Not knowing the way to the Temple of Heaped Fragrance,
Under miles of mountain-cloud I have wandered
Through ancient woods without a human track;
But now on the height I hear a bell.
A rillet sings over winding rocks,
The sun is tempered by green pines...
And at twilight, close to an emptying pool,
Thought can conquer the Passion-Dragon.
Original Poem:
「过香积寺」
王维
不知香积寺， 数里入云峰。
古木无人径， 深山何处钟。
泉声咽危石， 日色冷青松。
薄暮空潭曲， 安禅制毒龙。
Interpretation:
This poem is a travelogue.
The first four lines show that the poet does not know the exact location of the Heungji Temple, but still walks there in faith. The poem is a travelogue, but it also explains the location and environment of the temple – the temple is located in the depths of the cloud peaks, and the surrounding environment is simple and ancient. Up to this point, the poet has not mentioned a word about the temple. Walking in no one on the ancient path, the heart is a little doubt – the mountains really have a temple? Suddenly, I heard the faint sound of bells in the mountains, and realized that Xiangji Temple was indeed in the mountains.
The last two lines, the mountain spring in the lofty stone cracks flow, the sound of the spring can not be light and smooth, the sound is very much like if there is a whimpering sound. Here is the ancient wood of the mountains, everywhere is towering “pines”, daylight is not shining. And it is “twilight” time, the return of the setting sun painted in the green pine forest. This line very accurately grasp the characteristics of the scenery, the performance of God, constructed a quiet and deep, far away from the world mood.
The last two lines show that the poet finally arrived at the temple in the evening, faced with an empty and quiet pool, he could not help but think of the story in the Nirvana Sutra that a Buddhist monk subdued the poisonous dragon with his boundless Buddhist teachings. Thinking that the Buddha’s teachings can subdue the poisonous dragon and the world’s delusions, I can’t help but realize the depth of Zen theory. These two lines are mixed with Buddhist words, reflecting the poet’s sadness that he has always wanted to leave the world.
The title of the poem is about a mountain temple, but not a single word about the temple, but through the “cloudy peaks”, “ancient trees”, “deep mountains”, “the sound of bells”, “dangerous”, “the sound of the mountains”, “the sound of the bells”, “the sound of the mountains”, “the sound of the mountains”. However, the poem does not write a word about the temple, but through the description of “cloud peaks”, “ancient trees”, “deep mountains”, “the sound of bells”, “dangerous rocks”, “pines” and “empty pools” to show that the temple’s handwriting is extraordinary, deep, secluded and secluded.
Poem translator:
Kiang Kanghu
About the poet:
Wang Wei (王维), 701-761 A.D., was a native of Yuncheng, Shanxi Province. Wang Wei was a poet of landscape and idylls. His poems of landscape and idylls, with far-reaching images and mysterious meanings, were widely loved by readers in later generations, but Wang Wei never really became a man of landscape and idylls.
