量体裁衣 — “To tailor the garment to fit the body”

During the Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty, there was a renowned tailor in Beijing whose reputation for making perfectly fitting clothes was widespread. One day, a Censor-in-chief requested him to tailor a court robe.

After taking the measurements of his body, the tailor asked, "May I inquire, Master, how many years have you served as an official?" The Censor-in-chief was puzzled, "It's enough to measure my body for tailoring; why do you need to know this?"

The tailor replied, "A young official, newly appointed to a high position, tends to be full of pride and vigor, walking with a puffed chest and protruding belly. For such a person, the front of the robe should be longer than the back. An official with some years of service, whose initial exuberance has mellowed, would have a robe of equal length front and back. However, an official who has served for many years and is approaching retirement often feels dispirited and walks with a bowed head and hunched back. For them, the front of the robe should be shorter than the back. Therefore, if I don't ascertain your years of service as an official, how can I tailor a robe that is truly satisfactory and perfectly fitting?"