指鹿為馬

First attested in c. 197 BCE in a story in Xinyu:

秦二世之時，趙高駕鹿而從行。
王曰：「丞相何為駕鹿？」
高曰：「馬也。」
王曰：「丞相誤也，以鹿為馬。」
高曰：「陛下以臣言不然，願問群臣。」
臣半言鹿，半言馬。
當此之時，秦王不能自信其目，而從邪臣之說。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

---

秦二世之时，赵高驾鹿而从行。
王曰：「丞相何为驾鹿？」
高曰：「马也。」
王曰：「丞相误也，以鹿为马。」
高曰：「陛下以臣言不然，愿问群臣。」
臣半言鹿，半言马。
当此之时，秦王不能自信其目，而从邪臣之说。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: Lu Jia, Xinyu (A New Discourse), c. 197 BCE

Qín Èrshì zhī shí, Zhào Gāo jià lù ér cóng xíng.
Wáng yuē: “Chéngxiàng héwéi jià lù?”
Gāo yuē: “Mǎ yě.”
Wáng yuē: “Chéngxiàng wù yě, yǐ lù wéi mǎ.”
Gāo yuē: “Bìxià yǐ chén yán bùrán, yuàn wèn qúnchén.”
Chén bàn yán lù, bàn yán mǎ.
Dāng cǐ zhī shí, Qín wáng bùnéng zìxìn qí mù, ér cóng xié chén zhī shuō. [Pinyin]

During emperor Qin Er Shi’s reign, eunuch Zhao Gao rode a deer on an outing with the emperor.
The emperor said: “Gao, why are you riding a deer?”
Gao said: “(It is) a horse.”
The emperor said: “Gao, you are wrong. You are calling a deer a horse.”
Gao said: “Your Majesty, you are dismissing my words. Please ask the ministers for their opinions.”
(When asked,) half of the ministers said it was a deer, and half said it was a horse.
At this moment, the Qin emperor could not be confident with his eyes, and believed the evil minister’s words.

This story was also mentioned in the Records of the Grand Historian (Shiji). In Shiji, the ministers pointed to the animal as deer in order to please the eunuch Zhao Gao, and Zhao was said to have later retaliated on those who referred to it as a deer.

指鹿為馬

1. (figurative, derogatory) to be a false witness; to deliberately misinterpret and invert right and wrong

• 鹿克思 (Lùkèsī)