鹿柴
The Deer Enclosure
Original
空山不见人，
但闻人语响。
返景入深林，
复照青苔上。
Translation
No man is seen in the empty mountain,
Yet voices of men are heard around.
The slanting sunset filters into the deep woods,
And falls again upon the mossy ground.
Line by Line Analysis
About This Poem
The Deer Enclosure is a masterpiece from Wang Wei’s *Wang Chuan Collection*, crafted during his late years of seclusion at Wang Chuan Villa. The poem captures the ethereal tranquility of a remote mountain landscape: the empty mountain seems devoid of human presence, yet faint echoes of voices create a subtle contrast between silence and sound, amplifying the space’s vast quiet. The slanting sunset light piercing the deep woods and illuminating the moss reveals the delicate, often overlooked beauty of nature. Rooted in Zen aesthetics, it invites readers to immerse themselves in the serene, meditative realm hidden in nature’s stillness, reflecting Wang Wei’s pursuit of spiritual peace.
About the Poet
王维
Wáng Wéi
Wang Wei (701–761) was a distinguished poet, painter, and musician of the High Tang Dynasty, a leading figure of the landscape and pastoral poetry school, often called 'Wang-Meng' alongside Meng Haoran. Deeply influenced by Zen Buddhism, he wove Buddhist philosophy into his works. His poetry is famed for blending vivid visual imagery with serene spirituality, embodying the praise that 'his poems hold paintings, and his paintings contain poems'.
Cultural & Historical Context
1. Historical Background: The poem was written in the High Tang Dynasty, a golden era of Chinese poetry where landscape poetry thrived as scholars sought spiritual refuge in nature amid the dynasty’s prosperity and occasional political unrest. 2. Cultural Background: Zen Buddhism, which emphasized harmony with nature and inner stillness, was widely embraced by literati of the time; Wang Wei’s deep devotion to Zen shaped his poetic style and thematic focus. 3. Social Background: Despite the Tang’s grandeur, official life was rife with political intrigue. After the An Lushan Rebellion, Wang Wei chose a semi-reclusive life, balancing minor official duties with retreat to Wang Chuan Villa. 4. Personal Experience: In his later years, Wang Wei distanced himself from political struggles, dedicating himself to landscape appreciation, Zen practice, and collaborative poetry with friends like Pei Di. 5. Purpose & Artistic Features: The poem aims to convey Zen-inspired tranquility. It uses the technique of 'using sound to highlight silence'—the faint human voice echoes emphasize the mountain’s emptiness. The interplay of sunset light and moss creates a painterly scene, with minimal, precise imagery evoking profound meditative stillness, perfectly embodying Wang Wei’s signature 'poetry in painting' artistic characteristic.