裨諶

My little experience on the bus actually brings me back to a long-standing question that I had since my days in the secondary school.

It goes like this: In the old days, one of the compulsory story that we had to study was The Ruling of Zi Chan (子產執政); and, in that chapter, the behaviour of Pi Chen (裨諶), the chief political advisor for our prime minister of Zheng (鄭國), caught my attention.

Let's see the original description:

裨諶能謀，謀於野則獲，謀於邑則否。
鄭國將有諸侯之事 ... 與裨諶乘以適野，使謀可否。

《左傳·襄公三十一年》

In short, Pi could formulate excellent plans and tactics in, and only in, the countryside - a fact that I could hardly understand. For sure it was possible that Pi was easily distracted and needed a quiet place for his work. Now, I am beginning to believe he did not quite make his plan at the countryside - but did so during the trip with the prime minister, so much so Pi could explained all elaborated tactics to Zi Chan as soon as they arrived at any exotic place.