Study Guide for Basic Reading and Writing

Author: Compiled by Lu Yaping,
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-09-12
Features: The avoidance of the official world is, in essence, an avoidance of the system. The system is maintained by power, and power inherently possesses an anti-popular and anti-human nature. The phenomenon of recluses in ancient China can be seen as a personal moral choice, but some recluses' extreme aversion to the system was indeed due to reasons of avoiding its constraints. On the other hand, in ancient China, an individual's so-called "achieving merits and establishing a career" often referred to worldly success, more often directly reflecting an individual's status within the system: the rank of official posts, the extent of power, and so on. Therefore, logically, if a person wishes to preserve their individual freedom and avoid the system, they must necessarily renounce the pursuit of fame and fortune. In Tao Yuanming's time, to pursue fame and fortune required sacrificing one's integrity, and in many cases, even risking one's life—bloody sacrifices and the rolling heads repeatedly demonstrated this fact. Tao Yuanming's return to the countryside finally freed him from the pervasive life fear among scholars. He could stay at home, calmly awaiting the arrival of his allotted time. By withdrawing from the system and "letting himself roam in the great universe," he could "neither worry nor fear." His three composed elegies and one self-sacrificial essay reveal his profound confidence in his own life, and his "Letter to His Son and Others" shows his composed arrangements for his posthumous affairs, reflecting his tranquil mind. Towards death, he was sorrowful but no longer fearful. His life was a pact between him and the great universe of nature, one that others could not interfere with. In Tao Yuanming's view, returning to the countryside was, in essence, redeeming himself from the system of the official world, regaining his freedom. Those who could possess themselves were blessed. Tao Yuanming was such a blessed person. Happiness does not depend on what one "has," but often on what one "lacks." From the perspective of what one "has," Tao Yuanming possessed very little: fame, status, wealth—none of these. Yet this did not prevent him from becoming a person of infinite admiration and envy to later generations. Because he "lacked" the vulgar, profit-seeking, gain-and-loss, and honor-and-shame mentality that most of us cannot shed—the very petty hearts that hold us back, he had none. I greatly admire the Chinese word "anxin" (peace of mind), which is more important than "anshen" (physical security). To settle this heart, to approach others and matters with a peaceful mind, to maintain a sense of equanimity toward oneself—when these are achieved, one is blessed. Tao Yuanming was, in essence, always talking to himself about the "heart" and sharing his "heart" with us. He taught us the principle that "when the heart is distant, the land is naturally apart," he said he "longed for the life of mountains and marshes," and he proudly declared that his "empty room was filled with leisure." What does "empty room" mean? Zhuangzi once said, "An empty room gives birth to light," meaning that a mind cleared of worldly desires is filled with sunshine. A mind filled with sunshine must surely bring great composure, great peace, and great happiness; it must surely be a noble person, a pure person, a person who has transcended base interests! Tao Yuanming was such a person, such a blessed person. His poetry consisted only of quatrains and five-character lines, with no mixed meters or folk songs, and his imitation of ancient styles was not truly imitation—this was quite unique for his time. Quatrain poetry is the calm and solemn form in poetry, while five-character poetry is the composed and unhurried form—they perfectly matched the tranquil and composed life of Tao Yuanming.