to pile up errors; fig. to misinterpret the original meaning; refers to the letter from capital 郢of 楚in which the inadvertent words "hold up the candle" are mistaken by the minister of 燕as "promote the wise"; lit. Ying writes a letter and Yan reads it
郢：春秋战国时楚国国都。书：书信。燕：春秋战国时的燕国。说：本同“悦”，这里指解释。郢地人信中的误写，燕国人却为之解说。比喻穿凿附会，曲解原意。
郢：春秋战国时楚国的都城；书：信；燕：古诸侯国名；说：解释。比喻牵强附会，曲解原意。
《韩非子·外储说左上》：“郢人有遗燕相国书者，夜书，火不明，因谓持烛者曰：‘举烛’，云而过书‘举烛’。……燕相白王，王大悦，国以治。治则治矣，非书意也。”
是不必然，亦不必不然，郢书燕说，固未为无益。◎清·纪昀《阅微草堂笔记》卷四