THE PERSON THE PLACE THE PRINCIPLE Kyle Stoneman May 4, 2004 Dr. Michael
The story of Han-shan, like the story of Zen, is based on facts steeped so heavily in legend that the two become nearly inseparable. Han-shan or Cold Mountain is the adopted pseudonym of an otherwise unknown Chinese poet and recluse. Living in a hermitage, carving poems into cliffs, and trying to gain a deeper religious understanding, Han-shan produced a body of poetry that has been translated many times, into many languages. However, "so little biographical evidence has survived that what is known about his life, if shorn of myth and conjecture, would scarcely fill a page" (Red Pine 19). His existence being somewhat of a mystery, historians have attempted to recreate his life from the corpus of his poetry as a whole. Even this, though, presents its challenges, as historians have proven "beyond doubt that Hanshan's poems could not all have been written by the same man at the same time." (Barrett 125). And yet, because of the similar methods employed and messages imparted the poems of Han-shan stand together, more or less, as one cohesive unit. The historical Han-shan, it would seem, was well educated. This is apparent through the allusions to great works of his time that pepper his writing. His education, more likely than not, was a result of a desire to gain a highly sought after government job; and judging by his resentment of society and the government, he did not receive this job. Growing skeptical of society, he set off on his own journey and quest for spiritual Enlightenment. Eventually, he settled on a name and a place: Han-shan, Cold Mountain. "It may be that there was already a spot there named 'Cold Mountain' before our poet arrived, but it is
equally possible that he chose this name for his dwelling as for himself" (Barrett 124). While at Cold Mountain, Han-shan produced poetry that was later embraced by the Zen Buddhist tradition. Han-shan did not set out to create Zen poetry, rather, as T. H. Barrett put it: "the likelihood is that the movement followed him and Zen underwent a touch of Hanshan" (136). Therefore, the ideas expressed by Han-shan, a mixture of Buddhist and Taoist thought, represented his own unique understanding of spirituality. Only later were his values and ideas incorporated back into to normative Zen philosophy. Not only is Han-shan's message unique, his methods of presenting his thoughts were novel, as well. Strikingly clear and understandable on the surface, but imbued with much deeper meaning, Han-shan even wrote: "When stupid people read my poems/they don't understand and sneer/when average people read my poems/they reflect and say they're deep/ when gifted people read my poems they react with full-face grins" (Red Pine 133). Hanshan explicitly states that there is more to his poems than first meets the eye: the fool will not believe deeper meaning exists; the pedestrian will know it is there, without understanding it; and the wise man will grasp their meaning in all their joy. A perfect example of the level of complexity built into his poetry can be seen in his usage of the characters han and shan, cold and mountain. The meaning of his references to Cold Mountain is threefold: he is referring to himself; he is referring to the mountain where he lives; and most importantly, he is referring to Enlightenment. Each of these different understandings of Han-shan the person, the place and the principle will be treated in a way to better and more fully
understand the works of Han-shan as a whole. First let us look at an example where Han-shan is a personal reference to the author of the poems. To prevent translational errors, three multiple translations will be presented and compared when there is enough difference between the versions to merit such comparison. The best verse to illustrate not only the differences in translation, but also the selfreferencing, falls at the end of the body of poems, proclaiming their worth: Whoever has Cold Mountain's poems is better off than those with sutras write them upon your screen and read them from time to time (Red Pine 257) Translated differently, it reads: A house that has my poems has better reading than the scriptures; write them out in style on paper screens, and read them once in a while. (Barrett 113) These two examples of translation of the same verse fall on opposite ends of the spectrum, as far as punctuation, formatting, and translational liberties are concerned. However, they both find a common point of agreement in that is a reference to Cold
Mountain poetry. The Barret version, translated by Peter Hobson, takes this one step farther, translating what, in the original text, is a third person reference into the first person, interpreting "Cold Mountain's" as "my". The meaning behind this is clear: in the original text it is so obvious that this use of Han-shan is a reference to Han-shan, the person, that Hobson felt that such a translation was the only way to preserve the original intent. This example of one of the three meanings of Han-shan, or Cold Mountain, is the least commonly used. The only time it is used is when the author is referencing himself in the third person, and several poems in which this self-referencing have been attributed, by some, to a later author. More commonly than a reference to the person, Han-shan is used meaning the physical mountain on which the person Han-shan is living. While the line between this example, and the next example Han-shan as a metaphor for Enlightenment is sometimes blurry, a distinction still exists. On Cold Mountain there's a naked bug its body is white its head is black its hands hold two scrolls in one is the Way in the other is Virtue at home it makes no fire for the road it packs no clothes but always it carries the sword of wisdom ready to strike troublesome foes (Red Pine 143) In this stanza, the physical Cold Mountain is not where the poem's deeper meaning lies, rather, it is in Han-shan's self-description, in which he presents himself as an insect.
Serving as an example of the extent of Han-shan's ascetic way of life, the passage uses Cold Mountain to establish setting. The logic behind this usage is perfectly obvious: if even more metaphorical language were used at the same level as the insect metaphor, this stanza would no longer be clear. It is this clarity that "prevents [Han-shan's] religious insights from becoming mere preaching" (Barrett 136). To make his writing accessible to a wider audience Han-shan focuses his poems in one direction of meaning. In other words, his metaphors extend mostly from one aspect in each poem. Most commonly, though, references to Cold Mountain are a metaphor for Enlightenment, and it is in these instances where the most about Han-shan's philosophy can be gleamed. Han-shan typically describes Cold Mountain in two different ways when he is referring to it as a metaphor for Enlightenment: he speaks of it in regards to the difficulties surmounting it present; and he speaks of it in regards to the tranquility that can be found there. Instances in which Cold Mountain is presented as a challenge to be overcome, speak volumes to Han-shan's understanding of the difficulty of attaining Enlightenment: People ask the way to Cold Mountain. Cold Mountain? There is no road that goes through. Even in summer the ice doesn't melt; Though the sun comes out, the fog is blinding. How can you hope to get there by aping me? Your heart and mine are not alike. If your heart were the same as mine, Then you could journey to the very center! (Watson 100)
It is readily apparent in this poem, that Cold Mountain is neither a reference to Han-shan, nor really a reference to the physical mountain. In the Red Pine translation, the footnote for this particular poem indicate that there is indeed a road that goes to the physical Cold Mountain, and the fog can be quite dense, but the snow and ice only appear briefly during the winter. It continues on to say, "But then, this poem is about a different mountain" (Red Pine 46). The challenges preventing one from attaining Enlightenment, as Han-shan describes them, are quite formidable. But more notably in this poem, Han-shan is using a description of the path to Cold Mountain to provide insight as to the way one can attain Enlightenment. In a theme that runs through the majority of his poems, Han-shan's statement of: "How can you hope to get there by aping me?/your heart and mine are not alike./if your heart were the same as mine,/then you could journey to the very center!" (Watson 100) is a critique of Buddhist/ Taoist practices of his time, which lead followers to believe they could attain Enlightenment through mimicry of greatness. Encouraging the seeker to find their own way, Han-shan's disestablishmentarian attitude explains not only many of his poems but also his decision to live outside of society. In contrast to the journey to Cold Mountain rather, the journey to Enlightenment the descriptions Han-shan provides of Cold Mountain for the person already there are very tranquil and soothing: My true home is on Cold Mountain Cold Mountain is nothing but clouds secluded and free of dust
a hermit owns a cushion of straw the moon is his lone lamp his bed of stone overlooks a pool his neighbors are tigers and deer preferring the joys of solitude he remains a man beyond form (Red Pine 243) This poem adopts a very calm tone in description of what is described earlier as a very treacherous place. The difference between the earlier use of Cold Mountain as a metaphor for Enlightenment is the subject of poem. Here, Han-shan is providing a description of what Cold Mountain is like for the him, the hermit and the Enlightened. In the previous example, Han-shan is describing what the path to Cold Mountain is like for the traveler. In other words, with these two poems, in which Cold Mountain represents Enlightenment, Han-shan is making a comparison between the journey and the destination; and ultimately providing a justification the sacrifices needed to be made during the course of that journey. However, treating enlightenment as a final destination raises some problems. As Hanshan says, "I climb the road to Cold Mountain/The road to Cold Mountain that never ends" (Watson 40). In this regard, Han-shan presents a somewhat conflicted view. While he says that the road to Cold Mountain is without end, he notes on many occasions he has reached Cold Mountain. Even though this may, at first, seem like a contradiction of sorts, it can be interpreted as Han-shan saying that once someone is on the Cold Mountain Road or the path to enlightenment they can always go farther. This notion is bolstered by a slightly different translation of the same verse: "Who takes the Cold Mountain Road/takes a road that never
ends" (Red Pine 57). This would imply that it is Han-shan's opinion that someone in pursuit of Enlightenment always has more work to do; and not that he feels it is impossible to reach enlightenment. When Han-shan uses Cold Mountain as a way to talk about Enlightenment, it sheds much light on his philosophical beliefs: not only on the process involved in the attaining of Enlightenment, but also on the Enlightened state of mind. The fourth and final condition in which Han-shan uses Cold Mountain has been somewhat present in the previous examples, however, its importance warrants an independent discussion, nonetheless. This condition is when Cold Mountain is a reference to Han-shan the person and the mountain and a metaphor for enlightenment. While slightly present in almost all cases, this threefold meaning has one instance in which it is particularly and striking: To ascend this cold mountain path is to climb an incessant road along the endless valley, boulder-strewn and across the wide river fringed with heavy reeds; the moss, without moisture of the rain, is treacherous and pines, without the urging of the wind, sing out: "Whoever dares to put the world aside! come sit with us, amid white cloud!" (Barrett 16) This translation, starts off with "To ascend this cold mountain path" (Barrett 16). The Cold
Mountain path being referenced is, depending on the depth of one's analysis is three different things. It is Han-shan's method of practice the path of Cold Mountain; it is the path leading to Han-shan's hermitage the path to Cold Mountain; and it is the way of Enlightenment the metaphorical path to Cold Mountain. Each meaning has a different logic behind it, and each logic sheds more light on the meaning contained in this stanza. To consider this a reference to Han-shan as a person is to interpret this poem as an explanation of the methods Han-shan used in his practice. In other words, it becomes a bit of a forewarning to those who wish to ascend the path laid out by Han-shan, telling them it is not an easy journey. With this interpretation at the end, the final three lines serve to show how great the reward is. If one is able to put the world aside and follow the path prescribed by Han-shan, they can sit in the sky, amongst the tree tops metaphorically speaking, of course. To consider this a reference to Cold Mountain as a physical place is to gain greater understanding of Han-shan as a person, insomuch as it describes the conditions in which he lived. With an understanding of his surroundings it is possible to better understand Han-shan, and what his mindset was while he strived for Enlightenment and while he produced his poems. Finally, to consider this a metaphor for Enlightenment it to view it as a warning about the difficulty of attaining Enlightenment, no matter what means one uses to reach it. In this understanding, as stated before, the notion of an incessant road characterizes the idea that there is always progress to be made. One can always focus their mind more finely. While similar to an interpretation of Cold Mountain meaning the person Han-shan, it varies slightly in that these warnings apply not only specifically to Han-
shan's method, but to Buddhism in general. With these three rich layers of meaning, this one poem is able to convey vast amounts of information in a very lucid, lyrical style. This beauty and richness contained in Han-shan's stanzas is part of what sets him apart from other poets. On scrolls and rocky outcroppings on Cold Mountain, a recluse ascetic monk, whose beliefs straddled the line between Buddhism and Taoism, wrote his thoughts in the form of hundreds of poems. And despite not having a clear historical background, Han-shan, "seems to have succeeded doubtless without the faintest intention of doing so in becoming a perennial outsider figure throughout a far wider world than he could ever survey from his mountain hermitage" (Hobson 135). Undoubtedly, part, if not most, of the reason for his success lies in the complex, yet understandable nature of his poems. Like the still surface of a lake, hiding in its depths untold treasures, underneath the simplistic appearance of the poems of Han-shan, there lies vast amounts of wisdom and knowledge as soon as the surface is broken.
WORKS CITED Watson, Burton. Cold Mountain: 100 poems by the T'ang poet Han-shan. New York: Columbia U Press, 1970. Barrett, T. H. and Peter Hobbson. Poems of Hanshan. Lanham, MD: Altamira Press, 2003. Red Pine. Selected Songs of Cold Mountain. Portownsend, WA, 2000.