The great political philosopher, Dong Zhongshu, was said to have spent 10 years without going into the garden, while Wei Liangfu spent 10 years writing poems without leaving his chamber. The Yue Lu Academy in Hunan was supposed to have pruned back the cherry trees every year out of fear that the blossoms might disturb the concentration of their students. Success was considered to be passing the exams and entering court life.
董仲舒讀書十年不窺園，魏良輔作曲十年不下樓；湖南岳麓書院春來大砍桃樹，唯恐桃花牽動了書生邪思。