Hometown of Lady Mochou

　　    “The Han River flows close by Stone City, whose towers rise above the river’s flow; where beauties dwell upon the lake, peach blossoms bloom as Mochou comes and goes.” Zhongxiang in ancient Ying, also known as Stone City, is the hometown of Lady Mochou, the renowned Chu dynasty singer and dancer celebrated throughout the ages. The Geographic Commentary records: “The three walls of the Ying Prefecture’s inner city were all naturally formed, with sheer cliffs to the west overlooking the Han River — hence the name Stone City.” Lady Mochou, surname Lu and given name Mochou, was gifted in song and dance. She first performed among the people before entering the court of the King of Chu. After enduring many hardships, she ultimately returned to the people. For over two thousand years, numerous beautiful and moving stories have been passed down in ancient Jingchu about Lady Mochou and the scenic sites associated with her — Mochou Village, Mochou Lake, Mochou Ferry, as well as the melodies “Spring Snow” and the platforms Yangchun Terrace and Baixue Tower.

　　    Lady Mochou became immortalized for her songs and dances. The Rongzhai Essays state: “Mochou was a native of Stone City in Ying Prefecture. Today, there is a Mochou Village where painters have captured her likeness, and many enthusiasts have copied her image to send far and wide.” Lady Mochou is recorded in official history, appearing in ancient Yuefu poetry collections and the “Stone City Music” and “Mochou Music.” The Book of Tang · Treatise on Music states: “‘Stone City’ was composed by Zang Zhi of the Song dynasty. Stone City is located in Jinglei, where Zang Zhi once served as prefect. Standing atop the city wall, he observed young people singing joyfully, and thus composed this tune.” “Mochou Music” originated from “Stone City Music.” There was a woman named Mochou in Stone City who excelled in song. The “Stone City Music · Harmony” also features a ‘Mochou’ refrain, hence the song goes: Where is Mochou? Mochou is west of Stone City. Paddles dip in the boat, hastening to bring Mochou here. In the winter of the 11th year of the Tianjian era (512), Emperor Wu of Liang modified the “Western Melodies,” transforming the Stone City “Mochou” piece, also called “Southern Barbarian Music.” Originally performed by sixteen dancers, it was adapted to eight under his reign. Many of Lady Mochou’s legends also spread from Western Chu to Eastern Wu. In Zhongxiang, they left behind cultural relics such as Mochou Village, Mochou Lake, and Mochou Ferry. The Song dynasty’s Wang Zhiwang wrote in A Record of Famous Sites: “Mochou Village lies west of the Han River, where peach blossoms abound, and when they fall in late spring, the flowing waters smell sweet.” The Chronicles of Zhongxiang County · Historical Sites section states: “Mochou Village is two li west of the Han River. In ancient times, the Han River flowed past the city site, with the village to its west being Mochou’s dwelling place. To the north of the city lies a lake adjacent to the village, known as Mochou Lake.” These historic sites have, for centuries, been cherished destinations frequented by literati and poets.

　　    The village where Lady Mochou lived was not originally called Mochou Village. Because peach blossoms bloomed there year after year, their reds clustering like clouds, people commonly referred to it as Peach Blossom Village. Adjacent to Peach Blossom Village was Mochou Lake, anciently called Canglang Lake. Peach Blossom Village and the Stone City’s western gate ferry landing on the cliffs across the river faced Baixue Tower and the Yangchun Terrace to its east, while the three Canglang Lakes to the north of the city were connected to the village via the river. Lady Mochou’s father, Lord Lu, made a living ferrying people across the Han River, while her mother planted mulberry trees and grew peaches in the village. On a stormy day in the early years of King Xiang of Chu, Lady Mochou was born in the cabin of a boat moored at the riverbank ferry of Peach Blossom Village. As soon as she was born, she cried incessantly. Her father held her and soothed her: “Don’t cry, don’t cry, don’t grieve, don’t grieve, don’t worry, don’t worry!” Upon hearing the words “don’t worry,” her crying stopped abruptly. So he named her Mochou. “Golden sparrow hairpins and jade hair combs, yet born to be called Mochou.” (Ming Dynasty, Zhang Ning) Mochou was born amidst storms and grew up riding the waves, drinking water from the Han River and eating food from Peach Blossom Village. Sometimes she would go with the village girls to pick water chestnuts and lotus pods on the shimmering surface of Canglang Lake, sometimes she would go to town with her parents to sell peaches, sometimes she would row and paddle boats on the river and lake, and sometimes she would practice dancing and singing on Yangchun Terrace and Baixue Tower. She had a sweet and clear voice and could learn any melody from Ying City with ease. By the time she turned fifteen or sixteen, she had blossomed like a lotus rising from Canglang Lake — slender waist, graceful figure, dimpled smile, cheeks flushed like fresh flower petals; her beauty was like white flower buds tinged with red, her movements as light and graceful as colorful clouds borne by the wind; her golden voice sang like jeweled tones, and her dancing sleeves billowed like rainbows. Lotus pods carried her fragrance, and river waves echoed her voice. With guidance and support from Qu Yuan and Song Yu, she studied ancient lofty melodies, blended Chu poetic music, and following the great musician Liu Juanzi, completed the rarely harmonized classic “Spring Snow,” bringing it into song and performance. Lady Mochou’s reputation in song and dance reached the court of the King of Chu. King Xiang of Chu summoned her to the palace to serve as a court dancer and exiled her fiancé, Wang Xiangge from the eastern neighborhood, to Yangzhou. Yangzhou was thousands of li away from Ying City, making this exile effectively a permanent separation. The ancient “Mochou Music” depicts the sorrowful scene of Mochou bidding farewell to Wang Xiangge on the Han River: “I hear my love has gone to Yangzhou, I see him off atop the Chu hills. I reach out to hold his waist and gaze, yet the river water won’t flow!” The surging waves of the Han River could not wash away Mochou’s sorrow. Watching the boat carrying Xiangge disappear into the distance, she, in anger, threw herself from Baixue Tower into the Han River. To commemorate her, Peach Blossom Village was renamed Mochou Village, Canglang Lake became Mochou Lake, and the ferry landing below Baixue Tower, where she tied up her boat and climbed the rocks, was called Mochou Ferry.

　　   “Of all sorrows none is sadder than parting, of all joys none is greater than new friendship.” (Qu Yuan, “Nine Songs · The Lesser Minister of State”) Legend says Lady Mochou did not die. She was rescued by fishermen on the Han River and went in search of Qu Yuan and Wang Xiangge, drifting from river to lake with no fixed abode, truly returning to the people. “Mochou Music” sings: “Every household welcomes Mochou, everyone speaks of Mochou; every word of Mochou’s song imprints itself upon the heart!” Through the generations, poems, lyrics, songs, and essays about Lady Mochou, Mochou Village, Mochou Lake, Mochou Ferry, Yangchun Terrace, and Baixue Tower have vividly recorded her legacy. For example, the Tang poet Li Shangyin wrote: “Amid snow and flowers, with whom can one share the view? Ten thousand plum and snow blossoms blend as one. Were there no boats at Stone City, Mochou would still know sorrow.” The Tang poet Zheng Gu wrote: “Stone City was once the land of Mochou, but her spirit scattered and the city fell to waste. Sails come and go amid vast winds, flowers bloom and fade in a mournful spring.” The Song poet Wang Zhiwang wrote: “At Canglang Ferry, the land of Mochou, ten thousand acres lie in cold mist and falling frost. Esteemed sir, cherish your guest’s heart — drink this lonely wine as the sun slants low.” The Song poet Zhou Mi wrote in the ci poem “Apricot Blossom Sky · In Praise of Mochou”: “Auspicious clouds coil, emerald hues graze the fragrant brow; tender brows like willow cannot contain accumulated sorrow. Who has painted with the spring breeze’s brush to revive the soul, to depict Ying City? After she left, the weeping willows remain green; dreams of song and dance leave no trace. Sorrow follows the paddles north and south of the river, as evening winds rage around Stone City.” The Ming poet Wang Shizhen wrote: “Leaning on a white-nosed horsewhip, I circle the emerald peach blossoms by the ferry. My journey leaves me no time to ask — I go straight to visit Mochou’s home.” The Qing poet Liu Zehong wrote: “West of Stone City lies Mochou Lake — who says the woman of old was surnamed Lu? Trying to dispel sorrow, she only finds more at Mochou Lake, sorrow that even Mochou cannot dispel.” The Qing poet Li Su wrote in “Viewing Peach Blossoms at Mochou Village”: “The southern belle named Mochou, even today grows where fragrant isles lie. Her enchanting spirit forbids the spring wind to rest, scattering as drifting peach petals.” Together, poetry and prose have spread her fame, and both person and place carry enduring glory. Just as Yangchun Terrace, Baixue Tower, the elegant melody “Spring Snow,” and Song Yu are celebrated through the ages, Mochou Village, Mochou Lake, and Mochou Ferry, along with Lady Mochou, have gained everlasting renown.

　　    In those days, the Han River flowed tightly against Stone City in Ying; in those days, Mochou Lake spanned thousands of acres of azure water. With the changes of time, the Han River shifted westward, five li away from the city; Mochou Lake also underwent corresponding transformations. The Treatise on the Advantages and Disadvantages of the Commanderies and States states: “The old course of the Han River pressed close to the prefectural city and flowed downward. In the early years of the Jiajing reign of the Ming dynasty, it moved, with the new main channel winding east along the mountain bay, growing ever farther from the city.” The Chronicles of Zhongxiang County · Geography states: “Ever since the construction of the Xianling Mausoleum, Emperor Shizong of the Ming dynasty, influenced by feng shui beliefs, blocked the Aokou, forcing the Han River to shift southward. The Ao River now flows directly into the Han, no longer reaching Mochou Lake.” What was once Mochou Lake, stretching across both east and west banks of the Han River, and Mochou Village, covered in peach blossoms, are now both located on the east bank of the Han River. The present-day Wenji Town on the west bank of the Han River still preserves ancient Chu customs — not only are there stretches of peach orchards along the river, but the Chu totemic dance “Phoenix Dance” has also been passed down. Mochou Lake, due to land reclamation projects, has over time been reduced to a body of water covering approximately two square kilometers with a water storage capacity of about ten million cubic meters. On the reclaimed former course of the Han River, modern cotton mills and waterworks have been built. The young women working in these factories — the new generation of Mochou Girls — are vigorously contributing their youth to the nation’s construction, showcasing vibrant and flourishing spirits.

　　    To the northeast of Mochou Lake lies the Ming dynasty’s Fifteen Tombs — the Xianling Mausoleum, which is connected to the lake by a winding stream. Every year in the third lunar month of spring, peach blossoms along the lakeshore bloom even more profusely; in summer and autumn, groups of girls gather to wash clothes, sing, and harvest water chestnuts and lotus pods on the lake. To the south shore of the lake lies a willow-lined embankment, offering picturesque scenery, perfect for leisurely fishing and endless enjoyment. The Zhongxiang municipal government has prioritized the development of Mochou Lake Park in its urban planning. The future Mochou Lake will surely have clearer waters, more vibrant flowers, and even more beautiful scenery, attracting even more visitors and guests from near and far.