late 16th century
Hong Zicheng
Ming dynasty scholar who wrote the Caigentan (Vegetable Roots Discourse), short reflections that blend Confucian, Taoist and Buddhist wisdom for everyday life.
Every line we carry
Each one links to its source, what it means, and the shirt in any of our looks.
- Geese cross the cold lake. When they're gone, the lake keeps no reflection.
Hong pairs the image with wind in sparse bamboo that leaves no sound once it has passed. The lake reflects the geese perfectly while they are there and holds nothing afterward. Meet each thing fully, then let it go without a trace.
Caigentan (Vegetable Roots Discourse), Part 1, our translation from the Chinese
- When things come, the mind appears. When they go, it empties.
This is the lesson Hong draws from the geese and the lake. The noble person responds fully when a matter arises and does not keep chewing on it afterward. Give the meeting your whole mind, then walk out with an empty one.
Caigentan (Vegetable Roots Discourse), Part 1, our translation from the Chinese