During the Spring and Autumn Period, the Kingdom of Lu was filled with unrest. The King of Lu, Zhao Gong, was forced to flee and sought refuge in the Kingdom of Ji. He soon met with the king. Jing Gong, the King of Ji, asked, "Why did you lose your kingdom?"
Zhao Gong thoughtfully responded, "Because I am young, many people took care of me but I did not treat them well. When my counselors advised me, I did not listen. So no one would help me within my kingdom and no one would support me outside my kingdom. I am surrounded by fawning officials and people who only want favors from me. I am like the dry autumn leaves—the roots are severed yet the leaves look lovely. At the merest puff of wind, they blow away."
Jing Gong consulted with his own advisor, Yan Zi. "If I help Zhao Gong return to his kingdom, will he become a kind and good king?"
Yan Zi said, "Probably not. Foolish rulers rest on their laurels and incompetent ones believe themselves very capable. Their problems stem from their own negligence and not paying attention to signs of trouble. Instead of studying the nature of a lake or river when things are going well, they try to understand it only when they are about to drown. They get directions only after they are lost.
Yan Zi continued, "It is the same for an unruly kingdom. When in a crisis, people get weapons. When thirsty, they dig a well. Even though they work very fast, it is already too late."
This became a proverb: Digging a well when thirsty. It means trying to deal with problems only when it turns into a crisis and is too late.
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