A peerless master of the painter's art,
At court, he bathed in royal grace and dew.
Top honors from his teacher's school did part,
A famed minister the royal house knew.
A stalwart pillar in the scholar's grove,
A gallant guest where painted halls reside.
At court, embroidered staffs in splendor strove,
On duty near the maple throne, abide.
The phoenix sings from cinnabar hill's cave,
By Ying River's banks, the stars he'd trace.
The palace halls soon tired his service brave,
To frontier shrine, he brought spring's gentle grace.
The mountain tally changed for tiger's seal,
The capital's token to jade unicorn.
His might three regions' lands would truly feel,
His praise two rivers' people would adorn.
Glad we are for Huang Ba's recall, so famed,
No need for Kou Xun's aid, his name renowned.
Soon to the court his merits shall be named,
We'll see the customs pure again be crowned.
Alas, past times made talent hard to meet,
Now fortune's scale is uneven, incomplete.
Chu's timber fits not Jin's royal seat,
Han's laws by Qin's old rules are made replete.
The ancients' studies led the vanguard true,
To emulate their breeze, none left behind.
If culture's stream is buried from our view,
Our Way has long been lost to humankind.
To sage, the seas and peaks their tribute bring,
Some fish for bears, with patience, line will cast.
Blue fields still yield fine jade, a precious thing,
Ying's craftsman early swings his axe so fast.
Zhou's calendar begins a lasting reign,
Xiao's rules we wish to follow, full and plain.
Heaven's time knows meetings, not in vain,
Man's efforts weave a tangled, futile skein.
Long have I held the lute, with skill endowed,
Now I meet you, who bow with board so near.
Ashamed as ox that plods, my head is bowed,
Dare I defile the mat's most honored sphere?
Far from the Dragon Gate, its heights so steep,
My heart holds kindness of the swallow's hall.
Your guiding words, though old, in memory keep,
From this day forth, I'll write them on my shawl.