Anticipating death, Zhuangzi says,
” I shall have heaven and earth for my coffin and its shell,
the sun and moon as my two round symbols of jade,
the stars and constellations for my pearls and jewels,
and all other things assisting as my mourners “.
Yet Su Dong Po writes,
The silkworms have grown old
and the wheat is half yellow.
Around the mountain … the rain falls unrestrained.
And the farmers cannot work the land.
The women have thrown away their baskets.
But the immortals sit high … in white robes … in the hall.
On the Significance of Floods in Ancient China
It is interesting to realize that floods have had very special meaning in China for millennia.
In ancient times heavy rain posed a serious threat to agriculture.
And as a result, a number of stories were created in which the world was saved from a universal flood.
A flood was sometimes caused by a virulent rebellion.
On some occasions it was managed by the establishment of a family lineage.
Other stories harmonized male and female elements to subdue violent waters.
This action often resulted in the restoration of an orderly household.
And until recent times floods have created and legitimized the emergence of political and social institutions that have brought peace and tranquility to the Middle Kingdom.
Among the most popular tales regarding this matter is the story of Da Yu.
Founder of the Xia Dynasty, Da Yu, a filial son … felt obligated to control a great flood
as his father had failed to do so.
As a magnificent engineer he spent his entire life taming impetuous waters.
But a subsequent folktale tells that Da Yu left his wife …. and transformed himself into a bear
that frightened half the country.
For his heroic efforts…
he became emperor and achieved godlike status.
Gerald Marchewka is an American freelance writer currently residing in Ulaanbatar, Mongolia.
He can be reached at geraldmarchewka@yahoo.com.
Tags: china, Flood, Heaven, Jade, Mercy, Pearls, philosophy, Poetry, rain, Su Dongpo, Taoism, Zhuangzi
