King Xuan of the state of Qi was fond of archery, and he liked to hear others' flattery on his ability to stretch tight bows.

 

The tensile strength of his bows was only three shi. But every time he asked his attendants to try his bows, these men pulled the bow half open and pretended that they could not stretch any more. They declared in chorus that nobody without more than nine shi of strength could stretch it open, and only Your Majesty¹ could it, because you are so mighty².

 

King Xuan never doubted their words till his death.

 

齐宣王爱好射箭，又喜欢听别人奉承自己能够开硬弓。

 

他用的弓只有三石的强度，而每次他让左右随从试用他的弓时，这些人拉开一半就装做拉不动，并异口同声地宣称这弓没有九石以上的力气是拉不开的，大王具有这般神力，这弓也只配大王用。

 

齐宣王至死，都相信自己的弓是九石。

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