The Foolish Old Man Removes the Mountains

Legend has it that the foolish old man of Mount North, troubled by the two mountains, Taihang and Wangwu, blocking the way in front of his house, led his descendants to dig up the earth and stones, determined to level the two mountains. The idiom originates from "Liezi: Asking Questions of Heaven." Later, "The Foolish Old Man Removes the Mountains" is used as a metaphor for unremitting effort, eventually achieving the goal. It can also be used to describe inefficiency.