齊景公曰：「此君子之服也？
“Is this the apparel of a gentleman,” Lord Jing asked him, “or the apparel of a commoner?” An expression of displeasure crossed Lin Ji’s face, and he said, “How can apparel be a sufficient basis for assessing the actions of a man-ofservice?
小人之服也?林既逡循而作色曰：「夫服事何足以端士行乎？
In former times, the people of Chu wore high hats and carried swords, and chief counselor Zi Xi55 was one among them; in Qi people wore short gowns and serrated hats, and Guan Zhong and Xi Peng57 were among them.
昔者，荊為長劍危冠，令尹子西出焉；齊短衣而遂偞之冠，管仲、隰朋出焉；越文身鬋髮，范蠡、大夫種出焉；西戎左衽而椎結，由余亦出焉。
In Yue people tattooed their bodies and cut their hair short, and Fan Li58 and Wen Zhong59 were among them.
The Western Rong tribesmen folded their lapels to the left and bound up their hair in back, and You Yu60 was among them.
即如君言，衣狗裘者當犬吠，衣羊裘者當羊鳴，且君衣狐裘而朝，意者得無為變乎?景公曰：「子真為勇悍矣！
If one were to accept your view, then people who wear dog-fur cloaks should be expected to go about barking and those who wear clothes of wool to bleat like sheep; and you, Your Lordship, have come to court in fox-fur robes.
今未嘗見子之奇辯也，一鄰之鬭也？
Does this mean that you are different from what you would be otherwise?” “You are a bold fellow indeed!” exclaimed Lord Jing.
千乘之勝也？」
“I have never observed such argumentation before!
Do you speak in this way to dispute with your neighbors or to win arguments with the rulers of great states?