When wealth has taken wing, the streets seem desolate.
The strains of flute and stinged zither are heard no more.
The brave long sword has lost its terror; its spelendor is tarnished.
The precious lute is broken, faded its golden star.
The marble stairs are deserted; onlhy the autumn dew visits them now.
The moon shines lonly where once were dancing feet and merry songs.
Thedancers are departed: the singers have gone elsewhere.
They return no more.
Today they are but ashes in the Western Tombs.
Beautiful is this maiden; her tender from gives promise of serrt wondanhood,
But a two-edged sword lurks between her thights, whereby destruction comes to foolish men.
Nohead falls to that sword: its work is done in secret,
Yet it drains the very marrow from men's bones.
This poem was written by one Lv Yan [Lv Dongbin], an importal whose
name in religion was Master Chunyang. He lived in the dynastry of Tang
and spent his days in the pursuit of virtue and the mortification fo the flesh. So
he attained to paradise, leaving this mortal world, and there was given to him a
sear in the Purole place. The gift of immportality was bestowed upon him, and
he was made the Governor of the Eight Caverns thar are avove, whence he
brings succor to them in trouble and adversity.
It seems, unfortunately, too true that thry who live in this world can never
wholly free themselves from theri bondage to the Seven Feelings and the Sic
Desires. There is no escape from the fatal circle of Wine and Women, Wealth
and Rage. Sooner or later the end comes to every man , and he must give up his
hold upon all of these, for, after death, they will avail him nothing. Ecperience
would seem to show that of these four evils, women and wealth most surely
bring disaster. Let us for a moment consider the case of one who falls upon evial
times, so that he finds himseld in sore need, suffering misfortunes whereof he
never freamed. At night he searches diligently for a grain of rice, and finds the
morrow must be foodless. In the morning he rises and looks around the ktchen,
but cannot discover even the makings of a fire. His family is hungry and cold;
his wify and dchildren are starvingm and he knows not where to turn for food.
Where shall he find the money to buy wine? Worse even wretch had ambitions;
now they must perish, for he is in no position to enter into rivalry with others.