Meaning: Why can’t you hear sounds from your hands?
From "Poetry on the Qin" by Su Shi of the Northern Song Dynasty, the original text is:
If there is sound on the qin, why doesn't it sound when it is placed in the box?
If the words are on your fingertips, why not listen to them on your fingertips?
Translation:
If the sound comes from the piano, then why doesn’t it sound when you put it in a box?
If the sound of the piano comes from your hands, why can’t you hear the sound from your hands?
Extended information
Inspiration:
The connotation and writing method of Su Shi's poem may have been inspired by the Buddhist scriptures and Wei's poems quoted above. The poet wrote in the form of Buddha's thirst Before and after the utterance, the two sentences are both a hypothesis and a rhetorical question, which are combined with answers. It shows that in order to play a pleasant melody, it is not enough to only have the piano or clever fingers, that is, superb playing skills.
This enlightens people: the success of any career is the result of the combination of objective conditions and subjective initiative. This poem shows the poet's strong interest in exploring the true meaning of things, and also shows the poet's simple dialectical thinking, writing He is innocent, lively and full of wit.
About the author:
Su Shi (January 8, 1037 - August 24, 1101), also named Zizhan, also named Hezhong, also known as Tieguan Taoren and Dongpo Lay scholar, known as Su Dongpo and Su Xian in the world, is a Han nationality and a native of Meishan, Meizhou (now part of Meishan City, Sichuan Province). His ancestral home is Luancheng, Hebei Province. He is a famous writer, calligrapher and painter in the Northern Song Dynasty.
His writing is bold and unbridled; his poems have broad themes, are fresh and bold, are good at using exaggerated metaphors, and have a unique style. Together with Huang Tingjian, they are called "Su Huang"; He sent a representative, and was also called "Su Xin"; his prose writings were grand and bold, and he was called "Ou Su" together with Ouyang Xiu, and was one of the "Eight Great Masters of the Tang and Song Dynasties". There are "Seven Collections of Dongpo" and "Yi Zhuan of Dongpo" handed down from generation to generation.
Baidu Encyclopedia-Qin Poetry