English Original
One day, Duke Huan of the state of Qi was reading the works of past sages.
Lun Bian, a wheelwright, believed these books were merely the dross left by the ancients.
To illustrate his point, he explained: "It is like crafting a wheel. If you work too hastily, the mortise and tenon will be too loose, and the wheel will lack firmness. If you work too slowly, they will be too taut and will not fit together. The action must be neither too fast nor too slow, achieving a perfect balance. The true ingenuity of craftsmanship cannot be fully captured in words; it must be sensed through insight and experience. Herein lies its subtlety. I cannot impart this skill to my son, nor can he receive it from me. The ancients have passed away, and with them perished the knowledge that could not be taught. Therefore, what remains in these books can only be dross."
中文翻译
一天，齐桓公正在阅读古代圣贤的著作。
一位名叫轮扁的制轮匠却认为，这些书不过是古人留下的糟粕。
为了阐明他的观点，他解释道："这就像制作车轮。如果动作太快，榫头就会太松，车轮就不牢固；如果动作太慢，榫头又会太紧而无法安装。必须不快不慢，恰到好处。真正的工艺精妙无法用言语完全传达，只能通过洞察和实践去体会。其微妙之处正在于此。我无法将这门技艺传授给我的儿子，他也无法从我这里继承。古人已经逝去，那些无法言传的知识也随之消亡。所以，这些书中留下的，只能是糟粕。"