Bamboo Flute
Fantastic China | 2023-06-12 | Views:5647
Bamboo Flute
by Fan Zuyu
Before the instrument, the phoenix once fed on its fine fruit.
Now sounding like a dragon, after transforming into a flute.
Pity that it wasn't discovered by Cai Yong.
Or ever played by Ma Rong.
Fan Zuyu (1041-1098), a famous historian and litterateur. In Chinese mythology, the phoenix is said to feed exclusively on bamboo seeds. Cai Yong mentioned in the poem was a poet and musician, while Ma Rong mentioned in the poem was a Confucian scholar and a litterateur.