Zen Moon Poetry Soul (Discussions on Chinese Poet-Scribes)

Author: Qian Zhao Wen
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1995-08-01
Features: Culture is like the sea, and poets who are monks are like pearls. This small book is merely a string of pearls that the author has picked up on the sands of history. Have you noticed those white as jade pearls? The impact of the waves has carved scales-like ripples on them, and the covering of the sand has polished them into layers of armor. Don't look at them as just historical remnants now, but no one would forget that within this beautiful shell, there once hid a vibrant life—a small life that sought peace and tranquility but also rode the waves and played with the tides. Its beauty lies in its revelation of truth, in its immortal value in history and reality. The true value of a poet-monk should belong to cultural philosophy. From a purely literary or religious perspective, poets-monks may not be worth much ink: in poetry, their achievements are certainly not as high as first-class literati; in Buddhism, their merits are often not as great as enlightened monks. However, when poets-monks integrate poetry and Buddhism and elevate them to the level of Zen for spiritual contemplation and inquiry, this "seed" of the mind gives rise to a new kind of culture—a poetic-Zen culture distinct from traditional poetic education culture. Chinese poetic-Zen culture and Chinese poetic education culture are the two main components of Chinese poetic culture. Poetic culture is like a tree. If poetic education culture is the root system reaching into the earth and the main trunk grounded in the earth, then poetic-Zen culture is the branches reaching towards the sky, embracing the sky. This "sky" is not it not the world full of cultural philosophical connotations and free rationality? The history of Chinese poetic-Zen culture is long. The creators and bearers of this culture naturally include literati, such as Wang Wei, Meng Haoran, and Wei Yingwu, who are masters in this regard, as included in the Three Delights of Tang Poets. However, compared to poets-monks who are specialized masters of poetic-Zen culture, these literati are somewhat inferior. Regardless of the quantity of such works, in terms of quality, the works of poets-monks exude a spiritual aura while containing an empty essence. Their profound philosophical implications are often as silent as Zen, transcendent and self-contained, leaving people to contemplate and imagine, thus entering an aesthetic realm of and . This is often beyond the reach of the power of a literati's brush. Such a realm is undoubtedly the Zen realm in poetry: it is a "clearing in the forest" that poets-monks have cleared in the dual exploration of nature and the mind, an ideal resting place for recluses, and a place for the troubled to seek transcendence. In this Zen realm, there is Zen's profound contemplation and poetic effusion, and its highest level is the harmony of Zen's perfect form and poetic perfection: it is the brilliance of the Zen moon, the rise of the poetic soul, and the endless rest of the mind in a "serene and clear" spiritual atmosphere. What an ardent dreamlike spirit this is! Although this spirit falls into illusion and carries a mystical meaning, it ultimately reflects the metaphysical pursuit of poets-monks and their profound reflection on the bustling mortal world and the busy life, though one-sided, it is not without depth. Its value naturally belongs not only to history. It cannot be denied that there is another side to the poets-monks' hearts. To live in the human world, how can there be no the noise of carriages and horses? Trees want to be still, but the wind will not stop. The wind moves, the banner moves, and the heart moves. When poets-monks use poetry to connect themselves with society and the secular world, they are naturally bound by that which cannot be cut or reasoned. Or, facing countless frustrations, they resort to witty irony; pouring out their blood and tears, they give vent to deep grief. In this way, the myriad forms of life and the thousand kinds of emotions are adorned with brilliant colors and depicted as moving pictures by the ethereal and lucid poems of monks. Unfolding the historical scroll of poets-monks, commenting on every scene in the scroll, discussing and debating, thus came this small book. Picking up the brush to write, the author originally wanted to speak and write leisurely, gaining ease for both the readers and themselves. But holding the scroll of history, it felt even heavier, gazing at the vast scene, it felt deeply bewildered. Using all their ingenuity, by the time the book was completed, it had consumed more than half a year. The sweetness, bitterness, joys, and sorrows within are truly beyond words. At the time of publishing this book, the author specially thanks Mr. Huang Yuan and Ms. Chen Wenqin, among others, who were concerned about and helped with the writing and publishing of this book. Qian Zhao Wen, September 1993, Guangzhou, South China Normal University
This is a profound study of poets-monks. Chinese poets-monks created Chinese poetic-Zen culture, and Chinese poetic-Zen culture nurtured Chinese poets-monks. On the grand stage of history, poets-monks moved from nature to society, from the pure realm to the mortal world. Their works are bridges, crossings: ethereal and transcendent quality, witty and playful essence, serene and clear realm, extraordinary and natural words, and the brilliance of monk poems that reveal their own light, with myriad forms and poses. This book examines everything with the gaze of cultural philosophy, delving into the depths of history, and combining history, analysis, and critique. With detailed writing and rich imagery, it guides you into the realm of Chinese culture.