The translation is as follows:
There are still people in the world who like to write fat strokes of Chinese characters. This kind of character is like thick-skinned steamed bread. I can't say it tastes bad, but the shape is too ugly. The law of writing has been lost for fifty years. Recently (some people) have a little knowledge of calligraphy "writing", but I'm afraid there are not three or two people who can reach the level of the previous generation. Most of the previous generations were calligraphy experts, but only those who have both ability and political integrity have survived to this day. Later generations don't understand this truth, but only pursue it in the superficial sense of "calligraphy", but they don't know that there were countless (too many) people who were good at calligraphy together with his books. Suppose Yan Zhenqing's calligraphy is not good, but future generations (because they respect his character) will cherish his calligraphy. Yang Ningshi (873-954). The calligraphers of the Five Dynasties A.D., Tang Dynasty, Jin Dynasty, Han Dynasty, Wu Zhou Dynasty and the History of the Old Five Dynasties [Yang Ningshi Biography] persuaded his father with straightforward words (because the history of the Old Five Dynasties is not at hand, this matter needs to be verified) that his noble conduct was presented at a difficult and crucial time. Li Jianzhong (945- 19 13. The calligrapher in the early Song Dynasty was cautious and gentle, which made people who loved his calligraphy fondle admiringly. Isn't it because of these that their books have been circulated to this day? Not all the people with both ability and political integrity in the previous generation were masters of calligraphy, because only the wise men were remembered, and the rest disappeared with the passage of time, and future generations would never see them again.