說春秋時候，越國有個名叫西施的姑娘，她非常美麗、漂亮，壹舉壹動也很動人。他有心口疼的疾病，犯病時總是用手按住胸口，緊皺眉頭。因為人們喜歡她，所以她這副病態，在人們眼裏也嫵媚可愛，楚楚動人。 西施的鄰村有個醜姑娘叫東施，總是想方設法打扮自己。有壹次在路上碰到西施，見西施手捂胸口，緊皺眉頭，顯得異常美麗。她想難怪人們說她漂亮，原來是做出這種樣子。如果我也做這個姿勢，肯定就變漂亮了。於是她模仿西施的病態。結果人們見了原來就醜的她，現在變成這種瘋瘋癲癲的樣子，象見了鬼壹樣，趕緊把門關上。Aping a Beauty (Dong Shi Xiao Ping)
Xi Shi, a famous beauty, had a pain in her bosom, so she had a frown on her face when she went out. An ugly girl named Dong Shi who lived nearby saw her and thought she looked very beautiful. Therefore when she went home, she also put her hands on her bosom and had a frown on her face.
When a rich man in the neighbourhood saw her, he shut his doors tightly and did not go out. When a poor man saw her, he took his wife and children and gave her a wide berth.
She only knew Xi Shi's frown looked beautiful but she did not know the reason for its beauty.