see how life flows how time embraces things pass, and the words we use to justify things to eternalize, to spiritualise they trap us, do you observe; beings pass, things lose their joints bodies relinquish their hold; and even space withdraws into itself all things it brings forth if you observe, dear wayfarer, and friend what appears before and what stays and what subsides; not led in your mind manacled by Thick Books and Principles and The Book of Words and Light of Truths if you put all things aside (you need nothing in all worlds) and you observe you see all things glide like the cloud that appears in the sky dances with winds, not to please anyone and then passes; and so do you, so do all things pass; and always there is the stillness that embraces do you observe
poem to accompany the painting "Bai Juyi" by Chen Hongshou