Skip to main content
20 years
Narrative
x
  • FICTION
  • POETRY
  • NONFICTION
  • LIBRARY
    • by Author
    • by Theme
    • by Title, Form, Author
    • Narrative Prize Winners
    • Story Lists
    • Contests
  • LEARN
    • Narrative for Schools
    • High School Writing Contest
    • Writing Prompts
    • Video Tutorials
    • Writers & Mentors Videos
    • Advice for Writers
    • Writers’ Resources
    • Recommended Reading
    • Theme-Based Reading Guide
    • Explore Our Library by Theme
    • A Note to Teachers
    • A Note to Students
    • About Narrative for Schools
  • BACKSTAGE
  • STORE
  • SUBMIT
  • ABOUT
    • Mission
    • Masthead
    • Board of Directors
    • Friends & Patrons
    • Events
    • Recent Awards for Our Authors
    • Narrative in the News
    • FAQ
    • Advertise in Narrative
  • DONATE
  • SIGN IN
manage_search Narrative
TELL ME A STORY
person
SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE
search
  • FICTION
  • POETRY
  • NONFICTION
  • LIBRARY
    • BY AUTHOR
    • BY THEME
    • BY TITLE, FORM, AUTHOR
    • NARRATIVE PRIZE WINNERS
    • STORY LISTS
    • CONTESTS
  • LEARN
    • NARRATIVE FOR SCHOOLS
    • HIGH SCHOOL CONTEST
    • WRITING PROMPTS
    • VIDEO TUTORIALS
    • WRITERS & MENTORS VIDEOS
    • ADVICE FOR WRITERS
    • WRITERS’ RESOURCES
    • RECOMMENDED READING
    • THEME-BASED READING GUIDE
    • EXPLORE BY THEME
    • A NOTE TO TEACHERS
    • A NOTE TO STUDENTS
    • ABOUT SCHOOLS
  • BACKSTAGE
  • STORE
  • SUBMIT YOUR WORK
  • ABOUT
    • MASTHEAD
    • MISSION
    • BOARD OF DIRECTORS
    • FRIENDS & PATRONS
    • EVENTS
    • NARRATIVE IN THE NEWS
    • FAQ
    • ADVERTISE IN NARRATIVE
  • DONATE
  • ADVERTISING
Narrative is a nonprofit
supported by readers
who love great writing.
Read us.
Support us.
SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE
Sign In
  • MY ACCOUNT
  • CONTACT US
  • ADVERTISE
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • TERMS OF USE
Narrative is a nonprofit
supported by readers
who love great writing.
Read us.
Support us.

Han Shan is a legendary figure honored as an incarnation of the Bodhisattva figure Manjusri. Although his dates are much disputed, it is widely believed he lived during the ninth century. After his disappearance, a Taoist, Xu Lingfu, collected Han Shan’s poems from the various rocks, trees, and walls on which they were written. Han Shan was singularly important to Beat Generation writers. Kerouac’s The Dharma Bums closes with a vision of Han Shan, and he dedicated the book to the fabled poet.

QUICK TAGS
Journeys
Nature
Solitude
God/Religion/
Spirituality

Education
Women &
Men

+ MORE

FOLLOW US:

Five Poems

by Han Shan
Share
Facebook Facebook Threads Threads Twitter Twitter Reddit Reddit Forward Forward Print Print Copy link Copy link

4.

Looking for a refuge
Cold Mountain will keep you safe
a faint wind stirs dark pines
come closer the sound gets better
below them sits a gray-haired man
chanting Taoist texts
ten years unable to return
he forgot the way he came

People on couch
To continue reading please sign in.
Join for free
Already a reader? Sign In

Story Right Column Menu

  • NARRATIVE FOR SCHOOLS
  • SEARCH THE LIBRARY
  • SEARCH BY THEME
  • WRITERS’ RESOURCES
  • SUBMIT YOUR WORK
  • SUPPORT NARRATIVE

Hello. Log In.

Reader Comments

  • Gary Snyder did a wonderful translation which I have treasured for...
  • Loved 16, so many layers to discover....
  • Beautiful and compelling....

  • CONTACT US
  • ADVERTISE
  • MY ACCOUNT
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • TERMS OF USE
  • A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION
Narrative is a nonprofit
supported by readers
who love great writing.
Read us.
Support us.