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Ode to Maitreya

The dream-responding peak ranks among the five sacred hills.
Xuedou Mountain towers high, bathed in the breeze of mercy.
Sack slung o’er shoulder, he traverses mortal lands.
His heart contains heaven and all earthly trace.
The colossal bronze statue, unmatched worldwide.
His smiling eyes pierce all worldly divide.
He dwell among mankind, not clinging to Tushita’s bliss,
Spreading boundless kindness to soothe all wandering souls.

Midnight Reverie, July 17, 2026
He Shi He Yuan, Xikou, Fenghua

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Ode to Faxian, Eminent Monk of Eastern Jin

At sixty-five, he left the passes for Buddha’s land.
Alone he trekked ten thousand li through wild wastes.
Snow shrouds desert depths with countless hidden perils.
One frail boat braves the churning ocean waves.
He roamed all realms to seek the precept canon,
Left a unique chronicle of distant foreign lands.
Two centuries prior to Xuanzang’s pilgrimage,
His eternal wisdom flame lights boundless space.

Written July 16, 2026, Xikou, Fenghua

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Ode to Tibetan Buddhism in Qinghai

A scroll of sacred scrolls stretches long by the Huang River.
Golden rooftops lean on mountains, reaching the vast wilderness.
Butter solidifies, flower shadows cast a chilling hue.
Hidden in the murals, the Deer King guards the ancient sutras.
Prayer wheels spin in the wind, greeting the distant valleys.
Ancient temples welcome Han travelers to the cloud-swept frontier.
When a dusty heart briefly meets this serene and quiet place,
It rests in stillness, bathing in the highland sun.

Written in Xining, July 6, 2026

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The Deer King’s Jataka

Cold shoals reflect the hues, rippling with a pure, clear light,
Nine-layered, patterned fur blending into the vast, wild green.
Drinking quietly from the stream, cradling a pristine reflection,
Resting leisurely against the cliffs, hiding a secluded grace.
Yet mortal hearts are once disturbed by the lure of greed,
And careless promises swiftly grow cold, vanishing like flowing water.
Silently retreating into the deep woods without a word of defense,
In the empty mountains, guarding alone the old, pristine frost.

Written in Xining on July 5, 2026