《姑孰十咏·桓公井》|Ten Poems of Gushu·Huan Gong’s Well:

《姑孰十咏·桓公井》
桓公名已古，废井曾未竭。
石甃冷苍苔，寒泉湛孤月。
秋来桐暂落，春至桃还发。
路远人罕窥，谁能见清澈？

By Li Po (Tang Dynasty)
Huan Gong passed for ages,
Yet the old well has never run dry.
Stone walls chilled with green moss,
Cold spring water reflects the lonely moon.
In autumn, paulownia leaves briefly fall,
In spring, peach blossoms bloom anew.
The path is distant, and few come near,
Who can witness the clear waters?
(Translated 08/30)

**The Huan Gong Well was located on Baizhu Mountain, three kilometers east of Dangtu County. It is said to have been built by Huan Wen, the Grand Marshal of the Eastern Jin Dynasty. The well no longer exists today. **

This poem describes how the Huan Gong Well, though its water is cold and clear, has been neglected because it’s in a remote place. The poet’s sadness about the well’s neglect mirrors their own frustration at feeling overlooked.