"Bird"
Author: Bai Juyi
Who knows that the lives of all living things are small? General flesh and bones, general skin.
I advise you not to hit the birds on the branches. The son is in the nest looking for his mother to return.
Explanation of the poem:
Who said that the lives of these birds are insignificant, like all lives, they have flesh and blood. I advise you not to hit the birds on the branches. The young birds are waiting in the nest for the mother bird to come back.
Poem appreciation:
The poet issued a warning in the poem to persuade people to cherish birds, showing the poet's kindness and benevolence.
Bai Juyi was deeply influenced by Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism. He discussed theory with Confucianists, Taoism with lay people, and scriptures with Buddhists. If Li Bai is an elf in the world who acts as he pleases, Bai Juyi is an ascetic who lives in the world, helps the world, has boundless benevolence and justice, and seeks liberation in contentment.
It is said that Luoyang is expensive, and it is said that it is not easy to live in Chang'an. Poet Bai was once a proud and talented scholar. Later, he met an eminent monk and felt his psychology and emotions for a long time. Bai Juyi gradually understood that all creatures in the world have the same life. There is no distinction between high and low. A simple and easy-to-understand song "Bird" regards the life of a bird as the same as the life of a human being. Human beings cannot be strong for themselves and arbitrarily decide the life or death of a bird.
If the definition of nature is that all creatures are equal, then the rules of human society strengthen all things into three, six, and nine grades. Poet Bai heard the eminent monk say, no matter how small the evil is, one cannot do it, no matter how small the good is, one must do it. He once thought that the inequality of life finally transformed into the equality of all things in nature. What he is talking about is a bird, but it actually symbolizes the real society. Do royal nobles have high lives? Poor people have little lives. They all have the same skin and flesh, and they all have deep love between mother and child. The poet hopes that the society will be full of love and joy. Is that a utopia or a peach blossom land? The rich families have peaches and plums vying for beauty, but the poor family can hardly keep out the cold with their thin shirts. I advise you not to talk about rich and poor, just like flesh and blood.