Poem: Imperial vs Harmony (Yu Yong: Sha Men Huai Yi)
I am building this construct based on the literal translation of the title presented to me in Chinese. I researched the individual words and brought out the essence of the three groups of words: ‘Yu Yong’, ‘Sha Men’, and ‘Huai Yi’.
There is something unnatural about things used by the humans. Humans think that they are the center of the Universe.
“The earth is a very small stage in a vast cosmic arena. Think of the rivers of blood spilled by all those generals and emperors so that in glory and triumph they could become the momentary masters of a fraction of a dot. Think of the endless cruelties visited by the inhabitants of one corner of the dot on scarcely distinguishable inhabitants of some other corner of the dot. How frequent their misunderstandings, how eager they are to kill one another, how fervent their hatred. Our posturings, our imagined self-importance, and the delusion that we have some privileged position in the universe, are challenged by this point of pale light. Our planet is a lonely speck in the great enveloping cosmic dark. In our obscurity — in all this vastness — there is no hint that help will come from elsewhere to save us from ourselves. It is up to us.”
The entire word ‘Yi Yong’ captures this true essence. The things we use for humans — the self-styled emperors on this planet creating artificial things that don’t fit into the harmonic cycle of nature or the universe. The things that humans have created with tools that can feed our greed. From greed emanates power, and from power emerges imbalance and disharmony arises.
The kings and their kingdoms, their imperial ambitions, and material greed are the ultimate manifestations of human power, resulting in everything in this world — including all human and natural resources at their disposal and service, resulting in inequality and disharmony. Greed and power that humans wield separate them from nature. Nature has a long leash, and humans stretch it so far and long that they tend to bend and break sometimes. Yet, there is hope.
Pick a path that leads to the fulfillment of our needs and harmony, and that is possible by living a life that dips into nature just like how a peacock or a lion, a butterfly or a bee, an ant or an elephant, a tree or a bird — those who are interdependent and live in harmony. Anything unnatural is alien to this life — ‘Huai Yi’ is suspicious of the unnatural desire beyond an individual needs, especially when it brings about a minimalist approach like the ‘Sha Men’, especially when one is just present at the moment, for one can sit on their behinds, or lie in only one bed at any time.
If one is present, they are safe, secure, and satisfied, only when they are the burden of the past or the anxiety of the future, do the material objects come into play — which is the unnatural desire that a minimalist lifestyle ( and therefore harmonious) feels alien about.
The Guqin is the true representation of this minimalist way of life and true harmony. Its notes carry the presence of the human senses, unifying the senses to the soul, and bringing harmony with nature. The strums are the yearnings and the sounds that stir the soul are the messengers of this harmony.
Listen to the above link to realize the alienness of human self-centricity and the unified harmony of the ‘Sha Men’ lifestyle through Guqin music.
Poem: Imperial vs Harmony ( Yu Yong: Sha Men Huai Yi)
The male lion gives way in awe and fear
Lest trampled by the large fiery tusker
Yet, he is unaware of the spotlight shone
He carries a tag that he has never known
‘The King of the Jungle’ — a title and a throne
Oh, his mighty roar and majestic mane
The manifestation of the human imagination
A symbol of power, majesty, and one-upmanship
The King is the one who usurps power
The Middle Kingdom, the manifestation of his greed
No limits to his wants — women, wine, wars, and wagers
Insatiable material needs for the imperial greed (Yu Yong)
A travesty to the established harmony of the Heavens
The Stars shoot past the sky in burning anger.Calmer days are galore — the trees talk to each other
The breeze and the birds, the soil and the sun
Nobody wants more than they need
Nature does not understand the word greed
There is a bounty for everyone to feed
In the forest, there are no rejects called weeds
Unlike the rose gardens nurtured by humans
Just enough for growth, and balance for the balanceAlienness (Huai Yi) of the deathless desire
Detached and minimal living like Nature
Sha Men monks bear the truthful testimony
Just a morsel, a blanket, and prayers for harmony
Floating like the breeze and present like the blue skies
Melody of the music is where Nature’s harmony lies
The silent air ripples with the Guqin’s melodious tunes
The moment captures the gift of the present
A confluence of minimalist presence and melodious sounds
The truth of Harmony is minimalist, yet profound.~Ashok Subramanian © 2024
