Autumn Moon Over the Calm Lake

Autumn Moon Over the Calm Lake (平湖秋月) is a Chinese folk song that was written by Lü Wencheng in the 1930s and is considered his most representative piece. He composed the music on a visit to the famous West Lake in Hangzhou, and is a sublime expression of his veneration for the beauty and grace of the scenery. The West Lake has been considered since the ancient times as a gorgeous place of tranquility, and the music illustrates the atmosphere and feel of the place with placid suppleness. Wencheng incorporated elements of the Zhejiang folk music with the Guangdong style for which he is most famous for. A piano transcription was written by Chen Peixun and is popular in the repertoire of many Chinese pianists.