Returning to the Garden and Living in the Fields, Eastern Jin Dynasty. What does Tao Yuanming’s ancient poem mean?

①Bean planting at the foot of Nanshan Mountain ②The grass is full of bean seedlings.

In the morning, I clean up the wasteland and filth, and return home with a lotus hoe.

The road is narrow, the grass and trees are long, and the evening dew touches my clothes.

It is not enough to cherish the clothes stained ⑤, but the wish is fulfilled.

Notes ① "Returning to the Garden and Living in the Fields": It was written in the second year after Tao Yuanming returned to seclusion. It contains five poems. The third one chosen here is about his working life after his seclusion.

② Nanshan: refers to Mount Lu.

③ Morning weeding: Get up early in the morning and remove weeds. Xing, get up. Manage, regulate. Dirty, weeds in the fields.

④He (hè): carry on the back. ⑤ Not worthy of regret: Not worthy of regret.

Explanation: Beans are planted at the foot of Nanshan Mountain, where weeds grow luxuriantly but bean seedlings are rare. Get up early in the morning to weed, and go home with a hoe in the evening when the moon rises. The path was narrow and the grass and trees grew very tall, and the dew wet my clothes. It doesn't matter if my clothes get wet, as long as it doesn't go against my will.

Analysis: This poem is about the author’s working life and his feelings after he retired to the countryside.

The first six sentences are a narrative, using the whole process of planting beans as a clue to describe the hardship of rural life. The last two sentences of the poem express the author's thoughts: As long as it does not go against one's own wishes, there is no need to be afraid of any hard work.

The whole poem has a concise narrative, sincere lyricism, and a blend of scenes, showing the pastoral life after seclusion.