ABSTRACT
In the first winter month of the xinwei year (October-November 1631) I accompanied Master Ai to Puyang, on my way to visit my parents in Guangdong. 4 When we had spent several days in Puyang, the master said to me: “When passing through Zhangzhou talk with Mr. Yan Sican (= Yan Zanhua) and make an appointment for me to meet him in Wenling.” I answered “Yes,” and without delay I drove off and started my journey. For days I rode on as fast as possible, through a region of wild mountains and steep gullies, with toiling laborers and shepherd boys as my only companions. The master’s words of admonition that hitherto had filled my ears seemed as far away as the horizon. All the time I was longing for a single message, but in vain.
