One Day Warm, Ten Days Cold
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English translation
Original Chinese text
孟子曰:“无或乎王之不智也。虽有天下易生之物也,一日暴之,十日寒之,未有能生者也。吾见亦罕矣,吾退而寒之者至矣,吾如有萌焉何哉!今夫弈之为数,小数也;不专心致志,则不得也。弈秋,通国之善弈者也。使弈秋诲二人弈:其一人专心致志,惟弈秋之为听;一人虽听之,一心以为有鸿鹄将至,思援弓缴而射之。虽与之俱学,弗若之矣。为是其智弗若与?曰:非然也。”
English translation
Mencius said, “It is no wonder the king is not wise. Even the easiest plant to grow cannot survive if exposed to sun for one day and chilled for ten. I see the king only occasionally; once I leave, those who chill him arrive. How could I make a good impulse take root? Playing chess is a small skill, yet without full concentration one cannot master it. Yi Qiu was the best chess player in the realm. Suppose he teaches two students: one listens with complete focus; the other listens but imagines a swan is about to appear and plans to shoot it with a bow and the corded arrow used for fowling. Even though they study together, the second does not learn as well. Is this because his intelligence is inferior? No.”