The Relationship between Self and Nature: Soul Seeking Serenity - Assignment Example

The Relationship between Self and Nature: Soul Seeking Serenity The Relationship between Self and Nature: Soul Seeking Serenity The affinity of the ‘self’ for the ‘nature’ is randomly evident in the poetry of Wang Wei, Li Po, Du Fu and other poet seers of Chinese literature. Though few remarks for Nature from these poets come directly to clarify their philosophy and thoughts on Nature, it is obvious that nature in most of their poems appears to serve the purpose of a background that is vast, endless, somber and generous as Nature itself is. Moreover the crunched Self of the poet finds itself among the vastness and endless generosity of the nature for the quantum of solace. Directly and sometimes indirectly nature of the country landscape appears in their poetry as a symbol of freedom where the choked ‘Self’ takes the deep breath, free of the contamination of spirit and the body. Mostly because of the prime concern of ‘nature’ with the spirituality of each of the two poets Wang Wei and Li Po, their presentation of ‘self’ in term of ‘nature’ is greatly spiritual. There are several factors influencing the relationship between ‘self’ and ‘nature’ in the poetry of these poets. In the portrayal of nature, the influence of the poets’ religious faith and belief are strongly evident. But according to their variations of age and consequently the differences of the milieus engender the variations in the exertion of the influence on their poetry that draws the sharp distinctions between the portrayal of ‘self’ and ‘nature’. The poet Wang Wei significantly differs from the other poet of Tang Dynasty, Li Po in the presentation of the relationship between ‘self’ and ‘nature’. Wan Wei was highly in influenced the Buddhist culture and belief and the Tang Military Dominance. In his poetry he is primarily concerned with the illustration of the images and sense that are primarily related to the belief of Buddhism. As Buddhism does not put as much stress –as Daoism does- on the importance of ‘Nature’ in the way of achieving moral and spiritual elegance for ‘self’, ‘nature’ has not the reverend position, as it is reverend for Li Po. In contrast Li Po was greatly influenced by the eighth century “counter culture”. In contact of the wizards like Si-ma, Cheng-zheng, his belief was influenced to become a Taoist. In his poetry his ‘self’ is the reflection of his belief. As to the question of the presentation of its relationship with ‘nature’ in his poetry, it can be asserted that his presentation of ‘nature’ was a part of his belief that focuses upon the healing role of nature. As a Taoist, his ‘self’ in his poetry offers a close relation with ‘nature’ that vividly reflects the Taoist view of life and nature, “Trying to struggle against the natural world or to force nature to bend to your will is bound to fail. By relaxing and allowing events to take their course everything will eventually fall into place: by doing nothing everything will be done” (The Environment and the Dao). The faith and belief of Daoism fully pivot on nature as its center. The Dao or the path for an ideal life is the way Nature itself follows and also to be followed. As it is defined, “the ideal path or Dao which is both the Way to be followed and the path which nature itself would follow were it not for human interference” (The Environment and the Dao). While going though the line of Li Po’s poetry one will find oneself amid the forces of the nature in which “self” is another form of passivity in the arbitrary hand of Nature. In his presentation of Nature and Self, the second one is presented as the submissive creature before the might of the first. The mighty presence of nature is vivid when he describes in the poem “The Old Airs V”: How gray and green stands Mount Tai-bo, With stars lined in dark ranks above. .......................................................... Up there an old man with blue-black hair, mantled in cloud, lies in snow of pines He does not laugh, he does not speak, in darkness he roosts in cave on cliff (Po 400). But for Wang Wei, nature is more of aesthetic purpose than spiritual need. In his poetry his ‘self’ longs to come into contact with nature, to meet the aesthetic hunger of spirit. He looks into the being of nature to find its beauty. Again he was more attracted to the farming life as it is closer it is closer to nature. For him, Nature is a symbol of freedom, as he yearns for it in the poem, “Farming Homes By Wei River”: Field-hands come, hoes over shoulder; When they meet, their talk is friendly and warm, At this moment I yearn for freedom and ease and, downcast, I sing “Hard Straits” (Wei 387). In the poetry of Wang Wei, nature is more associated with the worldly life. The poet is more concerned with the beauty of nature in rural life. He whole heartedly appreciated the farming life in the country side. The farming life in the countryside provides more opportunity to be in touch of nature. So it fascinates him. In “Tao Qian, Returning to Dwell in Garden and Fields” he draws a contrast between the aristocratic style and simple peasant style of life. The embrace of reality in a peasant’s life is strikingly vivid in the line “Yet I always fear that the frost will come / and they (mulberry and hemp) will fall to ruin with common weeds” (Wei, 388). Here is the presentation of the ‘self’-the man who is submissive to Nature. The Mountain “Tai-bo” stands “With stars lined in dark ranks above” (Po 400). But the old man with blue-black hair, is mantled in cloud. Later in the poem, the speaker asserts that he is seeking this man for his remedy. In the poem “The Old Air VII” also the poet Li Po assert his faith in nature. He also asserts the downfall of anyone who will go against the will of Nature. He allegorizes it with the example of the high flying Crane. As he describes in the same poem: There was once one Undying on a Crane Who flew and flew over the Purest Ether ................................................... Then couple by couple, came lads like white jade Blowing lavender phoenix pipes in pairs (Po 400). But the presentation of ‘nature’ Du Fu’s poetry appears to be of different trends for that of Wang Wei and Li Po. Du Fu was mainly known as a historian. Therefore he is to be characterized a poet of history. The question how Du Fu treats ‘nature’ and ‘self’ is greatly answered in the way that Du Fu’s ‘self’ has less of spiritual concerns with ‘nature’. “Nature’ in his poetry plays the role of a quite passive catalyst to bring out his other intension. Even after all of this characterization of ‘nature’, it is not that ‘nature’ is not tinged with some spirituality. Du Fu’s poetry is often considered as songs. He, in most of the poems that are known as songs, attempts to find spirituality in nature for a soul that is tired of the ups and downs of history. Wang Wei also presents a ‘self’ that is tired of these ups and downs of history. He is not as vivid as Du Fu. But when he presents ‘nature’, he draws the mythical elements from the belief of the traditional folks. It does not mean that ‘self’ of the poet directly relates spirituality in ‘nature’. Self in the poetry of Du Fu is free of its concerns with ‘nature’ as a spiritual agent. It is evident in the lines of the poem, “A Mei-pi Lake Song”: It is the moment a jet black dragon Puffs a pearl from its jaws; The god of Water strikes his drum The hard of dragon scary ( Du Fu 414). Imagery that is used is the poetry of these poets also illustrates the relationship between ‘self’ and ‘nature’ Indeed Li Po has made a successful attempt to illustrate the relationship of ‘self’ with ‘nature’. His imagery is eloquent enough to illustrate this relationship. “Sky”, “Mountain”, “river” etc. a long selection of images from the nature shows the position of nature in his view. In the poem “The Old Airs V” the “Old man with blue-black Hair” who is as somber as the Mountain Tai-bo, is the symbol genuineness. Here what is remarkable is that the old man is closer to the nature the speaker of the poem. As a result the detached soul of the speaker returns to him in order to be close with nature and to get from it the remedy. Again in the poem “A Song on Visiting Heaven’s Crone Mountain in a Dream: on Parting” the image of Mountain appears taking the elegant image. The Crone Mountain is as high as the sky, both spiritually. As the poet describes the Mountain’s elegance in the lines: Heaven’s Crone reaches to Sky And Side-ways runs to the sky Its force stands over the five Great Peaks It casts Red-wall in the Shade (Po 401) In the poetry of Wang Wei nature plays a passive role in making the relationship live. It is not as reverend as it is the poetry of Li Po. It is totally under the will of the ‘self’ to make the relationship firm. Spirituality is of less importance in the poetry of Wang. Consequently his imagery serves the purpose of visual quality. Wang’s self evaluates ‘nature’ with a painter’s speculative appreciation. Consequently his imagery renders the miniature view of the landscape. With this portrayal of there is the mixture of devotion to Buddhism. As it is said, “To this gift may be added the Buddhist devotee’s sense that the world of senses is illusions, as are the emotions we feel through attachment to this world of senses” (Norton Anthology 386) The Relationship between Self and Nature influences the style of both Li Po and Wang Wei. The prevalence of the sensual image of “cold” and “cloud” and, the presence of “self” in the image of the first person “I” are remarkable for the perception of the relationship between ‘nature’ and ‘self’. As a style the use of the first person speaker “I” helps the poet to draw the reader’s attention to his view. Indeed Li PO’s use of the first person “I” helps the readers to view nature as the poet views. So the ‘self’ of Li Po is the way to perceive its relationship with nature. The relationship of ‘self’ with ‘nature’ is such that in spite of its close contact with ‘nature’, it is always mysterious, mighty and therefore reverend for the ‘self’ of the poet. The ‘self’ of the poet always tries to establish a communion with ‘nature’, as is expressed in the poem of Li Po, “Getting out What I feel”: I face my wine, unaware of darkness growing, The falling flowers cover my clothes Drunk, I rise, tread moonlight in greek--- The birds turn back, men to grow fewer (Po 404) Again in the poem, “Han Shan: The Master of Cold Mountain” of Li Po, natural hindrances in the way to achieve spirituality appears to be the test of purity for the self. “Whoever is able to pass the world’s toils / may sit here with me inside the white cloud” (Po 405). As to his style Wang Wei is more eloquent to represent ‘nature’ as an agent that can contribute to the nourishment of soul. The beauty of ‘nature’ evokes his love for his birth place. His wandering soul longs to be united with his birthplace. His love for his country is expressed in the lines of the poem “Early Cold on the River: Something On My Mind”, “my home is where the Xiang’s water bend / I am blocked from it far by Vhu’s clouds edge” (Wang 398). In the same poem again his longing for his country, “Tears for home have been spent in travels / I watched a lone sail at the margin of sky” (Wang 398). For Wang ‘nature’ is also a perfect of source of ecstasy and joy, and at the same time, consolation for which a man can turn to it. As to the treatment of nature, Wang Wei is similar to the English poet, Wordsworth who is known as the poet of nature. Indeed Wang’s ‘self’ in his poetry is the ‘wandering self’ – as is observed in most of the poets’ works of Tang Dynasty- in the vastness of ‘nature’. Both in the poetry of Wang Wei and Li Po, the affinity between ‘self’ and ‘nature’ exist. But the traits of this relationship are dominated by the poets’ different views about ‘nature’. In conclusion, it can be said that the influence of nature’ on the poets and their poets is universal. Nature appears in different form in the works of a poet. It is also true for the Chinese poets also. Wang Wei, Li Po and Du Fu, the poets of Tang Dynasty, represent the relationship between “self’ and ‘nature’ in Chinese poetry. In general ‘self’ of both the poet and the readers is forced to the way of union with ‘nature’. Works Cited Stephen, Owen. An Anthology of Chinese Literature: Beginnings to 1911. New York: Norton, 1996. “The Environment and the Dao” SACU, 2001, retrieved Nov 17, 2008, from Read More