In Huizhou (1156-1160)

Summary

Walking in the evening in West Garden

The slight chill intensifies in the evening's darkness;

Flowers fall in the courtyard, resenting spring's end.

The wind opens red and blue flowers and blows them down later;

Although the same spring wind, he's definitely of two minds!

(59)

In the morning I set off from Zhuxia

We tie up our baggage in the morning, then brave the early cold;

I sit astride my horse's saddle, to relieve my weariness a bit.

After a while we encounter a sparse, light fog,

Which sometimes permits a glance at layer after layer of mountains.

Green catkins, blown by mist, hover above straight trees;

Green ripples appear on the creek's water under a curving bridge.

Clear-throated birds sing over and over as if to welcome this guest,

Just when my mind is somewhere - between emotion and thought.

(59)

A further ballad on collecting taxes

An old peasant's fields lie fallow in the autumn rain;

Formerly on a high bank, they're covered by river water now.

A tenant farmer like him is always starving,

And he knows all too well he can't pay rent or taxes.

Ever since the latest governor arrived at his post,

Tax remissions have been canceled and new bills press payment.

The peasant sold his family's clothes to make good his debts;

Though his sickly family froze, he avoided trouble a while. […]