Valentine’s Day Special Issue | Time as Our Witness
Valentine’s Greeting
To readers in Greece and across the world:
I dedicate this poem to the romantic Valentine’s Day on February 14. May you and your beloved be tenderly cherished, stay together through every year, and live in joy and peace forever. May time witness the eternal love and beauty in your life!
——Lan Xin (Lanxin Samei)
About the Author：Lan Xin (Lanxin Samei)
International Spiritual Poet, Internationally Renowned Chinese Writer and Poet, Winner of the Premio Letterario Internazionale Francesco Giampietri, the Only Female Inheritor of the World Memory Heritage Naxi Dongba Culture, Dean of the Yulong Wenbi Dongba Culture Academy of China and Lanxin Samei Academy.
Time as Our Witness
Poem by Lan Xin (Lanxin Samei)
Three thousand years ago
You were the Lord of the Universe—the King of Kings
Known to gods and mortals alike, I was your cherished Queen
Then came the great catastrophe of the Three Realms
Tearing us apart abruptly, leaving us to grieve the love we lost
Since then, time has carried me
Across the Ten Directions and Dharmadhatus
Through six cycles of reincarnation
Reborn as a human, I walked the path of cultivation for nine lifetimes
Endured all the tribulations of the mortal world, just to meet you again
After three thousand years of wandering
I searched for you a thousand times among the crowds
And finally, today, three thousand years later
We reunite beneath the magnolia tree
Its dancing shadows whisper our ancient vows
In the moment our eyes meet
We see reflections of ourselves from three thousand years ago
And the endless search through lifetimes unfolds before us
Above the mortal world, you remain the supreme King of Kings;
Within the mortal world, you are also the finest man on earth.
Heaven and earth unite, with white cranes as their matchmakers
Sun and moon unite, with Venus as their matchmaker
Mountains and rivers unite, with gold as their matchmaker
Chestnut and pine trees unite, with bees as their matchmaker
Turquoise and black jade unite, with golden threads as their matchmaker
When you and I unite once more, who shall be our matchmaker?
Let three thousand years of time be our matchmaker
To witness our timeless love
For the rest of my life
I do not wish to return as the goddess of the Diamond Kingdom
I only wish to be the little woman in your arms
For the rest of my life
I do not wish to leave a legacy for a thousand years
I only wish to be with you, day and night
For the rest of my life
I do not wish to be a fairy in the clouds
I only wish to live fully as a mortal woman
For the rest of my life
I do not wish to be showered with thousands of affections
I only wish to nestle in the arms of you, the ultimate doting husband
For the rest of my life
I do not wish to return to the cosmic kingdom
I only wish to savor the love of this mortal world
Time as our witness
Heaven and earth as our testimony
May we be united for ten thousand years
And never part again
Poem Interpretation
Time as Our Witness is an oriental love poem that transcends time and space and touches the soul. It outlines an extraordinary love spanning three thousand years with a grand mythological narrative, and incorporates the classic linguistic elements depicting beautiful oaths from the Naxi Dongba Scriptures, making the romance and profound affection of oriental culture vividly expressed. Two souls were separated by the catastrophe of the Three Realms, and after traversing the Ten Directions and Dharmadhatus, going through six cycles of reincarnation and nine lifetimes of cultivation, they finally reunite under the magnolia tree. The vows in the swaying tree shadows and the gaze in each other’s eyes are the answers to the endless search through all lifetimes.
The poem combines the divine glory of the cosmic kingdom with the gentle companionship of mortal life. Letting go of all glory and fame, the poet only wishes to be the little woman in her beloved’s arms, staying together day and night. From the natural oaths of heaven, earth, mountains and rivers to the heartfelt confession with three thousand years of time as the matchmaker, the poem reveals the essence of love—it has nothing to do with status and glory, but only for rushing to one person and staying with them for a lifetime.
“Time as our witness, heaven and earth as our testimony” is a universal belief in love for all humanity. True love has no national boundaries or time and space constraints, and it is a romantic language connecting the whole world. On this Valentine’s Day, may the profound affection of this oriental love poem warm every heart that believes in true love in Greece and across the world. May all lovers be blessed by time, with their love lasting forever and never being separated.
