Seasonal Journey

— by Tao Yuanming (Jin Dynasty)

Preface

Seasonal Journey is a poem about an excursion in late spring. With my spring garments ready and the scenery in perfect harmony, I accompany only my own shadow on this solitary stroll. Joy and sorrow intertwine in my heart.

Steadily moves the seasonal journey;
Solemn and serene is this beautiful morning.
Donning my spring garments,
I wander forth to the eastern suburbs.
The mountains have washed away the lingering mist,
And the sky is warmed by a faint, ethereal glow.
A breeze arises from the south,
Fanning the tender new shoots.

Vast and boundless is the tranquil marsh;
Here I rinse my hands and wash my feet.
Distant and far-reaching is the expansive scenery;
I gaze upon it with joy and anticipation.
As the old saying goes,
It is easy to be content when one’s heart is at peace.
Raising this single cup of wine,
I am immersed in a state of blissful, carefree joy.

Stretching my gaze to the middle of the stream,
I am carried away by thoughts of the clear Yi River.
Where men and youths alike pursued their studies,
And returned home singing in their leisure.
I deeply love that tranquil stillness;
In my waking hours and my dreams, my heart reaches out to it.
Yet I can only lament that we belong to different eras,
And that distant past can never be pursued.

Morning and evening alike,
I rest within my humble cottage.
Flowers and medicinal herbs are planted in neat rows,
While the forest and bamboo cast a dense, soothing shade.
A qin (zither) lies across my bed,
Beside a half-pot of unfiltered wine.
The golden age of Huang and Tang is beyond my reach;
Only I remain to sigh in solitary grief.

Note

The Rite of Purification (修禊 – Xiu Xi)

This poem was written in 404 CE, when Tao Yuanming was forty. It describes his excursion on the third day of the third lunar month, a traditional Chinese festival known as the Rite of Purification. On this day, people would gather by rivers to wash their hands and feet, believing the water would wash away bad luck and disease. The poem’s references to “late spring,” “spring garments,” and “rinsing and washing” are direct reflections of this ancient cultural custom.

The Allusion to Zeng Dian and the Yi River (清沂)

The core of this poem is a famous historical allusion from the Analects of Confucius. When Confucius asked his disciples about their aspirations, the last to speak was Zeng Dian (Zeng Xi). He said: “In late spring, when spring garments are ready, accompanied by five or six adults and six or seven boys, I would bathe in the Yi River, enjoy the breeze upon the Rain-Washing Altar, and return home singing.” Confucius was deeply moved and sighed, “I am with Dian!”

Zeng Dian’s vision represented an ideal society of peace, harmony, and spiritual freedom. Tao uses this allusion to express his profound yearning for a peaceful world where people can live in unburdened harmony with nature and each other.

The Virtue of Tranquility

Confucius once said, “The wise find joy in water; the benevolent find joy in mountains. The wise are active; the benevolent are tranquil.” Tao uses the word “tranquility” to summarize Zeng Dian’s vision. For Tao, living in a chaotic and politically oppressive era, this tranquility was the most precious and elusive thing. He longs for this state of mind both awake and asleep, but tragically realizes that such a harmonious society is impossible in his own time.

The Golden Age of Huang and Tang

“Yellow Emperor and Tang Yao” refers to the legendary sage-kings of ancient China, whose reigns were considered a utopian golden age of peace and moral purity. By lamenting that this era is “beyond my reach,” Tao is not merely engaging in nostalgic history; he is using the past to express his profound dissatisfaction with his current reality. This sentiment is essentially identical to the one found in his famous prose piece, The Peach Blossom Spring.

Tao’s Signature Style: Restrained and Serene

Although the poem contains deep sorrow and a sense of loss, Tao expresses it with remarkable restraint. He does not use exaggerated or intense language. This reflects his philosophical pursuit of a sincere, balanced, and untroubled personality. Whether feeling joy or pain, his poetry maintains a serene, natural, and distant tone. Any overly dramatic expression would shatter this pure, harmonious beauty, which is precisely what Tao avoids.

时运

陶渊明 〔魏晋〕

时运，游暮春也。春服既成，景物斯和，偶景独游，欣慨交心。

迈迈时运，穆穆良朝。
袭我春服，薄言东郊。
山涤余霭，宇暧微霄。
有风自南，翼彼新苗。

洋洋平泽，乃漱乃濯。
邈邈遐景，载欣载瞩。
人亦有言，称心易足。
挥兹一觞，陶然自乐。

延目中流，悠想清沂。
童冠齐业，闲咏以归。
我爱其静，寤寐交挥。
但恨殊世，邈不可追。

斯晨斯夕，言息其庐。
花药分列，林竹翳如。
清琴横床，浊酒半壶。
黄唐莫逮，慨独在余。