Quotation

Quote by Yuan Haowen

The poet-monks’ poetry differs from literati poetry exactly for its breath of vegetables and bamboo shoots.

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The quote says that poet-monks’ poetry is set apart by its “breath of vegetables and bamboo shoots.” This is a vivid comparison: their poems seem to carry the fresh, earthy presence of simple plants and food. The contrast with literati poetry suggests a different sensory quality, grounded in ordinary natural things rather than an unspecified literary style.

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Library of Congress-hosted scholarly book chapter, “The Poet as a Perfect Mirror”
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