A Message from my Lodge at Wangchuan to Pei Di
July 6, 2023Under the lime tree
July 6, 2023A Green Stream
I have sailed the River of Yellow Flowers,
Borne by the channel of a green stream,
Rounding ten thousand turns through the mountains
On a journey of less than thirty miles….
Rapids hum over heaped rocks;
But where light grows dim in the thick pines,
The surface of an inlet sways with nut-horns
And weeds are lush along the banks.
…Down in my heart I have always been as pure
As this limpid water is….
Oh, to remain on a broad flat rock
And to cast a fishing-line forever!
Wang Wei
Wang Wei (701-761) was a Chinese poet, painter, and musician who is considered one of the most important figures of the Tang dynasty. Wei's poetry often dealt with themes of nature and the human condition, and his most famous works include "Deer Fence" and "The King of Chu at Shangyin." Wei was also a renowned painter and musician.