白居易诗

Poems of Bai Juyi


Index

赠韦炼师

For Master Wei Lian


浔阳迁客为居士
身似浮云心似灰
上界女仙无嗜欲
何因相顾两裴回
共疑过去人间世
曾作谁家夫妇来

Xunyang's humble exile, Mr. Bai, has a
Body like a floating cloud, a mind like ashes.
You are an Immortal on earth, without desires.
Why this long hesitance at parting?
We both suspect that in some former life
You must once have entertained Mr. Bai and wife.

-- 白居易


废话

It is 818 and Bai Juyi writes a parting poem for Daoist Master Wei. I say Daoist because of the "mind like ashes" and "Immortal" bits. Bai is a bit vague when it comes to religion. Clouds are what Daoists float on, with their bodies like "fallen trees." The "former life" seems a bit Buddhist here. Daoists are vague on reincarnation. You are as likely to come back as a crossbow growing out of someone's elbow or wheels growing out of their butt as anything else (see Zhuangzi, Inner Chapters.)

I note that this poem is further evidence supporting my theory of Bai's longstanding marital felicity with its explicit reference to his wife as part of this hesitance of goodbyes.

Index