WANG
WEI IN WINTERSCAPE
Wang
Wei was a famous 8th century Chinese poet, painter and follower of
Chan Buddhism (better known by its Japanese version Zen Buddhism).
None of his painting survive but there are paintings by others in
imitation of his style. Fortunately, many of his poems survived.
Wang
Wei was famous for both his poetry and his paintings, about which Su
Shi coined a phrase: "The quality of Wang Wei’s poems can be
summed as, the poems hold a painting within them. In observing his
paintings you can see that, within the painting there is poetry."
He is especially known for his compositions in the Mountains and
Streams (Shanshui) poetry genre...
from Wikipedia.
One
winter day on the North Coast of NSW the scene reminded me of his
poetry that I had been reading in English translation.
Wang
Shimin: "After Wang Wei's 'Snow Over Rivers and Mountains'".
Qing Dynasty.
WANG
WEI IN WINTERSCAPE
Drizzle
from this winter sky
Mutes
the greens and browns of pastures.
Clouds
conceal far mountain tops.
Mist
slides down the sides of hills.
Far
the filtered light of day
Brushes
sight with textures like
Scrolls
of ancient, ink-washed silk.
I'm
reminded of Wang Wei
Longing
for some further, finer
Life
and living, seeing some
Image
of its image in
Distant
kingdoms of white cloud-
Writing
poems like painting silk,
Brushing
silk like poetry.
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