Collected Works of Ke Ling (Volumes 1-6)

Author: Ke Ling
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2001-07-01
Features: Are you a weary traveler burdened by the dust of life? Often sitting motionless in a vehicle, do you not feel the rush of life? Endless toil, yet time seems to drag on especially slowly. The wheels rumble, yet you are idle; yet your mind is endlessly spinning with the wheels, wishing to shorten both time and space the moment you embark on the journey. You lament the hardships of life, feeling as though life has crushed the young heart. To you, the train feels rushed, boring, and monotonous. Therefore, whenever you board a train, you typically lean against the seat and fall asleep. But the train is close to my heart. I once traveled back and forth on two long straight lines for over a month, and my entire life was confined within that narrow, elongated moving box. The train became my temporary home. I once longed for the wit of a boatman, imagining the vibrant, free-spirited life of drifting through the world, living a colorful existence. This ideal, flowing home was unexpectedly realized—though not on water, it was equally fresh and colorful. The passage of time on the train, though sometimes illusory and slow, is not stagnant. It is like a robust young person, always looking forward with eyes and steps. In the midst of the journey, I always focus on the window, capturing the ever-changing world. I watch the green plains under the scorching sun, the gray dilapidated houses in small villages, the elderly farmers and lean oxen toiling away; I gaze at the distant lights under the starry sky, the rivers whispering to the heavens.