Zhang Kejiu Styled Xiaoshan, was born in Qingyuan (today's Yin county of Zhejiang Province). Unsuccessful in his official career, Zhang found his sustenance in traveling in mountains and rivers. He devoted all his literary efforts to the writing of Sanqu poetry and never cared to write plays. Therefore the extant works of Sanqu poetry of Zhang outnumber any other poets of the Yuan dynasty. His poems are mainly descriptions of landscape and expressions of his unrestrained sentiments in a fresh and exquisite style. Zhang also distinguishes himself in combining the techniques of Shi and Ci poetry in writing Sanqu poetry. He pays special attention to the diction, meter, and flavor of poetry, which has a strong influence on later poets.
张可久 字小山，庆元（今浙江鄞县）人。仕途不得志，放浪于山水间。专致力于散曲，不写杂剧，是作品传世数量最多的元散曲作家。作品内容多歌唱山水风景，书写放逸情怀，风格清新秀丽，善于熔铸诗词作法入曲，讲究词藻、格律、韵味，对后世影响很大。
Untitled to the tune of Plucking Cassia
折桂令·次韵
I ask Xi Shi the beauty to accompany me west,
唤西施伴我西游，
Looking afar, lies the travelling way for the guest.
客路依依，
By the distant waters and amid the smoke vast
烟水悠悠，
With birds calling on trees green,
翠树啼鹃，
And in the blue sky the swans flying past.
青天旅雁，
And in company snow-white water birds seen.
白雪盟鸥。
Reclining against the pear tree, feeling sick of wine in throat,
人倚梨花病酒，
Under the bright moon, to the willows I tie my boat.
月明杨柳维舟。
I ascend the high tower to command a view,
试上层楼，
Of the greenness covering the south bank remote,
绿满江南，
There the red is reducing and spring looks melancholily blue.
红褪春愁。