#1305 — Lotus bud on the Grand Canal 小荷才露尖尖角

Good morning, afternoon, and evening, Today’s guzheng composition is inspired by my visit to Yangzhou, China, last month. Every morning, I took quiet walks along Slender West Lake, absorbing the city’s elegant landscape and rich history. I felt like I was living inside a painting—every direction I turned offered another view.Yangzhou is considered the birthplace of the Grand Canal. In 486 BC, King Fuchai of the State of Wu dug the Han Gou (邗沟) near Yangzhou to transport troops and grain. This is recognized as the “first spade” of the Grand Canal, marking the start of its 2,500-year history. If you are interested in this part of the history, the Grand Canal Museum is well worth a visit. Sitting next to a cluster of lotus flowers (pictured above) reminded me of a poem called A Small Pond by Yang Wanli (1127–1206 AD, Southern Song Dynasty):“The spring’s silent outflow trickles thin and slow;The trees cast shade on the water, loving the sun’s gentle glow.A tiny lotus bud has just shown its pointed peak—A dragonfly has already landed there, as if to seek.”(Translated by Totran Nguyen)宋代诗人杨万里的七言绝句 《小池》“泉眼无声惜细流，树阴照水爱晴柔。小荷才露尖尖角，早有蜻蜓立上头。”As Yangzhou is known as the Home of Guzheng, the guzheng I played in this recording comes from the renowned Yangzhou-based manufacturer, Jinyun Guzheng Company. In the next posts, I’ll share with you about their food 😋Wu Fei 吴非Wufeimusic.comWufeimusic.bandcamp.com This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wufeimusic.substack.com/subscribe