A memorial of thanks for the words of praise on the portrait, written by the Emperor himself謝賜御製真贊表
1The portraits in the Imperial Portrait Hall of Daci Temple, and the praise the Emperor composed
臣某言。二月二十六日宣慰使供奉官李從孟至。伏奉勑旨。已令於大慈寺御眞院。寫朕眞並扈從宰臣等眞。列卿儀貌。俱會此堂。今先寄卿眞軸並朕親製贊述。賜卿冀表顯恩。式彰異禮者。銀璫降使。玉簡傳詞。受宣而頂踵光輝。拜賜而神魂驚越。臣某誠感誠懼。頓首頓首。臣志欽渭訣。業鍊圯書。敢憑涓滴之勞。自安寵寄。願掃氛霧之患。永竭忠誠。遂在先朝。便從戎役。南征北伐。豈暇寧居。東鎭南藩。累叨重任。遇陛下龍飛之後。委微臣隼擊之能。蜀國防蠻。則粗伸遠略。楚宮捍寇。則偶遂良機。旋令移節於海門。復許建牙於淮甸。是以。常拘戎閫。未覲宸階。唯披上天之詔書。似睹日中之玉字。空增戀闕。莫遂歸期。頃者虔託仁祠。寫留麽質。豈致去思於舊鎭。唯慙取笑於空門。伏遇陛下展義陳詩。停鑾駐蹕。遂徵繪事。俾寫聖容。其於侍從之臣。宜居左右。豈料孱微之質。得潤丹靑。愧無燕頷之姿。永侍龍顔之側。況蒙宸襟顧矚。御筆贊揚。高題而素壁爭輝。卓立而浮埃不染。然後遠飛寵詔。特遣貴臣。乍捧綵牋。驟竊游揚之譽。初開寶軸。深驚刻畫之恩。窺看而形影自慙。感激而肺腸何極。昔漢朝中興。聖帝下念功臣。列形像於禁宮。載勳名於史筆。雖令贊述。不自稱揚。豈如陛下暫事巡遊。迥垂獎飾。別降絲綸之命。親編錦繡之詞。俾臣位掛於鳳凰池中。名超於麒麟閣上。遐尋故實。獨荷殊榮。有何出衆之能。見此非常之寵。所謂千年嘉遇。萬代美譚。唯當志勵風霜。永驗松筠之不改。身霑雨露。免憂蒲柳之先衰。臣限守藩條。不獲稱謝行在。無任感恩戀聖榮躍兢懼之至。謹因供奉官李從孟廻。附表陳謝以聞。臣某誠惶誠恐。頓首頓首謹言。
Your servant So-and-so speaks. On the twenty-sixth day of the second month the commissioner of consolation, the attendant officer Li Congmeng, arrived. Your servant respectfully received the imperial order, which said: We have had Our own portrait painted in the Imperial Portrait Hall of Daci Temple, together with the portraits of the chief ministers who attend Us, so that the likenesses of Our several ministers are all gathered in that hall. Now We first send you the scroll of your portrait and the words of praise We composed with Our own hand, and bestow them on you, hoping to show forth Our open favor and to make clear an uncommon rite. An envoy with the silver ornament came down, and a jade tablet carried the words. Receiving the imperial word, your servant shone from crown to heel; bowing for the gift, his spirit and soul leapt in astonishment. Your servant So-and-so is truly moved and truly afraid, bowing his head to the ground, bowing his head to the ground. In his will your servant has admired the secret teaching of the Wei River, and in his studies he has practiced the book of the bridge. How should he dare, on labor no more than a drop of water, to rest easy in the trust of your favor? He wished to sweep away the trouble of mist and vapor and to give his loyalty to the end. So from the former reign he followed the service of arms, campaigning to the south and to the north; what leisure had he to live at ease? At the eastern garrison and the southern command he has again and again presumed upon a heavy charge. After Your Majesty rose like the dragon, you entrusted to your lowly servant such power as the falcon has in its strike. Guarding against the Man in the land of Shu, he unfolded a far plan in some small measure; holding off the bandits at the palace of Chu, he happened upon a good chance and carried it through. Soon you had him move his tally to Haimen, and again you allowed him to raise his standard in the Huai country. And so he has always been bound within the gate of the camp and has not attended at the palace steps. He only opens the edicts of high heaven and seems to see jade letters within the sun. His longing for the palace grows to no purpose, and the time of his return never comes. Not long ago he reverently entrusted a temple of benevolence with painting and keeping his poor likeness. How should that raise any fond remembrance in his old command? He was ashamed only of drawing laughter within the gate of emptiness. Then Your Majesty, spreading right and setting forth poems, halted the phoenix carriage and stayed your progress, called for the work of painters, and had your sage countenance painted. The ministers who attend you should indeed be at your left and right, but who would have thought that so frail and slight a form would be enriched with cinnabar and blue? He is ashamed that, lacking the swallow's jaw, he yet attends forever at the side of the dragon countenance. Still more, your imperial heart has looked upon him and your own brush has praised him. Written high, it makes the white wall vie in brightness; standing upright, it takes no stain from the floating dust. Then you sent your gracious edict flying from afar and dispatched a noble minister for that purpose. Lifting the colored paper for a moment, he stole all at once a name that floats abroad; opening the precious scroll at first, he was deeply startled by the grace of the carving and the painting. Looking at it, his form and its shadow put him to shame; moved as he is, where could his heart and bowels find an end? Long ago, when the house of Han was restored, the sage emperor looked down and thought of the officials of merit. He set their likenesses in rows within the forbidden palace and set their names of merit in the historian's brush. Though he had words of praise composed, he did not extol them himself. How is that like Your Majesty, who on a brief progress let praise and adornment fall from afar, sent down a separate command of the silken cord, and wove with your own hand words of brocade, so that your servant's place hangs within the Phoenix Pool and his name rises above the Qilin Pavilion? Search the old records far back, and he alone has borne so rare an honor. What ability above the crowd has he, to see favor so far from common? This is what is called a fine meeting in a thousand years and a beautiful tale for ten thousand ages. He will only strive in will against wind and frost, and prove forever that pine and bamboo do not change. His body is wet with rain and dew, and he is spared the fear that the willow withers first. Your servant is bound by the duties of his command and cannot offer his thanks at your traveling palace. He cannot bear the utmost of gratitude for your grace, of longing for his sage ruler, of leaping at this honor and trembling in fear. By the return of the attendant officer Li Congmeng he respectfully sends this memorial of thanks for Your Majesty's hearing. Your servant So-and-so is truly awed and truly afraid, bowing his head to the ground, bowing his head to the ground. Respectfully spoken.