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Hockney, David - Li Shangyin - 4 Swallow terrace, Winter
Identifier
014384
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
Winter tunnel - David Hockney
A description of the experience
Li Shangyin (c. 813–858) was a Chinese poet of the late Tang Dynasty, born in Henei (now Qinyang, Henan). He was much admired and "rediscovered" in the 20th century by the young Chinese writers for the imagist quality of his poems.
4 Winter
The sun rises east of heaven: the sun sets west of heaven:
a phoenix-woman flying alone, a dragon-woman destitute:
among the cold creek’s white stones, no one else is seen:
her room is further away than Emperor Shun’s wilderness
tomb: on the frozen wall, secret blossoms of frost spreading:
the flowering root splits open, and the fragrant heart dies:
in a painted boat clinging to waves, thinking of the moon,
wondering :what if the moon-goddess isn’t beautiful at all:
Ch’u flutes and tribal strings are grieving over the world:
in the empty city, her dance ends, but a willow-thin waist
remains: back in those long-ago days, they melted with joy
in your hands, those two sisters Peach-Leaf and Peach-Root:
hair tossed and tumbled to one side, she braves dawn cold:
hairpins elegant white-jade swallows, cicadas delicate gold:
wind-carriages and rain-horses never carry anyone away:
candles crying red tears resent dawn light filling the sky
The source of the experience
Hockney, DavidConcepts, symbols and science items
Concepts
Symbols
Four seasons and the hoursScience Items
Activities and commonsteps
Activities
Overloads
Smoke inhalationSuppressions
Communing with natureLOVE
Reducing desires
Squash the big I am