Chuzhou City is surrounded by mountains. The peaks, woods and valleys on its southwest side are particularly beautiful. Looking from a distance, the one with lush trees, deep and beautiful is Langya Mountain. After walking for six or seven miles along the mountain road, you gradually heard the sound of gurgling water. What poured out from between the two peaks was Ningquan. As the mountain winds around and the road turns, there is a pavilion with its corners tilted up like a bird spreading its wings. Located above the spring is the Drunkard Pavilion. Who built the pavilion? It is Zhixian, the monk in the mountain. Who named it? The prefect named it after his own nickname (Drunkard). The prefect and his guests came here to drink. After drinking a little, they got drunk. He was the oldest, so he gave himself the nickname "Drunkard". The drunkard's interest lies not in drinking, but in the beautiful mountains and rivers. Appreciate the pleasure of landscape, understand it in your heart, and put it in drinking.
Just like when the sun comes out, the fog in the woods dissipates, and the dusk clouds gather back, the mountains become dim, either bright or dark, changing in different ways. These are mornings and evenings in the mountains. Wild flowers bloom, exuding a quiet fragrance, good trees have lush branches and leaves, forming a rich green shade, the wind is high and the frost is clear, the water level is low, and the rocks are exposed. These are the scenery of the four seasons in the mountains. Going up the mountain in the morning and returning in the evening, the scenery is different in four seasons, so the fun is endless.
As for people carrying things on their backs singing on the road, people walking resting under the trees, people in front calling, people behind saying yes, old people and children coming in an endless stream, this is Chuzhou people traveling. Go fishing in the stream, the stream is deep and the fish are fat, and use the water from the spring to make wine. The spring water is fragrant and the wine is clear. Game and wild vegetables from the mountains are staggered in front of you. This is a banquet held by the prefect. The pleasure of drinking at a banquet is not in the orchestral music. The shot hits the target, the chess player wins, the wine glasses and wine chips interact in a mixed manner, people sometimes stand, sometimes sit, making loud noises, and the guests are happy. Among the guests was the drunken prefect with an old face and gray hair.
Soon the sun set and the figures were scattered in all directions. The prefect returned and the guests followed. At this time, the woods were covered with thick shade and birds were chirping everywhere. After the tourists left, the birds were happy. However, birds only know the joy of mountains and forests, but they don't know the joy of people. People only know the joy of following the governor for fun, but they don't know that the governor enjoys the things he enjoys. The person who can enjoy happiness with everyone when he is drunk and can write about this happiness in articles when he wakes up is the prefect. Who is the governor? This is Ouyang Xiu from Luling.