Su Shi, a leading poet and statesman of China’s Song dynasty, wrote some of his most enduring lines while living in political exile. Among them is Settling the Wind and Waves, a poem composed during a rainstorm that has continued to resonate for nearly a thousand years. Its closing line—“Looking back at the storm, I return home. There is neither storm nor sunshine”—has come to symbolize a state of inner balance shaped by hardship.
The poem is often read as a reflection on resilience, but its origins lie in a period of personal crisis. In 1079, during the reign of Emperor Shenzong, Su Shi was accused by government censors of writing poetry that criticized the court. He was arrested and held for more than four months by the Imperial Censorate. Although he avoided execution, he was demoted and sent into exile in Huangzhou, a provincial town in what is now Hubei Province.
The case, later known as the “Crow Terrace Poetry Case,” left a lasting impact. Su Shi arrived in exile uncertain about his future and aware that further accusations could follow. The experience marked a turning point, forcing him to confront the instability of official life and his own vulnerability within it.
Life in Huangzhou was difficult, but he gradually adapted. Over time, he grew accustomed to his surroundings and began to find a measure of stability. One afternoon, while walking with friends to inspect farmland, a sudden rainstorm caught them in the open. While others sought shelter, Su Shi continued walking at an even pace, taking the moment as it came.
That experience became the basis for Settling the Wind and Waves. The poem captures not only the physical setting—the rain, the wind, the uneven ground—but also the perspective he had developed since his arrest. Rather than resisting the discomfort, he moved through it. The storm became part of the journey rather than an interruption to it.
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The closing line expresses this shift in outlook. “Neither storm nor sunshine” does not describe the weather itself, but a state of mind no longer shaped by changing conditions. The distinction between hardship and ease begins to lose its hold. What remains is a steadier sense of self, one that is not defined by circumstance.
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Su Shi’s career was marked by repeated setbacks—political disputes, demotions, and exile. Each episode tested his position within the court and his ability to endure uncertainty. Over time, these experiences contributed to a perspective in which external events, however disruptive, were understood as temporary.
In the poem, the storm has already passed by the time the speaker looks back. What once seemed immediate and overwhelming has receded. The moment remains, but its force has diminished. The journey continues.
This perspective helps explain why the poem continues to be widely read. It does not deny difficulty or attempt to minimize it. Instead, it presents a way of moving through hardship without becoming defined by it. The image of walking steadily through the rain, without urgency or resistance, reflects a form of composure shaped by experience rather than abstraction.
For Su Shi, that composure was not theoretical. It emerged from a life shaped by political pressure and personal uncertainty. In Settling the Wind and Waves, those experiences are distilled into a brief moment: a walk in the rain, a glance back, and the recognition that the storm no longer holds power.
By Lin Wanru
