Xieyi・The Rootless Tree:100 Verses-Verse 1#529
The poems of “The Rootless Tree” express a fundamental force rooted in harmony with heaven and earth, the cyclical flow of yin and yang, and the infinite potential of existence。
This painting is an expressive “Xieyi” in the tradition of “futu” (spiritual diagrams), passed down for generations in Wudang Mountain, China. It is drawn through a technique where energy flow (xingqi) channels the internal intention into visual form。
In the Taoist world, there exist spiritual and symbolic images called “futu”。
These are a type of talisman—not merely religious items, but expressive spiritual paintings that act directly on the mind of the viewer。
Since ancient times, many people have placed these Taoist-style “Xieyi” and futu in their homes, studies, or bedrooms, wishing for longevity, health, auspiciousness, and family harmony. Viewing such paintings was not just aesthetic appreciation, but an act of inviting the presence of the Dao into one’s life and tuning the body and mind。
Thus, “Xieyi” is more than artistic expression—it is a medium that bridges the spirit, life, and harmony with the universe。
This kind of artwork is not meant to be seen only with the eyes, but felt with the heart。
It communicates with the Dao, resonates with the qi of nature, and quietly stirs the viewer’s inner self。
Futu and “Xieyi” continue to live on from ancient times to this day as “sacred images that speak to the soul.”
Below, we present the original text of the philosophical poem “The Rootless Tree,” along with a modern Japanese translation and interpretation。
※ The author of “The Rootless Tree,” Zhang Sanfeng (1247–?), is also renowned as the founder of Tai Chi, and it is said that he applied the essence of this work to Tai Chi. As an additional note, we include an interpretation connecting this to the Tai Chi tradition of Wudang Mountain.
The Rootless Tree・Verse 1
▶Original Text
無根樹，花正開，紅塵一去不回來，勸君莫戀花間酒，飲後牽纏萬事哀。
▶Modern Translation
On a rootless tree a blossom is opening now.
Once you leave the dusty world, you will never return.
Do not lose your heart to the wine beneath the flowers;
When the spell of drink is broken, everything turns to grief.
▶Interpretation
1.[無根樹，花正開] – A rootless tree symbolizes perfect freedom; its blooming flower shows lively momentum even without earthly roots.
2.[紅塵一去不回來] – “Red dust” means the mundane world of desires. Once you depart, the journey is one-way.
3.[勸君莫戀花間酒] – A warning: do not fall for the pleasures (wine) that lie beneath the blossoms.
4.[飲後牽纏萬事哀] – After intoxication, attachments and regrets remain and all affairs end in sorrow.
▶Interpretation related to Tai Chi
1.Rootless yet blooming → the spontaneous beauty of effortless movement.
2.Leaving the “red dust” → keep the mind from drifting away from the dantian.
3.Resist “flower-side wine” → avoid craving quick progress or flashy gestures.
4.Drunken entanglement → when the heart is disturbed, every technique falls apart.
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