Learning to walk at Han-Dan

Chinese Idioms and Their Stories

In China’s 5000 years of traditional culture, the Chinese idiom is a shining pearl in the treasure of the Chinese language. It is concise, vivid, expressive and an accumulation of historical facts and rich ethnic cultures. The formation of each phrase reflects an historical truth that mirrors the politics, military, culture, folk customs, ethics and ideals of China. These idioms help us better understand the long history of China, its great wisdom and timeless language.

 邯郸學步
 邯郸--(handan)  name of a place   學（xue）-learning --步(bu)--steps 

Handan was the capital of the state of Zhao during the Warring States Period.

Imitating the walk of others 

More than 2000 years ago, there was a young man who lived in Shouling in the state of Yan. This young man was from a well-to-do family, so he was well provided for and quite intelligent. However, he had no confidence in himself at all. He felt that he was not as good as others. He thought other people’s clothes were better than his, that others had better posture, etc.

As a result, he liked to imitate others and over time, he no longer knew what he was really like.

Imitating the walk of others

His family members asked him to change his attitude, but he felt that they were trying to interfere with his life. After a while, he wondered whether he should walk the way he did and felt his walk was too unsightly.

One day, he heard a few people chatting on the street that people in Handan walked very gracefully. He asked them a few questions, but they laughed at him and walked away. 

He could not picture how people in Handan walked. Therefore, he did not say anything to his family, but went to Handan to learn how to walk.

Everything was quite refreshing in Handan. When he saw little children walk, he found them so lively so he imitated the way they walked. When he saw the elderly walk, he found them stable and solemn, and so he imitated them. He even thought the women walked so beautifully that he imitated them as well. After about half a month, he did not know how to walk any more.

Unfortunately, he had spent all his money, so he crawled back home.

“Learning to walk in Handan” means that one imitates others blindly and forgets what one knows. In the end, one has learned nothing at all.