韓生，世家也。好客。同村徐氏，常飲于其座。會宴集，有道士托缽門上。家人投錢及粟，皆不受；亦不去。家人怒，歸不顧。韓聞擊剝之聲甚久，詢之，家人以情告。言未已，道士竟入。韓招之坐。道士向主客皆一舉手，即坐。略致研詰，始知其初居村東破廟中。韓曰：「何日棲鶴東觀，竟不聞知，殊缺地主之禮。」答曰：「野人新至，無交游。聞居士揮霍，深願求飲焉。」韓命舉觴。道士能豪飲。徐見其衣服垢敝，頗偃蹇，不甚為禮。韓亦海客遇之。道士傾飲二十餘杯，乃辭而去。
韩生，世家也。好客。同村徐氏，常饮于其座。会宴集，有道士托钵门上。家人投钱及粟，皆不受；亦不去。家人怒，归不顾。韩闻击剥之声甚久，询之，家人以情告。言未已，道士竟入。韩招之坐。道士向主客皆一举手，即坐。略致研诘，始知其初居村东破庙中。韩曰：「何日栖鹤东观，竟不闻知，殊缺地主之礼。」答曰：「野人新至，无交游。闻居士挥霍，深愿求饮焉。」韩命举觞。道士能豪饮。徐见其衣服垢敝，颇偃蹇，不甚为礼。韩亦海客遇之。道士倾饮二十余杯，乃辞而去。
A scholar named Han came of an old and eminent family, and loved to entertain. A man surnamed Xu from the same village often drank at his table. Once, when Han was holding a feast, a Daoist came to the gate with his alms bowl. The servants threw him coins and grain, but he would take none of it; nor would he go away. The servants grew angry and went back in, paying him no more mind. Han heard a knocking that went on for a long time and asked what it was, and the servants told him. Before they had finished, the Daoist walked straight in. Han invited him to sit. The Daoist raised one hand to host and guests alike and sat down. After a few questions they learned that he had lately been living in a ruined temple east of the village. “Since when have you roosted your crane at the temple to the east?” said Han. “I never even heard of it. I have sorely neglected my duty as host of these parts.” “I am a man of the wilds, newly come, and I know no one,” the Daoist answered. “I hear you are open-handed, good layman, and I would dearly like to beg a drink.” Han called for cups. The Daoist could drink hugely. Xu, seeing how filthy and ragged his clothes were, was rather haughty and showed him little courtesy. Han, too, treated him as just another wanderer passing through. The Daoist drained more than twenty cups, then took his leave.
自是每讌會，道士輒至，遇食則食，遇飲則飲，韓亦稍厭其頻。飲次，徐嘲之曰：「道長日為客，寧不一作主？」道士笑曰：「道人與居士等，惟雙肩承一喙耳。」徐漸不能對。道士曰：「雖然，道人懷誠久矣，會當竭力作杯水之酬。」飲畢，囑曰：「翌午幸賜光寵。」次日，相邀同往，疑其不設。行去，道士已候于途；且語且步，已至寺門。入門，則院落一新，連閣雲蔓。大奇之，曰：「久不至此，創建何時？」道士答：「竣工未久。」比入其室，陳設華麗，世家所無。二人肅然起敬。甫坐，行酒下食，皆二八狡童，錦衣朱履。酒饌芳美，備極豐渥。飯已，另有小進。珍果多不可名，貯以水晶玉石之器。光照幾榻。酌以玻璃盞，圍尺許。道士曰：「喚石家姊妹來。」童去少時，二美人入。一細長，如弱柳；一身短，齒最稚；媚曼雙絕。道士即使歌以侑酒。少者拍板而歌，長者和以洞簫，其聲清細。既闋，道士懸爵促釂，又命遍酌。顧問美人：「久不舞，尚能之否？」遂有僮僕展氍毹于筵下，兩女對舞，長衣亂拂，香塵四散；舞罷，斜倚畫屏。二人心曠神飛，不覺醺醉。
自是每䜩会，道士辄至，遇食则食，遇饮则饮，韩亦稍厌其频。饮次，徐嘲之曰：「道长日为客，宁不一作主？」道士笑曰：「道人与居士等，惟双肩承一喙耳。」徐渐不能对。道士曰：「虽然，道人怀诚久矣，会当竭力作杯水之酬。」饮毕，嘱曰：「翌午幸赐光宠。」次日，相邀同往，疑其不设。行去，道士已候于途；且语且步，已至寺门。入门，则院落一新，连阁云蔓。大奇之，曰：「久不至此，创建何时？」道士答：「竣工未久。」比入其室，陈设华丽，世家所无。二人肃然起敬。甫坐，行酒下食，皆二八狡童，锦衣朱履。酒馔芳美，备极丰渥。饭已，另有小进。珍果多不可名，贮以水晶玉石之器。光照几榻。酌以玻璃盏，围尺许。道士曰：「唤石家姊妹来。」童去少时，二美人入。一细长，如弱柳；一身短，齿最稚；媚曼双绝。道士即使歌以侑酒。少者拍板而歌，长者和以洞箫，其声清细。既阕，道士悬爵促釂，又命遍酌。顾问美人：「久不舞，尚能之否？」遂有僮仆展氍毹于筵下，两女对舞，长衣乱拂，香尘四散；舞罢，斜倚画屏。二人心旷神飞，不觉醺醉。
From then on the Daoist turned up at every feast, eating when there was food and drinking when there was drink, until even Han grew a little tired of seeing him so often. Over the wine one day Xu mocked him: “Reverend, you are a guest every day. Won’t you play host just once?” The Daoist laughed. “I am no different from you, good layman: just a pair of shoulders holding up a mouth.” Xu was abashed and had no answer. “Even so,” said the Daoist, “I have long wished to show my good faith. I will do my best to repay you, if only with a cup of water.” When the drinking was over, he pressed them: “Tomorrow at noon, do me the honour of your company.” The next day the two men went together, half suspecting there would be nothing laid on. On the way they found the Daoist already waiting in the road. Talking as they walked, they soon reached the temple gate. Inside, the courtyards were all new, and linked pavilions spread away like clouds. Astonished, they said, “We have not been here for a long time. When was all this built?” “It was finished not long ago,” the Daoist answered. When they entered his rooms, the furnishings were finer than any great family’s. The two men were filled with awe. They had hardly sat down when wine and food were brought in, all by pretty boys of sixteen in brocade coats and red shoes. The wine and dishes were fragrant and delicious, lavish in every way. After the meal there was a further course of delicacies. There were rare fruits, most of which they could not name, set out in vessels of crystal and jade whose light shone on the tables and couches. The wine was poured into glass cups more than a foot around. “Call the Shi sisters,” said the Daoist. The boy went off, and shortly two beauties came in. One was tall and slender as a drooping willow; the other was short and very young. Both were matchless in their charm. The Daoist had them sing to speed the wine. The younger beat time with clappers and sang, and the elder accompanied her on the bamboo flute, in tones clear and fine. When the song was done, the Daoist held up his emptied cup to urge them to drain theirs, and had every cup filled again. He turned to the beauties. “You haven’t danced for a long time. Can you still do it?” At once serving boys spread a carpet below the feast, and the two girls danced facing each other, their long robes swirling and scented dust flying all around. When the dance was over they leaned against a painted screen. The two men’s hearts soared and their spirits took flight, and before they knew it they were drunk.
道士亦不顧客，舉杯飲盡，起謂客曰：「姑煩自酌，我稍憩，即復來。」即去。南屋壁下，設一螺鈿之床，女子為施錦裀，扶道士臥。道士乃曳長者共寢，命少者立床下為之爬搔。二人睹此狀，頗不平。徐乃大呼：「道士不得無禮！」往將撓之。道士急起而遁。見少女猶立床下，乘醉拉向北榻，公然擁臥。視床上美人，尚眠繡榻，顧韓曰：「君何太迂？」韓乃徑登南榻；欲與狎褻，而美人睡去，撥之不轉。因抱與俱寢。天明，酒夢俱醒，覺懷中冷物冰人；視之，則抱長石臥青階下。急視徐，徐尚未醒；見其枕遺屙之石，酣寢敗廁中。蹴起，互相駭異。四顧，則一庭荒草，兩間破屋而已。
道士亦不顾客，举杯饮尽，起谓客曰：「姑烦自酌，我稍憩，即复来。」即去。南屋壁下，设一螺钿之床，女子为施锦裀，扶道士卧。道士乃曳长者共寝，命少者立床下为之爬搔。二人睹此状，颇不平。徐乃大呼：「道士不得无礼！」往将挠之。道士急起而遁。见少女犹立床下，乘醉拉向北榻，公然拥卧。视床上美人，尚眠绣榻，顾韩曰：「君何太迂？」韩乃径登南榻；欲与狎亵，而美人睡去，拨之不转。因抱与俱寝。天明，酒梦俱醒，觉怀中冷物冰人；视之，则抱长石卧青阶下。急视徐，徐尚未醒；见其枕遗屙之石，酣寝败厕中。蹴起，互相骇异。四顾，则一庭荒草，两间破屋而已。
The Daoist, paying his guests no more heed, drained his cup, rose, and said to them, “Please pour for yourselves a while. I will rest a little and be back directly.” And off he went. Against the wall of the south room stood a bed inlaid with mother-of-pearl. The girls spread a brocade mattress on it and helped the Daoist lie down. Then he pulled the elder one in to lie with him, and told the younger to stand by the bed and scratch him. The two men watched this with growing indignation. Xu shouted, “Daoist, mind your manners!” and went over to break it up. The Daoist leapt up and fled. Seeing the younger girl still standing by the bed, Xu, bold with drink, dragged her over to the north couch and lay down with her in his arms, for all to see. He saw that the beauty on the bed was still asleep on the embroidered couch, and looked round at Han. “Why are you so stiff?” So Han went straight up onto the south bed. He wanted to make love to her, but she had fallen asleep, and however he pushed her she would not turn over. So he took her in his arms and slept beside her. At daybreak drink and dream both wore off. He felt something cold as ice in his arms. He looked: he was lying at the foot of the bluestone steps, hugging a long stone. He hurried to look at Xu. Xu was not yet awake. His head was pillowed on the squatting-stone of a privy, and he was sound asleep in a ruined latrine. Han kicked him awake, and they stared at each other in horror. They looked all around: there was nothing but a courtyard full of weeds and a hut of two broken-down rooms.