(Book 223 Stories of Supreme Spiritual Responses《無上殊勝莊嚴的感應》「烏鴉同時大叫」)
‧Ｗritten by Sheng-yen Lu‧
Translated by Janny Chow
A US Daden Culture Publication
Among the poetry of the Song Dynasty, I am fond of the ones written by Li Zengbo, who also went by the aliases Changru and Kezhai. He was born in Tanhuai and made his home in Jiaxing. After serving as a pacification commissioner in Hunan, he became a highly regarded scholar-official. Later, he went on to serve simultaneously as the prefectural magistrate in Qingyuan and as a Coastal Regulation Officer. His work Kezhai’s Manuscript has been handed down to us.
A flavor of leisure permeates Li Zengbo’s poetry. Here is an example:
The owner of Hongxi has been idle for half a year,
He is still not tired of it.
It is said that one may fish in the creek,
Grow horse feed in the field,
Wear an orchid, or consume a chrysanthemum.
The urgent call to dispatch fills the autumn wind,
While the bamboo flute whistles under the night moon.
How many men of meritorious service have been left behind at
the Han border?
Now, I shall take my earthen liquor jar to the north sea,
And sing and dance to the east mountain.
Here is another:
Chariot and crown have come by chance,
Rank and wealth a cup of water,
I shall lean against the building whether deployed or not.
Review briefly the plums, study the willows,
Send my spirit to the cranes, and join alliance with the seagulls.
Instead of composing the official documents,
I look for the woodman.
Instead of moving words,
I turn to fishing.
Who cares if the raging of the east,
And south winds above the river never stops?
Are you aware that,
The green fields of now are far superior to the green oil?
And another:
This life of mine, wandering without fixed dwelling,
Past is gone, present is here,
The gulls and herons all recognize me.
Slightly tapping my light dinghy,
While misty waves dim the northern sky.
Heaven and earth exist on their own,
So is the world, and countless past relics.
Regarding all worldly events,
I have always thrown them into a cup of wine,
Never letting tears wet my black robes.
(to be continued)
