) ordered him to escort a princess to the northwestern Turkish kingdom of She-tu (攝圖 shè tú) to become the bride of that kingdom’s ruler.

After accomplishing his mission, but before leaving to his native State, Chang Sun Sheng was asked to accompany the Turkish ruler on a hunt. The Turkish ruler had heard about the Chinese general’s skill in archery and wanted to see for himself exactly what level of skill he possessed. Seeing two hawks contending for food in the sky, the Turkish ruler gave Chang Sun Sheng two arrows and asked him to shoot down the birds with them. The Chinese general complied and brought down the two hawks with one single arrow to the ruler’s amazement.

This recorded episode became known as Yi-jian-shuang-diao, similar to the statement getting two birds with one stone, and is illustrated as two hawks being pierced with an arrow. The expression is said of getting two separate results in one go and is a compliment of one’s outstanding achievement of succeeding in several tasks simultaneously with sill and talent. It is the expression for achieve a dual purpose.

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