Yuan Dynasty
鹦鹉曲·忆西湖
冯子振
吴侬生长西湖住，舣画舫听棹歌父。
苏堤万柳春残，曲院风荷番雨。
草萋萋一道腰裙，软绿断桥斜去。
判兴亡说向林逋，醉梅屋梅梢偃处。
Translation
I was born and raised by West Lake, mooring painted boats and listening to boatmen’s songs. Along Su Causeway, ten thousand willows have passed late spring; at Quyuan, wind over lotus turns beneath showers. The lush grass is like a soft green sash, slanting toward Broken Bridge. If one must judge rise and fall, tell it to Lin Bu instead — he lies drunk in his plum hut, where plum branches bend low.
Analysis
This song is a memory of West Lake not merely as scenery but as homeland. Su Causeway, Quyuan, Broken Bridge, and Lin Bu are cultural landmarks that gather willow, lotus, grass, and plum into a layered landscape. The closing turn toward Lin Bu transforms political rise and fall into reclusive contemplation. Rather than argue history, the speaker lets West Lake’s quiet beauty absorb it. The piece is both nostalgic and detached.
About the Author
Feng Zizhen was a Yuan dynasty sanqu poet known for learned, wide-ranging compositions. His “Yingwu Qu” sequence uses one tune pattern to explore landscapes, historical memory, and personal reflection.