How to Read “韓信の股くぐり”
Kanshin no mata kuguri
Meaning of “韓信の股くぐり”
Han Xin’s crotch crawling means enduring temporary humiliation or shame for the sake of achieving greater future goals or success.
This proverb expresses the attitude of enduring patiently, even if humiliating, by making calm judgments from a long-term perspective rather than being swept away by immediate emotions and reacting rebelliously. This expression is used not simply to regard endurance as a virtue, but to evaluate strategic patience for achieving greater purposes. Even in modern times, it is used to praise people who endure unreasonable treatment for the sake of their future, or those who pursue long-term benefits even while accepting temporary disadvantages. What’s important is not just enduring, but having clear goals and aspirations beyond that endurance.
Origin and Etymology
“Han Xin’s crotch crawling” is a proverb derived from a true story recorded in the Chinese historical text “Records of the Grand Historian” (Shiji). Han Xin was a famous general who served Liu Bang, the first emperor of the Former Han dynasty, and was later called a “military genius” due to his exceptional strategic abilities.
This happened when young Han Xin was in a town called Huaiyin. Local ruffians found Han Xin and said to him: “You’re tall and carry a sword, but you’re actually a coward, aren’t you? If you have courage, try killing me. If you can’t, crawl under my crotch.” Han Xin stared at his opponent for a while, then silently bowed his head and crawled under the man’s crotch. The people around laughed at Han Xin, calling him a coward.
However, Han Xin later achieved victory in numerous battles as Liu Bang’s military strategist and became a key figure in establishing the Han dynasty. When Han Xin was enfeoffed as a king, it is said that he sought out the man who had made him crawl under his crotch and appointed him to the position of lieutenant. Han Xin reportedly said, “Without him, I might have destroyed myself in a moment of anger.”
From this historical anecdote, enduring temporary humiliation to aim for future great achievement came to be called “Han Xin’s crotch crawling.”
Interesting Facts
Han Xin later became the source of the four-character idiom “kokushi musou” (peerless in the nation). This was a phrase Liu Bang used to evaluate Han Xin, meaning “an outstanding talent with no equal in the country,” and is now also familiar as the name of a mahjong hand.
Han Xin’s military talent is also known through the idiom “haisui no jin” (formation with water at the back). This phrase originated from Han Xin’s tactic of deliberately positioning his troops with a river at their backs, cutting off their retreat route and making his soldiers fight desperately, ultimately achieving victory against the Zhao army.
Usage Examples
- As a newcomer, I faced much unreasonable treatment, but by thinking of it as Han Xin’s crotch crawling and enduring it, I achieved my current position.
- I decided to accept the humiliating contract terms at the start of my business as Han Xin’s crotch crawling, considering it an investment in the future.
Modern Interpretation
The interpretation of “Han Xin’s crotch crawling” in modern society presents a complex situation. The traditional virtue of “enduring humiliation for the future” is increasingly being misused as an excuse to justify power harassment and unreasonable hierarchical relationships.
Particularly in Japanese corporate culture, this proverb is sometimes conveniently cited when forcing excessive patience on newcomers and subordinates. However, the original Han Xin’s crotch crawling was selective patience based on clear goals and strategic judgment, fundamentally different from meaningless endurance or submission.
On the other hand, among startup founders and professionals aiming for long-term career development, the original meaning of this proverb is being reevaluated. It is understood as an attitude that prioritizes the realization of future visions over short-term profits or emotional satisfaction.
In the modern era where SNS has become widespread, there is a tendency to immediately post and spread even minor complaints, but the spirit of Han Xin’s crotch crawling teaches us the importance of making calm situational judgments without being swept away by temporary emotions. However, we must not forget that this is never about silently submitting to injustice, but about making strategic choices based on one’s beliefs and goals.
When AI Hears This
In today’s social media culture, when someone belittles or mocks us, immediate retaliation is considered “justice.” However, Han Xin’s choice was the complete opposite of this modern value system. Despite being humiliated in public, he completely suppressed his emotional response and acted with a long-term perspective.
What’s fascinating is that while modern cancel culture is dominated by “instant righteousness,” Han Xin possessed the “power to manipulate time itself.” Modern people live in a world of 140 characters, but Han Xin designed his life in units of 10 or 20 years. The moment he crawled between those legs, the future vision of himself as a general was likely already mapped out in his mind.
Even more noteworthy is how Han Xin turned “the presence of an audience” to his advantage. In today’s world, audiences accelerate public outrage, but for Han Xin, the crowd served as “witnesses to his endurance.” Humiliation witnessed by many would later transform into a “legend” known by many. While enduring shame, he may have actually been building his personal brand.
What modern people should learn from Han Xin is his “complete separation of emotion and strategy.” He didn’t lack feelings of anger or shame—rather, he possessed the skill to temporarily shelve those emotions for the sake of achieving his goals. This is precisely the “true mental strength” that our modern society, exhausted by cancel culture, desperately needs.
Lessons for Today
What Han Xin’s crotch crawling teaches modern people is the importance of distinguishing between emotional reactions and strategic judgment. Precisely because we live in an era where instant reactions are demanded on social media, we want to maintain the composure to stop and think.
What’s important is not just enduring. It’s whether you have clear goals and beliefs within yourself. Han Xin had a strong aspiration to “someday make his name known throughout the land.” That’s why he was able to accept temporary humiliation.
In modern society, it’s also important to speak up against unreasonable treatment. However, if we react emotionally to every unpleasant incident, we might lose sight of what’s truly important.
Can the difficulties you’re facing now be considered an investment in your future? Or are they problems you should properly confront? The spirit of Han Xin’s crotch crawling provides us with criteria for that judgment. Let’s have the courage to live strategically by clarifying our values and goals.
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