Bianque was a famous physician in ancient China. One day, the King of Wei asked him, "You and your two brothers are all skilled in medicine. Who is the best?"
Bianque answered, "My eldest brother is the best, my second brother is next, and I am the least skilled."
The King asked, "Then why are you the most famous?"
Bianque replied, "My eldest brother treats illness when symptoms first appear, removing the cause. Only our family sees this, so he isn't widely known. My second brother treats diseases in their early stages. People think he only handles minor ailments, so his fame is local. I treat diseases when they are severe. People see me perform procedures like bloodletting or applying ointments, so they believe I'm highly skilled. Thus, my fame has spread across the country."
The King was satisfied and said, "You have given a cogent explanation."
The lesson is: Prevention is better than intervention, which is better than cure. Many fail to see this, seeking remedies only after decisions cause great loss, when it may be too late.