were you so glibly holding forth?" he inquired. "All I could hear were a
lot of hao liao (excellent, finality.")

"You may well have heard the two words 'hao liao,'" answered the Taoist
with a smile, "but can you be said to have fathomed their meaning? You
should know that all things in this world are excellent, when they have
attained finality; when they have attained finality, they are excellent;
but when they have not attained finality, they are not excellent; if
they would be excellent, they should attain finality. My song is
entitled Excellent-finality (hao liao)."

Shih-yin was gifted with a natural perspicacity that enabled him, as
soon as he heard these remarks, to grasp their spirit.

"Wait a while," he therefore said smilingly; "let me unravel this
excellent-finality song of yours; do you mind?"

"Please by all means go on with the interpretation," urged the Taoist;
whereupon Shih-yin proceeded in this strain:

Sordid rooms and vacant courts,
Replete in years gone by with beds where statesmen lay;
Parched grass and withered banian trees,
Where once were halls for song and dance!
Spiders' webs the carved pillars intertwine,
The green gauze now is also pasted on the straw windows!
What about the cosmetic fresh concocted or the powder just scented;
Why has the hair too on each temple become white like hoarfrost!
Yesterday the tumulus of yellow earth buried the bleached bones,
To-night under the red silk curtain reclines the couple!