bubble_chart Content

Shen Yaozi on 2005/5/21

沈 藥 子 ‧ 庚 辰 初 夏

更 向 藐 山 放 雲 亭

遠 城 故 居 沐 薄 霧

青 葉 玉 露 照 迷 情

古 徑 林 海 探 幽 冥

放 雲 亭 記

"Alas! Why am I here?" I was strolling along a mountain path.
'Who am I? What am I doing here?' My mind was blank.
Even more intriguing, I seemed to be a child dressed in ancient attire.
Surrounded by clouds and mist, embraced by mountains, with ancient trees towering into the sky, I curiously looked around. Beyond the distant clouds, it seemed like endless vastness.
Tired from walking, I found a pine tree to rest under.
Looking around at the scenery and my own attire, I couldn't help but think of Jia Dao's poem "Seeking the Hermit and Not Finding Him." Would I encounter someone gathering herbs on the mountain later?
Then, in the mist ahead, a faint figure slowly emerged, approaching me, like a ghost. Appearing before me was indeed an old man—with gray hair and beard, a face full of wrinkles, dressed in ancient clothes and straw sandals, his eyes sparkling with a mysterious aura, like an immortal who had lived as long as heaven and earth.
Although it was our first meeting, there was a deep, unknowable sense of familiarity. It felt like we knew each other, but I couldn't recall when. 'Since when?' Hmm~ maybe since the beginning of life.
The old man looked at me, who was lost in thought, and smiled kindly, "You've come again."
'I've come again?' When had I been here before? I had no memory of it.
"Um~ ah~ Who are you?..." I stammered.
The old man smiled, turned, and walked up the mountain.
"Hey! Sir, where is this place? Can you tell me?" I quickly stood up and chased after him.
"Follow me, young man," the old man replied with a smile, not looking back.

(To be continued)

The ancients believed that the shapes of clouds were related to changes in the human world. For example, Lü Lan states: "In the most chaotic times, the shapes of clouds resemble dogs or horses." Whether there is truly a connection remains unknown, but it is at least an interesting association. When examined through the lens of dissipative system theory, there might be some validity. Although modern people do not know why clouds take certain shapes, what is more concerning is that we may have even lost the ability to imagine them.