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!"

　　工之僑得到一塊優(yōu)質(zhì)的桐木料，用它制作了一把琴，安上琴弦，一彈，發(fā)出金玉一般的聲音，和諧悅耳。

　　工之僑自以為這是世界上最好的一把琴了。于是，他就拿去獻給太常寺卿。太常讓皇家的樂工檢驗，樂工卻不屑一顧，說:“不古。”把琴還給了他。

　　工之僑只好把琴拿回家，讓漆工仿古，在琴上漆出許多裂紋，又讓雕匠在琴上刻了古人的題字，然后裝進匣子，埋在地下。

　　一年之后，工之僑把琴從地下取出來，趕到集市上去賣。有位顯貴之人正好路過，出百金買下了這把琴，并把它獻給了朝廷。樂工們捧著這把琴，爭相傳看，竟然齊聲稱贊：“啊，真是世上少有的珍琴！”