庖丁解牛 Pao Ding Dissects An Ox

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故事：
梁惠王时有位厨师善宰牛，且技巧极为熟练，手接触的地方，肩靠着的地方，脚踩着的地方，膝顶着的地方，都发出皮骨相离声，刀子刺进去时响声更大，这些声音没有不合乎音律的。它合乎《桑林》舞乐的节拍，又合乎《经首》乐曲的节奏。梁惠王说：“嘻！好啊！你的技术怎么会高明到这种程度呢？”,庖丁放下刀子回答说：“臣下所探究的是自然的规律，这已经超过了对于宰牛技术的追求。当初我刚开始宰牛的时候，（对于牛体的结构还不了解），看见的只是整头的牛。三年之后，（见到的是牛的内部肌理筋骨），再也看不见整头的牛了。现在宰牛的时候，臣下只是用意念去接触牛的身体就可以了，而不必用眼睛去看，就象感觉器官停止活动了而全凭意念在活动。顺着牛体的肌理结构，劈开筋骨间大的空隙，沿着骨节间的空穴使刀，都是依顺着牛体本来的结构。宰牛的刀从来没有碰过经络相连的地方、紧附在骨头上的肌肉和肌肉聚结的地方，更何况股部的大骨呢？技术高明的厨工每年换一把刀，是因为他们用刀子去割肉。技术一般的厨工每月换一把刀，是因为他们用刀子去砍骨头。现在臣下的这把刀已用了十九年了，宰牛数千头，而刀口却像刚从磨刀石上磨出来的一样。牛身上的骨节是有空隙的，可是刀刃却并不厚，用这样薄的刀刃刺入有空隙的骨节，那么在运转刀刃时一定宽绰而 有余地了，因此用了十九年而刀刃仍像刚从磨刀石上磨出来一样。即使如此，可是每当碰上筋骨交错的地方，我一见那里难以下刀，就十分警惧而小心翼翼，目光集中，动作放慢。刀子轻轻地动一下，哗啦一声骨肉就已经分离，像一堆泥土散落在地上了。我提起刀站着，为这一成功而得意地四下环顾，一副悠然自得、心满意足的样子。拭好了刀把它收藏起来。”梁惠王说：“好啊！我听了庖丁的话，学到了养生之道啊。”

Story：

During the reign of King Hui of Liang, there was a chef named Pao Ding who was exceptionally skilled at butchering oxen. His technique was so refined that wherever his hands touched, his shoulders leaned, his feet stepped, or his knees pressed, the sounds of skin and bone separating harmonized perfectly with the rhythm of music. The blade's entry into the flesh produced a resonant sound, perfectly in tune with the beats of the "Sanglin" dance and the melody of "Jingshou." King Hui exclaimed, "Ah, marvelous! How did your skill reach such heights?" Chef Pao Ding sheathed his knife and replied, "What I pursue is the natural order, which transcends mere butchery. When I first began, I saw only the whole ox. After three years, I no longer saw the entire beast, only its internal structure. Now, I interact with the ox's body through intent alone, without relying on sight—my senses cease, and my spirit takes over. I follow the natural lines of the flesh, cutting through the large gaps between tendons and bones, moving the blade along the hollows of the joints, all in accordance with the ox's inherent structure. My knife never touches the connective tissues, the muscles adhering to the bones, or the dense clusters of muscle—let alone the large hip bones. A skilled butcher replaces his knife annually because he cuts through flesh, while an average one replaces it monthly for chopping bones. My knife, however, has been used for nineteen years, dissecting thousands of oxen, yet its edge remains as sharp as if just honed. The joints of the ox have gaps, and the blade is thin; inserting such a thin blade into these gaps leaves ample room for movement. Thus, after nineteen years, it remains as sharp as new. Even so, whenever I encounter a complex intersection of tendons and bones, I proceed with caution, slowing my movements. With a gentle flick of the blade, the flesh separates with a whoosh, like earth scattering on the ground. I stand with the knife, surveying my work with satisfaction, then carefully clean and store it." King Hui said, "Excellent! From your words, I have learned the way of preserving life."

寓意：

庖丁在解剖牛的身体时非常得心应手，宰完牛之后手中的刀不会有任何损坏，锋利如初。而技术一般的厨工去宰牛根本找不到骨头与肌肉之间的缝隙，只能凭空乱砍乱割，结果每个月都需要换新的刀。这个寓言小故事告诉我们，做事要遵循客观规律，探求事物的本质。运用规律，事半功倍；违反规律，事倍功半。这也如同养生一样，根据客观规律，日出而起，日落而息，不熬夜，不去违反天时，身体的各个器官便可以得到充分的休息和利用，人也不会在白天无精打采。同样的，不去暴饮暴食，按照一日三餐正常的时间去吃饭，并且每餐只吃七八分饱，那么自己的肠胃就会有规律地作息。另外，七八分饱也有利于肠胃蠕动，不会加重肠胃负担。身体无负担，精气神就可以焕发，从而达到养生的目的。现在，我们用“庖丁解牛”比喻掌握事物的客观规律后，做事游刃有余，丝滑畅通。


Moral：
Chef Pao Ding's skill in dissecting oxen was so effortless that his knife remained undamaged and sharp, while ordinary butchers, who hacked blindly without understanding the anatomy, had to replace their knives frequently. This fable teaches that success lies in understanding and following objective laws. By adhering to these principles, one can achieve more with less effort; violating them leads to inefficiency. Similarly, maintaining health requires living in harmony with natural rhythms—rising with the sun, resting at dusk, avoiding late nights, and eating meals at regular times with moderate portions to allow the digestive system to function properly. A moderate diet promotes healthy digestion and prevents overburdening the body, allowing energy and vitality to flourish. The phrase "Pao Ding dissects an ox" now symbolizes mastery of objective laws, enabling smooth and effortless action.