Birds Calling in the Ravine
- Poetry of Wang Wei

This is a mysterious poem about listening and manifestation. The poem's structure subtly corresponds to the Zen process of enlightenment: "beginning — unfolding — turning — completion." The first line, "Idleness," is the start of mind-cultivation (beginning); the second, "The spring hills… vacant," is the unfolding of the realm (unfolding); the third, "The moonrise startles," is the triggering of opportunity (turning); the final line, "echo across the springtime dale," is the harmonious realm attained after sudden insight (completion). The poet leads the reader through a spiritual experience that moves from introspection to outward gaze, from stillness to liveliness, and back to a deeper stillness.