Guan Hanqing also known by his literary name Yizhai Sou, was born in Dadu (today's Beijing). Having extensive theater experience, Guan was the most famous playwright of the Yuan dynasty. Of the more than 60 plays he wrote only over 10 have survived. In his sanqu poetry, he mainly depicts love and the sorrows of parting in an earnest and straightforward manner. The colloquialism he used helps to polish a plain and natural style. Yet, compared with his plays, his sanqu poetry is of inferior quality.
关汉卿 号已斋叟，大都（今北京）人。元代最著名的杂剧作家，有丰富的舞台实践经验。所作杂剧六十多种，现存十多种。散曲多写离愁别恨与爱情生活，感情真挚而表现大胆。喜用通俗口语入曲，风格朴素自然。然而散曲成就不及杂剧。
Leisure (4) to the tune of Four Pieces of Jade
四块玉·闲适（四）
Tao the powt once plows the southern drills,
南亩耕，
Xie the scholar once dwells among the eastern hill.
东山卧，
Too many to narrate the things of worldly kind,
世态人情经历多。
Calmly I try to measure them in my mind.
闲将往事思量过：
O.K. Let's believe he is the saint,
贤的是他，
And I am the fool, so our life
愚的是我，
Is prevented from a competitive strife.
争什么？