Yuan Dynasty
双鸳鸯 · 柳圈辞
王恽
暖烟飘，
绿杨桥，
旋结柔圈折细条。
都把发春闲懊恼，
碧波深处一时抛。
Translation
Warm mist drifts; by the bridge, green willows grow. Slender twigs are snapped and quickly woven into soft rings. All the idle vexations awakened by spring are thrown at once into the depths of the blue-green waves.
Analysis
"Double Mandarin Ducks · Willow Ring Song" depicts a spring waterside custom: breaking willow twigs, weaving them into rings, and casting them into the water to send away worry. In only a few lines, Wang Yun creates a fresh spring scene of mist, willows, bridge, movement, and flowing water. "Warm mist" and "green willow bridge" immediately establish the season. The atmosphere is soft, mild, and bright, far from the coldness of winter. The action of making willow rings is light and spontaneous. People break thin willow twigs and quickly form them into soft circles. The gesture feels like a spring outing game, but it also carries ritual meaning. The phrase "idle vexations awakened by spring" is central. Spring does not only bring joy. It can also stir restlessness, longing, melancholy, and vague dissatisfaction. The beauty of the season makes people more sensitive. The final line turns the willow ring into a vessel for emotion. By throwing it into the deep green water, the people symbolically throw away their spring worries. The act has the flavor of purification: old troubles are given to the water. The song's charm lies in its lightness. It does not analyze sorrow; it performs a small action to release it. A willow twig, a ring, and a river are enough to transform private unease into a spring ritual.
About the Author
Wang Yun, courtesy name Zhongmou and literary name Qiujian, was a Yuan dynasty writer and statesman from Jixian in Weizhou. He served during the reigns of Kublai Khan and later Yuan rulers, holding posts such as Hanlin compiler, censor, and Hanlin academician. Known for upright character, administrative diligence, and literary learning, he authored Qiujian Xiansheng Daquan Wenji. Wang Yun wrote poetry, prose, ci, and sanqu, and was an important literati sanqu writer of the early Yuan. His songs combine refined literary sensibility with fresh depictions of folk custom and natural scenery.