食shí不bù厭yàn精jīng,，膾kuài不bù厭yàn細xì

What does 食不厭精，膾不厭細 (shí bù yàn jīng, kuài bù yàn xì) mean?

食不厭精，膾不厭細 (shí bù yàn jīng, kuài bù yàn xì) is a line of classical verse (shīcí 詩詞). Word for word it reads "Food should never tire of being refined; sliced meat should never tire of being fine." In use it means: Confucius held that food preparation deserves the highest care and attention. Grain should be polished well and meat sliced as thinly as possible, reflecting respect for the act of eating. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Metal note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Rooster.

Literally: "Food should never tire of being refined; sliced meat should never tire of being fine.."

The reading

This is not about luxury but about attention. Confucius did not demand expensive ingredients; he demanded that whatever was on the table be treated with full seriousness. The knife that slices carefully honors the animal, the cook, and the guest in a single motion. Carelessness with food is carelessness with life itself. The discipline of refinement is not vanity; it is a form of respect so thorough that it extends even to a grain of rice.

What kind of proverb it is

• Typeshīcí 詩詞
• FocusLooks back
• Element金 Metal
• Zodiac tie雞 Year of the Rooster

Source Confucius, '論語·鄉黨' (Analerta, Chapter 10)

Sits beside

Keep reading

Return to the Proverb Pond to draw another of the eighty-seven, or hear one read aloud. Read the rest of its chapter in Wealth, Work & Diligence, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Rooster, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.