强干弱枝 Qiang gan ruo zhi strengthen the main trunk and weaken the branches

Explanation

比喻加强中央，削弱地方；也比喻加强主要方面，削弱次要方面。

It is a metaphor for strengthening the central government and weakening the local governments. It can also be used to describe strengthening the main aspects while weakening the secondary aspects.

Origin Story

汉朝初期，为了巩固中央政权，汉高祖刘邦采取了一系列措施，其中一项重要的策略便是“强干弱枝”。当时，诸侯王势力强大，对中央政权构成威胁。刘邦深知如果不削弱诸侯王的力量，中央政权难以稳固。于是，他采取了多种手段削弱诸侯王，例如：分封同姓诸侯王，让他们互相牵制；设置郡县，直接由中央政府管辖；对一些有异心的诸侯王进行打压，甚至采取军事手段进行控制。通过这些措施，汉高祖成功地削弱了诸侯王，巩固了中央政权，为西汉王朝的繁荣昌盛奠定了基础。这一策略在后世也得到广泛的借鉴，成为历代王朝统治者巩固中央集权的重要手段。

han chaochuqi, wei le gonggu zhongyang zhengquan, han gaozu liu bang caiqu le yixilie cuoshi, qizhong yixiang zhongyao de celüe bian shi “qiang gan ruo zhi”. dangshi, zhūhou wang shili qiangda, dui zhongyang zhengquan gouchen weixie. liu bang shen zhi ruguo bu xueruo zhūhou wang de liliang, zhongyang zhengquan nan yi wengu. yushi, ta caiqu le duozhong shouduan xueruo zhūhou wang, liru: fenfeng tongxing zhūhou wang, rang tamen huxiang qianzhi; shezhi junxian, zhijie you zhongyang zhengfu guanxia; dui yixie you yixing de zhūhou wang jinxing dayā, shenzhi caiqu junshi shouduan jinxing kongzhi. tongguo zhexie cuoshi, han gaozu chenggong de xueruo le zhūhou wang, gonggu le zhongyang zhengquan, wei xihang wangchao de fanrong changsheng dianding le jichu. zhe yi celüe zai houshi ye dedao guangfan de jiejiàn, chengwei lidai wangchao tongzhi zhe gonggu zhongyang jiquan de zhongyao shouduan.

In the early Han Dynasty, to consolidate the central government, Emperor Gaozu Liu Bang implemented a series of measures, one of which was the crucial strategy of “strengthening the main trunk and weakening the branches”. At that time, the princes held significant power, posing a threat to the central government. Liu Bang knew that without weakening the power of the princes, the central government couldn’t be consolidated. Therefore, he employed various methods to weaken the princes, such as: enfeoffing princes with the same surname to create checks and balances; establishing counties and prefectures directly under the central government; and suppressing disloyal princes, even resorting to military means. Through these measures, Emperor Gaozu successfully weakened the princes, consolidated central power, and laid the foundation for the prosperity of the Western Han Dynasty. This strategy was widely adopted in later generations, becoming a crucial tool for rulers of subsequent dynasties to consolidate their centralized authority.

Usage

多用于政治领域，形容加强中央，削弱地方势力。

duo yongyu zhengzhi lingyu, xingrong jiangqiang zhongyang, xueruo difang shili

It's mostly used in the political field to describe strengthening the central government and weakening local forces.

Examples

• 国家要强干弱枝，集中力量发展经济。

  guojia yao qiang gan ruo zhi, jizhong liliang fazhan jingji

  The country needs to strengthen the main trunk and weaken the branches, focusing its efforts on economic development.

• 中央政府采取强干弱枝的政策，加强中央集权。

  zhongyang zhengfu caiqu qiang gan ruo zhi de zhengce, jiangqiang zhongyang jiquan

  The central government adopted a policy of strengthening the main trunk and weakening the branches to enhance its centralized power

Related Idioms

• 削弱

• 加强

• 中央集权

Opposite Idioms

• 强枝弱干