My hero, time has graced us with silver hair,
We compete to attain enlightenment under the Bodhi tree, each vying to be the one hundred and eighth relic.
Buddha says, one must give up for the other to ascend,
But our resolve has traversed ten thousand springs and autumns.

My hero, the ground beneath our feet is littered with corpses.
Who spoke of slaying demons? Who claimed to be the sole hero of humans?
Our blades terrify demons and chill angels alike.
We now stand on the top, unobstructed by any monster.
Then who is truly our opponent?

My hero, this is why we came,
We’ve quarrelled for a millennium over who would summit first.
Now, with no more peaks to conquer,
What meaning does it hold?
Why not descend together,
Side by side, let us journey down.

4 September 2022 in Cambridge

To a friend who loves to compete

与你登顶

英雄啊，岁月已赐给我们白头
我们争相在菩提树前坐化，只为谁先成为第一百零八颗舍利子
佛说，要等我们其中一个放弃
可我们的决心已踏过了一万个春秋

英雄啊，我们的脚下已尸横遍野
是谁要说斩妖除魔？是谁说要做人类唯一的英雄？
我们的刀锋，让魔鬼也害怕，让天使也胆寒
我们终于站在一个平台上，再也没有怪物阻挡我们的道路
那谁才是我们真正的对手？

英雄啊，这就是我们来的目的啊
我们为了谁先登顶，已争执了千年
如今你我再也无高峰可攀，
你看这有什么意义？
不如一齐下山，
你我同行

2022年9月4日于剑桥