Dwelling in Seclusion

By: Jia Dao (贾岛, 779–843), Tang dynasty poet

Living quietly with few neighbors nearby,

a grassy lane leads into the overgrown garden.

Birds roost in the trees beside the pond,

and a monk taps the moonlit gate.

~ Jia Dao (贾岛, 779–843), Tang dynasty poet

Living quietly with few neighbors nearby,

a grassy lane leads into the overgrown garden.

Birds roost in the trees beside the pond,

and a monk taps the moonlit gate.

闲居少邻并，草径入荒园。

鸟宿池边树，僧敲月下门。

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Crossing the bridge, the wild fields divide in color;

moving a stone, the cloud-roots seem to stir.

I leave for a while, but will return again,

to keep my promise of seclusion.

过桥分野色，移石动云根。

暂去还来此，幽期不负言。

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Context

Formal Title: Inscription on Li Ning’s Secluded Dwelling (《题李凝幽居》)

Jia Dao’s poem depicts a visit to the secluded dwelling of Li Ning, evoking the spirit of late Tang reclusion poetry. The imagery—a moonlit gate, roosting birds, shifting stones—creates a world of stillness where nature and human presence quietly intertwine. The speaker expresses not only admiration for the hermitage but also a personal commitment to return, underscoring the value of quiet companionship and shared solitude.

Author

Jia Dao (贾岛, 779–843) was a Tang dynasty poet famed for his sparse, finely honed style and his obsessive pursuit of precision in language. Often associated with the “cold and thin” aesthetic, Jia Dao’s poems explore solitude, Buddhist sensibilities, and the quiet tensions between worldly duty and spiritual retreat. His meticulous craftsmanship left an enduring influence on later generations of poets.

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