桃花源記(The Peach Blossom Spring)
文以拙進 道以拙成 一拙字 有無限意味
如桃源犬吠桑間鷄鳴 何等淳龐? 至於寒潭之月古木之鴉 工巧中 便覺有衰颯氣象矣 (後 93)
The writing progresses from being clumsy, and the 'Tao' is achieved by being simple. The word 'simple' has infinite meanings.
How naive are the phrases that roosters are crowing at the peach village(桃源) and dogs are barking among the mulberry trees(桑間)? However, the phrase that the moon shines on a cold pond and crows crow from an old tree is sophisticated but feels the atmosphere of lifeless and lonely. (Book2 93)
Even the place that looks like noble and remote is not heaven. The peach village(桃源) and the mulberry trees(桑間) symbolize the utopia for Asian. Dogs and chickens, which are common in the village, are crowing at Heaven. Simplicity is closer to heaven than sophistication.
Vegetable Root Discourse
Source of Original Text1 | Source of Original Text2 | English Version1(Out of Print) | English Version2(Out of Print)