In ancient times a man named Zou Ji, 8 chi tall and impressive looking, had served as the prime minister of the State of Qi.
One morning, he tidied his clothes and hat, looked into the mirror, and asked his wife: “Look, who is more handsome, Xu Gong living in the north of the city or I?”
His wife replied: “You are far more handsome. Xu Gong is no match for you!”
Xu Gong of the north of the city was a well-known handsome man in the State of Qi. Zou Ji really didn’t believe he was more handsome than Xu Gong. So he asked his concubine: “Look, who is more handsome, Xu Gong or I?”
His concubine also said: “Xu Gong is no match for you!”
The next day, a guest came to discuss some matter with him. Zou Ji asked his guest the same question: “Who is more handsome, Xu Gong or I?”
The guest answered positively: “Xu Gong is not as handsome as you.”
Another day passed and Zou Ji met Xu Gong in person. He stared closely at the other for some time and carefully compared him with himself. He really couldn’t see that he was more handsome than Xu Gong. Later, he again looked into the mirror. The more he looked at himself, the more he felt he was not as handsome as Xu Gong.
Zou Ji was rather restless in his mind. At night, lying on the bed, he pondered: He was not as handsome as Xu Gong, but why did these three persons say he was more handsome?In the end, he came to understand the reason: “My wife says I am handsome because she shows favouritism to me. My concubine says I am handsome because she is afraid of me. My guest says I am handsome because he wants to curry my favour.”
古代齐国有个人名叫邹忌，身高八尺，相貌堂堂，曾经做过齐国的相国。
一天早晨，他整整衣服帽子，照照镜子，问妻子：“你看，我跟住在城北的徐公比，谁长得漂亮？”
妻子回答说：“你漂亮多了。徐公哪里比得上你呢！”
城北的徐公，是齐国有名的美男子，邹忌真的不相信自己比徐公长得漂亮。于是，又问他的妾说：“你看，我同徐公比，哪个漂亮些？
妾也说：“徐公怎么比得上你漂亮呢？”
第二天，有个客人来找他，跟他商谈一件事情，邹忌又问客人说：“我与徐公谁长得美呢？”
客人肯定地回答说：“徐公不如你美。”
又过了一天，邹忌见到了徐公。他紧紧地盯着他看了一阵，又把自己和他仔细地比较了一番，实在看不出自己比徐公漂亮。后来，再去照照镜子，越看越觉得自己不及徐公。
邹忌心里很不平静。晚上，他躺在床上，想来想去，自己本来不及徐公，为什么这三个人都说自己美呢?最后，他终于明白了：“妻子说我漂亮，是因为偏爱我;妾说我漂亮，是因为怕我；客人说我漂亮，是因为有意讨好我。”