By LIU-Yong Translated by East-sea Fairy
As the capital of State Wu, city Suzhou,
has been distinguished from ancient times to the present.
I remember that when I toured here long ago
when I lived in Chang-an, Wei-an. I heard of a story that passes current
on till today. It tells that when sending the fairone Xi-shi to this place as a double agent,
Fan-li, the counselor of State Yue, swore a promise.
He promised that he would take her to boat all of the lakes under the firmament
after State Yue beat its enemy State Wu with prowess
and bigness.
Even today,
a myriad of beauties still come to this grassy island
to tour and play,
and collect kingfishers' feathers to make accessories great and grand.
The most enchanting thing is that when I scan the picturesque landscape of the southland
after the evening mist has thinned into thinness,
I find that in the bamboo groves by the ferry of yore, near the river strand,
the two or three hovels in oneness
slowly come to be visible with clearness.
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem