The meaning of "I see deer when the forest is deep, whales when the sea is blue, and you when I wake up from my dream" means: if you want to see deer, you must go into the deep forest, if you want to see whales, you must be in the ocean, and To come to you, that is to say, to know how good you are, is after many unrealistic choices.
"Seeing a Deer in the Deep Forest" comes from Li Bai's "Unexpected Visits to the Taoist Priests in Daitian Mountain". "Visiting the Taoist Priests of Mount Daitian" is a five-character poem written by Li Bai when he was studying in Mount Daitian in his early years.
Amidst the sound of dogs barking and water flowing, peach blossoms are full of dew.
You can see deer when the trees are deep, but you can’t hear the bell at noon by the stream.
The wild bamboos are divided into green mist, and the flying springs are hung with green peaks.
No one knows where to go, and I am worried about leaning on two or three pine trees.
Translation:
The faint barking of dogs is mixed with the sound of gurgling water, and the peach blossoms have a few dewdrops.
In the deep woods, elk are often seen.
I came to the stream at noon but could not hear the bell of the mountain temple.
Green wild bamboos cut through the blue clouds, and white waterfalls hang high on the green mountain peaks.
No one knew the whereabouts of the Taoist priests, so I couldn't help but feel anxious leaning on a few ancient pines.
Extended information:
Creative background:
According to historical records, Li Bai's father Li Ke was a "Fang Xing", "Ren Xia", "Gao Woyun" Lin, a person who does not seek official positions or salary" (Fan Chuanzheng's "Tang Zuo Supplements and Preface to the Tombstone of Hanlin Scholar Li Gongxin"). And this kind of character is consistent with Taoist ideas such as "if you don't fight with your husband, you can't fight with him" and "Tao follows nature".
Therefore, Li Ke probably also studied Taoist classics and studied Taoist ideas after his family returned to Shu. In the Tang Dynasty, according to the level of Taoism and different work tasks, Taoists were often divided into seven categories: innocent Taoist priests, immortal Taoist priests, secluded Taoist priests, mountain-dwelling Taoist priests, monastic Taoist priests, lay Taoist priests and wine-sacrifice Taoist priests ("Taoist Tongjiao Must Use Collection" 》).
The "mountain-dwelling Taoist" refers to those who have given up worldly affairs and devoted themselves to practicing in the mountains and forests. Daitian Mountain in Dakang Town borders Taihua Mountain and Dakuang Mountain to the east and Qianyuan Mountain to the west. The highest peak is over 2,100 meters above sea level. It is covered by clouds and fog all year round and filled with fairy spirit. It is naturally the first choice for Taoist priests who live in the mountains to live in seclusion and practice. place.
To this day, a Taoist temple continues along the mountain road northeast of Huamiaozi. After passing through the dense forest, there is still a Taoist temple that contrasts with the caves on both sides. It is called "Shenlong Mountain Taoist Temple" and is enshrined in the temple. Author of "Sanqing" and other Taoist immortals. From this we can speculate that during the prosperous Tang Dynasty when Li Bai lived, Daitian Mountain must have been a famous religious mountain with a strong Taoist belief atmosphere in Jiangyou.
In terms of "climate", Taoism was the "state religion" in the Tang Dynasty, and its political status is equivalent to Marxism-Leninism today; in terms of "geographical convenience", Taoism originated in Sichuan, and Jiangyou is one of its important places of dissemination. ; On "humanity", Li Bai's father Li Ke was deeply influenced by Taoism.
With the right time, the right location, and the right people, it is not surprising that Li Bai, a great poet who was deeply baptized and influenced by Bashu Taoist culture, took the trouble to go to Daitian Mountain to find this mountain-dwelling Taoist friend. The interaction with Taoists played a positive role in the formation and development of Li Bai's ideological and character. It not only cultivated his character of loving nature and pursuing freedom, but also formed his elegant style of seeking immortality, learning Taoism, and reclusiveness.
It can be said that Taoist thought had a great influence on his life. In the Tang Dynasty, unlike today, mobile phones and telephones had not yet been invented, so visiting friends often had to rely on luck or making an appointment. Li Bai was not very lucky this time. After all the hard work, he climbed to the high Daitian Mountain, but he did not see the Taoist priest who lived in the mountain.
He might have gone down the mountain to do something, or he might have gone out to visit friends. In short, he was not in the Taoist temple, so Li Bai missed it. Disappointed, Li Bai wrote the poem "Visiting the Taoist Priests in Dai Tianshan, Unexpectedly".
Reference material: Baidu Encyclopedia - "Unexpected Taoist Priests Visiting Dai Tianshan"