苛政猛於虎

Etymology

From a story in the Book of Rites:

孔子過泰山側，有婦人哭於墓者而哀，夫子式而聽之。使子路問之，曰：「子之哭也，壹似重有憂者。」
而曰：「然。昔者吾舅死於虎，吾夫又死焉，今吾子又死焉。」
夫子曰：「何為不去也？」
曰：「無苛政。」
夫子曰：「小子識之：苛政猛於虎也。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.][▼ expand/hide]
孔子过泰山侧，有妇人哭于墓者而哀，夫子式而听之。使子路问之，曰：“子之哭也，壹似重有忧者。”
而曰：“然。昔者吾舅死于虎，吾夫又死焉，今吾子又死焉。”
夫子曰：“何为不去也？”
曰：“无苛政。”
夫子曰：“小子识之：苛政猛于虎也。” [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: The Book of Rites, circa 4^th – 2^nd century BCE

Kǒngzǐ guò Tàishān cè, yǒu fùrén kū yú mù zhě ér āi, fūzǐ shì ér tīng zhī. Shǐ Zǐlù wèn zhī, yuē: “Zǐ zhī kū yě, yī sì chóng yǒu yōu zhě.”
Ér yuē: “Rán. Xī zhě wú jiù sǐ yú hǔ, wú fū yòu sǐ yān, jīn wú zǐ yòu sǐ yān.”
Fūzǐ yuē: “Héwéi bù qù yě?”
Yuē: “Wú kēzhèng.”
Fūzǐ yuē: “Xiǎozǐ shí zhī: kēzhèng měng yú hǔ yě.” [Pinyin]

In passing by the side of mount Tai, Confucius came on a woman who was wailing bitterly by a grave. The Master bowed forward to the cross-bar, and hastened to her; and then sent Zi-lu to question her. “Your wailing,” said he, “is altogether like that of one who has suffered sorrow upon sorrow.”
She replied, “It is so. Formerly, my husband's father was killed here by a tiger. My husband was also killed (by another), and now my son has died in the same way.”
The Master said, “Why do you not leave the place?”
The answer was, “There is no oppressive government here.”
The Master then said (to the disciples), “Remember this, my little children. Oppressive governments are more terrible than tigers.”

Pronunciation

Proverb

苛政猛於虎

1. Oppressive governments are more terrible than tigers.