ABSTRACT
On the night of the eighteenth day of the month of the Tiger in the fifth year [of Daoguang], a man of the frontier area dreamed that a man was flying a kite. Then another man appeared and questioned the kite-flier as follows: ‘Is it easy to make this kite?’ ‘It is easy.’ ‘What else is it easy to do? ‘Evil deeds are easy to do.’ ‘What is rare?’ ‘A man who does not look out for himself is rare.’ ‘What is common?’ ‘Careless, ill-fated people are common.’ ‘What is nasty?’ ‘Ignorance is nasty.’ ‘What is beautiful?’ ‘A keen intellect is beautiful.’ ‘What is harmful?’ ‘Vengeful thoughts are harmful.’ ‘What is useful?’ ‘A good mind is useful.’ ‘What is deceptive?’ ‘This life is deceptive.’ ‘What is true?’ ‘The Three Jewels are true.’1
