Abstract
Absract The lack of correspondence between the title and content of this poem raises a question: Why did Zhu Xi write about water, a pond and a spring in a poem meant to be about book-reading? This poem follows the neo-Confucian belief that writing should be the expression of profound philosophic thoughts and cosmologic views. Views on learning are conveyed through the evocation of a natural phenomenon — the limpid spring and its hidden source. The image of ceaseless ‘living water flowing in from the origin’, therefore, pictures in a metaphorical way the evolution of human intelligence and underlines the importance of learning. Once the analogy between visible natural things and abstract thoughts on learning is revealed, the seeming inconsistency between the title and content of this poem dissolves. A later philosopher said of this poem: ‘[T]his is to make use of things in order to articulate the dao.’2
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
