One of the most treasured tropes in the Chinese literati tradition is the scholar's decision—in the face of an objectionable political regime—to withdraw from civic duties. The fourth-century poet Tao Yuanming retreated to Mount Lu (Mount Hermitage) for a life in seclusion, changing his name to Tao Qian (The Hidden). His poetry reflecting on this disengagement became the touchstone for centuries of literary, poetic, and artistic expressions of scholarly abjuration. Retreating to the mountains is the geographical demonstration of the strategic power of visible silence and committed refusal.
in Critical Times 4:2, 2021
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