Zeng Rui styled Ruiqing, also known by his literary name Hefu, was born in Daxing County of Hebei Province. His family later moved to Hangzhou. Taking no interest in serving as an official, he contented himself with wandering in the city. Zeng was a follower of Fan Kuan in landscape painting and a master of making riddles. His Sanqu poems are mostyly about the life of boudoir women.
曹瑞 字瑞卿，号福夫，河北大兴人，后移家杭州。不仕，优游于市井。瑞工画山水，学范宽；又善隐语，工小曲。散曲多写闺情之作。
Lamenting the Times (1) to the tune of Sheep on the Hillside
山坡羊·叹世（一）
Profit-making begins at a cock's crow
鸡鸣为利，
And ends as ravens back to their nests go.
鸦栖收计，
When do we have enough time to sleep?
几曾得觉囫囵睡。
We against others plotting keep,
使心机，
Profane gods and the sublime,
昧神祇，
How monstrous is our crime!
区区造下弥天罪，
Rank and wealth is but a spring dream.
富贵一场春梦里。
Money--
财，
bubbles in waters;
沤泛水；
Men--
人，
foreverdamned in hellish quarters.
泉下鬼。