Reminiscences of Chengdu (怀成都十韵诗)
Lu You (陸游, 1125–1210), Song Dynasty (960–1279)
Handscroll, ink on paper, 34.6 x 82.4 cm, The Palace Museum, Beijing
This scroll is a seven-character ancient poem by Lu You, transcribed by himself for a friend in his later years. The content depicts the author’s life and surroundings when he was about 50 years old, serving as an official in Chengdu. The style of the poem is bold and grand, with a vigorous and concise writing that is also spiritually enlightening. It can be said that it embodies the dual beauty of lyrical expression and refined calligraphy.
釋文：放翁五十猶豪縱，錦城一覺繁華夢。竹葉春醪碧玉壺，桃花駿馬青絲鞚。鬥雞南市各分朋，射雉西郊常命中。壯士臂立綠絛鷹，佳人袍畫金泥鳳。椽燭那知夜漏殘，銀貂不管晨霜重。一梢紅破海棠回，數蕊香新早梅動。酒徒詩社朝暮忙，日月匆匆迭賓送。浮世堪驚老已成，虛名自笑今何用。歸來山捨萬事空，臥聽糟床酒鳴甕。北窗風雨耿青燈，舊遊欲説無人共。省庵兄以爲此篇在集中稍可觀，因命冩之。游。