Liu Changqin (709-785)

Seeking Monk Chang Shan—

Living in Seclusion in the Southern Stream

Along a road,

passing through places, I walk,

Perceiving my footprints

among the moss.

White clouds

follow the river’s islets

And spring grass

obstructs an idled gate.

Through the rain

I see pine tree shapes,

And follow a hill

to arrive at a water spring.

A mountain creek, flowers,

a feeling of Zen:

For this,

I have no words.

Liú cháng qīng

Xún nán xī cháng shān dào rén

yǐn jū

Yí lù jīng xíng chù，

Méi tái jiàn lǚ hén。

Bái yún yī jìng zhǔ，

Chūn cǎo bì xián mén。

Guò yǔ kàn sōng sè，

Suí shān dào shuǐ yuán。

Xī huā yǔ chán yì，

Xiāng duì yì wàng yán。

Kill Forever High-ranking-person [= Liu Changqin (709-785)]

Seek Southern Mountain-Stream Chang/frequent Shan/mountain Path Person hidden dwells

[Southern Mountain Stream. There are many streams named “South Stream” in China, so we do not know which one the author refers to.], [Chang Shan Path Person = Monk Chang Shan. Path Person = Monk/devotee], [hidden dwells = live in seclusion], [Note: in some editions, the title is “尋南溪常道士” = Seek Southern Mountain-Stream Chang Shan Gentleman/Scholar]

One road pass-through/undergo walk place/to-live/to-dwell

[One road = all the way, the whole journey], [pass-through walk = followers of Buddhism go around a place for cultivation. In the poem, it can be interpreted as passing/walking through.]

Berry moss see/perceive shoes mark

[Berry moss = moss], [shoe mark = footprint]

White clouds set-in/according-to quiet small-sand-bank/islet-in-water

Spring grass obstruct idle gate

[Note: in some editions, it is recorded as “芳草,” meaning “fragrant/virtuous grass,” rather than “春草,” meaning “spring grass”], [obstruct idle gate = the door is idle due to few visitors.]

Pass-through/excessive rain see pine-tree color/form

Follow mountain/hill go-to/arrive water spring

Mountain-stream/creek flowers together-with meditation/contemplation feeling/thought/wish

[Meditation = Chan = Zen Buddhism. Zen is a school of Mahayana Buddhism and originated in China during the 6th century. Zen emphasizes the attainment of enlightenment and the personal expression of direct insight in the Buddhist teachings.]

Mutual/each-other correct/opposed also forget/neglect/miss/omit words

[Mutual correct = relatively, opposite, vis-a-vis]

[Note: Chinese people have recognized the limitation of language since the pre-Qin period. The Classic of Changes, which is one of the oldest of the Chinese classic texts, says that “books cannot convey words accurately and words cannot convey thoughts (or ideas) accurately.” (Original Chinese: 書不盡言，言不盡意). Daoism also holds that people cannot express and access the Dao by language. Zhuangzi says that: “the purpose of words is ideas, so if we get the ideas we can forget the words” (言者所以在意，得意而忘言).

In this poem, the interpretation of the last two lines can be: the author suddenly grasped the truth of Zen when he watched the flowers near the stream, but it is hard to express these delicate ideas in words. 忘言 (literally “forget word”) is actually “cannot find suitable words to describe.”  China’s great poet Tao Yuanming（Jin Dynasty） has similar verses, “此中有真意，欲辨已忘言,” meaning “To obtain the real meaning, / Your desire to distinguish must end—and your words, forgotten.”

There is also a Buddhist story called the “flower sermon.” Śākyamuni Buddha held up a white flower and just admired it in his hand. Mahākāśyapa smiled faintly, and Śākyamuni Buddha picked Mahākāśyapa as one who truly understood him and who was worthy to be his successor.]