Xǐ xīn, děi zhēnqíng; xǐ ěr, tú mǎi míng.

洗心得真情, 洗耳圖買名。

Lit [In] doing away with [one's] evil desires, [one] should be sincere; [merely to pretend to] listen respectfully [to others] is a pointless [exercise in] acquiring [a (false)] reputation [for modesty].

Note [A rhymed line from a Tang dynasty poem by Li Bai; note the colloquial expression xǐ'ér-gōngtīng, “to listen respectfully.”]

Topics chengyu colloquial expression DESIRE Li Bai MODESTY PRETENDING rhyme SINCERITY Tang dynasty xǐ_ér-gōngtīng