Chapter 341: There is Painting in Poetry

On the sky screen, the scene switched.

Wang Wei stood in the desert of the frontier, in the distance was a round setting sun, and a lonely plume of smoke rose straight into the sky.

He picked up his brush and wrote a line, the ink blurring on the paper, as if the entire frontier had been packed into the poem.

【Eternal masterpiece: "Mission to the Frontier"】

【A single cart to inquire at the frontier, passing the vassal state of Juyan.】

【The drifting tumbleweed leaves the Han frontier, the returning geese enter the Hu sky.】

【The lonely smoke of the desert rises straight, the long river's setting sun is round.】

【Meeting the scouts at Xiao Pass, the Protector-General is at Yanran.】

The moment the whole poem appeared, the villa went quiet.

"The lonely smoke of the desert rises straight, the long river's setting sun is round."

Li Shimin recited softly, his fingers tapping lightly on the table, as if savoring the taste of every word.

"These ten characters pack the entire frontier into them."

Liu Che thought for more than ten seconds, then said: "'Straight' and 'round'—these two words are used perfectly."

"The smoke is straight, the sun is round; the vastness of the desert and the distance of the long river are all in these two words."

Liu Xiu sighed: "Most people write about the frontier, either writing about the bitter cold or the heroic spirit."

"Wang Wei doesn't write about these; he just writes about the scenery. But it is this scenery that lets people see the entirety of the frontier."

Liu Bang said seriously for once: "I have fought in wars and seen the desert. That place is indeed like this."

"The lonely smoke rises straight up, and the round sun hangs on the horizon. He wrote the truth."

Ying Zheng did not comment, but his gaze lingered on those ten characters for a long time.

The comments flooded the screen instantly—

【Comment from Li Bai, Tang Dynasty】

The lonely smoke of the desert rises straight, the long river's setting sun is round.

Moqi's lines, I also admire.

【Comment from Du Fu, Tang Dynasty】

Such scenery and emotion, only those who have seen it with their own eyes can speak of it.

【Comment from Su Shi, Song Dynasty】

Savoring Moqi's poetry, there is painting in poetry.

These two lines are the best proof.

【Comment from a modern netizen】

Memorizing these two lines in school, there was a picture in my mind.

This is the magic of "there is painting in poetry."

On the sky screen appeared another poem—

【"Autumn Evening in the Mountain Residence"】

【Empty mountain after new rain, the weather is autumn evening.】

【Bright moon shines among the pines, clear spring flows over the stones.】

【Bamboo noise returns the washing girls, lotus movement descends the fishing boat.】

【Let the spring flowers wither, the grandson can stay on his own.】

Liu Xiu read "Bright moon shines among the pines, clear spring flows over the stones" and closed his eyes.

"I seem to be able to see the moonlight spilling down through the pine branches and hear the sound of the spring water flowing over the stones."

Liu Che continued: "This is Wang Wei's skill."

"He is not writing poetry; he is painting a picture and then using words to send the painting into your brain."

Li Shimin laughed: "Others have to use their brains to read poetry; Wang Wei's poetry only needs eyes to see."

"It's not saying his poetry is shallow, but that his sense of imagery is too strong."

Meng Haoran's comment drifted out—

【Comment from Meng Haoran, Tang Dynasty】

I have spent my life in seclusion in the mountains and forests, only writing about the form of mountains and waters.

Moqi writes about the heart of mountains and waters; I am not as good.

Du Fu's comment followed closely—

【Comment from Du Fu, Tang Dynasty】

Reading Moqi's poetry is like drinking clear spring water, refreshing the heart.

There are thousands of poets in the prosperous Tang, only this gentleman's words can calm the heart.

Bai Juyi couldn't help it either—

【Comment from Bai Juyi, Tang Dynasty】

In the prosperous Tang poetic world, Li Bai writes of heroic spirit, Du Fu writes of vicissitudes, and Wang Wei writes of etherealness.

The three of them each occupy a pole, supporting half of the prosperous Tang.

On the sky screen, the scene changed, Wang Wei in official uniform, discussing matters in the court.

The next moment, the scene switched, he was wearing coarse cloth clothes, playing the qin and enjoying the scenery in the Wangchuan Villa in the mountains.

Two identities, two sets of clothes, two kinds of lives, perfectly integrated in one person.

【Breaking the stereotype that "Wang Wei only sought seclusion and had no ambition":】

【Wang Wei became famous young, passed the imperial examination early, and had full ambition for the country in his early years.】

【As an official, he was upright and incorruptible, not forming cliques, not fawning over the powerful.】

【In the late Kaiyuan prosperous age, the court gradually decayed, and treacherous officials were in power.】

【Wang Wei did not want to go along with them, but he did not want to completely abandon his official position for seclusion.】

【So he chose to be half-official, half-recluse—】

【When serving in the court, he performed his duties diligently; in his leisure time, he lived in seclusion in the mountains and forests, contemplating Zen and understanding reason.】

【Body in the court, heart in the mountains and waters, not failing the country, not failing his original heart.】

Liu Che looked at this text, thoughtful: "This person is interesting."

"The path he chose—being an official and being a recluse, neither is delayed."

Liu Xiu expressed his view: "And he is not the kind of 'body in Cao camp, heart in Han' perfunctory."

"If he is an official, he does it well; if he is in seclusion, he does it well."

"This is a very high-level ability—switching freely."

Li Shimin laughed: "I think this is the smartest person."

"Wang Wei's kind, advancing can attack, retreating can defend, living the most comfortably."

Ying Zheng suddenly spoke: "He saw through it."

Liu Bang asked: "Saw through what?"

Ying Zheng said lightly: "Saw through that fame is nothing more than this, saw through that the court is nothing more than this, saw through that life is nothing more than this."

"Saw through it, but not desperate."

"Things that should be done are still done, days that should be lived are still lived."

"This is true transparency."

Liu Bei's comment drifted out—

【Comment from Liu Bei, Three Kingdoms】

I envy Wang Wei's way of living.

I have drifted for a lifetime, wanting to rest but unable to, wanting to leave but unable to.

【Comment from Zhuge Liang, Three Kingdoms】

My Lord, you are different from Wang Wei.

He had a prosperous age to rely on, while you faced troubled times.

The era is different, so the choices are naturally different.

【Comment from Cao Cao, Three Kingdoms】

Wang Wei was born in a prosperous age, so he had the qualifications to choose to be half-official and half-recluse.

Born in troubled times, if you don't choose a side, the side will choose you.

Sima Yi's comment was rarely deep—

【Comment from Sima Yi, Three Kingdoms】

Wang Wei's most amazing point is not that he chose to be half-official and half-recluse, but that he never struggled after choosing.

Many people struggle their whole lives—regretting not being in seclusion after choosing the officialdom, regretting not being an official after choosing seclusion.

Wang Wei did not regret it, because he knew what he wanted from the beginning.

On the sky screen, the scene suddenly darkened, clouds overcast.

The flames of the An Lushan Rebellion ignited, Chang'an fell, and Wang Wei was captured by the rebels, forced to accept a fake position.

In the scene, Wang Wei's expression was gray, his eyes hollow.

【The An Lushan Rebellion broke out, Wang Wei was captured by the rebels and forced to accept a fake position.】

【After the rebellion was quelled, he should have been beheaded according to the law.】

【Because his brother Wang Jin pleaded for him, and because he wrote the poem "Ningbi Pool" while captured to express his loyalty to the Tang Dynasty, he was eventually pardoned and only demoted.】

In the villa, the atmosphere was heavy.

Li Shimin's face turned livid: "An Lushan Rebellion... it's the An Lushan Rebellion again."

Gu Shanhe said softly: "Wang Wei experienced the greatest hardship of his life in this rebellion."

"After he was captured, the rebels forced him to be an official, and he couldn't refuse—refusing meant death."

"But he used poetry to prove that his heart was still toward the Tang."

Liu Che asked: "What did he write?"

On the sky screen appeared that poem—

【"Ningbi Pool"】

【Ten thousand households are sad, wild smoke rises, when will the hundred officials worship the heaven again?】

【Autumn locust leaves fall in the empty palace, music plays at the Ningbi Pool.】

Liu Bang read it and was silent for a while.

"This poem... is saying he is still thinking of the court, still thinking of going back."

Liu Xiu: "'When will the hundred officials worship the heaven again'—when can we worship the emperor again? This sentence saved his life."

Ying Zheng said lightly: "In troubled times, it's good enough to be alive."

"He was able to maintain his integrity while being forced to surrender, not easy."

Comments drifted by—

【Comment from Du Fu, Tang Dynasty】

Moqi was forced to accept a fake position, truly helpless.

His heart is toward the Tang, poetry can prove it.

【Comment from Su Shi, Song Dynasty】

Wang Wei accepting a fake position was not his original intention.

Future generations discussing people should look at their hearts, not be harsh on their traces.

【Comment from a modern netizen】

The An Lushan Rebellion changed the fate of all prosperous Tang poets.

Wang Wei was lucky, at least he survived. ===== CHAPTER 342 =====