Jiangnan in Yu Guangzhong

Yu Guangzhong claimed to be a "Jiangnan native", and he turned his love for Jiangnan into a poem entitled "The Water Town Now". He wrote:

Once upon a time, there was a small canal called Evergreen.

Ships come and go, flowing through the powder wall in the backyard.

Push open the wooden door.

It is a bright spot of Jiangnan water town.

A pile of stone steps inclined to the water.

Introduce my barefoot to Bobo.

Moss heard this cool surprise.

From upstream to downstream, all the paddles

All bridges, all fish and shrimp are enjoyment.

Then it disappeared into my memory.

Be captured by war and never look back.

Go back to Suzhou when you are old.

Ask all the new bridges and say they haven't seen them.

All the children said they didn't know.

Bow your head and ask for water.

I can't be seen by anyone.

I turned and set foot on my way home.

Almost gave up, but Wu Weng.

Pat me on the back to stop me.

Come with me, he said with a mysterious smile.

Then bring the leader to see me.

Follow the clues and ink laid by his wonderful hands all the way

Back to the small river bank in the backyard

Along the moss slate, level one

So I suddenly stepped into the river.

Until the water cools the muscles.

A fish recognized me and Paula jumped up.

In the poem, Yu Guangzhong brushed away the dusty memories and the dust of the years, detailing the Jiangnan dream in the flowing years: clear water, grass on the shore, the sound of paddling, the swimming of golden clothes and scales ... Young Yu Guangzhong wandered in this poetic world, dreaming of small bridges and flowing water, mossy slates and past paintings. ..... He tried to find traces of life in the remnants of history and lost himself in the scene before him, but the pace of modern civilization has defiled a river and green water, and the reality in the south of the Yangtze River has faded beyond recognition. Yu Guangzhong almost gave up when he was depressed. Unexpectedly, the painter Wu Guanzhong patted him on the shoulder, said "Come with me", and then led Yu Guangzhong into his paintings "following the clues and ink laid by wonderful hands" to appreciate the artistic conception of the beautiful scenery of the water town all the way. ...