Tai Qi and Poetry

By Shang Zhen

Itruly love to watch others practicing Tai Qi. One time,in a town square I saw dozens of people practicing Tai Qi. I stayed there, watching them from the beginning until the very end of their session.

Practicing Tai Qi and writing poetry have many things in common. For example, both need a mind at peace that can inspire the practitioners' imagination and talents. Both need concentration,which allows practitioners to fly free between the Earth and the Heaven. Both involve a gentle gesture on the surface yet strength in character. Furthermore, both must be precise yet flexible.

Being firmly grounded means you are equipped with abundant life experiences, and navigating the ethereal realms reveals a deep regard for culture and aesthetics.

A poem is not a product of isolation, but is closely intertwined with worldly details.A poet must be entrenched in the world around them, keenly observing phenomena, honing their skills, building their knowledge, and cultivating their ability to experience epiphany.

I do not believe that a person who lives in isolation, keeping their doors and windows closed to the sights and sounds of the world, will ever write a good poem.

(From Random Notes in Sanyu Tang, The Writers Publishing House. Translation: Jon Gartner)

太极与诗

文/商震

我喜欢看别人打太极拳。一次，在一个广场看到几十个人在练太极拳，我从他们开始练，一直看到他们收式结束。

打太极拳和写诗相通之处很多。比如：要静。静，才能让五脏六腑归位，才能诗思万千。要脚下有根，头上有天；要柔中带刚，绵里藏针；要密处不透风，疏处可走马，等等。

脚下有根，是生活的扎实、具体；头上有天，是文化境界、审美趋向。

写诗不是孤立的事，它和生活中的林林总总息息相关。生活中的任何一种事物、现象，须知其然亦知其所以然，谙熟了，参透了，必有顿悟，必得诗歌之营养。

永远不会相信，一个宅在家里、大门不出二门不迈、两耳不闻窗外事的人，会写出好诗。

（摘自《三余堂散记》作家出版社）