Walking along a little path,
I find a footprint on the moss,
A white cloud low on the quiet lake,
Grasses that sweeten an idle door,
A pine grown greener with the rain,
A brook that comes from a mountain source -
And, mingling with Truth among the flowers,
I have forgotten what to say.
Original Poem:
「寻南溪常道士」
刘长卿
一路经行处，莓苔见屐痕。
白云依静渚，芳草闭闲门。
过雨看松色，随山到水源。
溪花与禅意，相对亦忘言。
Interpretation:
This poem is about the poet’s visit to Nanxi Mountain to see Taoist priest Chang, through the depiction of the quiet scenery seen along the way, showing the idle life of Taoist priest Chang and the poet’s preference for this kind of mood.
The poet was looking for the Taoist priest, and when he went all the way, he saw footprints in the berries and moss. Since the road is covered with berries and moss, it can be seen that this is a place where people rarely go. White clouds float into the water on a small island, the grass covers the closed door of the house. Here, both the distant view and the near view are written: the long white clouds surround the quiet island, which is the distant view; the door of the Taoist priest’s place of residence is quietly closed, and the grass outside the door is luxuriant, which is the near view. The distant view and the near view all emphasize the word “quiet”.
The poet watched the pines and cypresses after the rain, and then followed the mountain road to the source of the water. In the process of searching for the Taoist priest, the poet is interested in watching the color of the pine forest after the rain. And what exactly is the color of the forest after rain? The poet does not tell, leaving the reader to realize it for himself. After the rain, the stream gurgles, and following the mountain, the poet can find the source of the stream. The flowers and plants by the stream seem to be Zen, and they no longer need any words to face the people. In the end, the poet writes that he has found the Taoist priest, and according to common sense, the two of them have a lot to say when they meet. However, the poet and the Taoist priest have nothing to say to each other, which is the interest of this poem.
From the perspective of the whole poem, the search for the Taoist priest is only a cause, and the poet’s appreciation of the Taoist priest’s secluded environment is the purpose. Therefore, this poem is fresh and picturesque, with a tranquil mood and a natural tone, showing the poet’s unique character in writing scenery.
About the poet:
Liu Zhangqing (刘长卿-) was a native of Xian County, Hebei Province. He studied at Mt. Songshan when he was young, and later moved to Jiangxi, where he received his bachelor’s degree in 733 A.D. He also belonged to the Wang and Meng school of poetry. His poems belonged to the school of Wang and Meng, and he was most famous for his five-character poems, and was also most conceited, once thinking that he was “the Great Wall of five-character poems”, which meant that no one could surpass him.
Poem translator:
Kiang Kanghu
