Su Shi was a writer, poet, artist, calligrapher, pharmacologist, and one of the major poets of the Song era. His courtesy name was Zizhan and his pseudonym was Dongpo Jushi. Besides his renowned poetry, his other extant writings are of great value in the understanding of 11th century Chinese travel literature.

苏轼，字子瞻，号东坡居士，文学家、诗人、书画家、药理学家。宋代大诗人之一。除了有诗作流传于世，苏轼的散文对理解中国11世纪的旅行文学有重要价值。

下面是苏轼代表作之一，《水调歌头·明月几时有》：

丙辰中秋，欢饮达旦，大醉，作此篇，兼怀子由。

Mid-autumn of the Bing Chen year, having been drinking happily over night, I'm drunk, so I write this poem for memorising my brother, Zi You.

明月几时有，把酒问青天。不知天上宫阙，今夕是何年。我欲乘风归去，又恐琼楼玉宇，高处不胜寒。起舞弄清影，何似在人间。

Bright moon, when did you appear? Lifting my wine, I question the dark night sky. Tonight in the palaces and halls of heaven what year is it, I wonder? I would like to ride the wind, make my home there. Only I hide in a jade room of a beautiful mansion. As I could not bear the cold of high altitudes. So I rise and dance and play in your pure beams, this human world — how can it compare with yours?

转朱阁，低绮户，照无眠。不应有恨，何事长向别时圆？人有悲欢离合，月有阴晴圆缺，此事古难全。但愿人长久，千里共婵娟。

Circling red chambers, low in the curtained door, you shine on the sleepless. Surely you bear us no ill will —why then must you be so round at times when we humans are parted! People have their griefs and joys, their togetherness and separation. The moon has its dark and clear times, its waxings and wanings. Situations are never ideal since long ago. I only hope we two may have long long lives. So that we may share the moon's beauty even though we are a three hundred miles apart.