Han Mountain Woodcutters' Songs

　　　　Han Mountain is located slightly west of the southern bank of the Han River, about forty-five li from Hanzhong City. The mountain paths twist and turn, connected by stone steps. The village in front of the mountain, “Xiema Shop,” is said to have been named after Emperor Gaozu of Han once dismounted and rested there during his stay in Hanzhong. The mountain features sites such as Horse Saddle Peak, Qing Shan Valley, Yellow Grass Field, and Ox Egg Fortress. With rolling hills, crisscrossing valleys, terraced fields, and dense bamboo and trees, the scenery is picturesque and beautiful. Behind the mountain lie two springs, Yellow Dragon Spring and Black Dragon Spring, which provide a steady flow of water for irrigation and serve as important water sources for the mountain area.

　　　　Farmers in the vicinity of Han Mountain often gather in groups to cut firewood on the mountain during agricultural off-seasons. While laboring diligently, they sing loudly in a call-and-response style known as “singing mountain duets.” The beautiful scenery of Han Mountain and the woodcutters’ resonant songs echo through the valleys, drifting with the wind for miles. Together, they form a harmonious natural tableau—this is what the “poets” have praised as the “Han Mountain Woodcutters' Songs.”

　　　　However, the lives of poor farmers in the old society were not as idyllic as the “poets” imagined. Below are two folk songs that reveal the true essence of the “Han Mountain Woodcutters' Songs”: (1) A pole of firewood carried on both shoulders, (2) Both shoulders lift a load of firewood, yet the woodcutter has no firewood to burn, as violent storms descend from the sky.

　　　　The landlord feasts in his tall house, while the storm blows it flat to the ground, the woodcutter cuts wild grass on the slope—down below, red flowers bloom all over the hill.