Gong Zhiqiao obtained a piece of fine Chinese tung wood and made a qin (stringed musical instrument) out of it. When installed with strings¹ and plucked, it gave out a wonderful sound, harmonious² and pleasing to the ear.

 

Gong Zhiqiao thought this was the finest instrument in the world, so he presented it to the Tai Chang Si Qing (a high official in charge of rites³ and protocol⁴ of the ancestral temple) who had it examined by an imperial musician, but the musician disdained⁵ to have a look at it. He only said "Not ancient!" and returned the instrument.

 

Gong Zhiqiao had to take it home and asked a lacquerer to paint many crackles on the instrument in imitation of an ancient qin, and asked a sculptor⁶ to carve on it some inscriptions⁷ of ancient scholars. Then he put it in a box and buried it underground.

 

After one year, Gong Zhiqiao took out the instrument from underground, and went to the market to sell it. It happened that an influential⁸ personage was passing by. He bought it with 100 pieces of gold and presented it to the imperial court. The imperial musicians vied with each other to look at it and praised in unison⁹:

 

"Ah! It is indeed a rare stringed musical instrument in the world!"

 

工之侨得到一块优质的桐木料，用它制作了一把琴，安上琴弦，一弹，发出金玉一般的声音，和谐悦耳。

 

工之侨自以为这是世界上最好的一把琴了。于是，他就拿去献给太常寺卿。太常让皇家的乐工检验，乐工却不屑一顾，说:“不古。”把琴还给了他。

 

工之侨只好把琴拿回家，让漆工仿古，在琴上漆出许多裂纹，又让雕匠在琴上刻了古人的题字，然后装进匣子，埋在地下。

 

一年之后，工之侨把琴从地下取出来，赶到集市上去卖。有位显贵之人正好路过，出百金买下了这把琴，并把它献给了朝廷。乐工们捧着这把琴，争相传看，竟然齐声称赞：

 

“啊，真是世上少有的珍琴！”

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