Pigsy looks into a mirror: Trying to please everyone may please no one

Zhubajie, or Pigsy, is one of the chief characters in the classic Chinese novel “Journey to the West,” which describes the legendary pilgrimage of a Chinese monk and his three disciples, on their travels to far-off West regions, including Central Asia and India, to obtain Buddhist sutras.

Pigsy was once an immortal in the Heaven but was later banished to the mortal world after he was drunk and harassed the Moon Goddess. He then became a half-man, half-pig creature with a large pig’s head.

In the novel, Pigsy is greedy and lazy, and lusts after women. But in ordinary Chinese minds, Zhubajie is also a simple, honest, slightly naïve and humorous guy, who frequently appears in folk stories, stage plays and colloquial expressions.

For instance, there’s a popular proverb, namely zhubajie zhaojingzi, liwai bushi ren, which means that when Pigsy looks into a mirror, he can’t see a true human being either inside or outside the looking glass. Figuratively, the saying refers to someone who fails to ingratiate himself with one side or the other, despite strenuous efforts. Or, put another way, one becomes a loser on both sides even though he has bent over backward to please them.

猪八戒照镜子

zhū bā jiè zhào jìng zi

里外不是人

lǐ wài bù shì rén

So, if one day you find yourself in such a dilemma, you may quote this Chinese proverb, which can always be shortened to zhubajie zhaojingzi, or “Pigsy looks into a mirror,” to express your frustration.