Source: Adapted from Confucius' Six Books "Confucius' Family Words" in the Spring and Autumn Period.
Original text:
Living with kindness is like entering Lan Zhi's room. If you don't smell it for a long time, you will melt with it. Living with poor people is like entering the place of abalone. If you haven't heard of it for a long time, you will melt with it. Dan hides red and lacquer hides black. A gentleman must be careful where he is and who he is.
Vernacular translation:
Being with people of noble character is like being bathed in a room full of fragrance when planting Lan Zhi. After a long time, I can't smell the fragrance, but it is already full of fragrance. Being with people with bad conduct is like going to a place selling abalone. After a long time, it will not stink, and it will also blend into the environment.
The place where Dan is hidden will turn red after a long time, and the place where pigment is hidden will turn black after a long time, which is also caused by environmental impact! Therefore, a real gentleman must carefully choose the people he wants to get along with.
The expansion of the antonym of "Yalanxiang" in Reference Room;
It is the same as "Shi Ya Lan Xiang" in "Six Letters of Confucius' Family Language".
Fourth, shops; Abalone: It's just pickled fish, which smells fishy. The shop selling pickled fish is called abalone shop, which is a metaphor for the place where little people gather. In other words, being with people with bad conduct is like going to a place selling abalone. After a long time, it will not stink, and it will also blend into the environment.
Baidu encyclopedia-Lan Zhi room