When Buddhism entered China around the first century, it entwined with Taoism and Confucianism, together they weaved the fabrics of Chinese culture and the texture of everyday life. Along with a reverence for nature, Buddhist insights of impermanence and equanimity flowed into Chinese poetry, giving voice to renunciation and quiet joy.
Across centuries, poets from all walks of life—court officials and recluses, the successful and the dispossessed—turned to Buddhist wisdom to navigate uncertainty and flow of life. Some found grace after loss; others withdrew from fame and power, discovering contentment in simplicity and the ordinary rhythms of life. Their poems speak not only of mountains and moonlight, but of resilience, equanimity, and inner freedom—questions as alive today as they were a thousand years ago.
What do these poems offer us today? How do we find peace and joy in a noisy world? Besides achievement and success, what kind of life leads to contentment? In this evening of reflection, we will read Buddhist-inspired poetry across dynasties and poets, meditate, and let insights arise.
Lin Wang Gordon, who majored in East Asian Studies and a lifelong lover of classical Chinese poetry, invites you to step into ancient China—to explore stillness, simplicity and grace.
Meeting Date/Time:
Friday, May 29, 2026 | 6:30 – 8:30pm ET | In-Person and Online
Location:
New York Insight at 115 West 29th Street, 12th Floor (between 6th & 7th Avenue)
Online:
Register to receive the Zoom link.
Photo: Milford Sound, New Zealand, 2019