Green Way

The Way of Long Life and Long Vision
Includes reflections on I Ching, leadership, longevity practices, Chinese tea and books.
By Ren Qizhen.

“I went off alone at daybreak
through places without a trail,
In and out, up and down,
while the heavy mist
Made mountains and brooks
sparkle with green and purple.
Sometimes I saw huge pines and oaks,
each wider than ten arms around.

In the current I went barefoot,
stepping on stones in the streams,
With sounds of rushing water,
and the wind blowing in my clothes.
Moments like these in our lives
bring a joy in themselves –
Why must we stay fettered and tied,
put in the harness by others?

But then with a sigh I think of those lads,
the two or three of my circle –
How could I manage to stay here until old
and never return home again?”

- Han Xiangzi