"Zhaoling Xigai" literally means orders issued in the morning are changed by evening. It describes policies or decisions that are capricious and change extremely quickly, leaving people at a loss. This idiom comes from the "Hanshu: Shihuozhi," where the original text reads, "Harsh governance and sudden taxes, levies collected at irregular times, orders issued in the morning and changed by dusk," originally criticizing the Qin Dynasty's excessive taxation and frequent policy changes. Later, it came to refer broadly to any regulations, plans, or propositions that change frequently and lack stability. In usage, it is often employed to criticize incoherent decision-making by governments, organizations, or leadership, and can also describe individuals who are indecisive and fickle. It carries a clearly derogatory connotation, emphasizing a lack of credibility and long-term planning, which easily leads to confusion among implementers and dissatisfaction among the public. In cultural context, ancient Chinese politics emphasized "orders carried out and prohibitions enforced" and "rewards for merit and punishments for faults," with stable policies regarded as an important principle for governing and securing the state. Therefore, "Zhaoling Xigai" is often used to warn those in power against rashly changing policies.
📝 Example
1. The company's policies change with every new morning, and the employees no longer know which version they should follow. (Describing policies that change frequently, leaving people at a loss.)
2. Once a plan is made, don't change it with every new morning, or the team will lose confidence. (Describing fickleness and lack of stability.)