Chinese: 惜秦皇汉武，略输文采；唐宗宋祖，稍逊风骚。一代天骄，成吉思汗，只识弯弓射大雕。俱往矣，数风流人物，还看今朝。
English: Emperor Qin Shi Huang and Emperor Wu of Han, though remarkable in their achievements, somewhat lacked in literary grace; Emperor Taizong of Tang and Emperor Taizu of Song, though commendable in their elegance, still fall slightly short in their brilliance. The proud conqueror, Genghis Khan, knew only how to bend the bow and shoot great eagles. All of them are now bygone, and if you want to count the truly remarkable figures, look to the present age.