The southern wind was blowing gently, and a drizzle had added to the chilly atmosphere. After finishing two lectures in the morning, I headed towards Du Fu Thatched Cottage, accompanied by 50 other students in two large buses. We were all from South Asia and were participating in the 2024 Chinese Literature Experience Camp for South Asian Students at Sichuan University. The Du Fu Thatched Cottage is located approximately 20 minutes away from Sichuan University's Wangjiang Campus. In fact, I had never heard the word Du Fu before in my life. At first, I thought it was simply a museum exhibiting historical artifacts. As we got off the bus, to my surprise, I found myself in an open space where a magnificent statue of a person greeted me in front of a thatched house. The statue, with its skinny body and goat beard, appeared to be meditating, with its eyes closed. I noticed a drop of water hanging by the statue's beard. For the moment, I allowed the magnificent statue to completely engross me. Watching it was like a hypnotic experience. I did not know how a drop of tear appeared in my eyes. And I took a picture of my friends; they were not looking at the statue but at the camera. I smiled at them, everything had happened in a split second. I restored my consciousness when a voice echoed in my ear. It was the guide who was informing us that Du Fu (712-770 CE) is one of the three greatest poets, along with senior colleague Li Bai in China. At that time, China was ruled by the Tang Dynasty.
I noticed the writing on the white wall of the thatched cottage. The Du Fu's Thatched Cottage, one of the largest, best-preserved, and most well-known relics of Du Fu in China, is considered as a mecca in the annals of Chinese literature. For millennia, Du Fu's patriotism, lofty moral sentiments, and epitomized poetic achievements have inspired and enlightened later generations, and attracted them to pay homage to and commemorate. Furthermore, a multitude of foreign political leaders and celebrities from all walks of life have left their footprints in the cottage and expressed their affection for it at the moment. Those invaluable photos and inscriptions on display have preserved their care and love for the cottage. After reading the entire inscription, it became clear to me that Du Fu is not just the greatest Chinese poet but an icon of Chinese cultural heritage today.
A few steps away inside the thatched cottage, I came across the hoarding board where Chairman Mao Zedong was looking at two Chinese letters, 草堂 (Cǎotáng), which means "cottage." I also asked my friend to take a picture of me in Mao style. Mao had visited the Thatched Cottage on March 7, 1958. Besides Mao Zedong, Chinese communist leaders such as Deng Xiaoping and Jiang Zemin have visited the Thatched Cottage and given instructions on its development. The guide was informing us that after Mao’s visit, this place became more famous. I agree with our guide that younger generations, particularly Chinese students, not only visit this place for entertainment, but also to learn about the poet and his significant contributions to society and culture. In this way, the poet continues to indirectly encourage new generations to follow in his moral footsteps even today. People from all walks of life were visiting the museum, taking photographs, and then sharing these images on social media, making this place more famous.
I wondered why Mao was so interested in Du Fu. Later, I conducted an internet search and discovered that Du Fu had also written poems against the corruption of court life. Mao has also written poems, more than three dozen, in his lifetime. That may be the reason he was interested in understanding Du Fu. I learned from the Chinese history book that Mao's Cultural Revolution (1966–76) opposed the Four Olds: old ideas, old culture, old customs, and old habits. However, even before the Cultural Revolution, in 1961, the Chinese communist government protected and declared the cottage a national heritage site. It shows how Mao had deep respect for the poet and his literary heritage. Hence, the country has greatly valued the Thatched Cottage since the founding of the People's Republic of China.
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The title "The Flower Path" inside Thatched Cottage mesmerized me once more, subtly evoking a sense of peace and compassion. It is well written that in Du Fu’s poem, the verse “The flower path has never been cleared for the visit of a guest” can serve as evidence that there must be a path flanked by flowers and trees leading to the Thatched Cottage. At the entrance of the Flower Path, a screen wall bearing the handwriting "Cao Tang" (Thatched Cottage) stands. Zhou Shanpei originally created it during the Qing Dynasty, but his younger brother, Zhou Zhujun, ruined and repaired it. The poet once mentioned this elegant path in his poetry, “My path is full of petals -- I have swept it for no others. My wicket gate has been closed -- but now opens for you.”
I felt a sense of nostalgia when I touched the wall of the poet's study room with my fingers. I could see the living room and kitchen. It was very ordinary. Despite being born into a prosperous family, the poet was living a very minimal life. It seems that the destiny of a creative mind often leads to poverty. Indeed, there was an inseparable link between Du Fu, poverty, and poetry. The situation forced him to send his poems to others, seeking their support. His friends were helping him during the stay in Chengdu. “Despite his financial hardships, his stay in Chengdu was one of the happiest and most peaceful periods of his life,” writes Wikipedia. I was lucky enough to stand and witness this place where he spent almost four years and created a total of 240 poems.
Observing the Thatched Cottage and reading some of the discourse about him, I reached the conclusion that Du Fu did not choose poetry rather poetry chose him to express itself through him. Such poetic wisdom did not come just by observing human suffering or facing troubles of the time but also because of natural beauty. Still water canal flanked by bamboo trees and their reflection on it can make anyone poetic who has a nature-sensitive heart. I could see rocks, flowers, and bonsai trees scattered around the premises. This is a characteristic of Chinese culture that has been passed down from generation to generation. It was really amazing to feel the vibe of tranquility at this place. Once a lonely place for a poet to ponder, it has now transformed into a renowned tourist destination. Yesterday, the poet faced challenging times. Perhaps there was no one around to listen to his poetry at that time. Today, the government "tells" and "sells" the story of Du Fu across the world, and China feels proud of him. The question crossed my mind: Can China produce a creative poet like Du Fu in a money-driven and hectic society where individuals lack time for pause and contemplation? It's not impossible, as China is a country of possibilities. Answers echoed immediately.
I asked my friend 朱云梅 (Zhu Yunmei) to search for information about Du Fu on Baidu. She searched and sent me Chinese discourses on WeChat. As a result, I learned his poetry stands for the moral and cultural values of China. He is also known as the "Poet-Historian" (诗史, Shīshǐ). Throughout his lifetime, he composed nearly 1,500 poems, all of which have survived the ages. His poetry reflects turbulent times of the Tang Dynasty. It clearly captures the human suffering, war, and internal displacement of that time. It also reflects compassion toward nature and common people. His poetry has been translated into 30 languages, including English, Japanese, French, Italian, Czech and so on. He is known as the Shakespeare of China. He is also known as the “Saint of Poetry”.
Next day, all of us were hurriedly moving towards the conference room 200, liberal arts building, Wangjiang Campus, Sichuan University. Professor He Mingxing at the School of International Journalism and Communication of BFSU delivered a lecture on literature: “The Spread and Influence of Li Bai and Du Fu in the World”. He has been asserting that how Chinese poets put all things of nature into poetry, that is, white clouds, distant mountains, green trees, flowers, flowing water etc are used to express people’s thoughts, emotions and spirit, and that the subject and the object are united. This is a unique Chinese way of thinking. This is very different from the Westerner’s separation of subject and object. He further emphasized how renowned poets and writers like Paul Claudel, Theophile Gautier, Arthur Bliss, Harry Partch, and others appreciated Du Fu's poetry as it traveled to the West, serving as an example of the rich Chinese literary tradition and culture.
As a student of International Relations, I have long been aware of the geopolitical tension that exists between China and Japan. However, Japanese literature has long focused on Du Fu as its subject matter. It shows how literature connects two nations in a single thread of humanity. Hence, the legacy of Du Fu is not a matter of the past but of the present and future. The poetic aesthetics, life, and work of the poet are purely symbols of humanity and harmony. No doubt, the poet is the product of Chinese culture. He also created a culture of poetry and became the subject of study for upcoming generations.
Let me share his poem called “Spring Hope” (春望) and how it expresses his despair over the ravages of war.
The nation is broken, though mountains and rivers remain;
In the city in spring, grasses and trees grow thick.
Feeling the times, flowers shed their tears;
Hating separation, birds alarm the heart.
Given the current unstable state of the affairs of the world, the poem rightly points out even today that wars and human suffering remain the subject of constant study. Here, the poet’s ability to understand human affairs and nature’s affairs together carries the deep meaning of an organic whole. Reading his poem made me realize that despite the rapid development of the outside world, we all experience internal suffering; no human being is immune to this. The positive side of this suffering is that it's the way to progress. The seed has to break the shells and rise out of the land before becoming a tree. I recalled a Lebanese-American poet, Kahlil Gibran: “Happiness comes by breaking the shells of pain.” The Gautam Buddha's entire enlightenment process involved a close observation of suffering. According to some, Du Fu's thatched cottage symbolizes the blend of Buddhism and Confucianism, and serves as a cultural symbol of perseverance. Today, millions of people visit the place, considering it a spiritual destination where they find solace. I have read that people regard his personality as a model for the characters in Chinese literature. Since the late Tang and Song dynasties, Du Fu has gradually gained fame and has had a profound impact on both Chinese and Japanese literature. His contributions, reflecting Chinese culture, have showcased the soft power of rising China through the evergreen poet Du Fu. People often compare him to western literary figures like Virgil, Horace, William Shakespeare, John Milton, William Wordsworth, Hugo, and others because of his contribution to poetry. However, I strongly oppose any form of comparison with anyone, primarily due to the historical context and their distinct individual experiences regarding the human condition. Du Fu’s place in Chinese poetic history and culture is worth remembering and emulating. Poets such as Du Fu only come into the world once in a hundred years, and Thatched Cottage serves as a testament to Chinese literary culture. For me, it serves as a source for gaining a deeper understanding of the poet and, consequently, of China. I understand that one lifetime is insufficient to fully comprehend Chinese culture and its way of life. All people come and go, but some people leave their footprints, making us feel proud, as Du Fu has done to the Chinese world.
(The author participated in the 2024 Literature Experience Camp for South Asian Students sponsored by the Center for China-South Asia Literary Exchanges of the China Writers Association. The study tour to the Du Fu Thatched Cottage Museum and the literary lecture "The Spread and Influence of Li Bai and Du Fu in the World" delivered by Professor He, Mingxing at the Liberal Arts Building, Wangjiang Campus, Sichuan University, China, on November 08-09, 2024, ignited his interest in exploring and writing this article).
