When Tu Shih-niang comes to a banquet
The guests drink a thousand great cups
Instead of a single small one.
When Tu Mei appears upon the stage
The actresses look like devils.

It must be said that never, in the young passions of his life, had
Li Chia experienced the pain of beauty; but, when he saw Shih-niang,
emotion was awakened in him, and the feelings of a flowering willow
filled his breast. He himself was gifted with rare beauty, and a sweet
and gentle nature. He spent his money recklessly, with an unbridled
zeal for bestowing gifts. For this reason he held a double attraction
for Shih-niang, who considered that falsehood and avarice were opposed
to rectitude, and had also by this time made up her mind to return to
a life of honor. She appreciated Li Chia's gentleness and generosity,
and was drawn toward him. But he was afraid of his father and did not
dare to marry her at once, as she wished. Their love was not, on that
account, any the less tender. In the joys of dawn and the pleasures of
twilight they kept together as do husband and wife, and in their
vows they compared their love with the Ocean or with the Mountain,
recognizing no other vital motive. In truth:

Their tenderness was deeper than the sea
For it was past sounding,
Their love was as the mountains
But even higher.

Also, since Chia had been admitted to her favor, rich Lords and
powerful Ministers were no longer permitted to see the girl's beauty.