Cleverness vs Wisdom

The image ids from 维基百科.

It is said that the general Tso Tsung-tang liked playing Weiqi very much and was no match for his peers. (Weiqi is a game that is similar to Western chess.)

Once, on his way to battle, Tso Tsung-tang saw a cottage with a plaque hanging on the beam, which read “The Number One Chess Player in the World.” This bothered Tso Tsung-tang and he insisted on entering the hut, where he played three games with the hut owner.

The owner lost all three sets. Tso Tsung-tang smiled at him and said, “You can take down this plaque now!”

Tso Tsung-tang was full of confidence and left in high spirits.

It didn’t take long for Tso Tsung-tang to win the battle and return to the palace. When he passed by the hut, he saw that the plaque had still not been removed, so he went inside again and played three games with the professed expert.

This time, he lost all three games.

Tso Tsung-tang was very surprised and asked the cottage owner what was happening.

The Weiqi master replied: “The last time you came to play against me, you were on your way to lead the troops into battle. I knew that if I beat you then, you would be too dispirited to do your best, and the battle might be lost. Now that you have returned victorious, of course…