Read water

Author: Chang Li
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-01-01
Features: Where rivers flow, they leave behind beautiful and magical stories of people. Those graceful souls, their lives and fantasies, and their times are now far removed from us. The rivers we see today are no longer the same as those a thousand years ago, and the clear pools where grandmothers' grandmothers once combed their hair have long vanished. Yet, we still remember them. In the poetry and prose of ancient times, we relive a piece of history, along with the myths and legends that speak of the deepest fears and desires of the human heart. From the written records left by our ancestors, we awaken the rich emotions of the rivers, allowing us to imagine the folk life, labor activities, social customs, and cultural attire along the riverbanks in those bygone days. We attempt to capture the messages of cultural heritage in the changes and constancy of the rivers, as a way of paying homage to the distant times and spaces.