How to Read “Many mouths melt gold”
Shūkō kin wo shakasu
Meaning of “Many mouths melt gold”
This proverb means that rumors and criticism from many people have a terrifying power to destroy even the strongest things. It uses the metaphor that even gold, which is hard and valuable, melts before words spoken by a large crowd.
This expression shows the destructive force of collective gossip and criticism.
People use this proverb when unfounded rumors or criticism spread and cause excellent people or correct matters to unfairly lose their reputation. Even though each person’s comment may be small, when they gather together, they have the power to distort the truth.
It serves as a warning about this phenomenon. People also use it to show the frightening nature of public opinion and that the majority opinion is not always correct.
In modern times, information spreads instantly through social media. This makes the meaning of this proverb even more important today.
Origin and Etymology
This proverb comes from a story recorded in the ancient Chinese text “Guoyu” in the section called “Zhouyu.” During the Zhou dynasty, an excellent prime minister named Duke of Zhou faced baseless rumors from many people.
These rumors damaged his reputation and nearly cost him his position.
“Shakasu” means “to melt.” Gold is especially hard among metals and has a high melting point. Yet even gold melts from the heat of words spoken by many mouths.
This creates a powerful metaphor. Gold has been a symbol of unchanging value since ancient times. It represented something solid that does not easily change.
The proverb teaches that rumors and criticism from many people have such terrible power that they can melt even gold.
“Shūkō” literally means “many mouths.” Each person’s words may be just a small spark. But when they gather, they become a large flame that can melt gold.
This expression contains deep insight into the frightening nature of group psychology and the destructive power of rumors. Regardless of what the truth is, if many people say the same thing, it becomes accepted as fact.
The people of ancient China sharply understood this danger in human society.
Usage Examples
- That politician had real achievements, but unfounded rumors spread and he lost his position through “many mouths melt gold”
- Once something goes viral on social media, it’s like “many mouths melt gold” – no explanation can reach people anymore
Universal Wisdom
The proverb “many mouths melt gold” shows the fragile relationship between truth and reputation in human society. Why do people say things in a group that they would never say alone?
It happens because individual responsibility fades in a group, and peer pressure takes over. The psychology of “it must be right because everyone is saying it” clouds our ability to see the truth.
This proverb has been passed down for thousands of years because this human trait never changes across time. In ancient China and modern Japan alike, people gain power they cannot have as individuals when they form groups.
This power sometimes works constructively. But when it takes the form of rumors and criticism, it becomes destructive violence.
What’s especially interesting is that this proverb uses “gold” as its example – the most solid thing. Even truth, justice, and ability, which should be unshakeable, can become powerless before the voice of the masses.
This seems to foresee the danger of democracy itself. Majority rule does not always lead to the right answer. Rather, we need to question the majority opinion.
This paradoxical wisdom is embedded here.
Our ancestors deeply understood that humans are both rational beings and emotional, easily influenced beings at the same time.
When AI Hears This
When information passes from person to person, the original information always degrades. Information theory explains this through signal-to-noise ratio. Consider a game of telephone where 10 people pass along the same story in order.
Even if each person transmits with 95 percent accuracy, by the tenth person only about 60 percent accuracy remains (0.95 to the 10th power). But interestingly, the degradation speed varies greatly depending on the content.
Complex and accurate information is more prone to transmission errors. Simple and emotional information transmits more accurately. In other words, the calm and accurate recognition that “gold should not melt” degrades faster than the simple information that “everyone says gold melts.”
This is the frightening nature of information cascades. When the first few people make wrong judgments, those who follow start trusting others’ actions over their own judgment. Misinformation spreads like an avalanche.
What’s more important is that as the number of people increases, the signal-to-noise ratio of each individual statement decreases. When 100 people talk simultaneously, each person’s voice carries only 1/100th of the weight.
The voice of a correct expert gets drowned out by 99 amateur voices. This is exactly the structure where the heat to melt gold comes from many mouths.
Ancient people expressed this danger of information amplification through a physical phenomenon, without using mathematical formulas.
Lessons for Today
This proverb teaches modern people both “the courage not to follow the majority opinion” and “the responsibility not to become a source of rumors.” When you see someone being criticized on social media, do you easily join that flow?
Before pressing the retweet or share button, stop and think for a moment. Is that information really accurate? Have you verified it yourself?
At the same time, you need to prepare yourself for when you become the target of unfair criticism. No matter how right you are, your reputation can be damaged through “many mouths melt gold.”
When that happens, you don’t need to desperately try to make everyone understand. Time often reveals the truth. What matters is maintaining your own beliefs.
Most importantly, cultivate an attitude of listening to minority voices. Just because everyone says the same thing doesn’t mean it’s correct. Rather, the truth might be hidden in the opinion of the one person saying something different.
You have the power to see things calmly without being swept up in majority enthusiasm.
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