第14章 西江月

路过海淀冰窖胡同，1952

今日平民混住，

当年内府群工。

冰砖堆砌窖藏中，

只为皇家享用。

世道而今变换，

平湖依旧冰封。

有谁水下顶寒风，

切割方形运送？

注：

西郊北京大学南门外向东不远，路南有一冰窖胡同。据说清朝时，派专人冬季在颐和园昆明湖上切割冰块，窖藏于冰窖胡同地下，夏季再运往皇宫，供消暑用。

Tune: The Moon over the West River

—Passing Bingjiao Hutong in Haidian district, 1952

A hotchpotch for civilians today,

Cabinet craftsmen convened hither.

Ice blocks were piled up in the cellar,

Exclusively to serve royal pleasure.

The world has changed now,

Though the lake is frozen as ever.

Do men still brave the cold in water,

To cut blocks icy and carry them away in summer?

Note:

Bingjiao Hutong lies not far from the south gate of Peking University in the western suburb to the east. It is said that in the Qing dynasty, people were asked to cut ice blocks on Kunming Lake in the Summer Palace on winter days, and stored them away underneath Bingjiao Hutong to be carried to the Imperial Palace in summer to relieve summer heat.