Xi Shi， a famous beauty， had a pain in her bosom， so she had a frown on her face when she went out. An ugly girl who lived nearby saw her and thought she looked very beautiful. Therefore when she went home， she also put her hands on her bosom and had a frown on her face.

    When a rich man in the neighbourhood saw her， he shut his doors tightly and did not go out. When a poor man saw her， he took his wife and children and gave her a wide berth.

    She only knew Xi Shi's frown looked beautiful but she did not know the reason for its beauty.

    東施效顰Aping a Beauty

    越國苧羅（今浙江諸暨南）有位姓施的美女，因為家住若耶溪西岸，所以村里人叫她西施。若耶溪東岸也有位姓施的姑娘。她長得很丑，村里人管她叫東施。

    有一天，西施心口疼，走路的時候雙手捂住胸部，并且皺著眉頭。村里人見她這個模樣，都同情地說：“瞧這姑娘的模樣，準是疼得難受，真是可憐！”

    西施的病態(tài)正好被東施瞧見了。她一邊看，一邊默默記住她難受的姿態(tài)和動作�；氐较獤|后，也模仿西施的模樣，雙手捂住胸部，同時皺著眉頭。

    東施的這副模樣，使村里人大吃一驚，富人緊閉大門不出來，窮人也帶著妻兒躲開。 東施只知道人家皺著眉頭很美，卻不知道為什么皺著眉頭會美。