寸木岑楼 — “Describes an immense difference or disparity between two things”

A man from the state of Ren once asked Wu Luzi, a student of Mencius, about the relative importance of ritual (礼) and food. Wu Luzi casually replied that ritual was more important. The man then asked, "Which is more important, marrying a wife or ritual?" Wu Luzi again answered, "Ritual is still more important."

The man from Ren then pressed his point earnestly, saying, "If one follows all the rituals to find food, one might starve or even die; but if one disregards some rituals, one might get food. In such a situation, should one still insist on following rituals? Furthermore, if one follows the prescribed rituals for marriage, one might not get a wife; but if one disregards them, one might get a wife. Should one still insist on performing the formal rituals for marriage?"

Wu Luzi was stumped by these questions. The next day, he went to Zou and reported the conversation to his teacher, Mencius.

Mencius listened and said, "What's so difficult about answering that? If one doesn't consider whether the bases are level, then an inch-long piece of wood can appear taller than a towering building. We say gold is heavier than a feather, but can three qian (a small unit of weight) of gold be heavier than a cartload of feathers? Comparing the importance of food to the minute details of ritual, how can food not be more important? Comparing the importance of marrying a wife to the minute details of ritual, how can marrying a wife not be more important? You should reply to him thus: 'If one could get food by breaking one's elder brother's arm and taking his food, but would starve otherwise, would one break his arm? If one could get a wife by climbing over a neighbor's wall and embracing their daughter, but would otherwise remain unmarried, would one climb over the wall?'"