Comparing Tao Qian's 'Substance, Shadow, And Spirit'

Immortality, Death, and Wine. Tao Qian is a well known Chinese poet, who was not known very well when he was alive. Though we do not know much about his entire life, we do know that Tao Qian decided to leave his job in the city to return to the country to be with his family and farm (Tao Qian 1001). Tao returns back to nature, to the country side where he is happy, instead of working with man where he was not happy. While reading Tao Qian’s, “Substance, Shadow, and Spirit” I observe that, Qian and I share many things in common, but have some major differences as well. While Qian and I share many of the same beliefs and ideas concerning immortality and death, I do oppose to some of his ideas about wine and surrendering to the cycle of things. In Tao Qian’s “Substance, Shadow, and Spirit”, Tao explains his philosophical ideals regarding immortality and death. In the poem, Substance speaks to shadow, then shadow replies to shadow, and finally spirit proposes a solution. According to Qian in Substance to Shadow, “Earth and heaven endure forever, Streams and mountains never change, Plants observe a constant rhythm, Withered by frost, by dew restored,” (1007). I share Qian’s beliefs on the immortality of the earth. When untouched by human beings and left alone, the earth never changes and
I do not think it is okay to entirely “Just surrender to the cycle of things” and stop our life because of death (1009). I do not think we should be indifferent, that is “neither happy nor yet afraid.” (1009). I believe that kind of life style would be boring to live. If our time on earth is limited we should make the most of it and not just settle. Also, even though I belief drinking wine is fine, I do not agree with Qian when he says to constantly drink wine – which leads to drunkenness (1008). Being drunk is not fun, because of its side effects of confusion and