1. 当此，则自欲将已往所赖天恩祖德，锦衣纨袴之时，饫甘餍肥之日，背父兄教育之恩，负师友规谈之德，以至今日一技无成，半生潦倒之罪，编述一集，以告天下人：我之罪固不免，然闺阁中本自历历有人，万不可因我之不肖，自护己短，一并使其泯灭也。
I decided then to make known to all how I, though dressed in silks and delicately nurtured thanks to the Imperial favour and my ancestors` virtue, had nevertheless ignored the kindly guidance of my elders as well as the good advice of teachers and friends, with the result that I had wasted half my life and not acquired a single skill.