This term means that two kings Wen and Wu (?-1043BC) of Zhou applied the idea of taut and slack bowstrings in archery to governing: a mixture of strictness and leniency. Wenwu (文武) refers to King Wen and King Wu of Zhou; dao (道) means the way of governing; zhang (张) taut bowstring, or strictness; and chi (弛) slack bowstring, or leniency. The Confucian school of thought, as represented by Confucius (551-479BC), advocated that governance should be based foremost on morality, propriety and education, with the use of force and punishment in second place only. The pen and the sword, leniency and strictness should complement each other. The expression is a crystallization of the wisdom of the ancient sage kings. In the modern sense, people should apply this attitude to organizing their life: a balance of work and play.

To rule only with strictness and no leniency was not possible for King Wen and King Wu of Zhou; to rule only with leniency and no strictness was not what they wished to do. A mixture of pen and sword was the way they chose to rule. (The Book of Rites)

King Wen of Zhou ruled with morality, propriety and education. King Wu of Zhou used force to eliminate whatever harmed the people. (The Book of Rites)