On account of his skill at calligraphy, Chen spent many a New Year in this fashion. As a successful scholar he was later able to recall this episode with pride, yet the bitterness and hurt still showed through in his words.
這段貧困交迫、鬻字過年的回憶，在他學術有成之後回憶起來，固然可堪自豪，筆下卻仍難免傷感與辛酸。