按图索骥　(àn tú suǒ jì)

A Winged Steed

A father and son both came to fame in ancient China because of their relationship with horses. Today, they are still well known to most Chinese thanks not only to the domestic animal, but also to this popular idiom called An Tu Suo Ji.

Bo Le, who lived during the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC), was a specialist at judging horses.

It is said that at just one glance, Bo could spot a “winged steed” (an exceptional animal that could run nearly 500 kilometers a day) from a thousand galloping horses.

So today, his name is frequently used to praise people who have a “good eye” at discovering talented young singers, dancers, athletes, artists, scientists or anyone who has an unusual gift in a specific field.

Bo had a son. Unlike his father, the son had no outstanding qualities at all and was known as a good-for-nothing.

However, like his father, the son is also remembered today by many because of his involvement in this idiom, which translates literally “looking for a steed according to a picture.”

As the best horse breeder of his time, the senior Bo was not only respected by his peers but also by the duke of the State of Qin.

One day, the Qin duke said to him: “As you are getting advanced in age, have you ever thought of passing down your exquisite skills to anyone?”

“Yes, Your Excellency,” answered Bo. “But regrettably my only son is really a dumb boy and knows little about horses. So, I will probably have to write down all my know-how and experiences if they are to benefit future generations of horse breeders.”

With encouragement from the duke and after months of endeavor, Bo finished his book on horses. When the son saw it, he read a few pages on how to determine which horses could be tamed into “winged steeds.”

According to the book, a potential “winged steed” should have a strong brow and deep-set eyes. There was also a graphic in the book depicting this part of such a steed.

After copying the picture, the son decided to go out to find a “winged steed” so that he could become a master horse breeder like his father.

However, after wandering around for a whole day, he failed to find a single horse that fitted the description and the picture.

On his way home, the son suddenly spotted a big toad sitting on the roadside. He found that the toad had a strong brow and deep-set eyes similar to the ones in the picture. He was overjoyed at his discovery and ran into his father’s room shouting: “Dad, Dad! I’ve just found a winged steed!”

“Really? Where’s it?” the father asked suspiciously.

“Just in front of our house. Come on, Dad, let’s go and have a look.”

Going outside, the son led his father to the toad and said that the amphibian fitted the description of a “winged steed” in the book, except for its legs, which did not look quite like those of a horse.

Letting out a long sigh, the senior Bo said: “My son, you did very well. But the only problem is that the ‘winged steed’ you have found can only hop around and you will never be able to ride it.”

Today, people still frequently cite this idiom to describe any single-minded dogmatist who brings back a “toad” when asked to find a “winged steed.”