Not Clear Cut 模棱两可

The Chinese idiom 模棱两可 (mo2 leng2 liang3 ke3) literally means putting a hand on the edge of an object to grasp both sides of it. It comes from a story about a slick official in the court of the Empress Wu Zetian (AD 624-705).

The Empress Wu was a very cruel ruler and had a heart of stone. She systematically persecuted hundreds of court officials whom she suspected of undermining her rule. Few officials were able to escape her notice and even fewer lasted long in office.

However, one particular official, Minister Su Weidao, did survive. Su was suspected of treason a number of times, but each time he managed to talk his way out of trouble by showing that he was not allied to any disgraced court officials. Eventually, Su was appointed prime minister by the Empress. After hearing of his appointment, a yound man came to ask Su his secret of success. Initially, Su was unable to answer. But, after recalling the ups and downs of his career, the reason for his success suddenly dawned on Su and he explained it to the young man:

My son, in officialdom, you decisions should not be clear cut. Like putting your hand on the edge of an object, you should try to grasp both sides of it. Otherwise, you may be punished for being loyal to just one side.

Su was subsequently nicknamed "Prime Minister Mo Leng" or "prime minister who feels the edge". However, Su's philosophy was not foolproof. After the Empress died in 705, Su was demoted and sent to a remote office in Northwest China.

Today, the Chinese idiom 模棱两可 (mo2 leng2 liang3 ke3) is used to describe something (e.g. a person's attitude or a written desciption) that is formulated in an ambiguous way and hence has a meaning that is not clear cut.