禅诗：菩提本无树 Chan Poems: Originally, There is no Bodhi Tree

慧能（638-713）是中国佛教传统里最重要的任务之一。传统上，他被认为是禅宗六祖，也是禅宗的最后宗师。据说，他认为提倡佛教实践方式应该是即时与直接的；从这个角度来看，他可以说是南禅‘顿悟’派的创立者。

据说五祖弘忍大师（601-674）决定竞选六祖。弟子只要以一首诗来阐述他们对般若（智慧）的深刻了解就行了。大弟子神秀写了以下一首诗在墙上：


身是菩提树，心为明镜台；

时时勤拂拭，勿使惹尘埃。

五祖论述神秀的诗时认为它不能深入地进入世间有情众生的佛性‘空’及宇宙多样性的核心。这是因为在讲到现象的生灭、静垢，与戒定慧三学的增减时，还是含有二元观。

轮到慧能时，由于他不识字，所以一位师弟替他写在墙上：

菩提本无树，明镜亦非台；

本来无一物，何处惹尘埃。

虽然五祖认为慧能的是也没触到物性要点，但是从他把法衣长袍与化缘钵传给慧能就表示他的赞许。

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Huineng (638–713) is one of the most important figures in the Chinese Buddhism tradition. He has been traditionally viewed as the Sixth and Last Patriarch of Chan Buddhism. He is said to have advocated an immediate and direct approach to Buddhist practice and enlightenment, and in this regard, is considered the founder of the ‘Sudden Enlightenment’ southern Chan school of Buddhism. 

It is said that the fifth Patriarch Hong Ren (601-674) decided that he would choose the next Patriarch by means of a competition. Monks could write a poem about developing Prajna (wisdom) to show their depth of understanding. The most senior monk Shen Xiu wrote the following poem on the wall.

The body is the Bodhi tree;

The mind like the bright mirror.

Diligently wiping out the dust;

Let no dust alight.

The Patriarch commented that Shen Xiu’s work was not profound enough to penetrate utmost into the Emptiness of the Buddha-nature of sentient beings and the multiplicity of the cosmos. This is because it still involves the dualistic view of phenomena in terms of arising and ceasing, impurity and purity or increasing and decreasing in terms of three-fold training of morality, concentration and wisdom.

Next Huineng got a junior monk to write poetic reply on the wall for him since he was illiterate:

Originally, there is no Bodhi tree;

Neither is there the stand of the bright mirror.

Originally, everything is empty;

Where could the dust alight?

Although the Patriarch commented that Hui Neng’s poem also hadn’t seen the essential nature, he apparently felt that Hui Neng could make the grade when he passed the robe and begging bowl to Hui Neng.

杜甫：月兔捣药 Du Fu: The Moon Rabbit Pounds the Bitter Herbs

根据华人的生肖，2011年是兔年。听说把兔子和月亮联系起来带到中国，那时受到了印度佛教的影响。中国把月里的兔子与其它源于佛教的有关观念引进，叫它做‘玉兔’。据说它在神奇的桂树下制作长生不老之药。

实际上，月亮，酒与美女一向是中国诗人的热门题材。由于唐宋时代拜月之风很盛，千年之前的唐宋诗词不少就与这些题材有关。八世纪时的传奇诗人李白据说就是为了捞水里月亮的影子而死的。
另一个唐代诗人杜甫则以写传记式、历史性与记录战乱任何影响他的生活的诗而著名。就算是他不常见的提到玉兔的诗里，他也不忘记在西部沙漠里保卫国家的战士。

月(杜甫)

天上秋期近，人间月影清。
入河蟾不没，捣药兔长生。
只益丹心苦，能添白发明。
干戈知满地，休照国西营。
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According to the Chinese Zodiac, the year of 2011 is the Year of the Rabbit. The rabbit's association with the moon is said to have been introduced to China with Indian Buddhist influence. Chinese adopted the rabbit in the moon along with many other concepts that originated in Buddhism: they called it the Jade Rabbit. It is said to stand under a magical cassia tree on the moon making pills of immortality.

As a matter of fact, the moon, along with fine wine and beautiful women, is a favourite topic for the Chinese poets. Since the worship of the moon was very prevalent in the Tang Dynasty, you‘ll find quite a few of the poems are from the Tang and Song Dynasties, which date back more than one thousand years. In fact, a legendary Chinese poet from the 8th century, Li Bai is said to have died while trying to catch the image of the moon reflected in the waters of a lake.

Du Fu, another poet who lived during the Tang Dynasty, was famous for poems that are autobiographical and historical, recording the effects of war on his own life. Even in the rare occasion that jade rabbit was mentioned in his poem, he just could not forget the soldiers who fought for the countries in the western deserts.

Du Fu: The Autumn Moon

The Autumn constellations begin to rise.

The brilliant Moonlight shines on the crowds.

The moon toad swims in the river and does not drown.

The moon rabbit pounds the bitter herbs and has an eternal life.

His drug only makes my heart more bitter.

The silver brilliance only makes my hair more white.

I know that the country is overrun with war.

The moonlight means nothing to the soldiers camped in the western deserts.

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朱庆徐：画眉深浅入时无？ Zhu Qingyu: Have I Painted My Brows with Fashionable Grace?

在古代，写诗一般是为了给读者提供一个意见，或者希望别人给予意见；经常，这些读者不是皇帝，就是地位高而又影响力的官员。所以，我们必须先了解这些诗的背景才能全面了解其所隐藏的意思。

唐代学者朱庆余就在科举考试前给一个高官写了一首诗：

洞房昨夜停红烛，待晓堂前拜舅姑。

妆罢低声问夫婿，画眉深浅入时无？

在唐朝，考生在考前向右地位的人探听自己能考上的机会是平常的事。一般是呈上自己的文章。上面这首诗就是这样的一首诗，由朱庆余献给当时担任水部郎中的张继。张继对后生的提拔亦是不遗余力。

如果我们单单从妇人日常生活起居来看这首诗，我们所看到的是恩爱的新婚夫妇的情景，尤其是一个害羞的新娘。可是，我们在仔细读一读，我们可以从题目察觉到诗的深一层意义：《近试上张水部》。

朱庆余的目的是请求张继在考前给他提供意见。诗人巧妙地以新娘在新婚第二天要见公婆是的心情来比较他赴考前的焦虑。‘画眉深浅入时无’时要问张继他的文学水准如何。张继读了他的诗后，亦恰当地写了《酬朱庆余》诗回复他：

越女新妆出镜心，自知明艳更沉吟。

齐纨未足时人贵，一曲菱歌敌万金。

两首都用类比手法。后面那首以美丽的越女来形容来自越地的朱庆余，完全肯定他的才华，最后一句‘一曲菱歌敌万金’表达作者的赞赏。这样，张继解除了朱庆徐对考试的忧虑。这两首诗完美地配合了各自的隐喻。

张继叫朱庆余把他的作品交给他，选了其中二十六首呈给当朝官员。由于这些官员尊敬张继，他们抄写与转读朱庆余的诗。因此，朱庆余考中了。朱庆余不但得到了张继的推荐，他的诗也深受张继的影响。
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Chinese Imperial Examinations 中国科举考试

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In ancient times, Chinese poems very often were written to offer the reader an opinion or to seek views; and, many times, this reader was an emperor or high and influential official. As such, one needs to read beyond the poem and know the background behind it before one can fully understand its hidden meaning.

During Tang dynasty, Zhu Qingyu, a scholar, sent the following poem to Minister before the imperial examination:

Last night red candles burned bright in the bridal chamber,

At dawn the bride will bow to new parents with the groom.

She whispers to him after touching her face,

Have I painted my brows with fashionable grace?

In Tang Dynasty, it’s popular for examinees to seek advices from social celebrities on their chances of passing the examination. This was done by sending their writings. The above poem was actually such a writing sent by Zhu to Zhang Ji, who was the Minister in charge of the Bureau of Waterways and Irrigation and was famous for recommending talents.

If one merely investigates this poem in light of the boudoir tradition, one observes a vivid description of an affectionate couple who were newly-wed, especially of a bashful bride. However, once we take a closer look, we are able to discover the deeper meaning of the poem through the hint of its title: ‘Presented at the Time of a Recent Examination to Minister Zhang of the Waterways and Irrigation’.

Zhu’s intention was actually to ask Zhang Ji further guide before examination. The poet ingeniously compares his own anxiety before examinations to that of a bride who was supposed to pay respects to her-parents-in-law the morning after the wedding. ‘Have I painted my brows with fashionable grace’ was to ask Zhang how was his competence in literature. After Zhang reading the poem, he artfully wrote the poem Reply to Zhu Qingyu,

The fresh adornment of the maiden from Yueh appears at the centre of Jing Lake,

Self-conscious of her radiant beauty, she fusses and frets all the more;

All the fine silks of Qi do not match the high esteem men hold her in,

One water-caltrop tune of hers is worth ten thousand pieces of gold.

Both the poems adopt metaphor. And the later one compared Zhu, a native of Yue county, to the beautiful Yue girl and gave fully confirmation about his talent, and the last line ‘one water-caltrop tune of hers is worth ten thousand pieces of gold’ expressed the author’s praise, through this way, Zhang relieved the worries about examinations of Zhu Qingyu. The two poems perfectly corresponded to each other with profound implied meaning.

Zhang asked Zhu for his works from all periods and selected twenty-six pieces to show to the officials at court. Because his contemporaries respected Zhang, they copied and circulate Zhu's poem. As a result, Zhu passes the examination. Not only did Zhu rely on Zhang's recommendation, but he also was greatly influenced by Zhang in his poetry writing.

杜甫：《观公孙大娘弟子舞剑器行》 Du Fu: Watching Sword Dance Performance by Gongsun Daniang's Disciple

杜甫（712-770）是中国唐朝诗人。与李白齐名，普遍被认为是中国最伟大的诗人。它最大的愿望就是要做个成功的官僚，可是使非所愿。他的生活，就好像整个国家一样，为安禄山之乱所破坏了，而他生命的最后15年，一直在动乱中过着。

唐代玄宗时期，艺术成就与奢侈皆为典范。杜甫为据说为公孙大娘之弟子李十二娘的剑舞所惊叹，而写了《观公孙大娘弟子舞剑器行》诗并序。公孙大娘是玄宗宫中的一个女剑舞者，她的剑舞可说无敌。据说著名书法家张旭为其《剑器》舞而得灵感，并把其优美舞姿融入其书法中。她的有名的剑舞有：(1) 《西河剑器》 ，(2) 《浑脱剑器》 ，(3) 《裴将军满堂势》，(4) 《邻里曲》。
以下就是序文与诗：

大历二年十月十九日夔府别驾元持宅见临颍李十二 娘舞剑器，壮其蔚跂。问其所师，曰：余公孙大娘弟子也。
开元三载，余尚童稚，记于郾城观公孙氏 舞剑器浑脱。浏漓顿挫，独出冠时。自高头宜春梨园二伎坊内人，洎外供奉，晓是舞者，圣文神武皇帝初，公孙一人而已。玉貌锦衣，况余白首！今兹弟子亦匪盛颜。既辨其由来，知波澜莫二。抚事慷慨，聊为剑器行。
昔者吴人张旭善草书书帖，数尝 于邺县见公孙大娘舞西河剑器，自此草书长进，豪荡感激。即公孙可知矣！

昔有佳人公孙氏， 一舞剑器动四方。
观者如山色沮丧， 天地为之久低昂。
霍如羿射九日落， 矫如群帝骖龙翔，
来如雷霆收震怒， 罢如江海凝清光。
绛唇珠袖两寂寞， 晚有弟子传芬芳。
临颍美人在白帝， 妙舞此曲神扬扬。
与余问答既有以， 感时抚事增惋伤。
先帝侍女八千人， 公孙剑器初第一。
五十年间似反掌， 风尘澒洞昏王室。
梨园子弟散如烟， 女乐余姿映寒日。
金粟堆前木已拱， 瞿塘石城草萧瑟。
玳筵急管曲复终， 乐极哀来月东出。
老夫不知其所往？ 足茧荒山转愁疾。
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Du Fu (712–770) was a prominent Chinese poet of the Tang Dynsaty. Along with Li Bai, he is frequently called the greatest of the Chinese poets. His greatest ambition was to serve his country as a successful civil servant, but he proved unable to make the necessary accommodations. His life, like the whole country, was devastated by the An Lushan Rebellion of 755, and his last 15 years were a time of almost constant unrest.

The Tang Dynasty during Xuan Zong's reign was probably the epitome of artistic achievements as well as indulgence. Du Fu was awed by the performance of a sword dancer Twelfth Lady Li who claimed to have been the disciple of Gongsun Da Niang, and he wrote a poem after watching her sword dance. The term Da Niang can be translated to First Lady or an honorary term for a mistress (master). Gongsun Daniang was a female sword dancer in the court of Emperor Xuan Zong who was probably the greatest in her field. It is said that famous calligrapher Zhang Xu was so inspired by her sword dance that he incorporated the beautiful dance movements into his calligraphy. Her famous dance repertoire included, (1) West River Jianqi (sword dance), (2) Dashing Demeanours Jianqi (sword dance), (3) General Pei's Grand Performance, probably named after General Pei Min (裴旻), (4) Neighbourhood Symphony.

Before writing the poem, Du Fu explained the background of his writing:

On the 19th of the tenth-month in the second year of Dali (15 Nov 767), I saw, in the house of the Kueifu official Yuanchi, a girl named Li from Lingying dancing with a sword. I admired her skill and asked who her teacher was. She replied, ‘I am a pupil of Gongsun.’
I remembered that in the third year of Kaiyuan (717) at Yancheng, when I was a little boy, I saw Lady Gongsun dance jianqi and huntuo. For purity of technique and self-confident attack she was unrivalled in her day. From the ‘royal command performers’ to the ‘insiders’ of the Spring Garden and Pear Garden schools in the palace down to the ‘official call’ dancers, there was no one during the early years of His Sagely Pacific and Divinely Martial Majesty who understood this dance as she did. Where now is that lovely figure in its gorgeous costume? Now even I am an old, white-haired man, and this pupil of hers is well passed the prime. Having found out about the pupil’s antecedents, I now realised that what I had been watching was a faithful reproduction of the great dancer’s interpretation. The train of reflections set off by this discovery so moved that I felt inspired to compose a ballad of the jianqi.
Some years ago, Zhang Xu, the great master of the cursive style of calligraphy, had several times seen Gongsun dance the West River Jianqi (sword dance) at Ye district. He discovered later, to his immense gratification, that his calligraphy had greatly improved. This gives one some idea of the sort of person Gongsun was.

There lived years ago the beautiful Gongsun,
Who, dancing with her dagger, drew from all four quarters,
An audience like mountains lost among themselves.
Heaven and earth moved back and forth, following her motions,
Which were bright as when the Archer shot the nine suns down the sky,
And rapid as angels before the wings of dragons.
She began like a thunderbolt, venting its anger,
And ended like the shining calm of rivers and the sea....
But vanished are those red lips and those pearly sleeves;
And none but this one pupil bears the perfume of her fame,
This beauty from Lingying, at the Town of the White God,
Dancing still and singing in the old blithe way.
And while we reply to each other's questions,
We sigh together, saddened by changes that have come.
There were eight thousand ladies in the late Emperor's court,
But none could dance the dagger-dance like Lady Gongsun.
...Fifty years have passed, like the turning of a palm;
Wind and dust, filling the world, obscure the Imperial House.
Instead of the Pear-Garden Players, who have blown by like a mist,
There are one or two girl-musicians now-trying to charm the cold Sun.
There are man-size trees by the Emperor's Golden Tomb
I seem to hear dead grasses rattling on the cliffs of Qutang.
...The song is done, the slow string and quick pipe have ceased.
At the height of joy, sorrow comes with the eastern moon rising.
And I, a poor old man, not knowing where to go,
Must harden my feet on the lone hills, toward sickness and despair.

新年诗：爆竹声中一岁除 New Year Poem: In the Booming Sound of the Firecrackers, One Year is Gone

在庆祝农历新年期间，把写在红纸上的对联贴在前门是一种习俗了。这在中国各地都实行。它源自一种把两块桃木板挂在门上的习俗。每块桃木板画上门神‘神荼’和‘郁垒’的像或名字。意图是驱走邪恶。这个习俗就叫‘桃符’。

这个习俗一直沿用了千多年。五代十国时，人们开始在桃木上写联句，而不是画像或写神鬼的名字。从宋朝开始，在门上贴上对联已经是相当普遍了，正如王安石诗《元日》中所反映。

王安石（1021-1086）是宋朝的一个大政治家、思想家、学者与伟大的宰相。1058年他上书宋仁宗，提倡改革，把软弱的国家振作起来，以建立一支强大军队与限制政府官员与大地主勾结来强盛国家。1070年，他被任命为宰相，开始实行新法。但是他受到保守分子强烈的反抗，终于在1076年退隐。

这首诗描述了新年的节日与愉快气氛。这时候，小孩最喜欢的就是爆竹了。

王安石《元日》

爆竹声中一岁除，

春风送暖入屠苏；

千门万户瞳瞳日，

总把新桃换旧符。

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During the lunar New Year, or the Spring Festival celebration, it is a custom to post couples written on red papers on front doors. This is practised in all parts of China. It originated from the custom of hanging up two peach wood plaques on the doors. On each peach wood was the portrait or the name of the door gods Shentu and Yulei. It was intended to drive away evil spirits. This custom was known as Taofu, or Peach-Wood Plaque.

This custom lasted for over a thousand years. During the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, people started to write couplet on peach woods instead of the names of door gods. Since Song Dynasty, the custom of displaying couplet on the doors had become quite common, as reflected by Wang Anshi’s famous poem ‘New Year’s Day’.

Wang Anshi (1021 - 1086) was a great politician, ideologist, litterateur and a great prime minister in Song Dynasty. He sent a proposal to Emperor Song Ren Zong in 1058 urging for a reform to change the feeble state to a strong country by building a powerful army and restraining government officials’ link to large landowners. In 1070, he became the prime minister and started implementing his reform plan. But he met with strong resistance from conservative elements and finally retired in 1076.

This poem depicts the festive and jolly atmosphere of the New Year. Fireworks are a favorite with the children on this occasion.

In the booming sound of the firecrackers, one year is gone

Spring wind is sending the warm to the Tusu wine

Tens of thousands of homes, doors, are in the shining sun

Always have to replace the old faded pictures onto new peach wood plaque

王维《九月九日忆山东兄弟》 Wong Wei: On the Ninth Day of the Ninth Lunar Month Thinking of my Brothers in Shandong

昨天（阳历十月二十六日）是农历九月九日。每年这一天，全世界的华人都在庆祝传统的重阳节。在这个节日，人们喜欢登高，所以重阳节又叫登高节。

很久很久以前，王维 (701-761) 就在这一天写了一首诗《九月九日忆山东兄弟》，立刻成为经典之作而传播全中国。

王维被认为是唐朝三大诗人之一，与杜甫及李白同列。虽然他没有杜甫的人工精致，也没有李白般的天才，可是他有丰富的想象力。他的诗歌常常包含奇妙的玄学意味，显示他对佛学的长期经营。

在唐代，重阳节登高是一种流行的风俗。对许多人来说，这是冬季来临前最后的一次户外活动。这个风俗演变到目前的形式，人们把登高当着是一种运动，和欣赏秋天美景。

对王维而言，登高远眺，是希望能够看到住在远方的兄弟与亲友。但是，他看不到他们，所以兴叹：

独在异乡为异客，

每逢佳节倍思亲。

遥知兄弟登高处，

遍插茱萸少一人。

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Yesterday (26 Oct 09) was the 9th day of the 9th lunar month. Every year, Chinese all over the world celebrate the traditional Chongyang Festival on this day. People like to climb mountains on this festival, so Chongyang Festival is also called “Mountain-climbing Festival”.

It was also on this day a long, long time ago, Wang Wei (701-761) wrote a poem ‘On the Ninth Day of the Ninth Lunar Month Thinking of my Brothers in Shandong’ which became an instant classic and spread all over China.

Wang Wei is sometimes classed as one of the three greatest poets of the Tang dynasty, along with Du Fu and Li Bai. While he was neither as brilliant a craftsman as Du Fu nor as exuberant a genius as Li Bai, he excelled in imagery, and his poems often hold a subtle metaphysical flavour testifying to his long study of Buddhism.

Mountain climbing was a popular custom on Chongyang Festival during the Tang Dynasty. For many, it was the last outing of the year before the onset of winter. The custom evolved into its present form, when people go climbing to get some exercise as well as enjoy the autumn scenery.

For Wang Wei, it was his hope that by climbing to the mountain top and looking far into the distance, he could see his brothers and other relatives who lived far away. But he could not, therefore he sighed:

All alone as a stranger in a strange land,

I am twice as homesick on this day.

When brothers carry dogwood up the mountain,

Each of them a branch, and mine missing.

李白：静夜思 Li Bai: Night Thoughts

李白 (701 – 762) 提倡恢复传统作为复兴诗词的依据。他的诗清新而风格独特，世世代代为人们所传颂。

让我们读以下这首诗：

床前明月光，

疑似地下霜；

举头望明月，

低头思故乡。

诗人李白远离家乡，一个月圆之夜，在奇异的旅馆里，他躺在床上，月亮从窗口照到地上，令他想起了他的故乡，因而写了这首著名的诗。它简短、易读、易记。它也轻易地使读者和他一样进入相同的思乡之情。

这首名为‘夜静思’的诗用简单的语言来表达思乡之情。李白就提倡这类的诗。他反对用华丽的词藻，和提倡恢复传统诗词的陈子昂的想法是一致的。

‘夜静思’画出一个想家而半夜起床的人。所用的语言简单，而思乡之情深刻。李白能够写出这样的诗，固然是因为他有写诗的天才，加上他能从民间文学，尤其是民间歌曲的语言中索取材料。
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Li Bai (701 – 762) advocated the revival of tradition in poetry as the basis of reforming poetry. His poems are refreshing and unique in style. They've been read by generations of people.

Let’s read the following poem:

The white moonlight in front of my bed;

I wonder if that can be frost on the ground.

I look up to see the moon.

I lower my head to think of my hometown.
Poet, Li Bai left his home far away to a strange hotel during a full moon night; he lay on the bed, the moon light flooded down on the floor through the window, that rose his thinking about his own home town village, so he wrote this famous poem. It is very short, easy to be read and remembered. It is so easy to bring reader to fall into the same thought about him village.

This poem, entitled "Night Thoughts," uses very simple language to describe homesickness. It's exactly this kind of poem Li Po advocated. He was opposed to using elaborate language when writing poems, and was in favour of the views of another poet, Chen Zi Ang, who advocated the revival of tradition in poetry.

‘Night Thoughts’ pictures a man thinking of his home town and waking up at night. The language is simple yet the feeling of homesickness is profound. Li Po was able to come up with poems like this because he not only had a gift for poetry but also borrowed ideas from folk literature, especially a language used in folk songs.

前不见古人 Ahead, I see no ancestors

陈子昂(661–702) 是唐朝诗人。他的老家射洪也就是今日四川的遂宁市。二十四岁就考中进士。
陈子昂提倡汉魏诗歌形式。他的38首感遇诗就清楚地反映了他的复兴精神。
他认为诗歌应该反映现实，并为唐朝诗歌发展奠下基础。基于他对政治的热诚，他的不少诗歌含有批评社会的意味。
然而，他最为人所知的一首诗却是《登幽州台歌》，强健而直接。
华人有明显的历史意识，他们的社会可说是活在历史的指引下。在华人的心目中，历史描述了我们对时间流动的存在的意识。这种流动就在我们从事世间各种活动中。由于‘流动’包含了方向，知晓时间的存在就表示有了方向的意识。
这种确定方向给了我们希望与生命的目标。孔子（公元前551-479）曾站在川上，感慨时间的长河，‘逝者如斯夫，不舍昼夜’。
相同的，陈子昂也登上幽州台而长叹：
前不见古人，

后不见来者。
念天地之悠悠，

独怆然而涕下。
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Chen Zi'ang (661–702) was a Chinese poet of the Tang Dynasty. A native of Shehong County in what is today Suining, Sichuan, he completed the national Jinshi level of the Imperial Examination at age twenty-four.
Chen Zi'ang advocated the poetry styles of the Han and Wei dynasties. His representative works of 38 poems known as Ganyu (stirred by my experiences) explicitly manifest his spirit of renewal.
He felt that poems should reflect reality and he helped lay the groundwork for the development of Tang Poems. With his active interest in politics, much of his work has undertones of social commentary.
However, he is chiefly remembered for his poem ‘Climbing the You Zhou Building’ which is vigorous and straightforward.
Chinese have been noted for their historical-mindedness, and their society is said to have lived under the tutelage of history. In the Chinese mind, history describes how aware we are of being in time that flows as we engage in various activities in the world. Since the ‘flow’ includes its direction, to be aware of being in time means to have a sense of direction.
Such a definite direction gives us the prospect and purpose of living. Confucius (551–479 bc) stood at the river bank and sighed about the ‘river of time’, ‘Oh, how it flows day and night, without ceasing!’ In contrast, to lose this sense of time-direction is to be exiled out of living itself, to feel ‘out of place,’ unspeakably lost and lonesome in the world.
Similarly, Chen Zi’ang also went up the Youzhou tower and gave a long sigh,
Ahead, I see no ancestors;

Behind, I find no followers.

Contemplating the limitless of the universe;

I can't help but weep, feeling sad and lonely.

杜牧: 清明 Du Mu: Qingming

华人的清明节是一个到先人墓前怀念与祭拜的日子。由于还是春天，扫墓完毕后，全家人就可以趁这个机会到郊外去游玩。当天郊游的习俗可以追溯到千多年前的唐朝(618-907) 。
中国文学里也时常提到清明。其中最出名的可能是杜牧的‘清明’诗了。
杜牧(803—852)是唐朝著名诗人，他的抒情与浪漫绝句诗最为人所称道。828年通过科举考试而中进士，只做过不少小官。他就以诗来发泄他的挫折感。和其他的文人官吏一样，杜牧精通书法，绘画，文章与诗词。
这首诗里，诗人单独一个人步行在春雨连绵不绝的陌生地，倍感寂寞、忧郁与失落。他的困扰与沮丧几达崩溃。但是，他不甘寂寞与苦恼，为了活动自己，他要找个酒家来接触心情开朗的人与酒。无忧无虑的儿童对他指向杏花村。这首诗以清爽与欢愉的远景来结束。
杜牧：清明
清明时节雨纷纷，
路上行人欲断魂。
借问酒家何处有，
牧童遥指杏花村。
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For the Chinese, Qinming, the Chinese All Souls Day, is a day to remember and honour one's ancestors at grave sites. Since it is still springtime, people also take the opportunity to enjoy themselves in the countryside after finished sweeping and weeding the ancestral graves with the entire family. This habit of taking an excursion on this day can be traced back to Tang (618-907) Dynasty, which is more than a thousand years ago.
Qingming is frequently mentioned in Chinese literature. Among these, the most famous one is probably Du Mu’s poem ‘Qingming’.
Du Mu (803—852) was a famous poet of the Tang dynasty and is best remembered for his lyrical and romantic quatrains. After passing the imperial examination and obtained Jinshi in 828, he only held a series of minor official posts. His frustration is reflected in his poetry. Like most scholar-officials, he was adept in the art of calligraphy and painting as well as essays and poetry.
In the poem, the poet was walking alone in the ceaseless spring drizzles in a strange place, feels all the more lonely, melancholy and dismayed. He is so troubled and disheartened that he is on the brink of breaking down. However, he won’t lie down under loneliness and distress. Stirring himself up, he hurries along to find a tavern for a drink so that he can mix with cheerful people and wine. So the carefree boy points to the apricot woods. The poem ends on a broad vision graced with freshness and delight.
Du Mu: Qingming
The ceaseless drizzles drips all the dismal day,
So broken-hearted fares the traveller on the way.

When asked where could be found a tavern bower,

A cowboy points to yonder village of the apricot flower.

苏轼: 不识庐山真面目 Sushi: No way to know Lushan’s true face

世界各地的人把他们当成世界中心，是相当自然的事。看来，种族中心主义是确定与维持人类族群的一般过程。所以说，每一个文化都有倾向于以该文化最注重的观点来批判其他文化，因而往往看到其他文化在该方面不足之处。
承认种族中心主义的这个现实是迈向文化间良好沟通的第一步，而这沟通正是今日这个多元世界所迫切需要的。对本身文化的自豪感并不是一种罪过，但是否认其他文化的正当性却是。
我们也应该对本身文化的形成构造有很好的了解。要看一看我们所处的位子，我们应该站得远一点，好好地远观。
苏轼的诗‘题西林壁’就很好的阐述了这个精神。这首诗文字精炼而含蓄，可是哲理、脱俗精神与顿悟的感受甚远。它也显现了作者从各个角度的柔情观察。
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苏轼：题西林壁
横看成岭侧成峰，远近高低各不同。

不识庐山真面目，只缘身在此山中。
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It is natural that people all over the world see themselves at the centre of the world. Ethnocentralism seems to be a normal process of identifying and maintaining boundaries between human groups. It is therefore said that every culture has a tendency to judge other cultures from a point of view that it values the most, and to see other cultures as falling short of that respect.
Admitting the realty of ethnocentralism is the first step towards better intercultural communication, which is badly needed in today’s multicultural world. Being proud of one’s culture is not a sin, but denying the legitimacy of other cultures is.
One also needs to have a good understanding of one’s own cultural formation – and to see where one is, one must step aside far enough to get a good distanced view.
This spirit is encapsulated in Su Shi’s poem ‘Written on Wall of West Forest Temple’. With few words but extensive connotation, the poem is far reaching in the sense of admonishment, unconventional spirits and sudden enlightenment. It also demonstrates the author’s affectionate observation from all angles.
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Sushi: Written on wall of west forest temple

Sideways a mountain range, vertically a peak.
Far-near, soaring-crouching, never the same.
No way to know Mount Lushan’s true face
When you are in the middle of this mountain!
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Note: Lushan is a beautiful mountain in China, where the river, lake and mountain integrate perfectly.

毛泽东: 她在丛中笑 Mao Zedong: Ode to the Plum Blossom

毛泽东(1893 – 1976) 从中华人民共和国成立于1949年到1976年逝世，一直就是它的领导人。他被认为是现代史上最重要的人物之一，时代杂志选他为二十世纪百个最有影响力人物之一。
毛泽东也是公认的诗人与书法家。
事实上，他可说是个大书法家，他的书法在中国大陆随处可见。他的书法还形成了新的‘毛体’；这个书体在他逝世后，日渐流行。
他的诗词被高度赞赏为具有丰富的哲学涵义，强烈的美学意蕴，丰富与深刻的内容，和艺术的魅力。他的诗词亦展示大胆与强健精神，编制着历史、现实与承诺，穿越时空的限制。
我却偏爱他这首写于一九六二年十二月的‘咏梅’词。它显示了他温和的一面。
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咏梅

风雨送春归，飞雪迎春到。

已是悬崖百丈冰，犹有花枝俏。

俏也不争春，只把春来报。

待到山花烂漫时，她在丛中笑。
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Mao Zedong (1893 – 1976) was the leader of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) from its establishment in 1949 until his death in 1976. He is regarded as one of the most important figures in modern world history, and was named by Time Magazine as one of the 100 most influential people of the 20th century.
Mao is also recognized as a poet and calligrapher.
In fact, he was considered a master calligrapher and his calligraphy can be seen today throughout mainland China. His work gave rise to a new form of Chinese calligraphy called "Mao-style" or Maoti, which has gained increasing popularity since his death.
His poems are highly praised for their rich philosophic connotation, strong aesthetic meaning, rich and profound content, and artistic delicacy. His poetry also exhibits a spirit of boldness and power, weaving together history, reality and commitment, and going beyond the limitations of time and space.
However, I personally like this Ode to the Plum Blossom, which was written in Dec 1961. It reflects the gentle side of Mao.
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Ode to the Plum Blossom (1961.12)

Wind and rain escorted Spring's departure,
Flying snow welcome Spring's return.
On the ice-clad rock rising high and sheer
A flower blossom sweet and fair.

Sweet and fair, she craves not Spring for herself alone,
To be the harbinger of Spring she is content.
When the mountain flowers are in full bloom
She will smile mingling in their midst.

王维：空山不见人 Wang Wei: Empty Mountain, No Man is Seen

王维是盛世唐朝重要诗人。他的诗主要描述自由、简单、平静、自然悠闲的人生，包含意味深长的美学思想。王维信佛，特别是禅学。他的美学思想受佛学影响很大，特别是南禅思想。
他的诗以简单悠闲景物和静山与河流为美的对象，展现它追求简单、出世、自由与自然人生，和外物与自身的理想和谐。
让我们看他这首杰作：鹿柴
空山不见人，但闻人语响。
返景入深林，复照青苔上。
树长深林加上日照青苔的景象应把自然之超逸具体化。至于为何如此，这就期望读者把隐藏在景象后的作者意向加以解码了。
这首诗有几组心像并排组成：空山与回音、复照与深山、青苔光与青苔、语声与青苔。这些并列心像互动而唤起源源不绝的象外之象和境外之境。
你可以想象王维坐在鹿柴中整日冥想，默察空与形（山）、无知（影）与智慧（光）、天与山、光线、青苔成长、人之现与隐之间的互动。
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Wang Wei (699-761) is a famous poet in the most prosperous age of Tang Dynasty whose poems mainly describe the free, simple, placid, and natural idyllic life, which contain profound aesthetic thoughts. Wang Wei believes in Buddhism and Chan philosophy in particular. His aesthetic thoughts have been influenced by Buddhism, especially by the South Chan philosophy.
His poetry, regarding the simple idyllic scenery and the quiet mountains and rivers as aesthetic objects, exhibits his pursuit of a simple, detached, free and natural life as well as an ideal harmony between the outside world and himself.
Let’s look at his master piece ‘Deer Park’:
Empty mountain, no man is seen,
Only heard are men's voices echoing;
The sunlight re-enters the deep wood,
Shining again on the green moss.
The scene of trees growing amidst hills with the sunlight shining on the moss is supposed to reify the notion of natural gracefulness. As to why this is so, readers are expected to decode the authorial intention lurking behind the scene by themselves.
This poem is built upon a number of imagery juxtapositions: the empty mountain and the echoing voices, the re-entering sunlight and the deep wood, the moss-shining sunlight and the green moss, and the voices and the moss. These imagery juxtapositions may interact to evoke unceasingly ‘image beyond image’ and ‘scene beyond scene.’
You can imagine Wang Wei sitting in day-long meditation in Deer Park observing the interplay between emptiness and form (the mountain), ignorance (shadows) and wisdom (light), sky and mountain, lights, the lowest mosses glowing, human presence and absence.

苏轼：欲把西湖比西子 Su Shi: Drinking at the Lake

当一个感性诗人在湖边喝酒，遥想美女，其结果会如何？
诗人：苏轼(1037–1101) 是宋代著名作者、诗人、画家和书法家。从1060年起的二十年，他在中国各地当官，其中令人瞩目的是在杭州，在那里西湖边建了苏堤。
美人：西施（506 BC-？）是中国四大美人之一。西子就是西施。西施之美，据说依露台下望鱼池，鱼儿都会感到眩眼而忘了游水，渐往下沉；鸟儿会忘了飞而从天掉下；月儿渐淡；花儿耻于相比而关花瓣。
湖：在杭州之西边，西湖三面为连绵山地树木所围，是杭州地标，也是中国最美丽的景观之一。传说西湖是天上掉下来的宝石。
结果：诗人为与西施同美的美景所激励，以诗来表达了情怀。千年来，这诗吸引了无数人来游览这湖。
苏轼（ 1037 – 1101 ）: 《饮湖上初晴后雨》

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。

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When a sentimental poet drank at a lake and thought of a beautiful lady, what would happen?
The Poet: Su Shi (1037–1101) was a famous writer, poet, artist, calligrapher of the Song Dynasty. Beginning in 1060 and throughout the following twenty years, Su held a variety of government positions throughout China; most notably in Hangzhou, where he was responsible for constructing a pedestrian causeway across the West Lake that still bears his name: sudi (蘇堤).
The Beauty: Xi Shi (506 BC – ?) was one of the renowned Four Beauties of ancient China. The word Xi in Chinese means West. As such, Xi Shi is also known as the Lady of the West. Xi Shi was said to be so beautiful that while leaning over a balcony to look at the fish in the pond, the fish would be so dazzled that they forgot to swim and gradually sunk away from the surface, birds would forget to fly and fall from the sky, the moon would fade, and flowers would close their petals in shame in comparison to her.
The Lake: Lying on the west edge of Hangzhou city, West Lake, surround in three sides by rolling wooded hills, is the symbol of Hangzhou as well as one of the most beautiful sights in China. Legend has it that West Lake was originally a jewel fallen from heaven.
The result: The poet was obviously inspired by the beautiful scenery that was as pretty as the Lady of the West. He expressed his poetic sentiment in a poem that has captivated countless people for centuries to visit the lake.
Su Shi: Drinking at the Lake
The brimming waves delight the eye on sunny days,
The dimming hills present rare view in rainy haze.
West Lake may be compared to Lady of the West,
Whether she is richly adorned or plainly dressed.

陶渊明：道家精神最高境界 Tao Yuan-Ming: Daoism at its Best

录自冯友兰《中国哲学简史》：
道家对艺术没有正面提出系统的见解，但是他们追求心灵的自由流动，把自然看为最高理想，这给了中国的伟大艺术家无穷的灵感。由于这一点，许多中国艺术家把自然作为艺术的对象，就不足为怪了。中国美术作品中的许多杰作都是写山水、花鸟、树木、竹枝。在许多山水画里，山脚下、溪水边，往往能看见一个人，静坐沉醉在天地的大美之中，从中领会超越于自然和人生之上的妙道。
在中国的诗歌里，让我们读陶渊明（公元三七三至四七二年）的诗《饮酒》（其五）：
结庐在人境，而无车马喧。
问君何能尔？心远地自偏。
采菊东篱下，悠然见南山。
山气日夕佳，飞鸟相与还。
此中有真意，欲辨已忘言。
这正是道家所追求的最高精神境界。
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Extraced from A Short History of Chinese Philosophy by Fong You-lan:
The Taoists had no formal treaties on art, but their admiration of the free moment of the spirit and their idealization of nature gave profound inspiration to the great artists of China. This is being the case, it is no wonder that most of the great artists of China took nature as their subject. Most of the masterpieces of Chinese painting are paintings of landscapes, animals and flowers, trees and bamboos. In the landscape painting, at the foot of maintain or the bank of a stream, one always find a man sitting, appreciating the beauty of nature and contemplating the Tao or Way that transcends both nature and man.
Likewise in Chinese poetry we find such poems as that by T’ao Ch’ien (Tao Qian 陶潜, AD. 372-427):
I build my hut in a zone of human habitation,
Yet near me there sounds no noise of horse or coach,
Would you know how that is possible?
A heart that is distant creates a wilderness round it.
I pluck chrysanthemums under the eastern hedge,
Then gaze long at the distant summer hills,
The mountain air is fresh at the dusk of day;
The flying birds two by two return.
In these things there lies a deep meaning,
Yet when we would express it, words suddenly fail us.
Here we have Taoism at its best.

蔡文姬: 胡笳十八拍 Cai Wenji: Eighteen Songs of a Nomad Flute

蔡文姬(177-?) 是东漢代文學家和书法家蔡邕(AD 133-192)的女儿，博学有才，通音律和书法。
蔡文姬一生坎坷。汉末，兵荒马乱，蔡被胡兵所俘，在胡境住了十二年，嫁给匈奴左賢王，生二子。
因为蔡父蔡邕年老孤独，汉丞相曹操以重金给左賢王，将她赎还。回乡后，对还留在胡境内的二子思念不断，加上怀念儿时无忧无虑的生活，只有以诗来抒情。她的诗悲憤哀伤，反映她悲苦的一生。
今传她遗留诗三首。《悲愤诗》二篇，描述游牧生活。另一篇《胡笳十八拍》，反映痛苦一生和思子之情，虽然学者对这首诗是不是出自蔡之笔，还有争论。
这首诗直接和热情的反映了一个妇女的心声，这样的古诗是很不寻常的。直到现在，这首著名的曲调还是古琴演奏会中的名曲之一。
胡笳十八拍的第一拍：
我生之初尚无为，我生之后汉祚衰。
天不仁兮降乱离，地不仁兮使我逢此时。
干戈日寻兮道路危，民卒流亡兮共哀悲。
烟尘蔽野兮胡虏盛，志意乖兮节义亏。
对殊俗兮非我宜，遭恶辱兮当告谁？
笳一会兮琴一拍，心愤怨兮无人知。
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Cai Wenji (AD 177 - ?) was the daughter of Cai Yong (AD 133-192), a famous scholar and calligrapher of Eastern Han. She was a learned scholar, also proficient in music and calligraphy.
Cai Wenji had led a turbulent life. Towards the end of the Han era, the country was thrown into turmoil. Cai Wenji was captured by Hu troops and carried off to their city. She lived in the Hu territory for twelve years as the concubine of a Xiongnu prince, named Zuoxian and bore him two sons.
Sensing Cai Yong's loneliness, the Prime Minister Cao Cao sent precious gifts to Prince Zuoxian in exchange for Cai Wenji. However, she constantly longed for the two sons she left behind in the Hu region after returning to her homeland. She was also haunted by thoughts of her carefree childhood. Poetry was her consolation and her poems were noted for their sorrowful tone, parallel to her hard life.
Three poems are said to be written by her. Two named ‘Poem of Sorrow and Anger’ (悲憤詩) are narrative poems describing her life with the nomads. The third and most influential is the one that is known as ‘Eighteen Songs of a Nomad Flute’ (胡笳十八拍). The poem is a perfect reflection of her rough life and her deep yearning for her children, although its authorship is a perennial issue for scholarly debate.
The poem is unusual for early poetry because of its direct, passionately expressed identity of the woman’s voice. Until now, this famous melody is still one of the repertoires of Guqin concerts.
The first song:
"At the time of my birth, the land was at peace,

But later, the Han Dynasty fell into decline.

Heaven is unkind, allowing wars, suffering, separation;

Earth is unkind, that I should have to live at such a time.

Weapons of war are everywhere, making the roads perilous.

Soldiers and people fleeing to exile, suffering together.

The land, billowing clouds of smoke and dust, is a prisoner of the Hu.

Integrity and willpower have disappeared.

I cannot accept the vulgar barbarous customs,

Humiliated and abused, to whom can I turn?

I sing to my hujia and qin,

But no one knows my anger and my grief."

程颢：闲来无事不从容 Chenghao：He Simply Enjoys What He Himself Is

这是宋朝程颢的「秋日偶成」。
闲来无事不从容，睡觉东窗日已红。

万物静观皆自得，四时佳兴与人同。

道通天地有形外，思入风云变态中。

富贵不淫贫贱乐，男儿到此是豪雄。
程颢兄弟是宋朝新儒家-理学重要人物。他们所写有关宇宙论，哲学，修身，论理，礼仪，及古典学说，影响了东亚几个世纪。
程颢乐以助人，常令人有如沐春风之感。他本人则以寻快乐为人生目标之一。他说：‘昔受学于周茂叔，每令寻求仲尼，颜子乐处，所乐何事。’他认为，圣人的快乐是内心的自然反映，所谓‘廓然而大公，物来而顺应’。所以他以己为乐。
这首「秋日偶成」正反映他的以己为乐。
一个恬淡而与世无争的人，做起任何事来都是从容不迫的。在一夜好睡之后，醒来看见天已经透亮了。
第三句里最关键的是这个「静」字。一般的人随便能够静得下来吗？在一个与世无争，心思清静的人，遇到任何变化，都能够心领神会，怡然自得。
真正宇宙的法理，是超乎天地之外，从上到下每个层次，一体贯穿，而且是无所不在的。而我们的思维，从宏观到微观，就像是风云一般，随时都有著千变万化的体悟。
第七句里的「淫」指的是动摇、改变。自己虽然身处贫贱，仍然怡然自得，不会被外界的富贵所迷惑。而人生在世，能够无欲无求，静观自得，道通天地，思入风云，又岂止是一个「豪雄」而已呢？
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Chenghao (1032–1085) and his younger brother Chengyi were two of the most important neo-Confucian thinkers of Song dynasty China, and their writings in such fields as cosmology, philosophy, self-cultivation, ethics, ritual, and classical studies influenced the course of East Asian thought for centuries.
Chenghao had a strong desire to help others and bring comfort to the common people. As for himself, searching for happiness is one of his professed aims in life. He said: ‘When we studied under Zhou Dunyi, he always asked us to find out wherein lay the happiness of Kong (Confucius) and Yanzi and what they found enjoy.’ To him, the happiness of the sage is a natural outcome of his state of mind, for which he described as ‘impersonal, impartial, and responding to things spontaneously.’ He simply enjoys what he himself is.
This poem reflects how he enjoys what he himself is in the ‘Autumn Days’.
In these late years there is nothing that comes
That is not easy and simple;
Each morning through my window shines the sun,
As I awake.
All creatures run their course in the true content,
As I calmly observe.
The pleasure of each season through the year,
I enjoy with others.
Beyond Heaven and Earth and all that has shape,
The Dao is there.
The winds and clouds above me shift and change,
My thought is there.
By riches and high estate, I am not to be polluted;
Neither poverty nor low rank can affect my happiness.
A man like this is a hero indeed.

曹植: 七步诗 Cao Zhi: Seven-Step Poem

曹植(192-232)，字子建，是曹操之妻卞氏所生第三子。曹操是末汉强人，挟诸侯而令天下。后天下三分，北方为曹操之魏，西为刘备之蜀，东为孙权之吴。

曹植自幼颖慧，深得曹操的宠信。然而曹植行为放任，屡犯法禁，又好喝酒。而他的兄长曹丕则颇能矫情自饰。曹丕终于在建安二十二年(217)被曹操立为太子。这更加深了曹植的自我放纵的行为。

由于嫉妒曹植的才智，曹丕想杀掉曹植。他决定以测验曹植的才华为借口来处死他。

他把曹植传召进宫来，要他在七步内写一首诗来表达他们兄弟之情，但是不许犯著‘兄弟’字样。

曹植遵命，走了七步，诗也写好了。这首诗令曹丕羞愧不已。

煮豆燃豆萁，豆在釜中泣，

本是同根生，相煎何太急！

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Born in 192, Cao Zhi was the third son of Cao Cao, the powerful warlord during the End Han Dynasty(AD 25 - 220). Cao Cao was very powerful, and he made use of the Han Emperor as his puppet to command the feudal princes and ministers. Later, China was divided into 3 major parts : Wei Kingdom in the North under the rule of Cao Cao, Shu Kingdom in the West under Liu Bei and Wu Kingdom in the East under Sun Quan.

Cao Zhi's literary talent made him a favorite son of Cao Cao in the early stage of his life. However, Cao Zhi was an impetuous man with little self-discipline. He was also a heavy drinker.

On the other hand, his elder brother Cao Pi was a shrewd man who knew how to feign emotions at the right times. In 217, Cao Cao eventually picked Cao Pi to succeed himself. This aggravated Cao Zhi's eccentric behavior.

Envy of Cao Zhi's talent, his brother Cao Pi, King of Wei wanted to kill him. He decided to put Cao Zhi's literary talent to a test. If Cao Zhi failed the test, it would be a good excuse enough to put him to death.

He held audience with Cao Zhi, and told his brother to make a poem based on their fraternal relationship, without using the word "brother", within seven paces (steps).

Cao Zhi took seven steps as instructed, and the poem was already formulated in his heart. He made the following poem which put his brother to shame.

There were boiling beans on a beanstalk fire;

Came a plaintive voice from the pot,

"Oh, why, since we sprang from the selfsame root,

Should you kill me with anger hot?"

杜甫写李白: 自称臣是酒中仙 Dufu on Libai: Immortals Could not Leave the Drink Divine

中国是世界文明古国，也是酒的故乡。在它的五千年历史中，酒和酒的文化是显著的。

听说很多诗人和文人都是在酒后创作出好的作品。唐代著名诗人李白就是有名的酒仙，以喝酒出名。

杜甫的《饮中八仙歌》是一首别具一格，富有特色的“肖像诗”。八个酒仙是同时代的人，又都在长安生活过，在嗜酒、豪放、旷达这些方面彼此相似。李白当然是八仙之一。

李白一斗诗百篇，

长安市上酒家眠，

天子呼来不上船，

自称臣是酒中仙。

杜甫描写李白的几句诗，浮雕般地突出了李白的嗜好和诗才。李白嗜酒，醉中往往在“长安市上酒家眠”，习以为常，不足为奇。“天子呼来不上船”这一句，顿时使李白的形象变得高大奇伟了。

李白醉后，更加豪气纵横，狂放不羁，即使天子召见，也不是那么毕恭毕敬，诚惶诚恐，而是自豪地大声呼喊：“臣是酒中仙！”强烈地表现出李白不畏权贵的性格。“天子呼来不上船”，虽未必是事实，却非常符合李白的思想性格，因而具有高度的艺术真实性和强烈的艺术感染力。

杜甫是李白的知友，他把握李白思想性格的本质方面并加以浪漫主义的夸张，将李白塑造成这样一个桀骜不驯，豪放纵逸，傲视封建王侯的艺术形象。这肖像，神采奕奕，形神兼备，焕发着美的理想光辉，令人难忘。

这正是千百年来人民所喜爱的富有浪漫色彩的李白形象。
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China is an ancient civilization in the world, and the hometown of liquor. During it’s over 5000-year history, liquor and liquor culture always have played significant roles.
There were many famous Chinese poets or artists who crafted their masterpieces after getting "drunk". The famous poet Libai of the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907) is known as the "Immortal of Wine" because of his love of alcohol. It is said that about 17 per cent of Li's poems were about drinking.
Dufu, a famous poet of Tang Dynasty wrote a rather popular poem entitled “Eight Immortal Drinkers” , which presented a vivid illustration of eight great minds of Tang Dynasty. And, obviouly Libai was one of the eight immortals drinkers:
Libai composed hundreds of poems after drinking liquor.
Drunk in the capital Chang'an City, he'd lie in shops of wine.
Even imperial summons proudly he'd decline,
Saying immortals could not leave the drink divine.

李白：笑而不答心自闲 Libai's Poem: Conversation in the Mountains

今天读一读李白这首诗意淡远的七言绝句：山中问答。

问余何意栖碧山， 笑而不答心自闲。

桃花流水杳然去， 别有天地非人间。

李白 (701—762年)，唐代伟大的诗人。是中国史上最伟大的诗人之一，又称为“诗仙”。他善于从民歌、神话中汲取营养素材，构成其特有的瑰丽绚烂的色彩，是屈原以来积极浪漫主义诗歌的新高峰。

这首诗虽只四句，但是有问、有答，有叙述、有描绘、有议论，其间转接轻灵，活泼流利。用笔有虚有实，实处形象可感，虚处一触即止，虚实对比，蕴意幽邃。

问余何意栖碧山，笑而不答心自闲：有人问我为什么要居住在碧山呢？我笑而不答。其实，我心里清楚，而且是悠然自得的。

诗以提问的形式领起，突出题旨，唤起读者的注意，当人们正要倾听答案时，诗人笔锋却故意一晃，“笑而不答”。“笑”字值得玩味，它不仅表现出诗人喜悦而矜持的神态，造成了轻松愉快的气氛；而且这“笑而不答”，还带有几分神秘的色彩，造成悬念，以诱发人们思索的兴味。“心自闲”三个字，既是山居心境的写照，更表明这“何意栖碧山”的问题，对于诗人来说，既不觉得新鲜，也不感到困惑，只不过是“悠然心会，妙处难与君说”罢了。第二句接得迷离，妙在不答，使诗增添了变幻曲折，自有摇曳生姿、引人入胜的魅力。
桃花流水杳然去，别有天地非人间：这是写“碧山”之景，其实也就是“何意栖碧山”的答案。这种“不答”而答、似断实连的结构，加深了诗的韵味。“碧山”之中这种不汲汲于荣、不寂寂于逝，充满着天然、宁静之美的“天地”，实非“人间”所能比！那么“人间”究竟怎样呢？这一回诗人真的不说了。

据说中国国民党主席连战曾用这首诗来形容一个人交卸了工作后的心境。

Li Bai (701-762) was a Chinese poet. He is best known for the extravagant imagination and striking Daoist imagery in his poetry, as well as for his great love for liquor. He spent much of his life travelling. He is said to have drowned in the Yangzi River, having fallen from his boat while drunkenly trying to embrace the reflection of the moon.

His ability to create extraordinary out of ordinary was an unusual gift among his contemporaries, and was most likely the reason why he was considered the "Poem-God". The fact that his Chinese nickname was "詩仙" (shīxiān, which translates literally into god of poetry) should itself prove it. The spontaneity of his language combined with the extravagance of his imagination distinguished Li Bai from any other poets in the Chinese history.
The following is the English translation of his poem 'Conversation in the Maintains".

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If you were to ask me why I dwell among green mountains

I should laugh silently. My heart is serene.

The peach blossom follows the moving water.

There is another heaven and earth beyond this world of men.

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顿悟：归来笑拈梅花嗅，春在枝头已十分.... Sudden Enlightenment: Let's Think About Religion Philosophically....

今天和大家分享一首诗。這首詩是唐朝有一位比丘尼到處訪道，後來開悟所作的。

尽日寻春不见春，

芒鞋踏破岭头云。
归来笑拈梅花嗅，

春在枝头已十分。

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四方云游，尽日寻春，了无所得，失望苦闷。归来偶见梅花一枝，却已春满十分。于是会心一笑，似有所悟：“道不远人”，不应该“道在迩而求诸远”。且慢！既然“春在枝头已十分”，怎么会踏遍陇头不见春？想这时节，早该是盎然生机春无限了吧，那为什么在“踏遍陇头云”的时候，却不能发现那无处不在的盎然生机？可见她是把自己囿于狭隘的心的圈子里了。只在心中寻美，美亦不可轻得。

世上最珍贵的事物往往就在我们的周遭，亲情、爱情、友情 —— 还有我们自己，然而，这颗心却总是向外寻觅、眼睛总是望外攀缘，相信幸福在遥远的未来，总有一天会到临；又或者，认为所谓幸福总须靠珍贵物件妆点，所以必然不是唾手可及的。但是，过度往外抓取的结果使得我们丧失了享受真正幸福的能力！当幸福真的来临时，常常就视若无睹，失之交臂。回到当下、细细审视，将毫不费力地发现那颗宝石早在你我心房停泊已久，等著我们去开启、去摩挲、把玩。

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In order to understand the Chinese mind it is imperative that we understand the three most important philosophies that constitute the Chinese culture. These are the philosophies of Daoism, Confucianism and Buddhism, known as the Three Doctrines, or the "Three Teachings" in China.

Chinese people are not religious and Chinese culture lacks divinity in a rigid religious sense. Its philosophies and religions have blurred boundaries. Chinese scholars think about philosophy in the spiritual sense and about religion philosophically. As regards the state of happiness, philosophy and religion often overlap in a mutual focus on the human condition.

To the Chinese, the search for spirituality in the inner self and its relation to the world that is the province of Buddhism. What significance, then, does Buddhism philosophy have to the Chinese in general? It is "the paradise of supreme happiness" (jile shijie 极乐世界).

There is instruction on how to reach this paradise on completion of a certain procedure, and a long period of spiritual cultivation. The portrayed paradise is inviting, but to the pragmatic, value-orientated Chinese its "entry procedure" is simply not feasible. Chinese Chan (禅) Buddhism provides a simpler way to find spiritual paradise that is accessible to all its followers: Sudden Enlightenment (dun wu 顿悟).

Confinement to religious rituals is not required, as these are seen as nothing more than formal pretensions. Chan Buddhism directs the attention to an inner, rather than external, paradise.

What, then, happens on attaining sudden enlightenment?

There is nothing more expected of this person. They live their life in the normal way, pursuing accustomed activities. After enlightenment, however, old things are seen from a new perspective, as although the enlightened person may live no differently from previously, they themselves are no longer the same.
This peom says it all:

All day long I seek spring and see no spring,
My straw sandals tread on clouds over the furrows.
Coming back, I pick a plum blossom and smell it,
And look, spring already hangs on branches.
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