try first to make their mistake sound less serious and then to reduce it to nothing at all

try first to make their mistake sound less serious and then to reduce it to nothing at all

going beyond the limit is as bad as falling short; excess is just as bad as deficiency

On festive occasions more than ever one thinks of one's dear ones far away

a modest spur to induce others to come forward with valuable contributions; throw a sprat to catch a whale

cut off all means of retreat；burn one's own way of retreat and be determined to fight to the end

a thousand-li journey begins with the first step--the highest eminence is to be gained step by step

Just as there is paradise in heaven, there are Suzhou and Hangzhou on earth

A man should be independent at the age of thirty. /At thirty, a man should be able to think for himself

Even if one jumped into the Yellow River, one can not wash oneself clean - there's nothing one can do to clear one's name

a sheer fabrication out of nothing; fabricate rumors out of thin air

have a tacit understanding; thoroughly understand each other, without having exchanged a word of explanation

pour oil on troubled waters; patch up a quarrel and reconcile the parties concerned

proceed in an orderly way and step by step; advance gradually in due order

Separated as we are thousands of miles apart, we come together as if by predestination. 85

to ascend another storey to see a thousand miles further; Ascend further, were you to look farther

cases in which people were unjustly, falsely or wrongly charged or sentenced; unjust, false or wrong cases