Text and photos by Chen Chi-Hsiang

Existence is nothing else but living to the fullest.

I have been going to the countryside frequently this year because I cultivated a vegetable garden in the courtyard of Village V. Naturally, I rushed back for the summer vacation (staying for two weeks). Amidst the pleasing scenery of chirping insects and singing birds, far from the noise of the city, without television, stereo, or computer (no music either)—a life without 3C devices—I tilled the soil, tidied the environment, worked on the courtyard and vegetable garden, acting as a holiday farmer. Under the sun, I once again experienced the feeling of sweating profusely from labor, breathing fresh air, which was utterly refreshing, entering the rhythm of rural life involving mountain dwelling and meditation. In a rural village of a hundred households with no shops and consequently few cars, I cast off the constraints of time, following the rhythm of natural time, entering a meditative state of life while listening to my own breath. Venturing into fields and forests, observing natural flowers, plants, sky, clouds, sunset, and starry nights, I converse with myself or nature. During these mountain dwelling holiday years, unbound, I sleep until naturally awake (with no neighbors, there are no curtains); occasionally awakened by morning light or the laughter of birds, I quietly listen to the rural life sonata, restoring a natural human state and finding my own serenity. Rising with the sun and resting at sunset, with an arbitrary schedule, I greet the tomatoes and vegetables in the garden every morning. Seeing the vibrant garden brings indescribable joy, starting a beautiful day. Sometimes in the morning I stretch and practice Qigong on the lawn, or in the evening I stroll through the fields and forests. When free, I read books (reading four during the summer vacation), enjoying leisurely days. Everyone participates in meal preparation: cooking, making salads, baking, washing dishes, and tidying indoors; everyone is proficient in various tasks, and this is life. The largest activity between towns during the summer vacation is the community clearance sale, held every Sunday in rotation. Crowds gather, and in nearby villages, whenever there is an opportunity, we go treasure hunting. This has become one of our annual recreational activities when visiting the countryside. Occasionally, we also go shopping in other rural areas or small towns.

Every day, labor replaces thinking. Moving hands and body to tidy the garden and courtyard environment, especially the tomato garden planted in late May, which is now dense with abundant fruit hanging heavily on the ground, requiring re-hanging and organizing. The lettuce garden is full of vitality, with every plant ready for harvest. Scallions and garlic are growing, pumpkins are spreading and bearing fruit, grapes are climbing the walls with several bunches of white grapes hanging down, and black grapes are nearly ripe but mostly eaten by birds. Coriander is plentiful. Every meal features freshly picked tomatoes and lettuce. When stewing meat, I can pick coriander from the garden for cooking, or even use it for baking. Grateful for the blessings bestowed by the land, which bring new hope and vitality to people, diligent individuals are particularly favored by heaven.

Every day involves tidying the courtyard: watering, weeding, pruning plants, planting flowers and grasses, organizing the garage, turning soil and leveling the front yard, and creating new garden plots. Because I pick a head of lettuce daily, I plant a second round of cabbage in the empty space. Near the wall where the grapes grow, I planted two more red fruit trees and one lavender bush. By the tomato garden, I expanded a plot and planted a fig tree. The outdoor courtyard has become the core of our lives, especially the side with the lettuce garden, where we sunbathe or chat in the cool evening breeze. In the evenings, we gather here to eat pastries and drink afternoon tea. For dinner, we often ritually go for a walk in the fields. Sometimes we venture into the mountains, sometimes we circle the small village or the fields. In the deep silence of night, the most enchanting moment is sitting under a sky full of stars, counting them. Such a carefree rural life is enjoyable, allowing us to glimpse our own nature.