In the Spring and Autumn Period (春秋时期,770-476 BC), there was a beauty in the State of Yue called Xishi (西施).

传说春秋时期，越国有一美女，名唤西施。

She often suffered from pains in her chest, and so she would often walk around doubled over and with her brows knitted.

但是西施有心口疼的毛病，所以她经常手捂胸口，皱着眉头走着。

There was an ugly girl in the village called Dongshi who envied Xishi.

村子里还住着一位丑姑娘，叫做东施，她十分嫉妒西施。

Striving to emulate Xishi, she imitated her stoop, knitting her brows at the same time.

于是东施时常效仿西施，手捂胸口，紧皱眉头。

She thought that this made her elegant, but in fact, it only made her more ugly.

东施觉得她效仿西施就会变得很美丽，但是实际上，只会使她变得更难看而已。

Later, this idiom came to be used to indicate improper imitation that produces the reverse effect.

这个典故比喻不恰当的模仿，带来相反的效果