A Flower is Not a Flower – The Deeper Meaning of Bai Juyi’s Poem

The Tang dynasty poet Bai Juyi (772–846) wrote a poem titled “A Flower is Not a Flower” that uses simple yet profound imagery to reflect on the transient nature of life. This compact eight-line poem contains layers of symbolism and metaphor that have resonated through the centuries.

Overview of Bai Juyi’s Poem

Here is a translation of Bai Juyi’s poem:

A flower is not a flower,
Mist is not mist;
That which comes at midnight
Leaves at dawn.
It arrives like a spring dream –
Not lingering long.
It departs like a morning cloud –
Nowhere to be found.

On the surface the poem seems to state the obvious – that flowers and mist are transient. But there are deeper layers of meaning when analyzed line by line.

Line-by-Line Analysis

The first two lines set up a sense of contradiction or paradox by negating the flower and mist:

A flower is not a flower,
Mist is not mist;

By saying a flower is NOT a flower, the poem hints that there is more significance to a flower than just its superficial appearance. There are hidden meanings and symbolism embodied in the flower’s nature.

The third and fourth lines evoke the transient, short-lived quality of certain phenomena

That which comes at midnight
Leaves at dawn.

The passage of time is emphasized here – the transition from night to day, dark to light. Whatever appears under cover of darkness soon disappears at first light.

The fifth and sixth lines use vivid similes to further expand on the fleeting nature of the subjects:

It arrives like a spring dream –
Not lingering long.

The dream comparison conveys just how brief and illusory the phenomenon is. The spring dream fades away upon waking, without lingering in memory.

Finally, the seventh and eighth lines continue the cloud simile:

It departs like a morning cloud –
Nowhere to be found.

Once dissipated, the cloud leaves no trace in the sky. Its impermanence makes it impossible to grasp.

Symbols and Allusions

Within these simple verses, Bai Juyi skillfully weaves philosophical layers using poetic devices like symbolism, metaphor, and allusion:

• Flower – In Chinese culture, flowers represent the brevity of life. They bloom but briefly then fade.

• Mist – Mist and fog are common symbols for the illusory, intangible nature of existence.

• Midnight & Dawn – These represent the passage of time and the transition from darkness to light.

• Spring Dream – This alludes to the joyous but fleeting quality of life’s pleasures. Dreams fade upon waking.

• Morning Cloud – Clouds represent transience. They continually change form and soon disappear.

Reflection on Impermanence

Scholars interpret the poem as a whole as Bai Juyi’s reflection on the ephemeral nature of life and all phenomena. The flower, mist, darkness, light, dreams, and clouds are poetic representations of the truth that nothing in life is permanent. Everything arises, transforms, and ultimately ceases to be.

Some key Buddhist teachings are woven into the verses:

• The idea that surface reality is an illusion masking underlying universal truths.

• The doctrine of impermanence – that all things in existence are transient.

• The notion that grasping at fleeting pleasures or phenomena leads only to suffering.

By stating “a flower is NOT a flower” Bai Juyi urges the reader to look beyond outward appearances and reflect on the deeper essence of existence. We assign labels, names, and meanings to things in this world, but their true nature is ephemeral, dreamlike, and elusive.

Personal Context

Some scholars believe the poem reflects Bai Juyi’s personal losses and disappointments in life. His mother died when he was young, falling into a well while admiring flowers. Later in life, Bai Juyi lost his influential position as a palace official and was exiled from court.

These experiences likely influenced his perspective on the transient, unreliable nature of both prosperity and beauty. Within the short lines of this poem, he encapsulates the Buddhist view of attachment and suffering.

Timeless Appeal

Though written over a thousand years ago, Bai Juyi’s poem continues to resonate due to its universal theme. All human joys and accomplishments eventually fade and disappear. By contemplating this truth, we are reminded to cherish each moment and let go of attachments.

The vivid yet elusive imagery serves as a meditation on life’s ephemeral essence. A flower is not just a flower – it represents the height of beauty today and compost tomorrow. We inhabit the mist without grasping it. Happiness arrives like a longed-for dream but slips through our fingers.

This pensive poem captures a truth as relevant today as it was during Tang dynasty China. A flower is not a flower, and life is not what it seems. Only by embracing impermanence can we appreciate each transient moment we are given.