中国经典寓言故事:邯郸学步
Handan was the capital of the State of Zhao during the Warring States Period.
邯郸,是战国时期赵国的首都。
A young man in the State of Yan heard that the State of Zhao was more powerful than the State of Yan, so he was much interested in the State of Zhao. Consequently, he crossed over mountain after mountain by himself and got to Handan.
燕国有个青年听说赵国比燕国强大,对赵国很感兴趣。于是,他一个人翻山越岭,来到了邯郸。
Upon arrival at Handan, he felt that the State of Zhao was indeed more stable than the State of Yan. Even the way of walking of the people of the State of Zhao looked better than that of the people of the State of Yan. He made up his mind to learn how the people of the State of Zhao walked in Handan, so that in the future the people of the State of Yan could walk as gracefully as them.
到了邯郸,他觉得赵国确实比燕国安定,连赵国人走路的姿势都比燕国人好看。他决定在邯郸学会赵国人走路,将来让燕国人走路也能像赵国人一样好看。
Yet, that was easier said than done. No matter how hard he tried, he was unable to learn the gait of the people of the State of Zhao. On the contrary, he even forgot completely how he walked in the State of Yan. In the end, he had no alternative but to crawl back from the State of Zhao to the State of Yan.
可是,说起来容易做起来难。这个青年怎么学也没有学会赵国人走路的姿势,反而连自己在燕国时如何走路也忘得干干净净。最后,池没有办法,只好爬着离开赵国回燕国去了。