Chapter 40 Twenty poems on drinking (fourteen of them)

The old man appreciates my interest and brings the pot to meet him. Ban Jing sits under the pine, and has regained his drunkenness after a few cups. The elders talk nonsense, and they lose their time when drinking. Unaware that there is me, knowing that things are precious. There is a deep taste in the wine left by the long-distance fans! Since the Eastern Jin Dynasty, the mysterious wind has been raging, and ordinary scholars like to reason in poetry.However, most of their works are "like moral theory", which has been criticized by later generations.Only Tao Yuanming is highly respected by later generations because of his poetry full of interest and profound sentimentality.The reasoning is also based on poetry, so why are the praises and criticisms of later generations so different?The fundamental reason is that the "reason" pursued by Tao Yuanming and the scholars and bureaucrats of the Eastern Jin Dynasty are different, and the ways of expressing "reason" are also different.The literati of the Eastern Jin Dynasty talked empty and empty, talked about metaphysics, and took it as their spiritual sustenance. They took Lao Zhuang's Chen Yan as their articles, and the reasoning was superfluous in the words.Tao Yuanming finally resolutely retired to the countryside after experiencing the painful exploration of several careers and seclusion. He found the destination of life in the practice of farming, comprehended the true meaning of life in the natural and simple rural life, and obtained spiritual satisfaction.Although he also accepted the influence of Lao Zhuang's advocating for nature, the "reason of nature" he understood was closely related to the simple and fulfilling rural life. The "reason of nature" he pursued was contained in the simple and honest rural life in life.Emotion, broad but not empty; reason, lofty but not mysterious - this is a notable feature of the fourteenth poem "Drinking Wine" recorded above.

Let me talk about the love in the poem first.In Tao Yuanming's quiet rural life, he or his neighbors "travel together with grass", "but the road is full of mulberry and hemp"; Protesting and talking in the past"... This time, he invited his friends to sit down and drink under the pine, and "the old friend appreciates me, and brings the pot to meet him."These two sentences point out the reason for "drinking" straight to the point.The word "reward" is used precisely.When a poet invites a drink, his emotion is naturally not vulgar; when an old man "appreciates" this interest, his emotion is also elegant.The word "reward" succinctly expresses the feeling of mutual appreciation between the guest and the host.And each "carrying the pot" to the meeting, not only can see the unique rustic style of the countryside, but also make people realize that the people who come are honest and simple people.Tao Yuanming claimed in "Mr. Wuliu's Biography" that "he is addicted to alcohol, and his family is poor, so he can't get it often, and his relatives and old friends know this, or buy wine to recruit him."The old man "brought out the pot and brought it to him", because he knew Tao Yuanming's situation and temperament very well!Although these two sentences are not emotional, they express their affection.

"Ban Jing sat under the pine tree, and he was drunk after several cups. The elders talked nonsense, and the drink was out of order." These four sentences describe the scene of drinking under the pine tree.There are few cases to rely on, so what does it matter?The thorns are spread on the ground, and the guests and hosts sit around, which is very cordial.Without the company of silk and bamboo, it doesn't matter much.Wouldn't it be more interesting to listen to the wind blowing the pine leaves?Sitting around are "old friends", facing the clear scene, how can this scene not be intoxicating!Alcohol is not intoxicating, people are intoxicated!Therefore, "the number of pours has been drunk".After being drunk, he talked and laughed at will, raised a glass of wine to pay each other, and was happy and content.Just like what the poet wrote, "knock on the door early in the morning, open your clothes upside down", "put on your clothes when you are in love, and talk and laugh endlessly", there is also a strong affection in this picture of sitting and drinking under the pine.This feeling has nothing to do with the interests of the world, so it is said to be "open"; this feeling comes from the poet's simple life experience, so it is said to be "true".

Let's talk about the reasoning in the poem.Tao Yuanming regards the quiet countryside as a paradise for returning to simplicity, and believes in "clothing and food should be disciplined, and hard work should not be deceived" as a natural principle. Enjoy the fun of Ren Zhen's nature.In his mind, the quiet scenery in the countryside, the simple and honest people's feelings and the simple and simple folk customs all contain a philosophy that is opposed to hypocrisy and treachery.Just as he once realized "there is true meaning in this" in the scenery of "the mountain air is beautiful at sunset and the birds are returning", he also realized the truth of nature in the scene of sitting and drinking under the pine, talking and laughing comfortably.Although the reasoning of these six poems is not clear, the reasoning and interest are integrated in the imagery of "carrying the pot to meet each other", "banjing sitting under the pine tree", "fathers and elders talking nonsense", and it flows beyond the pen and ink.

In the second half of the poem, the poet further philosophizes his feelings with cautionary words: "I don't know that there is me, but I know that things are precious. What remains in the long-lost obsession, there is a deep taste in the wine." "I don't know" The two characters come from "several pours have recovered".In the midst of drunkenness, self-awareness disappears, foreign objects are no longer lingering in his chest, and the poet enters the realm of forgetting both things and himself.Although what is expressed here is a kind of metaphysics, it is combined with the subjective feeling of "drinking" and "recovery", so it does not appear abrupt or blunt. Poet figure. "Yoyou" refers to those who generally seek fame and fortune.In these two poems, one refers to others, and the other refers to oneself. The writing style is concise and flexible.The poet said: Those people are obsessed with vanity, fame and wealth, but I know that "there is a deep taste in wine"!This ending is very meaningful.Since the Wei and Jin Dynasties, celebrities have advocated nature, and most of them are addicted to alcohol.In their view, "alcohol is attracting people's attention", "If you don't drink for three days, you will feel that your body and spirit will no longer have a blind date" ("Shi Shuo Xin Yu·Ren Xing").The so-called "sacred place" and "the relationship between body and spirit" are the realm they pursue to be in harmony with the way of nature.Drinking alcohol is a means to achieve this state.The "deep taste" of wine lies in this.Therefore, Tao Yuanming here is actually saying that he has realized the principles of nature in the life accompanied by poetry and wine, and in the joy of getting drunk with "old friends", and the "deep taste" in this is the person who rushes to the field of fame and fortune. It's hard to understand.

From the leisurely and comfortable scene of sitting and drinking under the pine tree, the realm of forgetting things and me is drawn out, and then the highest metaphysics - "deep flavor" in wine is pointed out.This principle is transcendent, so it is said to be "high"; this principle also contains real experience, simple and bright, so it is said to be "not mysterious". ——Love is broad but not empty, rationality is high but not mysterious, using emotion to reason, reasoning into emotion, this is not possible without a big hand.Although there are many toddlers in later generations, they could not reach the calm and natural state of Tao poetry.

This poem starts with drinking and ends with the "deep taste" of wine. The fun of drinking runs through the middle, and the narrative, romance and reasoning all revolve around the word "drinking".