In the past, a man of the State of Chu intended to go to the State of Zheng to sell pearls.
從前，有個(gè)楚國(guó)人準(zhǔn)備到鄭國(guó)賣(mài)珍珠。

First he used rare lily magnolia to make a small exquisite case which he fumigated with the delicate fragrance of osmanthuses and Chinese prickly ashes. Furthermore, the case was inlaid with emerald-green jadeite, and adorned with attractive rosy jade. The whole case was decorated in an extremely exquisite way.
他先用名貴的木蘭做了一只精巧的小匣子，又用幽香的牡桂和花椒把匣子熏了一下，并且在匣子上面鑲了碧綠的翡翠，還嵌上引人注目的玫瑰石，整個(gè)匣子裝演得十分考究。

A man of the State of Zheng saw this exquisite case and liked it very much. He bought it with a great deal of money, but he returned the pearl in the case to the man of Chu.
有個(gè)鄭國(guó)人看到這只精美的匣子，非常喜歡，就用重金買(mǎi)了下來(lái)。但是，他卻把匣子里的珍珠退還給了那個(gè)楚國(guó)人。

Later, people ridiculed the man of Chu by saying that he was good at selling cases, but not good at selling pearls.
后來(lái)，人們都嘲笑這個(gè)楚國(guó)人，說(shuō)他很善于賣(mài)匣子，卻不善于賣(mài)珍珠。

To go too far in the pursuit of form just like letting a presumptuous guest usurp the host's role, which brings about opposite results.
過(guò)分追求形式，反而會(huì)喧賓奪主，效果適得其反。