There, he saw a bride on donkey and a wedding band. Seeing that it was a blissful occasion, Emperor Qianlong was delighted. However, the situation got serious since neither of the teams was willing to give way to the other. The emperor then thought of a way to solve the problem. He said to the bride: "Not only would I like to give way to you, but also I would like to lend you my own sedan for your wedding if you make up a poem for me." The bride agreed, not knowing who he was.

She recited the following: "Watching that you are on your tour, and I am on mine/It is not very clear who is the host on the road;/Watching that you are on your sedan, and I am on my donkey/It is very clear which vehicle is better for my wedding;/Watching the situation your honor must be very generous/And lend me your sedan instead of my animal;/Watching that both of us are stuck in the middle of the road/It is of no difference who is humble and who is noble." Emperor Qianlong, astonished that a village woman had such deep thoughts on life, lent her his showy sedan for the wedding. His gesture made the wedding ceremony so spectacular that subsequent weddings also adopted sedans -- however simple -- to carry the bride. The custom was practiced until the 1930s. And, even now, such sedans can be found at parades during major Chinese festivals.