網開三面

Lüshi Chunqiu:

湯見祝網者置四面，其祝曰：“從天墜者，從地出者，從四方來者，皆離吾網。”湯曰：“嘻，盡之矣！非桀其孰爲此也？”湯收其三面，置其一面。 [Traditional Chinese poetry, trad.]

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汤见祝网者置四面，其祝曰：“从天坠者，从地出者，从四方来者，皆离吾网。”汤曰：“嘻，尽之矣！非桀其孰为此也？”汤收其三面，置其一面。 [Traditional Chinese poetry, simp.]

From: Lü Buwei, Master Lü's Spring and Autumn Annals, 239 BCE

Tāng jiàn zhù wǎng zhě zhì sìmiàn, qí zhù yuē: “Cóng tiān zhuì zhě, cóng dì chū zhě, cóng sìfāng láizhě, jiē lí wú wǎng.” Tāng yuē: “Xī, jìn zhī yǐ! Fēi Jié qí shú wéi cǐ yě?” Tāng shōu qí sānmiàn, zhì qí yīmiàn. [Pinyin]

Tang once saw a man setting up nets on all four sides and praying: “May all creatures that fall from the sky, emerge from the earth, or come from the four directions be caught in my nets!” Tang exclaimed, “Alas! This would trap everything! Who but a tyrant like Jie would do such a thing?” He then removed three sides of the nets, leaving one open.

Alternatively, from The Grand Scribe's Records:

湯出，見野張網四面，祝曰：「自天下四方皆入吾網。」湯曰：「嘻，盡之矣！」乃去其三面。 [Traditional Chinese poetry, trad.]

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汤出，见野张网四面，祝曰：「自天下四方皆入吾网。」汤曰：「嘻，尽之矣！」乃去其三面。 [Traditional Chinese poetry, simp.]

From: The Records of the Grand Historian, by Sima Qian, c. 91 BCE

Tāng chū, jiàn yě zhāng wǎng sì miàn, zhù yuē: “Zì tiānxià sìfāng jiē rù wú wǎng.” Tāng yuē: “Xī, jìn zhī yǐ!” Nǎi qù qí sān miàn. [Pinyin]

Tang went out and saw a hunter spreading his net on all four sides, praying: 'May all creatures from the four directions fall into my net!' Tang said: 'Alas! You are exterminating them all!' He ordered three sides of the net to be removed.

網開三面

1. (now less common) to give the wrongdoer a way out; to be lenient

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