Unfortunately, though originally great pains were taken to ensure that courtesies were performed properly, they gradually became only social expediencies, flowery and superficial gestures empty of their original meaning.
可惜的是，原本講究適度合宜的禮，在被人當成一種人際交往的手段後，就逐漸變得花巧不實，喪失了原有的深刻涵義。