Sitting alone, I grieve over my hair white;
In empty room it approaches midnight.
With the rain I hear in the mountain fruit fall;
By lamplight the insects chirp in my hall.
I cannot blacken my white hair while old,
Nor can I turn a metal into gold.
If you want to get rid of ills of old age,
You can only learn from the Buddhist sage.
独坐悲双鬓，空堂欲二更。
雨中山果落，灯下草虫鸣。
白发终难变，黄金不可成。
欲知除老病，唯有学无生。
This poem was written during the later years of Wang Wei’s life, when he had become a devout follower of Buddhism. The poem reflects his deep contemplation on life, aging, illness, and Buddhist philosophy. After the An Shi Rebellion, Wang Wei began earnestly practicing Buddhism, and in times of physical and mental exhaustion, he turned his focus to Zen meditation and Buddhist thought. The poem, titled “Sitting Alone on an Autumn Night,” describes his experience of sitting in solitude, reflecting on life during an autumn rainy night.
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