Tao was a common meaning at that time.

At that time, only the Tao was ordinary, which meant that the ordinary past was impossible.

Source: Qing Dynasty poet Nalan Xingde's poem "Who reads the west wind alone in Huanxisha".

Original text:

Who reads the west wind alone?

The rustling yellow leaves closed the window.

Thinking about the past and the future, the sun sets.

Sleeping soundly after drinking, gambling books have been scented with tea.

At that time, only Tao was ordinary.

Translation:

The autumn wind blows cold, who misses that lonely feeling? Watching the yellow leaves dancing to cover the window, standing in the sunset, recalling the past.

Take a nap after drinking, the spring is suddenly leaking, the boudoir is gambling, and the skirt is scented with tea. The past is normal and I can't get what I want. ?

Literary appreciation

Shang Kun wrote about loneliness and desolation after losing his wife. The first sentence begins with the feeling of seasonal changes. The west wind is getting tighter and the chill is invading people. In late autumn, if in the past, Lu would urge poets to add clothes to avoid catching cold and getting sick. But at this time of the year, Lu has been buried in the loess, separated by Yin and Yang, and she can no longer make the bed for the poet and care about him. "Who reads the west wind alone?" The answer to this rhetorical question is self-evident, mixing the ambivalence of expectation and disappointment.

Wang Guowei said in "Words on Earth": "All scenery words are sentimental words." The opening "West Wind" laid the sad tone of the whole poem. In winter, when the west wind blows cold and the yellow leaves whisper, the poet closes the window, and a person feels particularly cold, but who cares? The poet clearly knows that it is "cold alone", and no one thinks about it, but he insists on giving birth to the question of "who reads". This first sentence alone has already hurt people's hearts, and future generations can't help but feel the same. The word "cool" not only describes the weather, but also describes the poet's mood.

Xia Gan naturally wrote the poet's recollection of the past. The first two sentences recall two fragments of his wife's life at home: the first sentence describes her meticulous consideration and concern for herself. She drank too much wine and fell asleep in the spring. Her wife was afraid of disturbing his good dream, so she spoke softly and didn't dare to disturb him. The latter sentence describes the pleasure of a husband and wife's elegant life. Husband and wife bet on the book with tea and pointed out to each other that something was on a page of the book. Whoever can say for sure will raise a glass to drink tea for fun, so that tea will spill all over the floor and the room will smell of tea.

This episode of life is very similar to the scene when Li Qingzhao, a famous poet, and her husband Zhao Mingcheng gambled on books, which shows that their lives are full of poetry and happiness. Nalan Xingde compared himself with Lu in the works of Zhao Mingcheng and Li Qingzhao, to show his deep love for Lu and his infinite sadness at losing such a talented wife. Nalan Xingde is an infatuated person, who is already "between life and death", separated by Yin and Yang, but still can't give up this feeling, and people with temperament can't help but burst into tears.

Sad Nalan Xingde knew that he couldn't pull everything together, and he could only turn all his grief and helplessness into the last sentence. "It was unusual to only know at that time." These seven words are full of blood and tears. Before Lu died, the poet was immersed in the greatest happiness of life, but he was unaware of it, only knowing that it should be so ordinary. The implication is that the poet regrets.