Because Xi Shi, the famous beauty, suffered from heartburn, she would often frown in front of all the neighbours.
An ugly girl in the same village, who noticed this and thought it very charming, also put her hands to her breast and frowned in front of everyone. When the rich saw her, they barred their doors and would not come out. As for the poor, they ran away, taking their wives and children.
Poor thing! She could admire Xi Shi’s frown, but did not know why it was beautiful.
Allegorical Meaning
This 2,300-year-old parable dissects the perils of superficial imitation
The catastrophe of copying form, ignoring essence
- Xishi’s frown: A natural expression of physical pain, fused with her innate grace.
- Dongshi’s imitation: Mechanical replication of gesture, devoid of context or authenticity.
Zhuangzi’s verdict: “She knew the frown’s beauty, but not wherein it lay.”
Critique of Social Conformity
Dongshi represents societal obsession with external standards.
Truth is shattered when natural spontaneity is replaced by forced performance.
The ugly truth about “Beauty Standards”
Xishi’s allure came from:
- Congruence: Her frown mirrored true discomfort
- Uniqueness: An organic expression of her body/mind
Dongshi’s failure exposes: Beauty cannot be manufactured — it flows from authenticity.
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