按兵不动
据《吕氏春秋·召类》记载，赵简子是春秋后期晋国的六卿之一。他为人刚毅沉勇，很有才略，经常奉命出使列国，或者统率军队去讨伐违抗的诸侯，为维护晋国的盟主地位立下了功劳。因此，深得晋君的信任，在朝廷中享有很高的威望。
卫国与晋国是邻国，由于曾经受到狄人的侵略，人口锐减，土地大量丧失，逐渐沦为一个弱小的国家；卫灵公才能不出众，没有什么贤能的名声，所以被迫与晋国结盟，长期以来听命进贡。
但是，卫灵公很有骨气，不甘心永远处在任人摆布的屈辱地位。公元前503年，灵公同齐景公在沙泽缔结了互助联盟，断绝了卫、晋两国的关系。卫国的叛变， 使晋国君臣上下受到了很大的震动。赵简子立即调动军队，准备出兵袭击卫都帝丘（今河南濮阳西南），企图用武力迫使卫国就范。
赵简子在出兵前， 找来一个叫史默的亲信，他说：“我听说卫君在国内排斥贤才，信用小人，估计已上下离心，国事日非。你要在一个月内把情况了解清楚，我等你回来报告后再出 兵。”史默走后，赵简子命令全军将士加紧习武练兵，积极做好战斗的准备。可是一个多月很快过去了，史默却没有回来复命。这时有个谋士对赵简子说：“史默过 期不归，可能被卫人擒拿。其实卫国是个小国，根本经不起晋军的攻击，只要我们渡过黄河，卫灵公会不战自降。请元帅赶快下令出兵吧！”
赵简子摇摇头说：“卫灵公敢于断然同晋绝交，一定是作了充分准备的，我们决不可掉以轻心。史默为人一向思虑深远，他没有如期归来，可能是发现了什么预料不到的情况，需要进一步打听。出兵之事，等他回来再说吧！”
过了很久，史默回来了，他讲述了卫国的近况：“卫灵公现在任用忠臣，废黜奸臣，深得民心。为了激起国人的愤怒，卫灵公宣布：‘晋人已经命令我国，凡有姐 妹女儿的人家，都要抽调一个去当人质。’他还抽调一批宗室大夫的子女，准备送往晋国。卫国的百姓听了，怒吼道：‘让晋国来吧！我们一定要把他们打回去’。 卫国现在贤臣很多，民气可用，想用武力使它屈服，可能要付出很大的代价。元帅当三思而行啊！”赵简子听了，立即下令三军按兵不动。他还亲自向晋君面奏，取 消了袭击卫国的计划。
“按兵不动”这个成语，多用来指停兵不前；现在也有的不是指军事行动，而是比喻对一件事情，因某种原因，或持观望态度，或对抗不做。
Immobilize the Army
After careful consideration, you decide to wait for a more opportune moment. This behavior can be described with the following phrase.
Today’s phrase is “an bing bu dong”. Bing means soldier in Chinese. So our listeners can guess this phrase has something to do with the army. Yes, the meaning of the idiom is to immobilize the army for now, but keep it mobilized for a more opportune moment. It can also express hesitation to take action after an order has been given. Here is the story behind it.
Over two thousand years ago, in the Spring and Autumn Period, there was a small dukedom called Wei who was forced to be the puppet of its stronger neighbor Jin. Then one day Wei fell under the rule of a new duke who put a final end to the humiliating alliance.
The Duke of Jin, Zhao Yang, was indignant from this betrayal and swore to get revenge on Wei. But first, he sent his official Shi Mo to investigate. The undercover official was instructed to return with information on Wei in a month’s time.
But one month later, Shi Mo did not return, nor did he send back any information. Zhao Yang was furious. The people of Jin imagined Shi Mo was being held prisoner and called for an immediate attack. But Zhao Yang held a different opinion. He said since Wei had dared to end the relationship with Jin, it must be well-prepared for battle by now. Jin shouldn’t be too hasty with its military action.
Half a year later, Shi Mo returned at last. Zhao Yang was all ears. Shi Mo announced that serious changes had taken place in Dukedom Wei. The new ruler had gained unanimous support from his countrymen by rallying them against Jin. When he told them that Jin had claimed their daughters as hostages, the citizens were outraged. They vowed to fight Jin until death. If Jin declared war against Wei at this point, Jin was sure to suffer severe damage.
Zhao Yang agreed. He decided to postpone military offense and to wait for a more opportune moment for attack.
From Zhao Yang’s decision comes the idiom “an bing bu dong”. Since then it has become a popular phrase which can refer either to the immobilization of the army or to any decision to wait and see.
(Source:english.cri.cn)
