Abandon the fundamental and seek the end

Pronunciation shě běn qiú mò

Definition: abandon: abandon; seek: pursue. Abandon the fundamental and main things and pursue the details , secondary. It is a metaphor for not focusing on the fundamental links, but only working on the side issues.

Source: "Lu Shi Chun Qiu·Shang Nong": "The people are based on the foundation, but the end of the matter is not done, and the things are not done." Then we cannot defend and we cannot fight; if the people's homes are originally built but the affairs are over, their inheritance will be ruined, and their inheritance will be neglected if they migrate, and if they migrate lightly, the country will be in trouble. They all have far-reaching ambitions and no intentions."

Give up the basics and pursue the last.

Pronunciation: shě běn zhú mò

Definition: to give up; to pursue: to abandon the fundamental and main things, and to pursue the trivial and secondary ones. It is a metaphor for not grasping the fundamentals link, but only work on side issues.

Source: "Book of Han Shi Huo Zhi": "Abandon the roots and chase the tail, the farmer cannot do half the work, evil can not be forbidden, the origin is money."