Jiang Taigong, an astute political thinker and military strategist in ancient China, who is also known by the names Jiang Ziya and Jiang Shang, is typically depicted as an old, white-haired fisherman, who sits fishing placidly using a barbless hook or even no hook at all, on the theory that the fish would come to him of their own volition when they were ready, believing that if one wants to be successful one needs to be patient.