The appearance of early spring in Suzhou
Chapter 1: Object and Image Records
Cherry blossom bud
Like thousands of stories waiting to be told
Adorned with branches,
The magnolia tree is in bloom
Like a lamp held high
Illuminating the path for wanderers returning home.
The bud tip of a papaya tree
Slipping out quietly from the vigorous old branches
That tender green,
It's like they want to express all the silence and guilt accumulated throughout the winter
Make up for all the shortcomings.
Wutong trees by the street
It is striving to sprout new leaves
The birds began to chirp and coo on the branches.
The sanitation worker swept away the last trace of dust,
The morning of a bright, clean, and livable modern city,
Leave it to the hurrying footsteps.
——
I intend to treat the scenery before me as historical records to write about,
This brings a sense of solemnity and responsibility.
Chapter 2: Morning Light Map
The high water mist sprayed out by the sanitation truck
Breaking through the first ray of dawn in early spring,
A rainbow
From the banks of the Tuo River to the side of the Bian River.
A three-wheeled cart for selling vegetables
They came from all directions,
Dew rolling on the green vegetables
It's even brighter than the neon lights in the city.
The urban management personnel bent over
Helping the elderly person lift the vegetable basket onto the steps,
No scolding, no stick.
Only with civilized guidance,
Only the gentle breeze and rain can penetrate into the heart.
This ordinary yet extraordinary scene,
Let the wanderer who has been wandering for many years,
Standing at the street corner, tears suddenly fell onto her face.
——
I want to capture the gentleness and beauty of the city
painting a picture of unparalleled beauty,
This brings scenery and treasures.
Chapter 3: Fireworks Song
The aroma of soup wafted over from the alley entrance,
Accompanied by the sizzling sound of steamed buns, deep-fried dough sticks, and fried dumplings.
The old man selling rice soup had fine sweat beading on his forehead,
Scooped up bowl by bowl
It's a decades-old, timeless and classic soup.
The queue for breakfast
The queue is neither too long nor too short,
The old man was strolling slowly, carrying a bottle of soybean milk.
The student is carrying a schoolbag
Biting into the meat bun with a big mouthful,
The office worker stood by the roadside, holding a bowl of bean curd jelly served with sauce,
Everyone's face was radiating with happiness.
In that light
There is steadiness and security,
There is the ordinary routine day after day,
It embodies the way ordinary people should live their lives.
This steamy morning
The smoke-filled streets and alleys
It's clearly presented by Suzhou
The simplest and most touching lines of poetry
——
I want to capture the bustling and lively atmosphere of the market in early February
Compose a melodious and enchanting score for fireworks,
This brings rhythm and singing
Chapter 4: Ode to Civilization
This is Suzhou,
It's the vibrant early spring that comes rushing towards us,
It is the human warmth ignited by the lights of countless homes,
It is the harmony where the people live and work in peace and contentment,
It is a triumphant song played by public servants generation after generation with their original aspiration.
The Bian River has been flowing for thousands of years,
What cannot be washed away is the fervor of this land;
The streets stretch for hundreds of miles,
What cannot be carried is the city's character of kindness.
The car in front yields to pedestrians at the zebra crossing,
Warming every ordinary moment;
Neighbors help and support each other,
It softens every ordinary moment.
"Deal with everyone, young or old, with honesty and integrity as the foundation.",
Every word and action should adhere to one's true self and inherent character;
"Embracing virtue and striving for goodness become a custom.",
Every bit and piece contribute to the galaxy of civilization.
The wind of harmony blows through every community,
Beautiful stories are softly told through time.
The sweat of several generations has deeply penetrated into every street and alley,
Countless hearts have been nurtured
The fragrant flowers of today's civilized city.
——
I will use my gaze as a pen and my inner voice as ink,
Inscribe the civilization of a city into the river of time,
This brings about inheritance and self-awareness.
Chapter 5: Root Pulse Chant
There are always people saying,
His hometown has become a foreign land,
The foreign land has become his hometown.
But I understand it better than anyone else,
No matter how far you go,
My heart is also connected to these mountains and rivers.
The soil of Suzhou,
It is a bond that is woven into the bloodline,
The sound of the flowing water of the Tuo River,
It is the longest bond in my dreams.
No matter how long or how far one wanders,
When returning, one should still adhere to their original aspirations.
Thank you, Suzhou,
Thanks to the dedication of several generations of people who have worked hard,
The appearance of early spring,
It has been deeply imprinted in the heart of the wanderer.
I am a seed drifting far away from the Bian River,
He is both a returnee and a wanderer,
Return, for my roots are here,
No matter how far one goes, the umbilical cord remains unbroken.
——
I want to return my soul to its home, the state of happiness,
Forever etched in my heart,
This brings us to the other shore, to a harbor.
Chapter 6: Ode to Long Journeys
We are about to return home,
May the wind of early February in spring
Nurture every plant and blade of grass, every inch of soil in your hometown.
May the lights of this city
It always warms every door and window of countless households.
To the fellow villagers of Suzhou,
Pass on the seeds of civilization from generation to generation,
Let the glory of civilized cities shine
It shines brightly year after year on the vast land of northern Anhui.
We're about to set off again,
Every departure,
It's not a journey alone,
Every farewell,
They are all about the glory and dreams that come from hard work and savings.
With hometown in my heart,
Wherever you go, there is always the strength to move forward.
Sailing far with hometown in my heart,
No matter where you go, you will always find your way back.
Suzhou,
On the streets in early February,
Your wanderer gazes deeply at you.
——
I want to write a poem titled "The Look of Early Spring in Suzhou"
Singing from all directions,
This brings the original intention and aspiration.
February 27, 2026
Introduction to Suzhou:
Located in the northern part of Anhui Province, this prefecture-level city was once the State of Su, serving as a vital waterway hub connecting Bian River. It is a historical site of the Chu and Han dynasties, renowned for its canal city status, and boasts a rich cultural heritage. In recent years, it has leveraged its strengths to achieve high-quality development, making steady progress: it has been awarded the title of National Civilized City for two consecutive times, has won the National Model City for the Ninth Time for the "Double Support" (supporting the military and supporting the people), and has been recognized as a National Smart City and China's Cloud Capital. Its GDP has surpassed the billion-yuan mark, ranking among the top in the province. The prefabricated food industry leads Anhui, and three counties have been ranked among the top 100 counties in China for development potential. With accessible transportation, a thriving ecology, booming industries, and improved people's livelihood, a modern Suzhou, where tradition and modernity coexist, and hard work and dreams fly together, is moving forward with confidence.
About the Author:
Mu Ran was born in Suzhou and has long been engaged in media publicity and theoretical research in the mainland and Hong Kong. He was formerly the executive vice president and chief editor of Hong Kong Satellite TV, and currently serves as the vice chairman of the Literature and Art Publishing House of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the executive president of the China Record News Agency.
"China Record" is a historical publication dedicated to promoting excellent traditional Chinese culture and documenting the social, economic, and cultural activities of Chinese communities in China and around the world. As an official member of the World Chinese Media Cooperation Alliance overseen by China News Service, "China Record" relies on the Alliance's Chinese media dissemination network spanning over 100 countries and regions worldwide to publicly distribute its bilingual Chinese-English publications to the world.