Poem: Chao Yi (1727-1814)

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In Search of Solitude

I never tire in my search of solitude;
I wander aimlessly along out-of-the-way trails
Where I have never been before,
The more I change my direction, the wilder the road becomes.
Suddenly I come to the bank of a raging river;
The path breaks off, all trails vanish.
No one is there for me to ask directions:
Only a lone egret beside the tall grass, glistening white.

Note: Symbolically, the egret's white color represents purity; the long neck (masculine) and round body (feminine) represent the union of opposites. Egrets also represent wisdom.