Xi Shi, known for her peerless beauty, was beset by some sort of heart trouble,
美女西施患有心口疼的毛病。
so she was often seen knitting her brows with hand on her chest.
人们经常会看到她皱着眉头，手捂胸口。
Now there was an ugly woman in the neighborhood, who one day saw Xi Shi in the village street.
一天邻居家的一个丑女在街上遇到了西施，
In admiration， she returned home and determined to imitate Xi Shi's way of walking and mannerisms.
很是羡慕。回家后她决心模仿西施的走路姿势和仪态。
Yet, this only increased her ugliness.
哪知这丑女的矫揉造作使她的样子更难看了。
Every time she walked out, the rich would shut their doors tight,
她每次出门，乡间的人就马上把门紧紧关上，
while the poor with their wives and children would avoid her and quickly turn their steps away.
穷人则马上拉着妻儿远远躲开。
Alas, that woman mistook frowning for something invariably beautiful,
东施误以为颦眉是种一成不变之美，
and was unaware that it only adds beauty to a real beauty.
却不知它只会让美人更美。
Now the allusion is used to satirize the blind imitation with ludicrous effect.
后人便用“东施效颦”一词来比喻拙劣地模仿别人，反而得到了更坏的效果。
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