Once upon a time, there was a man named Ji Shengzi who raised fighting-cocks for the king.

Every ten days the king asked him whether the cock has finished training.

Ji Shengzi answered correspondingly, "Not yet, he is still coxcombical(虛浮的), proud, arrogant, and self-conceited." "Not yet, when he hears other cocks sing, or sees other cocks, he still has some reaction." "Not yet. He still look at things quickly, and is still high-spirited."

Forty days later, he said, "Now he is almost ready. He still sings but has little reaction and few changes, like a wooden cock. Now he has all the qualities of a fighting-cock. When other cocks see him, they wouldn't dare to fight him but turn around and run away."

從前，有個叫紀渻子的人為國王馴養斗雞。

每隔十天，國王就問雞是否已經馴養好。

紀渻子分別回答說：“還沒有。現在它還表現得虛浮、驕傲、矜持、自持。”“還沒有，現在它聽到別的雞的叫聲，看到別的雞的影子還是有反應。”“現在它看東西依然迅速，意氣仍然旺盛，還沒馴好。”

四十天后，他說：“差不多了，雞現在雖然還鳴叫，但已經沒有什么反應和變化，好像木雞一樣了，斗雞的品質已經具備，別的雞見到它肯定不敢應戰， 一定會掉頭就跑。”