Preface to Inferior Creek Poetry
Liu, Zong-Yuan (773-805 CE)
There is a creek south of the Guan-shui River. The
creek flows eastward into the Xiao-shui River. Some people say, "The creek is
called Ran Creek because Ran's family live there." Others say, "The creek is
called Dye Creek 1 because its water can be used as dye." I was demoted to live
near the Xiao-shui River because I was so stupid that I could not get along with
the authorities. I love this creek. Going along the creek for two or three
miles, I found a great location and built my house there. In ancient times,
there was a place called "The Valley of Fools". Now my home is on the creek. My
neighbors still argue about the creek's name. Based on this precedent, I should
name it Inferior Creek.
On Inferior Creek, I bought a small hill and called it
Inferior Hill. Sixty feet to the northeast of the hill, I found a spring, bought
it, and called it Inferior Spring. The spring comes up from six holes in the
ground. The six streams flow together to form one big winding stream moving
southward. We call it Inferior Ditch. After blocking the narrow section of the
ditch and digging a pool alongside, I linked the creek to the pool. The pool was
named Inferior Pool. To the south of the house, there is Inferior Gazebo. In the
pool, there is Inferior Island. Nice trees as well as wonderful rocks scattered
alternatively, and created a unique feature in the landscape. They were all
humiliated by being named Inferior because of me.
Wise people usually love water. Why would I alone like
to give this creek a bad name? Because its elevation is so low that we cannot
use the water for irrigation. The water runs steep, fast and there are many huge
stones underwater, so the big ships cannot come into it. Furthermore, the creek
is too narrow, too shallow, and too far from a town. The patron god could not
use the creek to create clouds and rainstorms, so he finally abandoned it. Since
the creek is useless just like me, it is justifiable to call it Inferior Creek.
Wu-zi Ning became foolish while the government was
corrupt. He was a wise man who knew how to protect himself. Hui Yan lived in his
high ideas like an idiot. He is a clever man who looks like a fool. They are not
really foolish. I was born in an uncorrupted era, but I contradicted reason and
messed things up. No fool can be worse than I. Consequently, they cannot compete
with me in naming this creek. Only I could enjoy the privilege to call it
Inferior Creek.
Although the creek is of no use to the world, its
water is completely clear. Thus it may reflect all things as they are. When its
waves hit the stones, the sound is metallic. The sound would make fools smile,
wander around, and hate to leave. Though I do not fit in this world, I console
myself by writing essays. This creek washes everything clean and reflects
everything as it is. After praising the creek in my foolish words, I felt that
the creek and I approached each other and became one. It seems that I detached
myself from everything in the universe and entered a silent and invisible world.
No one could see, hear, or understand me. I felt very lonely, so I wrote eight
foolish poems and inscribed them on a rock.
Notes
1 The Chinese character for "dye" is pronounced "ran".