Preface to seeing Ma Sheng off to the East is a preface written by Song Lian, a writer in the Ming Dynasty. The full text is rigorous in structure, meticulous and thoughtful, contrastive in reasoning, detailed in narration and vivid and touching to read.
The full text (excerpt) is as follows:
I liked studying when I was young. Because my family is poor, I can't get books to read. I often borrow money from the library, copy it myself, and send it back on the appointed day. When the weather is cold, the water in the salt pond freezes into ice and I can't stretch my fingers. I still don't relax reading. After copying, please go back to China, and dare not exceed the agreed time limit slightly. So most people will lend me books so that I can read all kinds of books.
When I was looking for my master, I was walking in the mountains of Otani with my book box on my back and Tara shoes on. In winter, the wind was cold and the snow was several feet deep, and my feet and skin were frozen and cracked. After entering the room, my limbs were stiff and I couldn't move. The servant gave me hot water and covered me with a quilt. It took a long time to warm up.
The translation is as follows:
I liked reading very much when I was young. Because my family is poor, I can't afford to buy books. I often borrow books from people who collect books, copy them myself, count the dates and return them on time. It's very cold in winter, and the ink in the inkstone is as hard as ice, so my fingers can't bend and straighten, and I dare not slack off.
After copying, he immediately ran to return the book, not daring to exceed the agreed time limit slightly. So many people are willing to lend me books that I can read all the books.
Go out for advice, carry a book box, drag shoes, and walk in the deep mountains and valleys. In the middle of winter, the cold wind was fierce and the snow was several feet deep, but the skin on my feet was frozen and cracked unconsciously. Back to the hotel, my limbs were stiff and I couldn't move. The servant washed (me) with hot water and wrapped me in a quilt, which kept me warm for a long time.
Extended data:
In the 11th year of Hongwu in Ming Dynasty (1378), Song Lian retired from his hometown Pujiang (Pujiang County, Zhejiang Province) to Yingtian (now Nanjing City, Jiangsu Province) in the second year, and his junior countryman Ma Jun visited. Song Lian wrote this preface to introduce his learning experience and attitude, so as to encourage others to be diligent.
The article is natural, but the internal structure is very compact. The object of the original text is the main body of the article. But the article put aside the topic, starting from oneself, taking it easy, starting from oneself and others, and finally talking about the object of giving. Seemingly careless, but actually clever.
In the deep structure of the article, there is a close internal relationship between the subject and the object, always taking the subject as the goal and taking care of the subject everywhere, but avoiding the shortcomings of the general preface, making the article euphemistic, implicit and meaningful.
In writing, I successfully used the methods of contrast and contrast, so that there is contrast between the left and right, and there is care before and after. The article shows rigor in leisure, "both fish and fish are elegant and moderate." This is also very impressive.
Baidu Encyclopedia-Preface to Dongyang Ma Sheng