How to Read “Even Xi Shi has ugly parts”
せいしにもしゅうなるところあり
Meaning of “Even Xi Shi has ugly parts”
This proverb means that even the most outstanding people or things have flaws or imperfect parts. Even Xi Shi, famous as a legendary beauty, had ugly parts. So even people or things that seem perfect must have some kind of flaw.
People mainly use this saying to encourage realistic thinking in those who demand too much perfection. It also works to caution people who criticize others’ flaws too harshly. You can also use it to comfort someone who worries about their own shortcomings.
Everyone naturally has weaknesses. This proverb teaches us how important it is to accept that fact.
In modern society, people often feel down comparing themselves to others who look perfect on social media. This proverb reminds us that even wonderful-looking people have hidden flaws.
It tells us not to fall into perfectionism. Instead, we should accept each other’s human imperfections. This message still matters today.
Origin and Etymology
Xi Shi in this proverb refers to a legendary beauty who lived in the state of Yue during China’s Spring and Autumn period. She ranks as one of China’s Four Great Beauties.
Her beauty was so stunning that people said “even fish felt ashamed and sank into the water” when they saw her.
Legend says King Goujian of Yue sent Xi Shi to seduce King Fuchai of Wu. Her beauty enchanted the Wu king and helped bring down his kingdom. Xi Shi’s name became widely known throughout Chinese culture as the ultimate symbol of beauty.
No clear records show when this proverb reached Japan. However, it likely came with Chinese classics and historical tales. Using the specific name “Xi Shi” creates a stronger effect than just saying “a beautiful woman.”
It represents the perfect symbol of beauty that everyone recognizes.
The phrase “has ugly parts” means even such a seemingly perfect beauty had some flaws or unsightly aspects. This expresses a universal truth about human imperfection.
By using the most beautiful person as an example, it makes the point more powerful. Bringing up Xi Shi, the symbol of perfection, effectively teaches that nothing completely flawless exists in this world.
Interesting Facts
Xi Shi is considered a real historical figure. One famous story about her beauty is called “imitating a frown.” When Xi Shi frowned from chest pain due to illness, she looked beautiful even in suffering.
An ugly woman saw this and tried to copy her frown. But people avoided her instead. This story is known as “Dong Shi Imitates a Frown.” It warns against copying others without knowing your own limits.
China recognizes four great beauties: Xi Shi, Yang Guifei, Wang Zhaojun, and Diaochan. But only Xi Shi appears in Japanese proverbs.
This shows that Xi Shi’s story reached Japan early and became established as the symbol of female beauty.
Usage Examples
- That company leads the industry, but even Xi Shi has ugly parts—they apparently have internal problems
- No one is perfect. Even Xi Shi has ugly parts, as they say
Universal Wisdom
Humans have an instinct to seek perfection. The desire to imagine an ideal form and move toward it drives our growth. But at the same time, the obsession that we must be perfect can cause suffering.
“Even Xi Shi has ugly parts” has been passed down for generations because it offers deep insight into this human trait of perfectionism. Ancient people struggled with the gap between ideal and reality, just like modern people do.
They felt inferior to others’ perfection and felt ashamed of their own flaws.
This proverb cleverly conveys truth by using Xi Shi, a legendary beauty, as the representative of perfection. If it used an ordinary person as an example, people would just think “of course that’s true.”
But by saying even Xi Shi, the symbol of perfection everyone recognizes, had flaws, it powerfully demonstrates the universal truth. Nothing completely flawless exists in this world.
Humans are imperfect beings. That’s not shameful—it’s proof of being human. Our ancestors knew that accepting this imperfection leads to true peace of mind.
The effort to aim for perfection is noble. But we also need the tolerance to accept imperfection. This sense of balance is the life wisdom this proverb tries to convey.
When AI Hears This
Our brains cannot see everything equally at once. In the famous Rubin’s vase illusion, you can only see either the black vase or the white faces. You cannot see both simultaneously.
This happens because the attention spotlight makes the focused part the “figure” while everything else automatically becomes the “ground” or background.
Applying this mechanism to beautiful people reveals something interesting. When you focus on Xi Shi’s beautiful eyes, other parts fade into the background at that moment. Then her unnoticed ears or fingertips emerge as the new “figure.”
Human attention constantly moves. When you focus somewhere, other parts necessarily become less prominent. Perfect beauty cannot exist not because the person has flaws, but because our cognitive system must always push something into the background.
Psychology research shows people overestimate the focused part and underestimate the backgrounded parts. Focus on a beautiful nose and other parts feel lacking. Focus on elegant hands and different parts start bothering you.
This “figure-ground reversal” is unavoidable. With any beautiful person, each time the observer’s attention moves, a new “ground” emerges. Relative imperfection always surfaces there.
Lessons for Today
This proverb teaches modern people the importance of courage to accept imperfection. We live surrounded by illusions of perfection every day. Perfect-looking lives on social media, ideal-seeming workplaces, products and services that appear flawless.
But that perfection usually shows only selected parts. Even wonderful-looking people have hidden struggles and weaknesses. Knowing this helps you forgive your own imperfections.
If you worry about your flaws, that’s completely natural as a human being. You don’t need to feel ashamed of not being perfect.
Rather, that imperfection is what makes you unique. It’s also room for growth.
You can also become more tolerant of others’ flaws. Instead of criticizing people by demanding perfection, relationships where we accept each other’s imperfections are truly rich human connections.
Free yourself from perfectionism and have the mental space to accept things as they are. That’s the gentle yet powerful message this proverb gives to those of us living today.
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