The Collected Songs of Cold Mountain Quotes

“Spring water is pure in an emerald stream
moonlight is white on Cold Mountain
silence thoughts and the spirit becomes clear
focus on emptiness and the world grows still”
― Han Shan, The Collected Songs of Cold Mountain

“Some seek pleasure in love
blind to the trials of a mortal body
others see a bubble or mirage
and realize impermanence undoes us all
a real man's will is straight like iron
in an uncrooked heart the Way is true
dense and tall bamboos in the snow
show you the mind not used in vain”
― Han Shan, The Collected Songs of Cold Mountain

“For an image of life and death
consider ice and water
water freezes into ice
ice melts back into water
what dies must live again
what lives is bound to die
ice and water don't harm each other
both life and death are fine..”
― Han Shan, The Collected Songs of Cold Mountain

“So many kinds of people exist
hundreds of plans for profit and fame
hearts intent on glory
always trying to get rich
minds that never rest
rushing about like smoke
dependents gather around
one yell and a hundred heads nod
but less than seventy years from now
ice becomes water and roof tiles break
dead at last all cares cease
who will be their heir
drop a ball of mud in water
and behold the thoughtless mind”
― Han Shan, The Collected Songs of Cold Mountain

“I labored in vain reciting the Three Histories
I wasted my time reading the Five Classics
I've grown old checking yellow scrolls
recording the usual everyday names
Continued Hardship was my fortune
Emptiness and Danger govern my life
I can't match riverside trees
every year with a season of green”
― Han Shan, The Collected Songs of Cold Mountain

“Inside Jade Hall is a curtain of pearls
behind it lives a graceful girl
her beauty transcends the immortals
her skin is like that of a peach
spring mists rise in the east
autumn winds stir in the west
thirty years from now
she’ll look like chewed sugarcane”
― Cold Mountain, The Collected Songs of Cold Mountain

“No need to attack the faults of others
no need to flaunt your own virtues
act when you're acknowledged
retire when you're ignored
rich rewards mean great trials
deep words meet superficial minds
think about what you hear
children must see for themselves..”
― Han Shan, The Collected Songs of Cold Mountain

“The Yellow River is boundless
flowing east without cease
on and on never clearing
while everyone's lifespan ends
and ifyou would ride the clouds
how will you grow wings
unless while your hair is black
you make an effort moving or still”
― Han Shan, The Collected Songs of Cold Mountain

“The mountains are so cold
not just now but every year
crowded ridges breathe in snow
sunless forests breathe out mist
nothing grows until Grain Ears
leaves fall before Autumn Begins
a lost traveler here
looks in vain for the sky”
― Han Shan, The Collected Songs of Cold Mountain

“Cold Mountain is poking fun at those who try to free themselves of delusion by turning their practice into another delusion.”
― Cold Mountain (Han Shan), The Collected Songs of Cold Mountain

“People laugh about my poems my poems are elegant enough they don’t need Cheng Hsuan’s comments much less Mao Heng’s explanations I don’t mind few understand me those who know one’s voice are rare if we had no fa or sol my disease would surely spread one day I’ll meet someone with eyes then my poems will plague the world”
― Cold Mountain (Han Shan), The Collected Songs of Cold Mountain

“Give me a hidden eddy
a residence free from dust and noise
paths of newly trampled grass
clouds above for neighbors
birds to help me sing
no one asking for sermons
springtime for this Saha tree
nowadays lasts how many years”
― Han Shan, The Collected Songs of Cold Mountain