Ji Kang said sincerely: In the past, you said in front of Shan Yu that I didn't want to be an official. I always say this is a confidant's words. But I find it strange that you don't know me very well. Where did you learn about my interest? I came back from Hedong the year before last. Xian Zong and A Du told me that you had intended to let me take your place. Although it didn't happen, you know you didn't know me before. You are good at dealing with emergencies, praising others more than criticizing others; I am straightforward and narrow-minded. I can't stand many things. I just make friends with you by chance. I was worried when I heard about your promotion recently. I'm afraid you're embarrassed to be an official alone, and you want to help me as an assistant, just as a chef is embarrassed to cook alone and wants to help a priest. This is equivalent to letting me hold a butcher knife and smell fishy, so I asked you if you could do it.

When I was studying, I heard that there was a person in Gengjie who could help the world, lonely and upright. I always thought it was impossible, but now I really believe it. Personality determines that some people can't stand certain things, so there is no need to force them. Now everyone says that there is an understanding person who can tolerate anything. They are no different from ordinary secular people in appearance, but they can still keep the right path in their hearts and go on with the secular without regret, but this is just empty talk. Laozi and Zhuang Zhou are both people I want to learn, and their status is very low; Liu Xiahui and Dong Fangshuo are both knowledgeable people, and they are both in a humble position. How dare I despise them! Another example is Confucius' advocacy of fraternity and selflessness. In order to pursue morality, he won't feel ashamed even if he whips and drives. Wen Zi didn't want to be a minister, but he ascended the high position of Lingyin three times. This is the intention of a gentleman to help the people. This is also what the predecessors said: when you are prominent, you can be good at the world without changing your will, and when you are frustrated, you can be alone without feeling depressed. To sum up, Yao and Shun were emperors, lived in seclusion in the mountains, assisted the Han Dynasty, and eulogized Confucius to abdicate. Their ways of dealing with the world were the same. Look at these people, it can be said that they can realize their ambitions. Therefore, although a gentleman's behavior is different from the road he takes, he can achieve the same goal. If you follow your own nature, you can get your own inner destination. Therefore, there is a saying that people who are officials in the imperial court go in and out for positions, while people who live in seclusion in the mountains go out for fame. Ji Zha admired Zi Zang's noble sentiment, while Sima Xiangru worshipped Lin Xiangru's integrity to pin his ambition. There's no way to change it. Whenever I read the biographies of Shang Zi and Ping Tai, I admire them very much and often think of their noble sentiments. Plus, I lost my father when I was young, and my body is relatively thin. My mother and my brother spoil me very much and don't read the classics of self-cultivation and official career. I am lazy and lax, and my bones and muscles are sluggish. I often don't wash my hair and face for a month and a half. I don't want to wash them unless I feel particularly bored and itchy. Urinating often makes the bladder swell, and it almost turns over before getting up and going to the toilet. Because I have been addicted for too long, my temperament has become aloof and sloppy, and my behavior is simple and slow, which goes against etiquette. But laziness and arrogance complement each other, which are tolerated by my peers and never blamed. After reading Zhuangzi and Laozi, my behavior became more laissez-faire. Therefore, the enthusiasm for pursuing official promotion and glory is weakening day by day, while the nature of laissez-faire is strengthening day by day. It's like an elk. If you are caught and tamed at an early age, you will obey your master's discipline. If you are bound when you grow up, you will jump around madly, trying to break free from the rope that binds it, even if you go through fire and water; Although he got a golden halter and the most exquisite feed, he still strongly missed the dense forest and beautiful herbs he was used to living in.

Ruan Ji doesn't talk about other people's faults. I often want to learn from him, but I can't. He is naturally more honest than ordinary people, and there is no harm in treating people. Only drinking is his weakness. As a result, he was attacked by people who maintained etiquette and hated him like an enemy. Fortunately, he was protected by the general. I have no Ruan Ji's talent, but I have the shortcomings of arrogance and laziness; Do not understand the world, will not improvise; There is a lack of caution like Wan, but there is a problem that is straightforward and taboo. If you are exposed to personnel for a long time, things that offend people will happen every day. Although I want to avoid disasters, how can I do it? There are certain courtesies between the monarch and his subjects, father and son, husband and wife, brothers and friends, and the state has certain written laws. I have considered them carefully, but there are seven things I can't stand, and there are two things I can't do under any circumstances: I like to sleep late, but when I become an official, the officers will wake me up, which is the first thing I can't stand. I like to walk and sing with the piano, or go bird hunting and fishing in the suburbs. After becoming an official, officials and soldiers will always be by my side, so I can't act at will. This is the second thing I can't stand. When you become an official, you have to sit up straight in the office, your legs and feet are numb and you can't move freely. I have so many lice that I have to scratch all the time. I have to put on my official uniform and say hello to my superiors. This is the third thing I can't stand. I have never been good at writing letters, and I don't like writing letters. But after I become an official, I have to deal with many secular things. Documents and letters piled up on the desk. If I don't socialize, I will violate ethics and lose my manners. If I seldom socialize, it won't last long. This is the fourth thing I can't stand. I don't like going out to mourn, but the whole world attaches great importance to this matter. My behavior was resented by those who refused to forgive me, and some even tried to slander me. Although I am also alert to this and blame myself, I still can't change my nature. I want to restrain my nature and adapt to the world, but I don't want to go against my nature, nor can I be accused and praised as I am now. This is the fifth thing I can't stand. I don't like laity, but after I become an official, I will work with them, or the guests will be full and full of noisy voices. In a noisy and dirty environment, I can see all kinds of strange tricks all day. This is the sixth thing I can't stand. I was born impatient, but after I became an official, I was busy with business, government affairs pestered me all day, and secular communication also cost me a lot of energy. This is the seventh thing I can't stand. Besides, I often say things that criticize Cheng Tang, Zhou Wuwang and despise Duke Zhou and Confucius. If I don't stop this discussion after I become an official, one day it will be made public and well known, which is unacceptable to secular ethics. This is the first thing I can't do anyway. Stubborn personality, hate bad guys, speak recklessly, call a spade a spade, and lose his temper when he meets something he doesn't like. This is the second thing I can't do under any circumstances. With my narrow-minded personality and the nine problems mentioned above, even if there is no foreign invasion, I will definitely get sick. How can we live in the world for a long time? I also heard from Taoist that taking medicine and yellow essence can make people live longer. I believe it very much. Fish and birds who like to travel and enjoy nature are very satisfied with this life; Once you become an official, you lose the fun of this life. How can you give up what you are willing to do and do what you are afraid to do?

When people become good friends, it is important to understand each other's nature and then fulfill him. Yu Xia didn't force Bo Chengzi to be an official, in order to fulfill his moral integrity; Confucius didn't borrow an umbrella from Xia Zi to cover up Xia Zi's shortcomings. Recently, Zhuge Liang did not force Xu Shu to go to Shu Han, nor did Hua Xin force Ning Guan to accept Qing Xiang's position. These talents can be said to be good friends who are consistent and truly understand each other. You see, straight wood can't be a wheel, and curved wood can't be a rafter. This is because people don't want to compromise their original nature and let them get their place. Therefore, scholars, farmers, workers and businessmen all have their own majors, and they can all realize their ambitions happily. Only knowledgeable people can understand this, which should be what you expect. You can't wear a gorgeous hat just because you like it, but people who barely cross the country have to wear it; I like rotten and smelly food and feed dead mice to young honeymooners. Recently, I am learning the method of keeping in good health. I am an emissary from wealth, alienating myself, abandoning exquisiteness, feeling quiet and calm, and pursuing the highest realm of "inaction". Even without the "nine evils" mentioned above, I still despise those things you like. I have a feeling of boredom, which has become more serious recently. I can't stand things I don't want to do. I have made it very clear that if there is no way out, forget it. Don't wronged me and leave me in a desperate situation.

I just lost the love of my mother and brother, and I often feel sad. The daughter is only thirteen and the boy is only eight. He is not an adult and often falls ill. It makes me sad and annoying to think about this. Really don't know where to start! Now I hope to live a plain and poor life, educate my children well, tell my relatives and friends about my parting feelings at any time, talk about my family, drink a glass of light wine and play a piano, so that my wish will be satisfied. You pester me just to find someone for the court to make him useful to the world. You know I'm careless and unreasonable. I think I'm not as good as the wise men in Korea now. If I think all secular people like wealth, but only I can abandon it and feel happy about it; So, it can be said that it is closest to my nature. If you are a talented, generous person who knows everything but doesn't make progress, that is valuable. People like me, who are often ill and want to stay away from the world in order to save their lives and spend their old age safely, just lack the noble qualities mentioned above. How can they see eunuchs and boast that they are chaste people? If you are in a hurry to ask me to be an official with you and want to recruit me, then stay together often. Once you persecute me, I will go crazy. If there were no deep hatred, I don't think things would have come to this.

Shan Ye people think sunbathing is the most enjoyable thing and celery is the most beautiful food, so they want to dedicate it to the monarch. Although sincere, it is too unrealistic. I hope you don't like them. I mean, I am writing this letter not only to make things clear to you, but also to say goodbye to you. Ji Kang sincerely welcomes you.