買犢還珠

In the past, a man of the State of Chu intended to go to the State of Zheng to sell pearls.

First he used rare lily magnolia to make a small exquisite case which he fumigated with the delicate fragrance of osmanthuses and Chinese prickly ashes. Furthermore, the case was inlaid with emerald-green jadeite, and adorned with attractive rosy jade. The whole case was decorated in an extremely exquisite way.

A man of the State of Zheng saw this exquisite case and liked it very much. He bought it with a great deal of money, but he returned the pearl in the case to the man of Chu.

Later, people ridiculed the man of Chu by saying that he was good at selling cases, but not good at selling pearls.

To go too far in the pursuit of form just like letting a presumptuous guest usurp the host's role, which brings about opposite results.

從前，有個楚國人準備到鄭國賣珍珠。

他先用名貴的木蘭做了一只精巧的小匣子，又用幽香的牡桂和花椒把匣子熏了一下，并且在匣子上面鑲了碧綠的翡翠，還嵌上引人注目的玫瑰石，整個匣子裝演得十分考究。

有個鄭國人看到這只精美的匣子，非常喜歡，就用重金買了下來。但是，他卻把匣子里的珍珠退還給了那個楚國人。

后來，人們都嘲笑這個楚國人，說他很善于賣匣子，卻不善于賣珍珠。

過分追求形式，反而會喧賓奪主，效果適得其反。