《左传·闵公·闵公元年》
下臣听说： 国家将要灭亡，如同大树，躯干必然先行仆倒，然后枝叶随着落下。 
臣闻之，国将亡，本必先颠而后枝叶从之。
I heard the following saying: When a country is about to perish, it is like a big tree. Its trunk must fall first, and then its branches and leaves will fall with it.