English Original
A civilian named Shentu Dun in Luoyang obtained an unearthed bronze tripod from the Han Dynasty.
On its surface, the crisscross designs of clouds and ancient hornless dragons were bright and clear. His neighbor, Lu Sheng, admired it instantly. He commissioned a coppersmith to cast an imitation, soaked it in a special decoction, and buried it underground.
Three years later, he unearthed it. The concoction and soil corrosion had altered the copper's surface, making it remarkably similar to Shentu Dun's genuine artifact.
One day, Lu Sheng presented the fake tripod to an influential official. Delighted as if he had found a treasure, the official hosted a banquet for his guests to admire it.
Shentu Dun, also present, knew the truth. He said, "I have a tripod of similar shape, but I cannot tell which is genuine."
The official immediately asked him to fetch it. After a lengthy examination, the official declared, "This one is not genuine."
The guests all chimed in agreement: "It is indeed not genuine."
Though perturbed, Shentu Dun argued on just grounds. The others rallied to attack, ridicule, and insult him, so he fell silent.
Returning home, he sighed, "Until today, I did not understand the power of authority—how it can confound right with wrong and pass off the fake as real."
中文翻译
洛阳有一位平民叫申屠敦，得到了一尊出土的汉代青铜鼎。
鼎上云纹与螭纹交错，清晰鲜明。他的邻居鲁生一见便十分喜爱，于是请铜匠仿铸了一尊，用一种奇特的药液浸染后，埋入地下。
三年后，他将鼎挖出。药液与泥土的侵蚀使铜器表面发生了变化，看起来与申屠敦的真鼎极其相似。
一日，鲁生将这尊假鼎献给一位权贵。权贵如获至宝，大宴宾客，请大家共同鉴赏。
当时申屠敦也在座。他心知那是赝品，便说道：“我也有一尊形制相似的汉鼎，但不知哪一尊是真。”
权贵立即命他取来。端详良久后，权贵断言：“这尊不是真的！”
众宾客纷纷附和：“的确不是真的！”
申屠敦心中愤懑，据理争辩。众人却群起而攻之，对他冷嘲热讽乃至羞辱，他只好沉默。
回到家，他叹息道：“我今天才明白权势的威力——竟能颠倒是非，以假乱真。”