空山不见人
In the empty mountains, no person is seen;
但闻人语响
Yet human voices can be heard.
返景入深林
Returning sunlight enters the deep woods,
复照青苔上
And shines again upon the green moss.
What the poem means
No person is visible in the quiet mountains, but voices can be heard. Returning sunlight reaches the deep woods and lights the moss. One sound and one beam reveal the forest's stillness.
Meet the poet
Wang Wei was a Tang poet. Unseen voices and a beam of light evoke a still forest.
Wang Wei · More poems →