小时了了，大未必佳
小时了了，大未必佳。—— 南朝·宋·刘义庆《世说新语》
Cleverness in childhood may not be translated into outstanding intelligence in adulthood. —— New Collection of Anecdotes of Celebrities by Liu Yiqing of the State of the Southern Dynasties
Note: When Kong Rong (153-208), writer of the Han Dynasty, was ten years old, he went to Luoyang with his father on a visit to their relative Mr. Li Yuanli. Li asked Kong Rong in what way they were related, and Kong Rong replied, my ancestor Confucius was a student of your ancestor Li Er (Laozi), so there has been a long-standing relationshio between our two families. The people around were impressed by his quick wit. When Chen Wei, a moderate official, came and was told about what Kong Rong had said, he said, “Cleverness in childhood may not be translated into outstanding intelligence in adulthood.” Kong Rong retorted, “You must have been clever in childhood.” Che Wei was embarrassed.
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