Four appendices to Li Shutong's suicide note during the Republic of China.
Original poem:
The unnamed Republic of China: Li Shutong
A hedge between keeps friendship green. Hold the image and ask for it, thousands of miles away.
Shi Wen, Xiao Guo forgot to say. Man Chun of flowers, full moon of heart.
Explanation:
A gentleman is more expensive than a spiritual friend, so it is like water, clear and sweet. This is also like seeking Tao, which metaphysical people call Tao. If you insist on the metaphysical image to seek the Tao, you will miss thousands of miles. You asked me about my coming and going. I entered the noumenon like Vimalakīrti, but I didn't know that there were words to express my heart.
The difference is almost the same, just like you ask me where is spring? Spring appears when the branches are full; You ask me where the heavenly heart is? Tianxin is at the full moon! Flowers will naturally bloom with the branches in spring, and if you look up at the sky, you will naturally see the full moon.
About the author:
Master, laity, surnamed Li. Cheng was born in Tianjin in the 6th year of Guangxu (1880) and died in the 31st year of the Republic of China (1942). Thirty-nine years before becoming a monk, he wandered the rivers and lakes with his arrogant talent. He is not only good at poetry, words, writing and painting, but also plays the piano and is good at epigraphy.
Extended data:
These four poems were attached to Master Hongyi's suicide note to his best friend Xia Gaizun, disciple Liu Zhiping and Master Xingyuan. The first two sentences are that the police advise them not to cling to the appearance of life, so that they want to gain enlightenment, which is tantamount to doing the opposite. The last two sentences are very gratifying. A person's soul has a good home.
"A friendship between gentlemen is as light as water" should be interpreted as that the communication between gentlemen is as pure as water without impurities. "Chasing an elephant thousands of miles away" means that if you only look at the superficial phenomenon of friends' communication, you seem to see the real situation, but it is far from it.
"Shi Wen, Kuo Er is dead." I mean, where am I going to settle down? The road ahead is vast, and I am speechless. The meaning of "flowers, fields", but I can only see the spring flowers, the bright moon in the sky, quiet and serene. That's where I belong.
The farewell ceremony of the wise is indeed a little different. Master Hongyi's kind hospice care (on the other hand, the dead care about the living) still leaves a deep impression on people today.