Journey Journey2
One heart.
One mind.
Proverb
3
Gongsun Yang said:
“To doubt the journey is to achieve nothing.
To doubt one's work is to accomplish nothing.”
Book of Lord Shang, “Reform of the Law”
This temple: I remember traveling here once.
I recall this bridge that I now cross again.
Rivers and mountains seem to have been waiting,
flowers and willows have been more than unselfish.
The countryside shines vividly through thin mist,
the soft sun on the sand is the color of dusk.
All of this traveler's sorrows fade away.
Why should I leave this place again?
“Traveling Again,” Du Fu (712–770)
5
Who can describe this Great Peak?
The province is not yet green,
yet nature gathers its divine beauty
and yin parts from yang at dusk and dawn.
I bare my chest to the living clouds,
strain my eyes toward the birds flying home.
I will climb to the very summit
and shrink many mountains within a single glance.
“Gazing at the Peak,” Du Fu (712–770)
The heavy is the root of the light.
Stillness is the ruler of agitation.
That is why the wise journey all day,
but never stray from their supply carts.
They may have glorious views,
but they pass them over
and settle themselves comfortably instead.
How can the lords of ten thousand chariots
carry themselves lightly through the world?
If they are light, they lose their roots.
If they are agitated, they lose rulership.
Daodejing 26
7
Following wind
is the image of mildness.
A noble one gives commands
and sets all matters in motion.
Yijing, Image of hexagram 57: Wind
8
Heaven will never take away a person's road.
Proverb
Heavy dampness, moving dew.
Should I walk here this morning?
But a journey means much dew.
Classic of Poetry, “Moving Dew”
10
A bottle of clear rice wine worth ten thousand coins.
Ten thousand dollars for delicacies on a jade dish.
I stop drinking, throw cup and chopsticks overboard,
and can eat no more. I draw my sword,
and look wildly around, my heart at a loss.
I want to cross the Yellow River, but the waters are iced.
I'd climb the Taihang Mountains, but snow blots out the
sky.
I would sit and fish idly at a blue creek, but then
I'm suddenly back in my boat, dreaming at the edge of the
sun.
The road is hard! The road is hard!
Too many forks in this road! Which one is right?
It must be possible to ride the wind and crest the waves,
and set sail where clouds hang over the endless seas!
“The Hard Road, 1,” Li Bai (701–762)
Thunder in the sky above
is the image of great vigor.
A noble one never walks
toward the improper.
Yijing, Image of hexagram 34: Great Vigor
12
The monk from Shu carries his qin, “Green Silk,”
on his way down Mount Emei's western slope.
He'll work his hands simply for my sake:
it's like hearing a valley of ten thousand pines.
Flowing water washes this traveler's heart,
resonance spreads from frosted bells.
I'm unaware of sunset in the blue mountains,
and how much is hidden by thick autumn clouds.
“The Monk from Shu Plays His Qin,” Li Bai (701–762)
13
A mountain lake
is the image of fullness.
A noble one openly
accepts others.
Yijing, Image of hexagram 31: Fullness
15
Toward a thatched roof on the mountain top:
I climbed straight up thirty miles,
knocked on the gate—no acolyte came.
Peeked in your room—little but a table.
Have you gone out in your rustic cart?
Are you fishing in autumn's clear waters?
We have missed seeing each another—
was it just empty effort to reach this spot?
The green grass is bright in the new rain,
the pines stir, hamlet windows are shuttered.
This moment, I give myself over to serenity,
content to let my whole heart be cleansed.
I arrived here without an idea
of how to find the essence of tranquility,
I can descend the mountain directly now:
there's no need to wait for a master.
“Seeking the Recluse of West Mountain and Not Finding Him,” Qiu Wei (694–789?)
17
This morning my office is cold.
I've neglected my mountain friend
who gathers firewood by the high streams,
and returns to cook over white stones.
I'd like to bring you a ladle of wine,
go far to cheer you in stormy nights.
But dead leaves heap the bare slopes:
where would I ever find your trail?
“Sent to Taoist Priest Zhong of Quanjiao Mountain,” Wei Yingwu (737–792)
18
Wind blowing above the earth
is the image of beholding.
The ancient kings toured the provinces
to see the people and display the teachings.
Yijing, Image of hexagram 20: Beholding
20
Morning rain in Wencheng dampens rising dust.
Sprouting willows color the guest house green.
Sir, let us drain another cup of wine.
Once you're west of Yang Gate, you'll have no friends.
“Seeing Yuan Er Off on a Mission to Anxi,” Wang Wei (699–759)
21
Leaves fall. Geese fly south.
The north wind blows. The river freezes.
My home is where the Xiang River bends.
Distant and far, Chu is high in the clouds.
I used up my homesick tears while traveling.
I see a single sail on the horizon.
Losing my way, I have to ask directions:
the sea is flat, the evening is without end.
“Pondering Early Cold on the River,” Meng Haoran (689/691–740)
A good traveler leaves
neither wheel ruts nor footprints.
A good speaker is flawless
and can't be reproached.
A good reckoner
needs no calculators.
A well-shut door needs no bolts
yet can't be opened.
A good knot uses no rope
and can't be untied.
Daodejing 27
23
Think three times—then move.
Proverb
24
Walk the calm and level Way.
The recluse is pure. Good fortune.
Yijing, Line 2 of hexagram 10: Walking