苏轼 wrote the two poems in 1073, as deputy prefect of
杭州. The second is the famous one:
水光潋滟晴方好，
山色空蒙雨亦奇。
欲把西湖比西子，
淡妆浓抹总相宜。 'The shimmering water is lovely in sunshine; the misty hills are wonderful in rain too. Compare West Lake to Xizi: in light makeup or heavy, she always looks right.'
