The Realm of Longevity

Having seen through the three springs, what can peach blossoms and willows in green do for me? I have snuffed out the splendor of youth, seeking instead a tranquil, natural harmony. They say the heavenly peach trees bloom in abundance, and apricot blossoms flourish among the clouds. But in the end, who will live to see autumn through? Just look: people weep in the village of white poplars, and ghosts moan beneath the green maples. Worse still, the skies are filled with gloom over the graveyards. This is how it is: the poor toil today to become rich tomorrow, while flowers bloom in spring and wither in autumn. Who can escape a fate that brings life and death? I have heard of a sacred tree in the West called Pusuo, bearing fruit of immortality.

This novel and its characters are entirely fictional. Any resemblance is purely coincidental. Do not imitate.