The most precious wealth in this world is not how much you possess, but the life you have experienced and the way you write your own history. In the corridors of time, we encounter many people and many things, facing countless choices and renunciations, bearing joy and sorrow, and nurturing reflections. All gains must eventually be lost; only the enrichment of our thoughts can make our lives truly profound.
Pouring a cup of snow and moon, intoxicated by a faint fragrance; listening to your sweet words, yet catching the scent of another's rouge upon you; I smile faintly, lowering my brows, sighing secretly at how beautiful these words are.
The calculation of life yields different results across cultures and eras, yet the methods remain largely the same. It is simply a series of subtractions from the whole of life to arrive at a "net difference," used to remind us of life's brevity.
The shadow is always with you, through sorrow and joy. Yet, we often focus only on our own emotions, ignoring the shadow's existence. As you walk, it walks with you; on every path, it is your most loyal companion. Regardless of right or wrong, gain or loss, it follows in silence. One day, when you gaze at your shadow in solitude, neither of you will have the strength to return to the past.
We have only this one life; we can face it with composure or embrace it actively. When you feel stuck, triumphant, indignant, or immersed in pain, remember this: no matter what, you are fortunate to have been granted this life.
Rain falls on the southern mountains by candlelight; where does it scatter? Who becomes the Asura in another's heart? Waking from wine in the cold, remembering the moon setting over Lantai; waiting by the small stove, disbelieving two strangers might grow old together; meeting at Pengshan, hearing tales of blooming flowers.