Model the Way Without Lowering Its Standard

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公（gōng）孙（sūn）丑（chǒu）曰（yuē）：（）“（）道（dào）则（zé）高（gāo）矣（yǐ）、（）美（měi）矣（yǐ），（）宜（yí）若（ruò）登（dēng）天（tiān）然（rán），（）似（sì）不（bù）可（kě）及（jí）也（yě）。（）何（hé）不（bù）使（shǐ）彼（bǐ）为（wéi）可（kě）几（jī）及（jí）而（ér）日（rì）孳（zī）孳（zī）也（yě）？（）”（）孟（mèng）子（zǐ）曰（yuē）：（）“（）大（dà）匠（jiàng）不（bù）为（wèi）拙（zhuō）工（gōng）改（gǎi）废（fèi）绳（shéng）墨（mò）；（）羿（yì）不（bù）为（wèi）拙（zhuō）射（shè）变（biàn）其（qí）彀（gòu）率（lǜ）。（）君（jūn）子（zǐ）引（yǐn）而（ér）不（bù）发（fā），（）跃（yuè）如（rú）也（yě）。（）中（zhōng）道（dào）而（ér）立（lì），（）能（néng）者（zhě）从（cóng）之（zhī）。（）”（）

Gongsun Chou said, “The Way is lofty and beautiful, yet it seems as unreachable as ascending to Heaven. Why not make it seem attainable so that people will strive toward it each day?” Mencius replied, “A master carpenter does not alter or discard the rules for a clumsy worker; Yi does not change the standard for drawing a bow to suit an inept archer. A gentleman draws the bow but does not release the arrow, displaying a poised readiness. He stands in the middle of the Way, and those capable follow him.”

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Model the Way Without Lowering Its Standard

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