Letter presenting gifts物狀

One root of man-shaped ginseng from east of the sea, held in a silver-mounted case. One zither of solid heart from east of the sea, held in a bag of purple damask.

The above. I humbly consider that the celebration draws on the five blessings and that the omen comes down from the Three Pure Ones. In mid spring the fragrant wind is at its height, and the highest virtue was born on a lengthening day. Having borne the gift of your encouragement and welcome, I should carry out the rite of offering congratulation. The ginseng and the zither named above took their shape from what heaven made, and their tone holds the Airs and the Odes. They are complete in body, and so their look is not borrowed. They are whole in substance, and so they escape an empty sound. Still more, both were gathered near an immortal peak and carried here from a far land. If you allow the one to do its work in the medicine mortar, it will surely wish to give up its body. If the other can come into use on Penglai, its full belly may be known. I am truly ashamed that they are so thin and poor, and I hope they may lengthen your years. In soiling your high dignity my trembling and my burning are doubled. I humbly beg you to bend down and receive them. My humble heart would be most fortunate.

One painting of Mount Penglai.

The above. I humbly consider that in the warm light of the Double Ninth the world of the immortals sends down a true one. Long life has marked his name on the golden register, yet the earnest wish of the many prays for the years of the jade book. The painting named above is a thousand heaps of green brocade and a single blossom of blue lotus. Snowy waves press out of the ink pool, and the spouting of the whale may well startle. Cloudy peaks well up out of the sea of the brush, and the turtle that bears them is not lightly burdened. Not ashamed of how small a thing it is, I set it out and present it. Looking toward the crouching dragon my thighs tremble. Following the swallows that bring congratulation my soul flies. I humbly beg you to look a little at the sincerity of my heart and to bend down and receive it. What I hope is that, drawing near your high seat, it may quiet the encircling seas forever, and that when you spread out your immortal's retreat you may face my home mountains at once. If you allow me to be wetted by the honor of a single glance, I will send word of the Three Pure Ones in advance. I have lightly soiled your sight and hearing. My humble heart cannot bear the fullness of its praying, its singing, and its trembling and burning.

Three catties of ginseng and one catty of gastrodia.

The above. I humbly consider that the Pleiades let down their rays and that Niqiu sent down its omen. We have just come to the festival of Zhonghe, and this is the day of a great celebration. Looking up, I bathe in your honored kindness, and I should carry out a lowly rite. The medicines named above were gathered in the land of the sun and came across the pool of heaven. Though they answer to the name of three prongs and five leaves, I am ashamed that there is nothing rare in their substance. But they passed the perils of ten thousand waters and a thousand mountains, and they are precious in the scent left in them. Not measuring how light and small they are, I set them out and present them. What I hope is that the medicine of a man of the sea may be like the parsley of an old man of the fields. I humbly beg you to forgive stern punishment as a special favor and to bend down and allow my earnest feeling, so that your holy years may go on and you grow old after heaven itself, and your immortal face may stay and be forever new with the sun. My humble heart cannot bear the fullness of its praying, its glad leaping, and its fear. Respectfully submitted.