The poet Tao Yuan-ming {A.D. 376 - 427} used the lotus to represent a man of honor in a famous poem, saying that the lotus rose out of mud but remained unstained. {. . .} Perhaps the poet was too idealistic, I thought as I listened to the laughter of the Red Guards overhead. They seemed to be blissfully happy in their work of destruction because they were sure they were doing something to satisfy their God, Mao Zedong.
The poet Tao Yuan-ming, who lived from A.D. 376 to 427, used the lotus flower as a symbol of honor and purity in his poetry, illustrating how the lotus flourishes in muddy waters yet remains unblemished. This metaphor conveys a noble ideal of rising above one's circumstances, but it also highlights a certain romanticism about human resilience and virtue. As I reflected on this ideal, I couldn't help but contrast it with the harsh reality around me.
Listening to the Red Guards above, I sensed their fervent belief that their actions were righteous and in service of their leader, Mao Zedong. Their laughter echoed through the air, revealing a stark disconnection from the values that Tao Yuan-ming cherished. It felt ironic to consider the poet's vision of an honorable man against the backdrop of the destruction and zeal from those who believed they were fulfilling a higher purpose. In that moment, the ideal of the lotus felt painfully distant.
