TO A FRIEND

In ancient times, men married by thirty;
lasses went to their husbands when twenty;
today in these chaotic times
people marry even later;
marriage cannot come too early;
if children are born late in life,
their parents turn old and weak
before they are grown; one can do things
best in one’s prime; I would like to
thank my parents for their help, but
they passed away and my filial
heart cannot express itself; today
of those on the imperial payroll,
a few are able to help their parents, while
an official with a big income
spends it all on his wife and children;
how can we bring our customs back
to normal? I await your
coming to office to do this, so that
filial sons and daughters
can pay respect to their parents
before they are dead and gone.



At present what we see around us is reflected way back in 772 to 811.
This shows that throughout the world and at all times there is no change in human behaviour.