“_Not of the spirituality of the mind, Nor yet of the atoms of the cosmos, But as though reached upon white clouds, Borne thither by pellucid breezes. Afar, it seems at hand, Approach, ’tis no longer there; Sharing the nature of ~TAO~, It shuns the limits of mortality. It is in the piled-up hills, in tall trees, In dark mosses, in sunlight rays.... Croon over it, think upon it; Its faint sound eludes the ear._” xxii.--ABSTRACTION. “_Without friends, longing to be there, Alone, away from the common herd, Like the crane on Mount Hou, Like the cloud at the peak of Mount Hua. In the portrait of the hero The old fire still lingers; The leaf carried by the wind Floats on the boundless sea. It would seem as though not to be grasped, But always on the point of being disclosed. Those who recognise this have already attained; Those who hope, drift daily farther away._” xxiii.--ILLUMINED. “_Life stretches to one hundred years, And yet how brief a span; Its joys so fleeting, Its griefs so many! What has it like a goblet of wine, And daily visits to the wistaria arbour, Where flowers cluster around the eaves, And light showers pass overhead? Then when the wine-cup is drained, To stroll about with staff of thorn; For who of us but will some day be an ancient?... Ah, there is the South Mountain in its grandeur!_”[32] xxiv.--MOTION. “_Like a whirling water-wheel, Like rolling pearls,-- Yet how are these worthy to be named? They are but illustrations for fools. There is the mighty axis of Earth, The never-resting pole of Heaven; Let us grasp their clue, And with them be blended in One, Beyond the bounds of thought, Circling for ever in the great Void, An orbit of a thousand years,-- Yes, this is the key to my theme._” FOOTNOTES: [12] Alluding to the huge gilt images of Buddha to be seen in all temples. [13] The other two were Li Po and Tu Fu. [14] Graves are placed by preference on some hillside. [15] Referring to a famous beauty of the Han dynasty, one glance from whom would overthrow a city, two glances an empire. [16] Referring to A-chiao, one of the consorts of an Emperor of the Han dynasty. “Ah,” said the latter when a boy, “if I could only get A-chiao, I would have a golden house to keep her in.” [17] A fancy name for the women’s apartments in the palace. [18] The mandarin duck and drake are emblems of conjugal fidelity. The allusion is to ornaments on the roof. [19] Each bird having only one wing, must always fly with a mate. [20] Such a tree was believed to exist, and has often been figured by the Chinese. [21] The Great Bear. [22] Wine which makes man see spring at all seasons. [23] Emblems of purity. [24] Our previous state of existence at the eternal Centre to which the moon belongs. [25] The Power who, without loss of force, causes things to be what they are--God. [26] Alluding to the art of the painter.