Heaven and Earth (Tian Di) is Chapter 12 of the Outer Chapters of Zhuangzi. This wide‑ranging text discusses cosmic order, ideal governance, human nature, tools, desire and the danger of over‑civilization.
This Zhuangzi‑Yangshengzhu excerpt features Chef Ding’s ox‑butchering parable. It advocates following nature’s middle path, accepting fate and death, to preserve one’s body and live out one’s natural lifespan.
— 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…
The Body, Shadow, and Spirit is a series of five-character-per-line poems. The first poem features the Body addressing the Shadow: while the physical forms of heaven, earth, mountains, and rivers endure forever, and grass and trees can regenerate even after withering, the human body is destined to die and vanish. Therefore, one should seize…
The autumn chrysanthemums bloom in splendid hues;Dew-kissed, I pluck their petals.I steep them in this sorrow-forgetting brew,To distance myself from worldly cares.Though I drink this cup alone,When the cup is empty, the pot pours on its own.As the sun sets, all bustling life comes to rest,And homeward-bound birds fly to the woods, singing.Beneath my…
In early summer, grass and trees flourish,Lush branches encircle my thatched cottage.The flock of birds rejoices in their shelter,And I, too, cherish my humble dwelling. Having plowed and sown my fields,I now return in due season to read my books.My narrow lane is cut off from the deep ruts of the main road,Which keeps…
Preface: Lingering Clouds is a poem about missing friends and kin. The wine vessel is filled with fresh brew, and the garden displays its first blossoms of spring. Yet, my wish to see them remains unfulfilled; sighs fill my breast. Gathering, gathering, the lingering clouds;Drizzling, drizzling, the timely rain.Darkness shrouds the eight directions;Even the…
— by Tao Yuanming (Jin Dynasty) Life has no firm and lasting root –It drifts like dust upon the roadside street.Scattered apart, chased by the wind’s turn,This body is no longer what it was before.Once born into this world, we are all brothers –Why must we share only one flesh and bone?When joy is…