The Lo-Ch‘a Country and the Sea-Market

Note on the title: The term "sea-market" is generally understood in the sense of _mirage_, or some similar phenomenon.

Once upon a time there was a young man, named Ma Chün, who was also known as Lung-mei. He was the son of a trader, and a youth of surpassing beauty. His manners were courteous, and he loved nothing better than singing and playing. He used to associate with actors, and with an embroidered handkerchief round his head the effect was that of a beautiful woman. Hence he acquired the sobriquet of the Beauty. At fourteen years of age he graduated and began to make a name for himself; but his father, who was growing old and wished to retire from business, said to him, "My boy, book-learning will never fill your belly or put a coat on your back; you had much better stick to the old thing. " Accordingly, Ma from that time occupied himself with scales and weights, with principle and interest, and such matters.