[Source] "A New Account of the Tales of the World - Virtuous Conduct"
[Meaning] Cutting the sitting mat in half, symbolizing the severing of friendship and the end of all association.
[Historical Anecdote] When Guan Ning and Hua Xin were young, they were exceptionally close friends. They were inseparable, sharing the same table for meals, the same couch for studying, and the same bed for sleeping, living together in perfect harmony.
Once, they worked together in the fields, weeding a vegetable patch. Both labored diligently without stopping to rest, quickly clearing a large area.
Guan Ning raised his hoe and, upon striking down, hit a hard object. Curious, he turned over a large clod of earth. Amidst the dark soil, something bright and yellow glittered. Looking closely, he realized it was a piece of gold. He murmured to himself, "I wondered what that hard thing was; it's actually a gold ingot." Then, he continued weeding.
"What? Gold!" Hua Xin, nearby, heard this and his heart instantly stirred. He quickly dropped his hoe and rushed over, picking up the gold piece and carefully examining it in his hands.
Seeing this, Guan Ning, continuing to swing his hoe as he worked, rebuked Hua Xin: "Wealth should be obtained through one's own hard labor. A person of virtue cannot covet unearned riches."
Hua Xin, hearing this, said, "I understand this principle too," yet he still held the gold, looking at it from left to right, unable to let it go. Eventually, unable to bear Guan Ning's gaze any longer, he reluctantly dropped the gold and returned to work. However, his mind remained preoccupied with the gold; he didn't work as hard as before and kept sighing. Seeing Hua Xin's state, Guan Ning said nothing more, only shaking his head silently.
Another time, the two were sitting on the same mat reading. Deeply engrossed, they suddenly heard an uproar outside—a cacophony of drums and music, mixed with the shouts of a procession clearing the way and the noisy chatter of onlookers. Guan Ning and Hua Xin rose and went to the window to see what had happened.
It turned out that a high-ranking noble was passing by in a carriage, escorted by a large entourage of armed attendants in uniform, surrounding and protecting the vehicle, creating an imposing spectacle. The carriage itself was even more luxurious: its body was carved with intricate, beautiful patterns, its curtains made of multicolored silk, adorned with golden threads around the edges, and a large piece of jade inlaid on the roof, exuding an overwhelming air of wealth and status.
Guan Ning paid no attention to any of this. He returned to his place, picked up his book, and read with intense concentration, completely ignoring the outside commotion as if nothing had happened.
Hua Xin, however, was entirely captivated by the grand display and opulent procession. Finding the view from inside inadequate, he simply abandoned his book, hurried out into the street, joined the crowd, and followed the procession closely to get a better look.
Witnessing Hua Xin's actions, Guan Ning could no longer suppress his sorrow and disappointment. When Hua Xin returned, Guan Ning took out a knife and, right before Hua Xin's eyes, cut the sitting mat in half. With deep regret and firm resolve, he declared: "Our aspirations and interests are too different. From this day forward, we are no longer friends, just as this mat has been severed."