Lin Qing Xuan: Finding Joy in the Ordinary
As a teenager, I was very impressed by Su Shi's quyi, and I can still recite it now:
West rain, northwest wind, a small chill; faint smoke, sparse willows, beautify the clear beach.
Entering the Huai River, Qing Luo gradually deepened; snow foam and milk flowers floated in the afternoon cup.
Lao deng hao shun try spring platter, there is taste in the world; 'Clear joy' is indeed a wonderful thing. It's a leisurely and light joy, not coming from elsewhere, but from a quiet, understated, simple life. When a person can savor the fragrance of wild vegetables more than fine delicacies, or when a person can find a more appealing meaning in a stone on the roadside than in a diamond, or when a person can be moved by the sound of birds singing in the woods more than the bustle of feeding birds, or even when a person can quietly enjoy a pot of oolong tea instead of the excitement of a lavish banquet – these are all clear joys.
What makes 'clear joy' so special is its unpretentious spirit; it doesn't care about material possessions, it only cares about the taste of the soul. It's a much higher level of joy than Li Yu's 'High building, who goes up? Long remember autumn clear view, past events are gone, just like a dream,' or 'Life is joyful, one must fully enjoy it, don't let the golden cup be empty in front of the moon' – it's not such a joyful spirit. It's also different from Du Fu's 'Life has feelings and tears stain the heart, mountains and rivers, why not the ultimate?' or 'Life has no greeting, like joining the merchants; tonight, let's have a candle together.' It's even like Wang Kuo-wei's 'Life is like wind before a willow, joyful and fleeting, sorrowful and fleeting, both are like scattered points on the Yangtze River.'
However, 'clear joy' is difficult to find!
Especially for people living in modern times, it's almost impossible to find 'clear joy'.
What is 'clear joy'? We want to take a leisurely stroll, but there's no quiet corner where we can sit and rest; we want to eat a few simple dishes, but there are almost none left. Too much oil, too much sauce, too much salt and MSG have become the hallmark of Chinese food. Sometimes, we are afraid of the greasiness, so we ask the chef to boil a simple dish, but when it comes out, it's shocking because there are more salads than the dish itself!
Sometimes we just want to have a cup of tea or coffee with friends, but we can't find a place to sit and drink, because everywhere is noisy and crowded. It's difficult to find a place where you can drink tea and enjoy the scenery!
When people become obsessed with 'clear joy,' they can't really savor the taste of life, and when the joy is gone, the world becomes tasteless. Why can't modern people find 'clear joy,' but instead, do they seek joy in filth and chaos?
When a person seeks joy in filth, it's hard to appreciate the taste of life, and when the joy is gone, the world becomes tasteless. What is 'clear joy'? We want to take a leisurely stroll, but there's no quiet corner where we can sit and rest; we want to eat a few simple dishes, but there are almost none left. Too much oil, too much sauce, too much salt and MSG have become the hallmark of Chinese food. Sometimes, we are afraid of the greasiness, so we ask the chef to boil a simple dish, but when it comes out, it's shocking because there are more salads than the dish itself!
Sometimes we just want to have a cup of tea or coffee with friends, but we can't find a place to sit and drink, because everywhere is noisy and crowded. It's difficult to find a place where you can drink tea and enjoy the scenery!
Thinking about 'clear joy' suddenly reminded me of another quyi of Su Shi:
Pear blossoms are white and pale, willow catkins fly, the city is full of flowers;
Longing for the southeast, a snow-like white, life can be seen a few clear, what is the most beautiful?
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