To Zhonggong Shilang's official slip, paper, running script, 31.7 x 54.4cm, collected by the National Palace Museum, Taipei
During the summer and autumn of the eighth year of Chunxi (1181), floods continued in eastern Zhejiang, causing serious famine. At that time, although Lu You had just resigned from Jiangxi and was living at home in eastern Zhejiang, he was very worried about the livelihood of the people. In December, Lu You wrote to Zhu Xi, who was going to handle disaster relief matters, and earnestly hoped that he would arrive as soon as possible to relieve the people's poverty. At the beginning of the next year (1182), when Zhu Xi took office and went to Wu (now Jinhua, Zhejiang) and Qu et al (now Qu County, Zhejiang) prefectures to inspect the disaster, Lu You wrote this letter to Zeng Diao (Zhong Gong in the letter). On the one hand, he congratulated him on his promotion, and on the other hand, he also hoped that the other party in the court could do something to deal with the floods in eastern Zhejiang at that time. His worries were beyond words.
Lu You worried about the country and its people throughout his life, and these emotions can often be seen in his letters and poems. From the sometimes plump and sometimes thin strokes of this ruler, the sideways and ups and downs of the rows, the rapidity and slowness of the brushwork, we seem to be able to feel the anxiety and restlessness in Lu You's heart. It is quite difficult to be so affectionate without any intention of seeking work.
