A few cherry blossoms appear and the river begins to warm up. A group of friends with their servants in train travel down the river bank to sit and watch the reeds and the wild ducks, the dancing butterflies, the fish leaping and the boats sailing by. In moments of high spirits they pretend to be fishermen, or they lie down and have a snooze.
竹外桃花三兩枝，春江水暖鴨先知；三五好友，帶著童子七八，行到江邊水湄，坐看溪蘆野鴨、晴春蝶舞、群魚戲藻、春江帆飽；興致來時，何妨暫作煙波釣叟，蓬窗高臥。