King Ling of Chu was particularly fond of officials with slender waists.
To curry favor with the king, all the court officials strived to limit their food intake. Some even reduced themselves to just one meal a day.
Before fastening their belts, they would take a deep breath and tighten them as much as possible. As a result, they often had to lean against a wall for support just to stand up.
A year later, all the officials looked wan, sallow, and utterly wretched.