Chef Ting Cuts Up a Cow
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Once upon a time, there was a chef who was very skilled at butchering cows. He moved as nimbly as a dancer, and he could easily separate a cow’s bones, meat and skin. When King Hui of the State of Liang saw this, he praised the chef and said, “I have never seen this skill before! You’re amazing! ”
The chef put down his knife and replied, “Your Majesty, the most important thing about cutting meat is understanding the principle. When I first started learning, I only looked at the outside of the cow. After three years of practice, I could see more than just its outer shape. Now, I can just rely on feeling, without needing to use my eyes.
For each joint, I put my knife into the gap between the bones, and slide it along the bones to separate the meat. Knives should not be used to cut flesh and skin, and certainly not to hack at large bones. Skilled chefs must change their knife every year, because they use it to cut meat directly. Ordinary chefs need to change their knife every month, because they use it to hack at the bones directly. I have been using this knife for 19 years, cutting up thousands of cows, and it still cuts as though it was freshly sharpened.
When I slide my thin knife into the gap between the bones, the bones, meat and skin are easily separated. If I find a tough spot, I just need to be careful with my knife and make a gentle cut. The bones, meat and skin will fall away like a pile of dirt on the ground. Then, I stand up with my knife, and look at my work, before sheathing my knife in satisfaction. ”
King Hui replied, “Well said! The ideas you talked about can also be applied to taking care of oneself. ”
