Stopping at Incense Storing Temple
- Poetry of Wang Wei
Not knowing the way to the Temple of Heaped Fragrance,
Under miles of mountain-cloud I have wandered
Through ancient woods without a human track;
But now on the height I hear a bell.
A rillet sings over winding rocks,
The sun is tempered by green pines....
And at twilight, close to an emptying pool,
Thought can conquer the Passion-Dragon.
Five-character-regular-verse
This poem was composed by Wang Wei during his later years while traveling through the Zhongnan Mountains after retiring from official life. Having grown disillusioned with political pursuits and turning toward Buddhism, he often sought spiritual nourishment in nature's embrace. The Xiangji Temple, nestled deep within these verdant mountains, represented for Wang an ideal sanctuary of tranquility. The poem chronicles his journey to the temple - from initial disorientation to sudden Buddhist enlightenment - embodying his transition from external landscapes to inner peace, and exemplifying his artistic ideal of "painting within poetry, Zen within painting."
不知香积寺，数里入云峰。
古木无人径，深山何处钟。
泉声咽危石，日色冷青松。
薄暮空潭曲，安禅制毒龙。
不知香積寺， 數里入雲峰。
古木無人徑， 深山何處鐘。
泉聲咽危石， 日色冷青松。
薄暮空潭曲， 安禪制毒龍。
- 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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