There was a couple in the State of Lu. The husband was an expert shoemaker and the wife had a skilled hand in weaving silk.

One day, after a long discussion, they decided to go to the State of Yue to earn a livelihood. Learning about their plan, the neighbors advised them not to go. "Don't go there," said one neighbor, "If you go, you can never earn a good living."

"We don't understand," the couple objected, "We have a fine command of our crafts. How could we not earn a living? Don't talk such nonsense!"

"Indeed, you have skill," explained the man, "But have you taken notice of the fact that shoes require people to wear them? The people of Yue don't wear shoes; they are barefooted. Also, you use your silk to make hats. People there like to wear their hair down; they never wear hats. To whom would you sell your shoes and hats then? Experienced though you are in these crafts, the skills you have mastered are useless there."

After this explanation, the husband and wife understood that anything not adaptable to the outside world is impractical.


  鲁国有对夫妻，男的是鞋匠，鞋子做的很好；女的是织绢能手。

  有一天，他们商量想到越国去谋生。消息传到四邻后，有人对他们说：“不要到那儿去！否则你们一定无法生存的！”

  那对夫妇说：“我们不明白你的意思，我们都有一套手艺，怎么会生活不了呢？别胡说了！”

  那人说：“对呀，你们虽然都有一套手艺，可是你们要知道，鞋子是给人穿的，但越国人都赤脚不穿鞋子；你们织的丝绢原是做帽子用的，但越国人喜欢披着头发，不戴帽子。你们的本领虽大，手艺虽高，但你们做的鞋子、帽子去卖给谁呢？”

  那对夫妇这才明白，凡事如果不合时宜、不适合客观环境就不中用了。

bù wén bù wèn
不闻不问
take no notice of; be indifferent to; show no interest in

bù zhé bù kòu
不折不扣
one hundred percent; to the letter; purely and simply

bàn xìn bàn yí
半信半疑
half-believing, half-doubting; not quite convinced; doubtful

rú chī rú zuì
如痴如醉
(doing something) as if intoxicated and enthralled

wú biān wú jì
无边无际
boundless; limitless; immense; vast

wú yǐng wú zōng
无影无踪
disappear without a trace; melt into thin air

Source: China Internet Information Center