Once upon a time, there was a man named Ji Shengzi who raised fighting-cocks for the king.

Every ten days the king asked him whether the cock has finished training.

Ji Shengzi answered correspondingly, "Not yet, he is still coxcombical(虚浮的), proud, arrogant, and self-conceited." "Not yet, when he hears other cocks sing, or sees other cocks, he still has some reaction." "Not yet. He still look at things quickly, and is still high-spirited."

Forty days later, he said, "Now he is almost ready. He still sings but has little reaction and few changes, like a wooden cock. Now he has all the qualities of a fighting-cock. When other cocks see him, they wouldn't dare to fight him but turn around and run away."

从前，有个叫纪渻子的人为国王驯养斗鸡。

每隔十天，国王就问鸡是否已经驯养好。

纪渻子分别回答说：“还没有。现在它还表现得虚浮、骄傲、矜持、自持。”“还没有，现在它听到别的鸡的叫声，看到别的鸡的影子还是有反应。”“现在它看东西依然迅速，意气仍然旺盛，还没驯好。”

四十天后，他说：“差不多了，鸡现在虽然还鸣叫，但已经没有什么反应和变化，好像木鸡一样了，斗鸡的品质已经具备，别的鸡见到它肯定不敢应战， 一定会掉头就跑。”