吳瑟黃居士竹山詩序
Preface to Wu Sehuang's Zhushan Poems
陶靖節，晉處士也。能不為五斗折腰，而賦歸去來辭，門栽五柳，高自標致。獨以不汲汲於富貴，不戚戚於貧賤，儼然為羲皇上人。以故其詩之清真古邁，直凌駕漢魏之上，而追三百篇之遺風，令人讀之蛻出塵埃之表，後世無不目之為千古人。周濂溪嘗教人尋孔顏樂處，煞有味乎此者。而陶子之於飯蔬飲水，視富貴如浮雲，與簞瓢陋巷而能不改其樂，相去其幾哉！禾中吳子瑟黃，乃今之處士也。才品足以有為，詩文足以自娛，尤能見幾而作。移居於桃溪竹山，以躬耕畝畝，樂志潛脩，不敢多求於造物，不可得而為者，則造化亦無從操縱其所以自為也。異哉！吳子之進於禪學，以性命大事，必求其大，透徹活路，有不可以禦之者。予不獨以潔身善世而高其志也，予竊有以望之，故并引而勉之。
Tao Jingjie was a recluse of the Jin Dynasty. He refused to bow for five bushels of rice and wrote the "Returning Home" ode, planting five willows at his gate as a mark of his integrity. He neither chased after wealth and status nor worried about poverty, living as if he were a man of ancient times. Thus, his poems are pure, ancient, and lofty, surpassing those of the Han and Wei dynasties, capturing the spirit of the classic "Three Hundred Poems." Reading them lifts you above worldly dust, so later generations universally regard him as a timeless figure. Zhou Lianxi once taught others to seek the joy of Confucius and Yan Hui, which is deeply meaningful. As for Tao, when eating simple food and drinking water, viewing wealth like floating clouds, and living in a humble alley without changing his joy, how far is he from that ideal?
Wu Sehuang of Hezhong is a recluse of today. His talent and character enable him to achieve much; his poetry and prose bring him joy. He is especially able to act wisely, moving to the bamboo mountains of Taoxi to farm the fields, delighting in his purpose and cultivating himself quietly, without seeking too much from nature. What cannot be achieved cannot be controlled by fate. How extraordinary! Wu has advanced in Zen study, treating life's vital matters by seeking the ultimate, reaching complete understanding with a vitality that cannot be stopped. I not only admire his purity and self-benefit but I also have hopes for him. Thus, I write this preface to encourage him.