A Spring Song (春歌)

Chūn yǒu bǎi huā qiū yǒu yuè,

春 有 百 花 秋 有 月，

Spring – have – hundred – flower-autumn –have – moon

Xià yǒu liáng fēng dōng yǒu xuě.

夏 有 凉 风 冬 有 雪。

Summer – have –cool-breeze – winter –have –snow

Ruò wú xián shì guà xīn tóu,

若 无 闲 事 挂 心 头，

If – no –idle matter – hang – heart – (top)

Biàn shì rén jiān hǎo shí jié.

便 是 人 间 好 时 节。

Then – be – human world – good – season

This poem is usually attributed to Wumen Huikai / Wúmén Huìkāi（无门慧开, 1183–1260）, a Song dynasty Chan Buddhist master. It is commonly known as part of his verse 《颂平常心是道》, “Verse on Ordinary Mind Is the Way.” The original poem doesn’t have a title. For ease of reference, people either call it by its first line or Spring Song.

The poem comes from a Chan Buddhist setting. Chan teaching often avoids abstract explanation and instead points to direct experience: look at the flowers, the moon, the breeze, the snow. The poem’s key idea is not that one season is better than another, but that each season has its own beauty.

The phrase “平常心是道” means “ordinary mind is the Way.” Wisdom can be found in ordinary moments, when the mind is not tangled in unnecessary worries, comparisons, desires, or resentments.

As we are talking about the 24 Solar Terms , which divide the year according to changes in sunlight, weather, farming rhythms, plants, animals, and daily life, I recommend to you my favorite poem as it does something similar in a very simple poetic form. It reflects the agricultural and seasonal consciousness behind the Solar Terms: people observe the world carefully, accept natural change, and adjust their feelings and actions to the rhythm of the year.

The poem reflects several important Chinese ideas.

First, it expresses harmony between humans and nature（天人合一）. The good life is about recognizing the gift in each moment.

Second, it shows a Daoist-like acceptance of change. Spring, summer, autumn, and winter all pass naturally. No season stays forever, and none is meaningless.

Third, it expresses Chan Buddhist freedom of mind. The line “若无闲事挂心头” means when the heart is not burdened by unnecessary concerns, any time can become a good season.

Do you have a favorite poem from your own culture? Please share with us and tell us why it moves you.

Below is a short clip of a solo classical Chinese dance choreographed and performed by Dr Xueting Luo 罗雪婷. The background music is a singing version of the poem. I hope the poem, the singing and the dance show you that Chinese seasonal culture is not only about farming or weather. It is also about aesthetic feeling, emotional balance, and living in tune with natural change.