[updated October 2022]
Mail This to Daoist Masters, the Honorable Huang and Liu
奇 黄 刘 二 尊 师
庐 山 两 道 士
各 在 一 峰 居。
矫 掌 白 云 表
晞 发 阳 和 初。
清 夜 降 真 捛
焚 香 满 空 虚 。
中 有 无 为 乐
自 然 与 世 疏。
道 尊 不 可 屈
符 守 岂 暇 馀。
高 斋 遥 致 敬
愿 示 一 编 书。
Qi Huang Liu Er Zun Shi
Lu shan liang dao shi
Ge zai yi feng ju.
Jiao zhang bai yun biao
Xi fa yang he chu.
Qing ye jiang zhen lu
Fen xiang man kong xu.
Zhong you wu wei le
Zi ran yu shi shu.
Dao zun bu ke qu
Fu shou qi xia yu.
Gao zhai yao zhi jing
Yuan shi yi bian shu.
Mail This to Daoist Masters, the Honorable Huang and Liu
Mountain huts with two Daoist scholars
Under one summit they dwell on separate peaks.
One can just reach out to touch the white clouds
Gentle sunlight dries the conifers and their unbound hair.
Clear evenings, immortals make their descent
Burning incense fully fills the emptiness.
Living amidst the joys of wu wei
Ziran gives society no place to rest.
These Daoist masters not able to bend or yield to society
I do not have the surplus leisure time to set down my government seal.
From a distance I send to you honor and respect
And one copy of an original Daoist book.
Notes:
Ziran: Nature, doing things naturally, inherent existence, the natural order of things.
Wuwei: Daoist concept of letting things take their own course;
literally without doing or making; spontaneity.
Government seal: A person holding a government position
Commentary:
White clouds: Code words meaning spiritual freedom and discernment.
Unbound hair: Not a government official or person inside worldly affairs. A free entity.