Chinese Thoughts about Writing

Lu Ji's Thoughts

"Sometimes words come hard--they resist me.

till I pluck them from deep water like hooked fish..."

"Meditation"

"To nourish myself I read the classics."

"The Impulse"

"Search for the words and sphere of thought,

 then seek the proper order;

 release their shining forms

 and tap images to hear how they sing."

"Process"

"Writing is a struggle between presence and absence."

"The Many Styles"

"Weigh each word on a scale;

 use a measuring cord to make your cuts."

"Revision"

"Sometimes you labor hard and build regrets--

 then dash off a flawless gem."

"Writer's Block"