Xieyi・The Rootless Tree:100 Verses-Verse 48#351
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 48
▶Original Text
無根樹，花正暮，夕陽西沈，光融萬象。氣歸丹田，意返本元，靜極生動，道復自然。
▶Modern Translation
At dusk a flower blooms on the rootless tree;
Setting sun melts its light into all things.
Qi returns to dantian, intent back to the source;
Extreme stillness breeds motion—Dao circles home to Nature.
▶Interpretation
1.[無根樹，花正暮] Evening bloom = completion and return.
2.[夕陽西沈，光融萬象] Sunset light dissolves into the world.
3.[氣歸丹田，意返本元] Closing practice: qi to dantian, mind to origin.
4.[靜極生動，道復自然] From utmost quiet, movement re-emerges; Dao resets.
▶Interpretation related to Tai Chi
•Closing form gathers qi inward.
•Merge with surroundings—no separation.
•Stillness → spontaneous new cycle.
•Endless return = Taoist spiral of practice.
Copyright © MASAKI WAKABAYASHI. All rights reserved.
