“[Shih-yin] was walking one day on the street, leaning on a cane, when he saw a lame Taoist in hemp sandals and tattered rags coming toward him, chanting this song:We all envy the immortals because they are free,
But fame and fortune we cannot forget.
Where are the ministers and generals of the past and the present?
Under neglected graves overgrown with weeds.We all envy the immortals because they are free,
But gold and silver we cannot forget.
All our lives we save and hoard and wish for more,
When suddenly our eyes are forever closed.We all envy the immortals because they are free,
But our precious wives we cannot forget.
They speak of love and constancy while we live,
But marry again soon enough after we are dead.We all envy the immortals because they are free,
But our sons and grandsons we cannot forget.
Many there are, of doting parents, from ancient times—
But how few of the sons are filial and obedient!After hearing this, Shih-yin went up to the Taoist and asked him, "What are you trying to say? All I can get is 'free' and 'forget.'"
"That's all you need to get," the Taoist answered, laughing. "For if you are free, you'll forget, and if you forget, you'll be free. In other words, to forget is to be free and to be free is to forget. That's why I call my song 'Forget and be free.'"”

—  Wang Chi-chen

Source: Dream of the Red Chamber (1958), pp. 13–14

Adopted from Wikiquote. Last update June 3, 2021. History

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Wang Chi-chen 22
1899–2001

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