— by Tao Yuanming (Jin Dynasty)
Rare are worldly affairs in the wild countryside;
Few are the carriages in these desolate lanes.
By broad daylight, I close my brushwood gate;
In this empty room, all earthly thoughts are banished.
Sometimes, amidst the rural paths,
I push aside the tall grass to visit my neighbors.
When we meet, there is no idle chatter;
We speak only of how the mulberry and hemp are growing.
Day by day, the mulberry and hemp grow taller;
Day by day, my cultivated land expands.
Yet I often fear the sudden arrival of frost and sleet,
That they might wither and fall, just like the wild weeds.
Note
Tao Yuanming and the “Fields and Gardens” Tradition
This poem is part of a five-poem series written around 406 CE, shortly after Tao Yuanming resigned from his minor government post as the magistrate of Pengze. His famous refusal to “bow for five pecks of grain” marked his definitive break from the corrupt political world. This poem perfectly encapsulates his core philosophy: finding profound spiritual fulfillment in rural life, farming, and simplicity, rather than in the exhausting political arena of the imperial court.
Escaping Worldly Affairs and Carriages
In ancient China, high-ranking officials and nobles frequently visited each other in horse-drawn carriages to network and engage in political intrigue. “Worldly affairs” and “carriages” were symbols of this elite social circle. By stating that these are rare in his rural environment, Tao proudly declares his voluntary isolation from the political elite and his deliberate choice to avoid worldly entanglements.
The Brushwood Gate and the Empty Room
The “brushwood gate” represents extreme poverty and a humble lifestyle, standing in stark contrast to the grand, red-lacquered gates of aristocratic mansions. The “empty room” and the act of closing the gate during the day reflect a Daoist concept of clearing the mind of worldly desires and anxieties. It symbolizes his inner peace and his complete rejection of the corrupt values of the outside world.
Pushing Aside Grass to Visit Neighbors
This vivid imagery highlights the rustic, unmanicured nature of the countryside. Unlike the paved roads of the city, the rural paths are overgrown. Pushing aside the grass to visit neighbors shows that Tao has fully integrated into the agrarian community. He has abandoned the pretentious etiquette of the scholar-official class, choosing instead to mingle freely and intimately with the common farmers.
Speaking Only of Mulberry and Hemp
This is the philosophical core of the poem. In the city, conversations among officials were filled with “idle chatter” about promotions, wealth, and political maneuvering. In the countryside, Tao and his neighbors talk only about the growth of their crops (mulberry for silk, hemp for clothing). This reflects Tao’s pursuit of authenticity, simplicity, and a return to the fundamental, uncorrupted realities of human survival and labor.
The Anxiety of Frost and Sleet
While the poem paints a picture of idyllic peace, it avoids overly romanticizing rural life. The concluding lines reveal the genuine, practical anxieties of a farmer. The poet’s joy in the growing crops is matched by his very real fear of natural disasters (frost and sleet) that could destroy his hard work. This grounds the poem in reality, showing that Tao’s peace of mind comes not from an absence of worries, but from the fact that his worries are now pure, natural, and tied to the earth, rather than the toxic politics of the court.
归园田居·其二
陶渊明〔魏晋〕
野外罕人事，穷巷寡轮鞅。
白日掩荆扉，虚室绝尘想。
时复墟曲中，披草共来往。
相见无杂言，但道桑麻长。
桑麻日已长，我土日已广。
常恐霜霰至，零落同草莽。
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