Governing a large state is like cooking a small fish: It must be handled with great care.
This adage comes from the Classic of the Way and Virtue. Just as cooking a small fish requires careful heat control, right seasoning, and a minimal amount of stirring, governing a large state is a delicate balancing act that must be performed with great care.
Responding to a joint interview by the press of the BRICS countries in March 2013, Xi Jinping said: In such a big, populous and complicated country as ours, we leaders must learn what the people think and what they want. We must act conscientiously and with the utmost care "as if we were treading on thin ice, or standing on the edge of an abyss." We must cultivate the attitude that "Governing a big country is as delicate as frying a small fish," never slacken our efforts or be negligent in our work, but always devote ourselves to work and the public interest.
治大国如烹小鲜
“治大国若烹小鲜”出自《道德经》，意即“治理国家就像烹调美味的小菜一样”。这里以烹饪比喻治国，强调“烹小鲜”不能随意翻动，调料要恰到好处，火候要掌握得当，如同治理国家，必须要有审慎负责的态度。
2013年3月，习近平在接受金砖国家媒体联合采访时谈到，这样一个大国，这样多的人民，这么复杂的国情，领导者要深入了解人民所思所盼，要有“如履薄冰，如临深渊”的自觉，要有“治大国如烹小鲜”的态度，丝毫不敢懈怠，丝毫不敢马虎，必须夙夜在公、勤勉工作。