顺治十年(1654)秋九月,吴伟业因清廷征召,被迫离乡北上。背负着“二心之仆”的舆论压力,其内心饱含自怨自艾的沉痛。抵达镇江之时,正逢天降雨雪,阴霾满空,更使他愁怀难解。又想到弘光元年(1645),清军攻过长江占领的首座要塞即是镇江,此后势如破竹,南明王朝随之土崩瓦解。城阙依旧,故国已亡,于是无限感喟涌上心头,写下《满江红.蒜山怀古》以抒遣胸中的哀悼之情: Shunzhi ten years (1654) Autumn September, Wu Wei Ye Qing for the call, forced to leave hometown. Burdened with “public opinion”, the pressure of public opinion, its heart full of self-pity grief. Arrived in Zhenjiang, coincides with the day of precipitation, haze sky full, but also make him unhappy embarrassed. Also think of the first year of Hongguang (1645), the Qing army captured the first fortress occupied by the Yangtze that is Zhenjiang, since the abuses, the Ming Dynasty will fall apart. The city still remains, so the country has died, so infinite sense Chung pour in my heart, wrote “River of Love.” Garrison nostalgia "to express my feelings in the chest of condolences: