收燈都人出城探春

When the lanterns were taken in, the people raced from the city gates to seek spring. To the south: the Yujin Garden, the outer school pond with its pavilions, the Yuxian Temple, then west past Longwan to the Yizhang Buddha Garden, the Wang Grand Preceptor Garden, the Meng Jingchu Garden before Fengsheng Temple, the Sili Bridge, the Wangniu Mound and the Sword-Carrier Temple. East from Longwan Bend outside Chenzhou Gate, gardens and pavilions were especially numerous. Outside Song Gate on the east: the Happy Forest, the Boqi Slope, the Sole Joy Mound, the Inkstone, the Spider Tower, the Mai Family Garden, the Wang Family Garden at Rainbow Bridge, the Eastern Imperial Park between Cao and Song Gates, and the Qianming Chongxia Nunnery. To the north: the Li Prince-Consort Garden. On the west, the great road through Xinzheng Gate ran straight past the Jinming Pool to the Daoist Institute on the west, its front lined with singing houses. Further west the Yanbin Tower had pavilions and winding ponds, swings and painted boats, where wine customers hired small boats for their outings. Across from it the Xiangqi Temple, and on to Banqiao, where the Jixian Tower and the Lianhua Tower served as guest lodges for officials posted to Hedong and the five circuits of Shaanxi — ordinary farewell banquets were held here. Past Banqiao: the Lower Pine Garden, the Wang Grand Preceptor Garden, the Apricot Blossom Mound. South of the Jinming Pool corner, the Tiger-Wing Lane water mill, below it the Cai Grand Preceptor Garden. South of the Horse-Washing Bridge, in the lane to the west, the Huayan Nunnery and the Wang Little Sister Wine Shop; north of the Golden Water River, the Liangzhe Nunnery, the Balou Temple, and the Propagation Garden with its four seasons of flowers and trees, splendid to behold. South to the Yao Liang Garden and the Tong Grand Preceptor Garden. South to the Iron Buddha Temple, the Hongfu Temple, and the east and west cypress and elm trees. North of the prefecture, the Motian Slope, the Corner Bridge to the Cangwang Temple, the Eighteen Shousheng Nunnery, and the Meng Siwu Wine Shop. Northwest of the prefecture there had long been the Commoner’s Garden, with its raised terrace and winding-stream pavilions, opened for spring viewing. In general, all the land around the capital was gardens and groves — within a hundred li, Meng says, scarcely anywhere lay deserted.

Then spring’s face filled the countryside; the warming air turned sunny; ten thousand flowers raced out; willows by the whitewashed walls trailed slantwise across the fine paths; fragrant carriage wheels rolled warm over the grass like cushions; spirited horses neighed proudly; apricot blossom was embroidered across the branches; orioles sang in the fragrant trees; swallows danced in the clear sky; robed figures made music in the storied pavilions and tiered towers; pale-faced youths walked singing by the painted bridges and flowing water; everywhere one looked were swinging frames and artful laughter, everywhere football kicked in wild delight; seeking fragrance and choosing the finest views, flower petals sometimes falling, golden goblets, snapped green sprigs, red blossoms tucked in hair, bees and butterflies secretly following the returning riders — and then, one after another, they came to the Qingming Festival.