In the early spring of the second year of Mingde, within the Yin-Yang Mountain of Lingquan County...0

An old Daoist sat by the window. On the table lay a letter delivered two days prior, which she had read over and over during that time. Yet she hesitated over how to reply.0

After much deliberation, she finally reached for paper and brush.0

Lowering her head, she began to write:0

“…I know you come from another world.0

“I don’t know what kind of world it is, but I imagine it must be far more exciting to you than this one. Or perhaps, in that world, there are things you can’t let go of, a place where your heart feels at ease—that’s why you find it so hard to part with.0

“…You find this world dull. You see the suffering in the land. You see the ignorance of the people. It’s true that this world is filled with much darkness and folly. But by the time you receive this letter, it will likely be several years later. The mountain paths and waterways are not easy to traverse. By then, you will have seen countless breathtaking landscapes, won’t you?0

“Perhaps you will already have realized that this seemingly dim world is no less vibrant than the one you came from. The suffering of the world may be real, the ignorance of the people may be real, and the darkness of life may also...3