How could one eat the bream from the river?
The pufferfish itself envies the Jiang-Wu land.
With a frog's glare and a pig's belly, clad in leopard's spots,
Maimed like one without toes, tattooed, yet it reigns as king.
I was born in Oudong and have traveled to Min,
Where I've seen fish lined up, adorned with plum blossoms.
The plum, still green, refuses to await the spring snow;
The reed shoots quietly laugh at the drooping willow catkins.
Since ancient times, Wu's Wuchang has abounded with fish;
During my brief stay in March, I tasted it anew.
Its tender flesh rivals the milk of Xi Shi and the slave's cheese,
And with wine, its liver becomes a rare delicacy.
No sorrow knots the innermost intestines;
Rich, plump, and fatty, it's like sliced lard.
The outer skin is sweet and smooth, the inner thick,
Making one forget the beauty of the black mullet.
Brought from the East Sea to the three rivers,
I've heard it awaits the clear and turbid waves of Canglang.
The white dragon, inevitably, is trapped by Yu Qie;
Swollen and bloated, it floats atop the fish weir.
Its breath puffs up like a ball, how swollen!
From distant lands, no fragrance of olive is found.
Unaware, diving deep to swim at will,
Indulging life's passions only leads to harm.
The thick poison of rich flavors can cause man's demise;
Why need Xi Shi or Qi Wenjiang?
What is exceedingly beautiful is, by nature, exceedingly vile—
Straight to its death, these words hold true.
Let not the common catfish hinder us;
A good prescription is passed down from the seas.
Are reed roots and pagoda seeds truly precious?
The brain of the living phoenix, the soup of the yellow dragon.