Freedom From A Mountaintop

In a fleeting moment of timeless transcendence, Li Bai writes,

As a flock of birds fly at their greatest height, a lonely cloud drifts idly on its own.

But as we gaze at each other, neither of us will ever grow tired.

There can only be one .... Jingting Mountain.

An affirmation of faith

Perhaps an affirmation of faith for a poet known for the depths of great despair, Li Bai describes a brief moment of happiness to which each of us may aspire.

Within this poem however, there are two major themes that are contained in much of his other work. They are loneliness and freedom, both experienced in his life upon the road.

These themes, perhaps an unlikely pair, have created lasting images that may dwell in any reflective mind.

There real value however, may lie in their ability to describe an existence that could often be described as bittersweet.

In just two brief lines, Li Bai writes,

As a flock of birds fl y at their greatest height,
a lonely cloud drifts idly on its own.

The image of birds above a drifting cloud

And while it may be impossible to gain a complete understanding of these images as they exist within the poets mind, it is reasonable to assume that the flying birds may be a symbol of natures' unrivalled beauty.

At the same time, as a drifting cloud is described as lonely, it takes on an overt human form. It is also quite beautiful as well.

Yet beneath this beauty lies an underlying sadness that adds to the great poignancy of the poem.

The loneliness of a traveling poet

And while loneliness often seems to follow the poet wherever he may go, it would seem that within this one fleeting moment, it vanishes far beyond the clouds.

Or perhaps, as the poet comes to terms with the nature of his own loneliness, he is able to experience a great moment of spiritual transcendence, however brief.

In a description of this event, Li Bai writes,

As he gazes into the eyes of his friend,

Neither of us ever grows tired....

There can only be one Jingting Shan.

The great significance of this brief fleeting moment

Perhaps a symbol of hope, or arguably an acceptance of reality as it really exists, Li Bai creates another striking scene that captures momentarily, .... a lonely travelers' dream.

.... A brief moment of spiritual transcendence in the life and Poetry of China's great archetypal traveler.

Gerald Marchewka is an American freelance writer currently living in Ulaanbaatar Mongolia. Gerald Marchewka can be reached at geraldmarchewka@yahoo.com

Author:: Gerald Marchewka
Keywords:: Poetry, Philosophy, China, Tang Dynasty, Taoism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Metaphysi cs, Rock, Mongolia
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