“Though death befalls all men alike, it may be heavy as Mount Tai or light as a feather.” — Sima Qian
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The English idiom “his work is cut out for him” means someone has a very big, difficult, or complicated task ahead of him or her—one that will not be easy to complete and will require significant effort, much like a tailor cutting complex patterns or a manager facing a demanding project. It implies a challenging situation where much hard work is needed to succeed, often used in a semi-formal or informal setting.
That’s Google AI doing the explaining.
I recalled this useful idiom, which was a favorite of Christopher Hitchens, upon learning that a new ambassador of China to the Philippines has just arrived, replacing the well-respected Ambassador Huang Xilian who has completed his six-year tenure here.
The new envoy is Ambassador Jing Quan, and we are happy to welcome him to Manila.
Those in the diplomatic community and the general public who did not know Jing personally may justifiably categorize him as a serious, courageous, and no-nonsense senior diplomat.
This is because he welcomed the assignment in Manila at a time when relations between the Philippines and China are less than ideal, with certain Filipino officials like Defense Secretary Gibo Teodoro and Coast Guard Commodore Jay Tarriela attempting to further muddle the issues.
In the week that Ambassador Jing arrived in Manila, Tarriela and Powell and Gibo were stirring up trouble in Escoda Shoal, or Xianbin Reef.
It is good to know that Jing has the mettle needed to navigate the diplomatic complexities in this part of the world.
For one, he has the necessary experience—and may we add—patience.
His previous assignment was as Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the United States.
From 2018 to 2021, Jing was designated as Deputy Director-General in the Department of North American and Oceanian Affairs.
When he arrived last December 6, Jing was welcomed at the airport by officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Chinese embassy.
When he paid a courtesy call on Foreign Affairs Secretary Maria Theresa Lazaro, Ambassador Jing acknowledged the challenges ahead but expressed confidence in his role as a stabilizer in bilateral relations.
Having previously been assigned at the Chinese embassy in Washington, Jing is fully aware of the decades-old problem in the South China Sea involving the Philippines and China, particularly the conflicting claims of ownership over certain rocks and shoals.
We salute his courage and determination to work for the stability of relations between the two countries, despite the evident kinks and snags.
“As ambassador, I will firmly safeguard national interests and dignity, while also playing a bridging role to stabilize rather than deteriorate China-Philippines relations, and to bring the people of both countries closer rather than drift apart. My task is arduous, but I am confident and look forward to everyone’s strong support,” the embassy quoted him as saying in its Mandarin-language release.
Envoys are known to be conservative and to adhere to a low-key lifestyle, working away from the limelight as much as possible. Ambassador Jing, as second-in-command of the Chinese embassy in Washington, D.C., was effective in his job because he followed such unassuming ways.
Colleagues have described Jing as hard-working, articulate, humorous, and open—but also unapologetic about China’s position. They credit him for being a seasoned negotiator and for contributing significantly to the US-China trade negotiations under the Trump administration.
It is well to note that Ambassador Jing contributed much to the crafting of Trump’s trade deal with China—something US President Donald Trump wanted to preserve, even urging Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi not to disparage it by escalating her rift with the Chinese leadership in Beijing.
Ambassador Jing Quan, a career diplomat in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, has just started his tour of duty in the Philippines, and it is fitting that we welcome him with the same warmth and enthusiasm previously given to his predecessor, Ambassador Huang Xilian.
Ambassador Jing takes on the responsibilities of being China’s chief envoy here, and we believe he is up to the job.
Jing hails from Hancheng, Shaanxi Province, China. He is married and has one daughter.
Hancheng, Sima Qian, and the weight of death
Jing Quan’s home city is Hancheng in Shaanxi Province. Hancheng is where the Yellow River flows—the mother of all Chinese rivers.
Whenever one hears of Hancheng, the thought that comes to mind is Sima Qian (145–86 BCE), who wrote Shiji, or Records of the Grand Historian. Sima Qian is the most prominent man from Hancheng, and his work captured 3,000 years of Chinese history. There is a temple there in his honor, where his remains are kept and venerated.
Sima Qian is remembered more for what he said than for who he was. He famously wrote, “Though death befalls all men, it may be heavy as Mount Tai or light as a feather.”
For years, many believed this quotation originated from Chairman Mao Zedong. In fact, Mao quoted Sima Qian and adapted the line to his communist ideology in his 1944 speech, Serve the People, stressing that dying for the people is weighty, while dying for oppressors is light.
During the First Quarter Storm in the Philippines in 1970, when Filipino students protested injustice and corruption in government under the influence or guidance of the Communist Party of the Philippines, this quote was often sung in its Tagalog rendition: “Ang mamatay nang dahil sa bayan ay kasimbigat ng Bundok Isarog.”
So there you have it—we now have a Chinese chief envoy from the land of Sima Qian, and his diplomatic protocol remains unsullied.
Chinese-Filipino businessmen
Ambassador Jing began on a good foot when he met with the Philippines’ top businessmen, all members and officials of the Federation of Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (FFCCCII).
The meeting featured an open discussion on the state of the Philippine export and tourism sectors ahead of the 2025 ASEAN Summit.
In a statement, FFCCCII said the dialogue focused on enhancing bilateral relations in line with directives from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to strengthen international partnerships.
Among the proposals raised were balanced and mutually beneficial exchanges, active promotion of Philippine products in major Chinese forums, boosting the Philippines as a premier tourist destination for Chinese travelers, and empowering Philippine enterprises.
With seasoned diplomats like Jing at the helm of the Chinese embassy, there is reason to be hopeful that Philippines-China relations will continue on a positive course.
