Rural Dwelling - Wei Yingwu
/郊居 - 韦应物/
Reflections on a Tranquil Life Beyond Official Demands
郊居
Rural Dwelling
久为簪组束
Long have I been bound by sash and insignia
羁旅行未通
No respite in my official journeys
闲依农圃邻
Now, I dwell quietly near the farmers’ gardens
偶似山林客
Occasionally feeling like a hermit among forested hills
晴野鸿来时
When wild geese pass through the clear, open fields
春池鸥不起
The gulls remain still on the springtime pond
道昔鸿渐远
I recall how geese once departed for distant places
关言鹤发悲
And speak with sorrow of hair turned white through the years
In this poem, Wei Yingwu contemplates the peace found outside the structured demands of courtly or official responsibilities. By residing in the countryside, he uncovers a gentler rhythm and a simpler existence. The imagery of farmland and idle gardens contrasts sharply with the life of political entanglements—symbolized by the ‘sash and insignia’ he once wore.
Several natural motifs guide the poem’s emotional current. First, we see the flight of wild geese across the sunny fields, a vision that suggests migration, impermanence, and the perspective gained from stepping outside one’s former routines. Meanwhile, gulls resting on the spring pond highlight a sense of stillness and calm, underscoring the poet’s newfound detachment from bustling obligations.
Yet despite these moments of repose, the poem also carries a subdued note of melancholy. The reference to turning white-haired speaks both to the passage of time and to the poet’s lingering reflections on what he has left behind. While there is relief in escaping official burdens, there remains a wistfulness for the life he once knew, as well as for the unstoppable march of years.
Overall, ‘Rural Dwelling’ weaves together a sense of gentle liberation with a recognition of life’s fragility. Even as Wei Yingwu relinquishes worldly pursuits, he cannot fully escape the personal histories that shaped him. The poem ultimately reminds us that embracing stillness and nature’s seasonal rhythms can illuminate who we have been—and who we might yet become—in moments freed from society’s constraints.
Key points
Wei Yingwu’s poem illustrates how retreating to nature can offer clarity and peace, even as we continue to reflect on time’s passing and life’s deeper obligations.
