"Don't let the good days of spring and autumn pass, it's the worst for old friends to come in the wind and rain." It is a spacious courtyard with a nanmu hall in the northwest corner. This hall is used by the owner to receive guests. It used to be called Xuchun Hall. , has been changed to Guitang in recent years. It is estimated that neither of them was the old name of the He family. In the hall, there are couplets hanging on the pillars in front of you: Don't let the good days of spring and autumn pass, it is the worst for old friends to come in the rain.
It has always been said that it came from the Qing Dynasty. There are references to Good Days in the Spring and Autumn Period and Old Friends in the Wind and Rain. The former originated from Tao Yuanming's "Migration"; the latter was transformed from Du Fu's "Qiu Shu". Sun Xingyan was the second-ranked official in the fifty-second year of Qianlong's reign (1789) and served as chief envoy to Shandong. He is well-read, diligent in writing, in-depth study of literature, history, music and training, careful study of metal and stone tablets, seal script, official script, and seal engraving, and is the best at editing and engraving ancient books. Sun Xingyan was more than 80 years older than He Zhifan, and Jixiao Villa was built in the ninth year of Guangxu (1883). At this time, Sun Xingyan had passed away 65 years ago. This couplet could not have been inscribed by Sun Xingyan for the villa. It is a common practice to use ancient couplets in new houses. As long as the owner is satisfied with the couplets, it is understandable that they will copy them accordingly.
Who is the author?
The couplet in He Yuan and Guitang has no inscription, only the signature at the end: Peng Hong from Hunan. There are three pieces of information provided to people: first, the writer is a calligrapher; second, he is from Hunan; third, he may have some connection with Yangzhou. Fortunately, there is now "Baidu": Peng Hong (1914~?), courtesy name Gengyu, a native of Hengshan County, Hunan.