To Grand Guardian Li Keju of Youzhou, sending gifts幽州李可擧太保

One belt set with squares of ground jade, and one golden fish pouch. They are held in a silver box with gold flowers, weighing one hundred and sixty taels.

The belt above has a body founded in clean luster, and its work was finished by cutting and polishing. Though it is put to shame by the gold of Eban, it is a little better than the white silk of Yanling. Tablets of jade are likened to virtue, and this belt is fitting at a waist that wears a sword. Frost and snow show their brightness in it, and I wish it near a waist as firm as a pine. In motion it is a golden badge with a leaping carp; at rest it is a dragon coiled in a treasure case. Since it bends in order to stretch out, I wish only that he wear it and never tire of it. I respectfully send it by a messenger of my own, to show from afar that I lean upon him. I humbly ask that of his kindness he look it over and receive it.

One lantern of knotted silver strips. One inkstone stand mounted in silver with gold flowers in flat inlay. One inkstone case with gold flowers in flat inlay mounted in silver, together with one inkstone table.

Of the above, I humbly consider that a man takes a rare thing to serve a rare man. I have heard that saying. And that he reads a letter from afar and feels shame before a far-off guest is borne out in an old poem. My mind is always set on holding to the swan, and my deed is not ashamed at the offering of the great swan. Whenever I meet a rare and pleasing thing, I tie my earnest sincerity to it. The lantern and the inkstone above were finished by casting and melting, and their luster was drawn out by rubbing with sand. Skill was at work, and threads of spirit stitched their patterns. They show rare craft, and stamens of red cloud are carved in splendor. Hung high, the lantern seems a canopy of cloud riding the wind. Seen from afar, it seems a dew basin holding the sun. Dragon fat and leopard marrow are just right for keeping a glad feast alight into the night, and the phoenix brush and the goose paper may also lean on benevolence at the lowest seat. Besides, Xie's scent bags hang divided and Kong's inkstone is stored deep. Empty of heart, the inkstone waits only to hold fragrance. Rich as a vessel, it can keep silent to the end. So I dare to summon the fine words about raising the candle, and to send my small regard through the wetting of the brush. I humbly ask that he not think of the vine lantern in the palace of Song and lean too far toward thrift, but rather let out the cursive sage Zhang Xu and allow these things near his kindly light. Then surely they will shine far with nine lights and deepen and enrich the five colors. Keeping off the flying moth, the lantern saves living things, and the benevolent teaching shines the more. Holding musk, the inkstone passes writing on, and the fragrance of virtue grows richer. There is something here to gather, and roughly something to look at. I hope he will of his kindness look down and receive them. It would be a great favor. And so on.

Three boxes in all, large and small, lined with mulberry wood, inlaid with silver and set with gold flowers. Ten pairs of red ivory spoons and chopsticks with silver joints. Four rhinoceros-horn stands. The above are held in the large box. Four tea bowls mounted in silver. Twenty rhinoceros-horn saucers, held in the small box. One conch cup with gold flowers and silver feet.

The spoons and chopsticks, the rhinoceros-horn boxes, the tea bowls and the conch cup above are put to shame by a golden platter, but they are a little better than a thorn-wood ladle. Inlaid rose stone that shows its strangeness I yield to the inscription of Wei, and to chant of tortoiseshell and mark its rarity I dare summon the rhapsody of Pan. What is precious in them is that smoke sets out green dots and red cloud dyes the fine strands. Held in the palm they add glory, and I do not fear that Governor Liu would lose them. Pointing out their track as he pleases, perhaps Censor Liu of a different clan would carry them himself. Still more, they have the rare form of the water clan and are elegant vessels made by heaven. They will never be a place for a spider to leave its trace, and they can stand in name beside the parrot cup. Calling them a little rare and fine, I thought from afar to send them as a gift. I humbly ask that while he lays his plans quietly in the tent he let them come near his wine jars and goblets. Facing Guo Wei on the high terrace, may he tip deep the dew-like liquor. Sending Gan Xu to the immortal gates, may he be gloriously drunk on the red-cloud drink. I humbly ask that of his kindness he look them over and receive them. It would be a great favor. And so on.

Two red brocade wall hangings, woven whole. Three bolts of nuanzi brocade. Two bolts of quilt brocade. Twenty bolts of clamp-dyed gauze from Xichuan. Eighty bolts of clamp-dyed plain silk on a true red ground.

The wall hangings and the dyed brocades above had their pattern handed down from Guicheng, and their work was finished at the phoenix shuttle. Spread out in their broad width, they are plainly a rainbow unrolled. Piled up as colored silks, they need not be ashamed before the weaving of the sea folk. Against the fifty li of screens that men boasted of they can hardly vie in splendor, but for the forty bolts that make army coats they may be fit for use. I hope too that they may furnish the daytime robes of the governor of Kuaiji and take the place of the night quilt of the marquis of Pingjin. Do not blame them for being light and small, but receive them. I trouble him greatly, and my fear and shame are truly many. And so on.

One map of the sea road opened in Annam. One map of the outer wall of Xichuan. Both are bordered in eight widths of purple damask.

Of the above, I quietly consider that a deed fears to be known by others and that merit is ashamed to show itself off. Meng Ce, who ran in the rear guard, had his beauty set down in the end in the Analects. Xi Zhi, who praised himself in haste, did raise mockery in the annals of Jin. Fair and ugly may be mirrored, and how do now and then differ? Not long ago the bronze pillar was set up in the south and the Jinyong fort raised in the west. When the eight hundred li of dangerous road were opened, the Lord of Clouds drove the stones and the Master of Thunder split the mountains. When the forty li of new wall were built, the water god let the springs seep away and the earth mother supplied the soil. All this was loyalty moving the regard above, and a grand sight set up in an outer march. I dare say it was chosen in the emperor's heart, for it truly did not follow from the strength of men. Now the eight Man tribes have turned to the teaching and the lord of ten thousand chariots inspects the regions. Being prepared, there is nothing to fear, and this is a duty a man does not yield. Last year he sent word of his gracious wish to see my small work. So I summoned fine ink and skilled brushes and drew that long road and those steep ramparts throughout. It is as though the ground were shrunk, and it does not stop at moving mountains. I send them from afar and offer them, hoping he will unroll them and look. He will surely say that Wei Sa of Guiyang was a small man indeed, and will know too that Zhang Yi of Shu was a petty one. Trusting his deep regard, I do not hold to small points of form. Stirred by a great design, I do not wonder at big words. I humbly consider, and so on.