The Temple in Crimson Mist
- Poetry of Qiwu Qian
The cinnabar peaks coil like lovers’ spines,
This haunted vale in sacred mist entwines.
Halls lurk where cliff-born vapors creep,
Monks sip from veins where stone gods weep.
Serpents and dragons mate in gloom,
Phantoms seal each vaulted room.
Ravines bleed toward altars black,
Mountains kneel where dead trees crack.
Celestial blooms refuse decay,
Moon-milk floods the ghost-road’s way.
This flesh—a sack of sins and woe—
Where shall the damned soul go?
Composed in 756 CE during the An Lushan Rebellion, this poem emerges from Qiwu Qian’s southern exile to Qixia Temple near Jinling (modern Nanjing). Amidst wartime chaos, the aging poet finds solace in this mountain sanctuary, where Buddhist tranquility contrasts with earthly turmoil. Through layered imagery of sacred geography and cosmic devotion, Qiwu weaves personal refuge with universal Dharma, crafting a meditation on impermanence and the elusive nature of spiritual homecoming.
南山势回合，灵境依此住。
殿转云崖阴，僧探石泉度。
龙蛇争翕习，神鬼皆密护。
万壑奔道场，群峰向双树。
天花飞不著，水月白成路。
今日观身我，归心复何处。
- 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.