Chengyu

悬梁刺股 (xuán liáng cì gǔ)

Characters

悬 xuán: Hang

梁 liáng: Beam

刺 cì: Stab

股 gǔ: Thigh

Story

This is a tale of two people.  Firstly during the 戰國時代 Warring States period, 蘇秦 (Sū Qín) was a political strategist who was a disciple of 鬼谷子 (Guǐ Gǔ Zi), the founder of the School of Diplomacy (1).  After studying with Guiguzi, Su Qin continued to travel and study the Daoist secrets.  Legend says he would poke himself in the thigh with a pick when he is about to fall asleep from studying.  With his negotiation prowess, he managed to rally the six kingdoms of 齊 (Qí), 楚 (Chǔ), 燕 (Yàn), 韓 (Hán), 趙 (Zhào), and 魏 (Wèi) against the 秦 (Qín).  Ultimately, the alliance failed due to internal discord and lead to the formation of the 秦 Qin Dynasty.

Next is the general, 孫靜 (Sūn Jìng), from the late 漢 Han Dynasty (2).  From a young age when studying, he would tie his hair to a house beam so that it would pull his hair if he fell asleep.  Later, he helped suppress the 黃巾之亂 Yellow Turban Rebellion, won major battles at Meiyang and Yuzhong, and defeated the forces of powerful warlords such as 董卓 (Dǒng Zhuō), 袁紹 (Yuán Shào), and 王朗 (Wáng Lǎng).  After defeating Wang Lang, he receded back to Wu Commandery to live a relatively peaceful life.

Lesson

Both Su Qin and Sun Jing studied very hard – with Su Qin poking himself with a pick and Sun Jing tying his hair to a beam in order to stay awake.  Although they lived several centuries apart, their studiousness has led to the proverb, 悬梁刺股 (xuán liáng cì gǔ) – to study hard or literally, “hang beam stab thigh”.  The proverb has a similar meaning to “no pain, no gain”.

Such an idiom also illustrates how studying to better oneself is entrenched in Chinese culture.  Since the Han Dynasty (206 BC–220 AD) to 1905 for example, the 科舉 Imperial examinations were used to select government officials (3).  Standardized during the 唐 Tang Dynasty (618–907), the exams consisted of several stages from local to district, provincial, and finally, palace level.  Even at the district level, the pass rate was only 1 or 2%.  The exams required rote learning of Confucian classics and the memorization of over 400 000 characters. During the exam, candidates were locked in a room with some food, a bucket for a toilet, and given 24 to 72 hours to write 6 to 8 essays (4).  Yes, many candidates died.  Nevertheless, the idea that a peasant can pass the Imperial exams and rise to the highest echelons of the aristocracy was novel during that era.  This is why 悬梁刺股 (xuán liáng cì gǔ) is not an overstatement of how hard some people studied during imperial China.  Be thankful for coffee.

Research

Sleep serves many anabolic functions such as restoring the nervous system, which is vital for learning and memory consolidation (5).  To understand the neural consequences of sleep deprivation, both sleep and memory must be separated into two types. 

First, sleep can be separated into Rapid Eye Movement (REM) and nonREM sleep (6).  REM sleep entails low muscle tone, dream states, and rapid low-voltage desynchronized brain waves (7).  NonREM sleep comprises the other stages, including stage 3 deep slow wave sleep (SWS).  Together, REM and nonREM sleep alternate within a 90-minute cycle where people usually stay longer in the REM stage as the night progresses. 

Now, procedural memory involves “how to” skills that are beyond conscious recollection such as riding a bicycle (8).  Conversely, declarative memory involves conscious recollection of facts – the type of material tested in the Imperial exams.  Together, some researchers believe that declarative memory is improved by NREM sleep, which occurs earlier in the cycle and procedural memory is improved by the later occurring REM sleep (9). 

One may assume that a complete night’s rest is not necessary in situations like studying for the Imperial exam since only declarative memory is relied upon and hence, NREM sleep.  However, a deficit in REM sleep reduces stress tolerance and ultimately, lifespan (10).  Sleep deprivation coupled with grueling exam conditions may be a reason why so many scholars died writing the Imperial exams.  Conversely in modern times, students who reported earlier bedtimes and more sleep overall, generally achieved higher grades (11).  Thus, 悬梁刺股 (xuán liáng cì gǔ) may sound noble, but learning is best achieved with a good night’s rest – hair pulling and thigh stabbing not required.

1. Wu Rongceng 吳榮曾.(1992). “Su Qin 蘇秦”, in Zhongguo da baike quanshu 中國大百科全書, Zhongguo lishi 中國歷史 (Beijing/Shanghai: Zhongguo da baike quanshu chubanshe), Vol. 2, 1027.


2. Chen, Shou. (3rd century). Records of the Three Kingdoms (Sanguozhi).


3. Franke, W. (1960). The Reform and Abolition of the Traditional Chinese Examination System. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Asia Center. 


4. Miyazaki, I. (1976). China’s examination hell: The civil service examinations of Imperial China. New York: Weatherhill.


5. Benington, J.H. (2000). Sleep homeostasis and the function of sleep. Sleep, 23(7), 959-66.


6. Smith, C.T. (2001). Sleep states and memory processes in humans: procedural versus declarative memory systems. Sleep medicine reviews, 5(6), 491-506.


7. Brown, R. E., Basheer, R., McKenna, J. T., Strecker, R. E., & McCarley, R. W. (2012). Control of sleep and wakefulness. Physiological Reviews, 92(3), 1087–1187.


8. Squire, L.R. (1992). Declarative and nondeclarative memory: multiple brain systems supporting learning and memory. Journal of cognitive neuroscience, 4(3), 232-43.


9. Plihal, W., & Born, J. (1997). E