Long has the sage led souls to liberation’s shore,
Where empty cliffs drown in flowers’ misted lore.
Men see but his meditation’s grace,
Not the heart that acts with no trace.
His hermitage door faces the ravine’s sigh,
Farmers’ paths hide where woods run high.
He speaks of Dharma’s true nature—
His return outshines gold’s lure.
开士度人久，空岩花雾深。
徒知燕坐处，不见有为心。
兰若门对壑，田家路隔林。
还言证法性，归去比黄金。
This poem, composed during Qiwu Qian’s visit to Zhaoyin Temple in the Tang Dynasty, reflects the deep cultural interplay between literati and Buddhism in medieval China. The "Abode of Xuan" refers to the dwelling of a revered monk named Xuan Gong, embodying the Tang elite’s fascination with monastic life. Through delicate depictions of mountain solitude and meditative stillness, Qiwu contemplates the essence of spiritual practice—where nature’s tranquility mirrors the Dharma’s ineffable truth.
Classical Chinese poetry thrives on Concision and Ambiguity. Without tense or number, the words create a timeless space where the reader becomes the co-creator of the poem's meaning.
Look for Contrasts: light and shadow, movement and stillness. Don't just translate the words; feel the Yijing (artistic conception) that lingers long after the last character.
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