Levees From East to West
横 塘
南 浦 春 来 绿 一 川
石 桥 朱 塔 两 依 然。
年 年 送 客 横 塘 路
细 雨 锤 杨 系 画 船。
Heng Tang
Nan pu chun lai lu yi chuan
Shi qiao zhu at liang yi ran.
Nian nian song ke heng tang lu
Xi yu chui yang xi hua chuan.
Levees From East to West
In Nanpu spring arrives with all its greenery
The stone bridge and pearl-like pagoda like the old days.
This is where the visitors are sent off every year
Light rainfall on poplar trees and the painted boats.
Notes:
Nanpu area was in a southwest section of Suzhou city.
Nanpu can also literally mean the southern edge of a body of water that is flat and level.
Painted boats: The pleasure boats where the ladies sing and dance for the passengers.