Yuan Dynasty
四块玉·浔阳江
马致远
送客时，秋江冷。
商女琵琶断肠声。
可知道司马和愁听。
月又明，酒又酲，
客乍醒。
Translation
At the moment of farewell, the autumn river is cold. A singing girl plays the pipa, every note breaking the heart. Does she know that the Sima is listening with sorrow too? The moon is bright again, the wine is heavy again; the traveler suddenly wakes from his drunkenness.
Analysis
This song deliberately echoes Bai Juyi’s “Pipa Xing.” Xunyang River, the pipa, the Sima, and the cold autumn night all recall the famous image of exile and grief. Ma Zhiyuan does not retell Bai Juyi’s poem. Instead, he selects a few charged moments—farewell, river cold, pipa sound, bright moon, drunken waking. The final awakening is not only from wine; it is also an awakening into loneliness and historical memory. The piece is brief, but its emotional field is wide.