Save for a Rainy Day 未雨绸缪

The Chinese idiom 未雨绸缪 (wei4 yu3 chou2 mou2) literally means thatch your roof before the rain begins and originates from a story about a poem written by the Duke of Zhou for King Cheng of the Western Zhou Dynasty (1100 - 771 BC).

The Duke of Zhou was acting regent for a period while King Cheng was still a child. When the King finally took the throne, false rumours began to spread that the Duke was trying to usurp the throne. The Duke was forced into exile, but he still felt responsible for the King and continued to keep an eye on him.

As a result, the Duke uncovered a plot to by two of the King's uncles to stage a coup against the imperial court. He immediately wrote a poem warning the King of the possible coup and asked a friend to deliver it. The poem used a parable about a bird repairing its nest with tree branches and leaves to prevent it from being destroyed by the wind and rain. However, the King ignored the warning to take precautions because he did not trust the Duke.

Eventually, the King himself became aware of the coup plot and, as a result, realised that the Duke had been framed. He reinstated the Duke to the court and with his help was able to crush the uprising.

Today the idiom 未雨绸缪 is used when persuading people of the wisdom of taking precautions for the future. In English, this piece of wisdom is captured by the idiom save for a rainy day.