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Hsu Yuan-chieh (1196–1245) was a native of Shangjao in Kiangsi province. At the Southern Sung capital in Hangchou he was known for his outspoken views, but he still managed to serve as vice-minister in the Court of Imperial Sacrifices and also in the Ministry of Works. Here, he describes Hangchou’s West Lake on a fine day in late spring. The lake was created during the previous four centuries by dredging its mud to create several small islands and a series of dikes. When the Sung dynasty transferred its capital to Hangchou, the city’s new lake soon became the talk of the country. And despite its relatively small size—four square miles—it has remained the most famous lake in China.

On the Lake

HSU YUAN-CHIEH

Orioles chatter madly in trees of red blossoms

egrets converge on a lake of tall grass

everyone loves a clear mild day

boats return at dusk on waves of flutes and drums