请君入瓮

Qǐng Jūn Rù Wèng

用别人设下的办法,反过来对付他自己。比喻以其人之道还治其人之身。

Invite someone into the jar they built themselves — to turn a person's own trick back on them.

tángcháotiāndāngzhèngdeshíhòuyǒuliǎngguānyuánjiàozhōuxīngláijùnchénmendōushěnwènfànrénchūmíngshǒuduànshífēnhěn

tiāntiānjiēdàobàoshuōzhōuxīngànzhōngzuòlehuàishìjiùràngláijùnchénshěnwènláijùnchénxīnfànnánzhōuxīnghěnjīngzěnmecáinéngràngkāikǒune

shìqǐngzhōuxīngláijiǔjiǔguòsānxúnláijùnchénzhuāngzuòsuíkǒuwèn:“fànrénkěnzhāogōngyǒushénmehǎobàn?”zhōuxīngshuō:“jiǎndānzhǎowèngzhōushāoshàngtànhuǒrénfàngjìnshénmedōukěnshuō。”

láijùnchéntīngwánshàngràngréntáiláizhīwèngzhōuwéishēngtànhuǒránhòuduìzhōuxīnggǒngshǒushuō:“yǒuréngàomóufǎnqǐngjūnwèngba!”zhōuxīngxiàdeliǎnbáiliánmángguìxiàrènzuì

cóngrénmenyòngqǐngjūnwèngláiduìfāngxiǎngchūdebànfǎnguòláiduì

During the reign of Empress Wu Zetian of the Tang dynasty, there were two officials named Zhou Xing and Lai Junchen. Both were famous for their harsh ways of questioning prisoners.

One day the Empress received a secret report that Zhou Xing himself had been plotting something wicked, and she ordered Lai Junchen to investigate. Lai Junchen thought, “Zhou Xing is a clever man — how can I get him to confess?”

So he invited Zhou Xing for a drink. After a few cups of wine, Lai Junchen casually asked, “What do you do when a prisoner refuses to talk?” Zhou Xing answered proudly, “Easy! Bring a huge jar, light charcoal fires all around it, and put the man inside — he'll say anything you want.”

Lai Junchen at once had servants roll in a great jar and light the fires. Then he bowed and said, “Someone has accused you of treason. Please, sir, step into the jar.” Zhou Xing turned pale and dropped to his knees to confess.

Ever since, “please step into the jar” has meant turning a person's own nasty trick back on themselves.