the man who rather trusted his measurements than placing any confidence in his own feet when buying shoes(zhèng rén mǎi lǚ)

the man who rather trusted his measurements than placing any confidence in his own feet when buying shoes

Buying shoes by Zheng people is not only an idiom, but also an allusion, and even an allegory. It is a story about a Zheng people who believed too much in "scale" and couldn't buy shoes. It reveals Zheng people's habit of sticking to dogmatism and relying on data. This fable satirizes those dogmatists who stick to the old rules and show that they will never achieve anything if they follow the old rules and don't think about flexibility.

original text

"Han Feizi waichu Shuo, top left": Zheng people who want to buy shoes (some books say that "Zheng people have shoes and buy shoes"), first measure their feet, and then set their seats. To the city, and forget to exercise. Having got the shoes, he said, "I forget to hold them." Instead, return and take it. On the other hand, the market was closed, so they were not allowed to perform. People said: "why not try it with enough?" they said: "it's better to be confident than confident."

notes

Zheng: the state of Zheng. and: it will. Desire: will, want. What kind of person. First: first, in advance. Du ó: measure. Verb means to measure with a ruler. and: Shun Cheng conjunction, meaning then. place: verb, put, put. Zhi: pronoun, it, here refers to the measured size. its: others. sit: same seat, same seat. to: wait until. Go to go to go to go to go to. Cao: verb, take, carry. already: adverb of time, already. Get: get; get. Shoes: noun, shoes, leather shoes. Nai: so, just. Zhi: verb, Na, is the same as "Cao" in this paper. Degree (d): noun, a good measurement. Zhi: pronoun, a good size. fuck: carry it. and: wait until. anti: return through "return". It's over. Su: then; finally. Ning: adverb, rather, rather. confidence: believe in yourself. to: use. The market is over. to the city: wait until you go to the market. Why don't you give it a try Why don't you try shoes with your feet?

translation

Once upon a time, there was a man from the state of Zheng who wanted to buy a new pair of shoes, so he measured his feet in advance, and then put them on his seat. When I got to the market, I forgot to bring my size. After choosing the shoes, I found out: "I forgot to bring the size." Just go home and get the size. By the time he returned to the market, the market was gone and he didn't buy any shoes. Someone asked, "why don't you just try on your shoes with your feet?" "I'd rather believe in measured sizes than my feet," he replied

Discrimination

pause

Zheng people / those who want to buy shoes, first / self degree / its foot, and / set its seat, to the market, and / forget to exercise, have been shoes, that is: "I forget to hold degree." Instead, return and take it. On the contrary, the market was closed, so I was not allowed to perform.

Sentence pattern

Zheng people who want to buy shoes or "Zheng people who want to buy shoes" why don't they try their feet. Why not try it with your own feet. and set it to its seat (omitted sentence): and set it to its seat.

words whose meaning is similar

They are rigid, dogmatic, dogmatic, inflexible, stubborn and conservative.

antonym

Flexible, flexible and flexible.

moral

This story tells people: we should be flexible and flexible in dealing with things, not stick to the rules and dogma, pay attention to objective facts, and proceed from reality in dealing with people. The Zheng people only believed in the size of their feet, but did not believe in their own feet. They not only made a big joke, but also could not buy shoes, which became a laughing stock. In real life, people who only believe in the size of shoes but don't believe in them. They only know how to stick to dogma but don't know how to adapt. Maybe there are no brainless people, right? But there are people like this, and there are not many. Some people speak, act and think only from books, not from reality. He believes what is written in the book. He does not believe what is not written in the book but actually exists. In this kind of person's view, only what is in the book is the truth, and what is not written is not the truth. In this way, of course, thinking will be rigid, and action will easily run into a wall.

author

Han Fei was born in the 35th year of King Nan of Zhou Dynasty (about 281-233 BC). Han Fei was the son of the king of South Korea (i.e. the son of the monarch), a Han nationality, and a Korean in the late Warring States period (now Xinzheng, Henan). Learning from Xunzi, he is a famous philosopher, thinker, political commentator, essayist and one of the representatives of Legalism in ancient China. Later generations call him "Hanzi" or "Hanfeizi". He is a representative of Legalism in ancient China.

Chinese PinYin : zhèng rén mǎi lǚ