The Spirit Explains
The great Creator acts without partiality;
The myriad principles of the universe are clearly manifested.
Of the Three Powers (Heaven, Earth, and Man),
Is it not because of me, the Spirit, that humanity exists?
Though I am a different entity from you two,
We are bound together as long as we live.
Since our fates are intertwined,
How could I not speak to relieve your anxieties?
Where are the great sage-kings of antiquity now?
Even Pengzu, who loved his long life, could not stay.
Young and old share the same fate of death;
The wise and the foolish are no exception to this rule.
Daily drunkenness may bring temporary oblivion,
But is it not merely a tool that shortens one’s lifespan?
Doing good deeds is indeed a joyful pursuit,
But who will be left to praise your name after you are gone?
To worry excessively is to harm our very lives;
We should simply entrust ourselves to the natural flow of destiny.
Let us ride the great waves of cosmic transformation;
We should feel neither joy in life nor fear of death.
When the time comes to end, we must simply let it end;
There is no need to harbor solitary anxieties any longer.
Note
The Spirit as the Voice of Daoist Reason
The Spirit represents Tao Yuanming’s ultimate philosophical resolution and his highest rational self. It acts as the mediator between the Body’s hedonism and the Shadow’s ambition. The Spirit speaks from the perspective of Daoist “Naturalism”, arguing that both the Body’s and the Shadow’s anxieties stem from an artificial attachment to the self.
The Three Powers (三才)
In traditional Chinese cosmology, the universe is composed of three fundamental forces: Heaven, Earth, and Man. The Spirit asserts that humanity’s special place among the Three Powers is due to the presence of the Spirit (consciousness/reason). This elevates the Spirit above the physical Body and the social Shadow, establishing its authority to resolve their dispute.
The Illusion of Exceptionalism (Pengzu and Sage-Kings)
To dismantle the Shadow’s desire for eternal fame, the Spirit uses historical examples. The “sage-kings” represent ultimate moral and political success, while “Pengzu” represents the ultimate success in physical longevity (legendary for living 800 years). The Spirit points out that even these ultimate exceptions succumbed to death. This reinforces the Daoist concept of universal equality in death: nature does not make exceptions for the wise, the foolish, the young, or the old.
The Dual Critique of Hedonism and Ambition
The Spirit systematically dismantles both previous arguments. It tells the Body that wine is a “tool that shortens one’s lifespan”, actively destroying the very life it seeks to enjoy. It tells the Shadow that seeking posthumous praise is futile because “who will be left to praise you?” Both the pursuit of sensory pleasure and the pursuit of social legacy are ultimately meaningless in the face of cosmic reality.
Riding the Cosmic Transformation
This is the philosophical climax of the entire series and one of the most famous lines in Chinese literature. “The great transformation” (大化) refers to the endless, unstoppable flow of the universe and the natural cycle of life and death. To “ride the waves” means to surrender one’s ego and merge completely with nature. By accepting that life and death are just natural transitions, one achieves ultimate liberation: feeling neither ecstatic joy at being born nor paralyzing fear of dying. This is Tao’s ultimate answer to existential dread: radical acceptance and harmony with the Dao.
神释
大钧无私力，万理自森著。
人为三才中，岂不以我故。
与君虽异物，生而相依附。
结托既喜同，安得不相语。
三皇大圣人，今复在何处？
彭祖爱永年，欲留不得住。
老少同一死，贤愚无复数。
日醉或能忘，将非促龄具？
立善常所欣，谁当为汝誉？
甚念伤吾生，正宜委运去。
纵浪大化中，不喜亦不惧。
应尽便须尽，无复独多虑。
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