Freedom

“Put all things in order
but not with benevolence;
nurture all generations
but not with obligation;
live in the ancient times
but never too antiquated;
sculptor all things in the world
under the sky
and hold up above the earth,
but not with craft.
This is rambling freely.”

(from Chapter 6 “The Great  Master”, Book of Chuang Tzu)
 Wang Shu
Freedom
I am free because I own myself,
I can own myself in freedom.
Freedom must comply with nature
and know what can exist.
To be able to wander,
one must first own oneself .
Wander in and out of art,
have my hands and feet experience freely to enlighten.
Enlightened in any posture for ease.

 Wang Shu
Wander in Color Poetry
How much in life is inevitable ,
what is the matter now?
There is nothing right now
like immersed love
in flowers at dawn
and dim moonlight.
Consign interest in nature,
the poetic heart wanders in dreams,
the soul mates with clouds.
Regardless of seasons come and go,
recite carefree
in and out of art.

 Wang Shu
Delightful Thoughts
Life is but a dream,
how can it be the way I want!
I can only learn to let it be
and strive to be willing to let go.
Appreciation is to entertain with rambling,
joy is to befriend with birds
and smell the flowers everyday.
It pleases me when the soul
drinks with like minds.
Self fulfillment is attained
amidst the company of bamboos.
Fantasize in the radiant beauty of clouds
Delight eyes with amazing lights and colors,
So dwell in a small garden
and write about thoughts,
how poetic!

 Wang Shu
Embrace Colors in Delight
Ramble in art puts my heart at ease,
delight in the great sound of nature.
Compose a new tune for worldly bondage,
tread alone on wild path,
footprints vanish like rainbow.

 Wang Shu
Breeze
Wander in poetry art
to nurture the soul.
Great beauty is fresh, cold,
true to oneself.
A breeze embraces me,
ride along its delight.
Joy and pain, free and easy,
in the deluded body.

Wang Shu
(national artist of Austria, also taught Chinese philosophy in Germany)
Wang Shu is a dear friend who inspired me to embark on the long journey to study Taoist philosophy of Lao Tzu and then Chuang Tzu. Hope his art and poetry facilitate your appreciation for Chuang Tzu’s teachings.All his poems are in Chinese, some in German.

Self is One’s True Nature

“If you serve your own mind,
joy and sorrow cannot do anything to you”
Chuang Tzu

“Those who lost themselves
are not true to themselves,
they cannot rule over others.
Many renowned people in history
were actually enslaved rulers,
they suited themselves to
what suited others,
and not what really suited themselves.”
( from Chapter 6 “ The Great Master”, Book of Chuang Tzu)

Wang Shu
To Self
The mind is universe’s promised land.
Self- esteem has to be cultivated with one’s efforts.
Confidence is based on protecting one’s true self.
Self-fulfillment stems from one’s roots.
Strive not to fight after fame or wealth.
Anchor self and not be deluded  by worldly cravings.
Self-reliance and self-delight make one at ease.
The mind is universe’s promised land,
my appearance is in my own hands,
poetic thoughts spread over canvas  colors,
where self knowledge and one’s nature are.

Wang Shu
Self Guide
Create a beautiful soul
with art poetry.
Cherish lone years
and free space.
Treasure even more,
rambling in precious land of art
I own in my heart.

Wang Shu
Ease the Nature
The mind is a superb vast desert and rich wilderness.
The mind bestows colors
with natural delight and gentle spirit.
Suit the self in accord with time and matter.
Take dimension to flow with one’s nature,
capture image based on mood.
Meditation calms, soothing me.
Wonders and scenes cannot be interpreted with talks,
High, for spiritual clarity,
understand in silence.
Discipline the self
but definitely not following the crowd,
or monistic views;
it’s letting the mind express freely;
a superb vast desert and rich wilderness.

Wang Shu
Teachings
Don’t abide by other’s laws.
Delight, charm and setting
develop from one’s own life.
Convention is out of the realm of teachings,
dimensions, free and easy in great beauty .

Wang Shu
Gradual Awakening
Profound truth has no address,
gradual awakening, no monastic door for emptiness.
Wonder heart is aloof
from human tactics,
nature hides itself
yet respect the self.

Wang Shu
(national artist of Austria, also taught Chinese philosophy in Germany)
Wang Shu is a dear friend who inspired me to embark on the long journey to study Taoist philosophy of Lao Tzu and then Chuang Tzu. Hope his art and poetry translated in English from Chinese will facilitate your appreciation for Chuang Tzu’s teachings.All his poems are in Chinese, some in German.

Dream,Shadow and Reality

Chuang Tzu dreamed he was a butterfly,
fluttering and dancing leisurely and at ease …….
He did not know if it was him
who dreamt about the butterfly
or the butterfly dreaming about him….
it is called transformation of the material.

(from Chapter 2 “All Things Equal”, Book of Chuang Tzu)

Shadow

The shadow of the shadow asked the shadow, “Just now you got up and moved, now you stop. Just now you sat down and now you get up. How come you cannot make up your mind?”

The shadow said, “Do you think this is so because I have expectations? Do you think this is like so because what I expect in turn also has expectations? Do you think I can expect things like the snake sloughing the scales or the cicada its wings? How can I tell how things are? How can I tell how things are not?”

(from Chapter 2“All Things Equal”, Book of Chuang Tzu)

 

 Wang Shu

Amazing Clarity

Watch the shore in stillness,
see the natural delights under the water.
An instant of calm,
a cloud of color spirits,
form reflected in water.

The fish comes,
fighting to devour  the shadow.
The shadow rests unperturbed,
Quiet and still.
The fish devours
yet the shadow is not harmed.
The shadow arouses the fish’s hunger.
How could the fish know
the shadow is just a game?

Watch the shore in stillness,
the shadow is like the breeze,
the shadow is like a cloud.

Wang Shu
(national artist of Austria, also taught Chinese philosophy in Germany)
Wang Shu is a dear friend who inspired me to embark on the long journey to study Taoist philosophy of Lao Tzu and then Chuang Tzu. Hope his art and poetry translated in English from Chinese facilitate your appreciation for Chuang Tzu’s teachings.All his poems are in Chinese, some in German.