lan yú chōng shù 【滥 竽 充 数】

In the period of the Warring States (475-221 BC), there was a state called Qi. The king of Qi was so fond of the yu, a wind instrument, that he had a band of more than 300 musicians play for him every afternoon. The king was most satisfied with the band and the harmonies they performed.

Little did the king know that a member of the band, Nan Guo, was not even a musician. In fact, Nan Guo knew nothing about the yu. But he somehow managed to pass himself off as a yu player by sitting right at the back, pretending to play the instrument. The king was none the wiser.

But Nan Guo's charade came to an end when the king's son succeeded him.

The new king, unlike his father, preferred solos to full orchestral performances. The king would therefore summon musicians to perform individually.

Of course, Nan Guo's tomfoolery was exposed in no time, and he found himself without a band to hide in anymore.
    rù     xiāng     suí     sú
【     入     乡     随     俗     】
To observe the local customs of the place one is in. The popular English expression would be "when in Rome, do as the Romans do."
    gān     jìng     lì     luo
【     干     净     利     落     】
Neat and tidy; smart; efficient
    gè     bèn     qián     chéng
【     名     奔     前     程     】
Each pursues his own course; each goes his own way
    hǔ     tóu     shé     wěi
【     虎     头     蛇     尾     】
Having a tiger's head and a snake's tail – describes a fine start but a poor finish