Abstract
This article proposes an interpretation of Su Shi's poem 'Paintings of Wang Wei and Wu Daozi' conceived though an analysis of Buddhist symbols and allusions constituting its very hearth. One of the main goals of this article is to illustrate the significance of the reader's understanding of the symbolic and allusive content of the poem, in order to comprehend the 'complete' landscape of the poem in question.
When read from the perspective proposed by this article, the landscape portrayed by the elements of the poem is forms a special kind of coherence with the symbolical landscape of the paintings it uses as the object of contemplation. The coherence thus perceived, creates a way for an alternative type of reading, which can in turn equip the reader with some kind of a looking-glass through which the poetic expression can be seen as a part of a broader and consistent manner of encoding and decoding reality and meaning.
The connectivity of poetic expression of with the art of painting had been used quite commonly in the Song dynasty, mainly as means of expressing discontent or criticism directed against the government etc. It can be claimed that exactly this mode of expression had been commonly used also beyond its political purpose.
Stemming from this premisses, this article further tries to illuminate the background of the meanings and value of the allusions and symbols used by the poet. These symbols and allusions are mainly taken from the Buddhist lore and writings - more specifically, they are related to Buddhist notions of enlightenment and the incarnation of the enlightened sage.