星星之火，可以燎原

Directly from a letter by the Ming statesman Zhang Juzheng written in 1576:

究觀近年之事，皆起於不才武職，貪黷有司，及四方無籍奸徒竄入其中者，激而搆煽之，星星之火，遂成燎原。 [Literary Chinese, trad.]

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究观近年之事，皆起于不才武职，贪黩有司，及四方无籍奸徒窜入其中者，激而构煽之，星星之火，遂成燎原。 [Literary Chinese, simp.]

From: 1576, 張居正, 《答雲南巡撫何萊山論夷情》

Jiū guān jìnnián zhī shì, jiē qǐ yú bùcái wǔzhí, tāndú yǒusī, jí sìfāng wú jí jiān tú cuànrù qízhōng zhě, jī ér gòu shān zhī, xīngxīng zhī huǒ, suì chéng liáoyuán. [Pinyin]

Examining the turmoil of recent years, its origins lie in incompetent military officials, corrupt bureaucrats, and lawless individuals infiltrating the system from all directions. By inciting disputes and fueling conflicts, what began as mere sparks eventually spread into a raging fire.

Ultimately from The Book of the Later Han:

夫涓流雖寡，浸成江河；爝火雖微，卒能燎野。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

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夫涓流虽寡，浸成江河；爝火虽微，卒能燎野。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: 93, 周紆 (Zhou Yu), 《上疏劾竇瓌》

Fū juānliú suī guǎ, jìn chéng jiānghé; juéhuǒ suī wēi, zú néng liáo yě. [Pinyin]

Though a trickling stream is meager, it accumulates into vast rivers; though a single flame is feeble, it can ultimately engulf the wilderness.

Later popularized through a letter from Mao Zedong to Lin Biao on 5 January 1930 (see 星星之火，可以燎原 on Wikipedia.Wikipedia ).

星星之火，可以燎原

1. an insignificant cause can have a massive effect

• 星火燎原 (xīnghuǒliáoyuán)
• 燎原之火