Yan Zhou’s Tribute to Holly Lee
楚喬 When I think of your Chinese name, in my heart, I would recite a poem from 《詩經 - Book of Poetry》, in 《周南 - Odes Of Zhou And The South》of《國風 - Lessons from the states》, which is called漢廣 Han Guang (translated by James Legge):
南有喬木，不可休息。In the south rise the trees without branches, affording no shelter.
漢有游女，不可求思。By the Han are girls rambling about, but it is vain to solicit them.
漢之廣矣，不可泳思。The breadth of the Han, cannot be dove across;
江之永矣，不可方思。The length of the Jiang, cannot be navigated with a raft.
There may not be a direct association between you and the poem, but you liked trees, and your name made me think of a tree in Chu, where Qu Yuan sang the Songs of Chu.
時曖曖其將罷兮，結幽蘭而延佇。
The world is dark, and its end is close,
I gathered orchids and lingered on my way.
You left a home, (and so did I), and lived a new life with your family and friends on a different land. An introverted world, glimmering with the brilliance of the world you touched.
One day, when I sat with you and Ka-sing on your sofa, I was sad thinking of China. You mentioned a photo of Wushan Gorge, Yangtze River, by the Ukrainian photographer Dmitri Kessel in 1946 which you saw in the 1990s. You said that the river has carried the sufferings and endurance of China. At that moment, the pity and love in your eyes took me back home.
The last time I visited you in winter, you were calm. Your courage and peace of mind amazed me.
I miss you. I miss the good times we spent together: the movie nights, exhibitions, talks, and dinners at Gallery 50. Your voice and smile, gentleness and warmth, were always a great comfort for a friend. In my mind, you flutter like shimmering light on a stream, many and the same you, for instance, your hand moved elegantly on the rubbings of a Yan Zhenqing’s steles which I showed to you, Ka-sing, and Kai Chan.
Thank you for allowing me to be in the world you dwelt, and where you will forever grace. The elegance and beauty you gifted the world will become the echo that houses and embraces us. And I search for you in the starry kingdom where all the beloved people look at us tenderly.
