–Wang Wei
On treetops, the magnolia flowers bright,
In mountains, the crimson buds take flight.
The hut stands brook-side, void of human trace,
The flowers bloom in profusion, fall without grace.
辛夷坞
— [唐]王维
木末芙蓉花，
山中发红萼。
涧户寂无人，
纷纷开且落。
Note
This quatrain reveals the poet’s sympathy with the magnolia flowers which burst in blossom and then fall on decline.
Every living being has its own rhythm—no need for comparison, no room for anxiety. We are like flowers: we bloom and fade for ourselves. Even if no one sees us, we can bloom with peace and fade with ease. Accept yourself, accept loneliness, accept the ups and downs, and accept being misunderstood. Just like the magnolias in The Magnolia Dale, we can live freely and fully, even in the corners where no one is watching.
The Magnolia Dale was composed by Wang Wei of the Tang Dynasty. In 736 CE, Zhang Jiuling was dismissed from his post as chancellor, while Li Linfu seized power, leading to a corrupt court and escalating social tensions. Wang Wei sympathized with Zhang’s reformist policies but felt powerless to change the situation, torn between his ideals and reality.
Though remaining an official, he yearned for retreat yet hesitated to abandon his position, eventually building a villa at Wangchuan near Mount Zhongnan. There, he lived a semi-official, semi-reclusive life and composed the Wangchuan Collection, with “The Magnolia Dale” as one of the collection. Others can be found in the collection like The Bamboo Hut, Autumn Evening in the Mountain Retreat, and The Blue Stream.
Through the image of magnolia flowers blooming and withering alone in a secluded gorge, he expressed profound reflections on life and society.
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