咏雪 Verses on Snow
Liu Yiqing (compiler) 刘义庆 · Liu Song, 5th century; a Jin anecdote
A family compares falling snow to salt and willow catkins, and a girl supplies the remembered answer.
谢太傅寒雪日内集，与儿女讲论文义。 xiè tài fù hán xuě rì nèi jí, yǔ ér nǚ jiǎng lùn wén yì.
Grand Tutor Xie held a family gathering on a cold, snowy day and discussed literature with the younger generation.
俄而雪骤，公欣然曰：“白雪纷纷何所似？” é ér xuě zhòu, gōng xīn rán yuē: “bái xuě fēn fēn hé suǒ sì?”
Soon the snow fell thickly, and he said with pleasure, “What does this flurry of white snow look like?”
兄子胡儿曰：“撒盐空中差可拟。” xiōng zǐ hú ér yuē: “sǎ yán kōng zhōng chā kě nǐ.”
His nephew Hu'er said, “Salt scattered in the air is a fair comparison.”
兄女曰：“未若柳絮因风起。” xiōng nǚ yuē: “wèi ruò liǔ xù yīn fēng qǐ.”
His niece said, “Better to say willow catkins rising on the wind.”
公大笑乐。 gōng dà xiào lè.
Xie laughed heartily with delight.
即公大兄无奕女，左将军王凝之妻也。 jí gōng dà xiōng wú yì nǚ, zuǒ jiàng jūn wáng níng zhī qī yě.
She was the daughter of Xie's eldest brother Wuyi and the wife of General of the Left Wang Ningzhi.