治大国若烹小鲜
Zhì dàguó ruò pēng xiǎo xiān
The ruling of a large nation is like cooking a small delicacy; hence it goes to say, an effective government requires minimal intervention. The proverb can be translated as: "To govern a large country is like cooking a small fish." This proverb is often used to describe the idea that the best way to approach a large and complex task is to take a careful and measured approach, rather than trying to do too much too quickly. It suggests that it is important to pay attention to the details and to be mindful of the potential consequences of one's actions, even when tackling a seemingly insignificant task.
