Inscribed on the Chan Hall of Chongfu Temple
- Poetry of Cui Dong
What fills a monk’s day, you ask?
Sweeping floors, lighting incense—such his task.
Clear chimes pierce emerald peaks afar,
Idle clouds drift through bamboo bars.
Body and mind, beyond dust’s trace,
Time stretches long in this still space.
At dusk, the meditation door swings shut—
No one but sunset’s glow, left to mutter.
This poem, Inscribed on Chongfu Monastery's Meditation Hall, was composed by the Tang poet Cui Dong during a visit to Chongfu Temple. Nestled in secluded mountains, the temple exuded tranquility and solemnity. Facing the meditation hall's serene solitude, the poet expressed admiration for monastic life and detachment from worldly turmoil. During the mid-to-late Tang period, scholar-officials—whether disillusioned by career setbacks or spiritual emptiness—often sought solace in mountain retreats and Buddhist temples, projecting their contemplative yearnings onto these sanctuaries of quiet cultivation. Cui Dong's poem reflects this cultural psyche and embodies his signature style: austere, solitary, and aloof from mundane concerns.
僧家竟何事，扫地与焚香。
清磬度山翠，闲云来竹房。
身心尘外远，岁月坐中长。
向晚禅堂掩，无人空夕阳。
- Why Chinese poems is so special?
- The most distinctive features of Chinese poetry are: concision- many poems are only four lines, and few are much longer than eight; ambiguity- number, tense and parts of speech are often undetermined, creating particularly rich interpretative possibilities; and structure- most poems follow quite strict formal patterns which have beauty in themselves as well as highlighting meaningful contrasts.
- How to read a Chinese poem?
- Like an English poem, but more so. Everything is there for a reason, so try to find that reason. Think about all the possible connotations, and be aware of the different possibilities of number and tense. Look for contrasts: within lines, between the lines of each couplet and between successive couplets. Above all, don't worry about what the poet meant- find your meaning.
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