The gentleman – no one knows where he came from, nor his family name or given name. Beside his house there are five willow trees, so he takes that as his style. He is quiet, tranquil, and sparing of speech; he does not covet fame or profit. He loves to read, but does not seek exhaustive explanations; whenever he grasps the essence, he is so delighted that he forgets to eat. He has a natural fondness for wine, but being poor he cannot always obtain it. His relatives and old friends, knowing this, sometimes invite him with wine; when he goes, he drinks up, determined to get thoroughly drunk. Once drunk, he withdraws without any fuss about staying or leaving. His bare walls are desolate, not screening out wind or sun; his coarse jacket is patched and tied, his basket and ladle often empty – yet he remains perfectly composed. He often writes essays to amuse himself, revealing his aspirations. He forgets gains and losses, and so ends his days.
In praise it is said: The wife of Qian Lou once said, “Do not be distressed by poverty and lowliness, nor eagerly seek wealth and rank.” These words surely describe such a man as this, do they not? He raises his cup and composes verses, delighting in his own will – surely he is a man of the Wu-huai era? Or a man of the Ge-tian era?
Note
Tao Yuanming (c. 365–427)
This essay is a humorous self-portrait. Although written in the third person about a fictional “Five-Willow Gentleman (Mr. Five Willows),” it clearly describes Tao’s own life, habits, and values. It is one of the earliest and most famous “self-biographical” pieces in Chinese literature, celebrating the ideal of the poor but free recluse.
Qian Lou (黔娄)
Qian Lou was a famous hermit of the Spring and Autumn period (c. 6th century BCE). He was extremely poor but refused official positions, and his wife was also known for her wisdom. The quoted words (“not distressed by poverty, nor eager for wealth”) come from his wife, praising his contentment. Tao uses this allusion to compare himself to this ancient exemplar of integrity.
Mythical Figures – Wu-huai and Ge-tian (无怀氏, 葛天氏)
These are legendary sage-kings of China’s most ancient, utopian past – before the Xia dynasty. They represent an ideal age of primitive simplicity, where people lived in harmony with nature, without government, laws, or ambitions. By asking whether the Gentleman is a “man of Wu-huai” or “of Ge-tian,” Tao implies that his subject belongs to that golden, uncorrupted era, not to his own troubled age.
“Not seeking exhaustive explanations”
This phrase “不求甚解” has become a famous idiom in Chinese. It does not mean sloppy reading, but rather a preference for grasping the spirit or essence of a text over pedantic word-by-word analysis. It reflects a Daoist and intuitive approach to learning.
“Bare walls, patched clothes, empty basket and ladle”
These details describe extreme poverty. But the Gentleman is “composed” – a key Confucian and Daoist virtue of contentment despite material hardship. This echoes the Analects’ praise of Yan Hui, who was poor yet joyful.
“Forgetting gains and losses”
A Daoist ideal of non-attachment. The Gentleman does not let success or failure disturb his inner peace.
Literary Significance
This short biography is a masterpiece of self-presentation. It blends autobiography, satire, and idealism. By writing about himself as if he were a stranger, Tao creates an objective, almost mythical figure – a model for all who value freedom and sincerity over wealth and status. It greatly influenced later Chinese literati, who often wrote similar “self-biographies” in this style.
五柳先生传
— 陶渊明〔魏晋〕
先生不知何许人也，亦不详其姓字，宅边有五柳树，因以为号焉。闲静少言，不慕荣利。好读书，不求甚解；每有会意，便欣然忘食。性嗜酒，家贫不能常得。亲旧知其如此，或置酒而招之；造饮辄尽，期在必醉。既醉而退，曾不吝情去留。环堵萧然，不蔽风日；短褐穿结，箪瓢屡空，晏如也。常著文章自娱，颇示己志。忘怀得失，以此自终。
赞曰：黔娄之妻有言：“不戚戚于贫贱，不汲汲于富贵。”其言兹若人之俦乎？衔觞赋诗，以乐其志，无怀氏之民欤？葛天氏之民欤？
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