In August of the 45th year of the Wanli reign (1617), Chen Jiru (also known as Mei Gong), a renowned resident of Huating Mountain in the southeast, visited Nanjing and specially paid a visit to Zhong Xing, the leader of the Jingling Sect who lived in Jinling. The two literary figures who had admired him for a long time seemed to feel that this historic engagement had finally not disappointed them, so they were both grateful. After the return of Confucianism, Zhong Xing immediately wrote a brief letter to express his feelings and evaluation of their first meeting.
万历四十五年丁巳(1617)八月，当时名震东南的华亭山人陈继儒(号眉公)过访南京，特地拜会了僦居金陵的竟陵派领袖钟惺，倾慕已久的两位文坛闻人仿佛都觉得这次历史性的订交终于没有让自己失望，因而各自庆幸不已。继儒归后，钟惺即修短简一封，表达对初次相见的感受和评价。
钟惺·《与陈眉公书》
相见甚有奇缘，似恨其晚。然使十年前相见，恐识力未有坚透处，心目不能如是之相发也。朋友相见，极是难事。鄙意又以为不患不相见，患相见之无益耳。——有益矣，岂犹恨其晚哉！
——《隐秀轩集》
A Letter to Chen Meigong
Zhong Xing 1
A strange opportunity seemed to have brought about our chance meeting, which we thought to be too belated. However, if we had seen each other ten years ago, our insight into man’s character would not have been so penetrating, and our mutual understanding would not have been so profound. The meeting of true friends is something extremely difficult. But, in my humble opinion, what is really regretful is not the lack of opportunity for people’s meeting each other, but the lack of spiritual benefit from such a meeting—given spiritual benefit, there would be no reason to regret its being somewhat belated!
——Collection of the Chamber of Hidden Beauty
1. Zhong Xing (1574-1625), born in Jingling of Hubei Province, was a scholar and man of letter in the Ming Dynasty.
（谢百魁、陈启达 译）
