荀子《宥坐》篇中曾讲过孔子参观欹器的故事:欹器是一种形体略斜而又易于倾覆的器皿,空着时是歪的,水装得不空不满时是端端正正,一旦满了就要倾覆。所以,古人将它放在座位右边以为警戒之物。孔子让弟子灌水一试,果然是“中而正、满而覆、虚而欹”。乃喟然叹道:“哪有自满而不倾覆的呢?” The story of Confucius’s “Squats” once mentioned the story of Confucius’ visit to the mortuary: The mortuary is a vessel whose shape is slightly oblique and easy to overturn. When empty, it is ambiguous. When the water is not filled with dissatisfaction, it is justified. Once it is full, it will be overturned. Therefore, the ancients placed it on the right side of the seat as a warning. Confucius asked the disciples to give a try. It really was “medium and positive, full and imaginary, and false.” It was sighing with deep sadness: “Where does one have to be complacent and not overthrow?”