1.草原

Lesson One

Three Ancient Poems

Rural Senses in Four Seasons (XXXI)

[the Song Dynasty] Fan Chengda

Weeding in the fields during the day, twisting hemp thread at home at night,

Men and women in the village have their own housework.

Although children can’t farm and weave,

They also learn to grow melons in the shade of mulberry trees.

Child Playing Ice

[the Song Dynasty] Yang Wanli

Children get up in the morning and take the ice frozen in the copper basin out,

Which was strung with color thread as Zheng.

The sound was like a jade chime through the woods.

Suddenly, the ice is broken to the ground, making a sound like jade falling.

Rural Scene at Dusk

[the Song Dynasty] Lei Zhen

Green grass overgrows the shore of the brimming pool;

The sun pecked by hills sinks into ripples cool.

A cowherd comes back astride on a buffalo;

He blows on his short flute a tune he may not know.