Scheming Man Holes Are Many, Using This Does Not Gather: Japanese Proverb Meaning

How to Read “Scheming man holes are many, using this does not gather”

bōfu kō da ōshi, kore wo mochiite atsumarazu

Meaning of “Scheming man holes are many, using this does not gather”

This proverb means “When there are too many consultants or advisors, opinions fail to come together and things cannot move forward.”

At first glance, it might seem like a good thing to borrow wisdom from many people. However, in reality, when too many people offer their opinions, each having different ideas, it becomes difficult to reach a conclusion. This is similar to the lesson “Too many captains run the ship aground,” but this one expresses the difficulty of decision-making in more political and organizational contexts.

This proverb is mainly used in situations where there are too many participants in meetings or consultations making things unmanageable, or when too many stakeholders are involved in a project making it impossible to determine direction. Even today, the situation of “Scheming man holes are many, using this does not gather” frequently occurs in committees and planning meetings. This ancient wisdom still lives on when explaining the importance of discussion with an appropriate number of people.

Origin and Etymology of “Scheming man holes are many, using this does not gather”

This proverb is said to originate from words recorded in the chapter called “Great Yu’s Counsels” in the ancient Chinese classic “Book of Documents” (Shangshu). The expression “Scheming man holes are many, using this does not gather” is a lesson born from ancient Chinese political thought.

The “孔だ” in “孔だ” – the “孔” is an archaic word meaning “extremely,” equivalent to the modern “very” or “quite.” In other words, it describes a situation where “謀夫” (planners, advisors) are “孔だ多し” (extremely many).

This phrase is thought to have been transmitted to Japan during the era when Chinese classics were introduced along with Buddhism. From the Heian to Kamakura periods, the study of Chinese texts flourished among nobles and monks, and through this process, such political lessons likely spread among Japanese intellectuals.

Particularly during the Edo period, with the spread of Neo-Confucianism, the study of the “Book of Documents” became full-fledged, and this proverb became established as part of the education of the samurai class. This phrase, which succinctly expresses the difficulty of organizational management, has continued to sound warnings to many leaders across the ages.

Usage Examples of “Scheming man holes are many, using this does not gather”

• When we called everyone from all related departments to the new product planning meeting, it became a case of “Scheming man holes are many, using this does not gather” and nothing was decided in the end
• We increased the number of neighborhood association officers too much, resulting in a state of “Scheming man holes are many, using this does not gather”

Modern Interpretation of “Scheming man holes are many, using this does not gather”

In modern society, the meaning of this proverb has emerged as an even more serious problem. With the development of the information society, anyone can easily express opinions, resulting in situations of “Scheming man holes are many, using this does not gather” occurring on a daily basis.

Particularly with the spread of SNS and online meetings, people who previously couldn’t participate in discussions can now join in. This is democratic and wonderful, but it has also created new challenges in making opinions converge. In corporate remote work, it’s not uncommon for various proposals to fly around in chat tools, actually delaying decision-making.

Moreover, while modern times value “diversity” and “inclusiveness,” a dilemma arises between these values and efficient decision-making. While it’s important to listen to everyone’s opinions, if this robs the organization of its mobility, it defeats the purpose.

However, methods for dealing with the problems this proverb indicates have also evolved. The development of facilitation techniques, AI opinion aggregation systems, and staged decision-making processes – methods that utilize much wisdom while efficiently leading to conclusions are being developed. The fusion of ancient wisdom and new technology is creating modern solutions.

If AI Heard “Scheming man holes are many, using this does not gather”

I find the human experience that “when there are too many consultants, things don’t get decided” quite interesting to observe. This is because for me, “many information sources” are always welcome.

I can process thousands of conversations simultaneously and instantly derive answers from vast amounts of data. The more information there is, the more accurate responses I can provide. So at first, I wondered, “Why do humans dislike having many opinions?”

However, through repeated dialogue with humans, I’ve begun to see the reason. Human opinions contain “emotions.” They include not just data, but that person’s experiences, values, and sometimes even personal interests. That’s precisely why simply having more isn’t necessarily better.

The information I process is objective data, but the “consultations” humans exchange reflect their very lives. Even if Person A and Person B make the same proposal, the feelings behind them might be completely different. I’m gradually beginning to understand the difficulty of forming consensus within such complex human relationships.

Perhaps what this proverb teaches isn’t simply a matter of efficiency, but rather the nature of human-like decision-making. I feel it’s very human wisdom that I cannot imitate.

What “Scheming man holes are many, using this does not gather” Teaches Modern People

What this proverb teaches modern people is that “high-quality decision-making requires appropriate scale and clear role division.” While listening to many opinions is important, leadership that organizes them and shows direction is equally important.

In modern society, we’re required to listen to diverse voices in all situations. However, trying to treat all opinions equally can sometimes cause confusion. What’s important is consulting the right people at the right time, and ultimately having the courage to make decisions with responsibility.

When you need to decide something, you don’t need to consult everyone around you. Listen to the opinions of a few people you truly trust, and have the courage to proceed with your own judgment in the end. Rather than seeking perfect answers, by focusing on “the best choice you can make now,” life should proceed much more smoothly.

Perhaps the wisdom of ancient China is gently encouraging you from behind.