中文 / A2
自相矛盾
楚国有一个卖武器的人。他卖盾牌，也卖长矛。盾牌用来保护身体，长矛用来打对方。
他先说：「我的盾牌特别好。什么东西都不能在上面打出洞来！」
接着他又说：「我的长矛非常厉害。它能在任何东西上打出洞来！」
有人问：「那用你的长矛打你的盾牌，会怎么样呢？」
卖东西的人回答不出来了。如果盾牌什么都挡得住，长矛就不是什么都打得穿。他的两句话不能都对。
English summary · includes the ending
A man from the ancient state of Chu sells shields and spears. To praise his shield, he claims that nothing can pierce it. He then praises his spear, saying that it can pierce absolutely anything.
Someone asks what would happen if he used his own spear against his own shield. The seller cannot answer. The two claims sound impressive separately, but they cannot both be true when the weapons are tested against each other.
If the spear pierces the shield, the shield is not impossible to pierce. If the shield stops the spear, the spear cannot pierce everything. Either result would disprove one of his promises.
The story ends with the seller unable to resolve this problem. No actual test takes place. A single question is enough to reveal the conflict between his two statements, which is the point behind the familiar Chinese expression for contradicting oneself.
Adapted for Lejrbål from the credited source.
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