Yuan Dynasty
蟾宫曲·叹世
Chán gōng qǔ · Tàn shì
Dōng lí bàn shì cuō tuó, zhú lǐ yóu tíng, xiǎo yǔ pó suō.
Yǒu ge chí táng, xǐng shí yú dí, zuì hòu yú gē.
Yán Zǐlíng tā yīng xiào wǒ, Mèng Guāng tái wǒ dài xué tā.
Xiào wǒ rú hé? Dào dà jiāng hú, yě bì fēng bō.
Translation
Half my life has slipped away by the eastern hedge. Among bamboo stands a small pavilion, and my humble house is at ease. There is a pond here: when sober, I hear a fisherman’s flute; after wine, a fisherman’s song. Yan Ziling would perhaps laugh at me for not withdrawing far enough; I wish to learn from Meng Guang and live simply in quiet devotion. Let him laugh. Even in the wide rivers and lakes, one may still keep away from storms.
Analysis
This is a poem of withdrawal, but not of triumphant escape. The speaker builds a modest world of bamboo, pond, flute, song, and wine, while also admitting that classical recluses might laugh at him. The point is not perfect seclusion, but practical self-preservation. “Even in the vast rivers and lakes, one may avoid storms” gives the poem its mature tone: retreat is not a place, but a way of refusing needless entanglement.
About the Author
Ma Zhiyuan was a leading Yuan sanqu and zaju writer. His works often reflect travel, disillusionment with fame, the brevity of life, and the desire for withdrawal. His style combines colloquial directness with emotional depth.