The Fleeting Beauty of Mayflies
Mayflies, delicate creatures with shimmering wings, flit through the air in a brief, vibrant display. Their life, though dazzling, is incredibly short, filling me with a profound sense of melancholy as I ponder the arrangement of my own life’s end. These tiny insects dance gracefully in the sky, showcasing their beautiful attire. Their ephemeral existence leaves me with a deep sorrow as I contemplate where my life’s journey will lead. Newly emerged mayflies, with their pristine white wings, flutter lightly upon breaking free from their shells. Their short lives evoke my own feelings of melancholy, prompting me to question where I will find my final resting place.
Mayflies are small insects that thrive in aquatic environments. Their larval stage can last from one to two years, but as adults, they live only briefly. They do not eat or drink, instead dedicating their short lives to mating and then dying within a single day. Mayflies are known for their beauty: their fragile bodies are adorned with large, transparent wings and long, delicate tail filaments. They often gather in large swarms at dusk, creating a striking scene when they fall to the ground in death, sometimes forming a thick layer.
Over two thousand years ago, sensitive poets used the mayfly’s brief existence as a metaphor to reflect on the fragile beauty of human life and the inevitable approach of death. While humans may live for a century or more, this is still fleeting compared to our desire for a longer existence. Being self-aware, humans are acutely conscious of mortality, intensifying the sense of life’s brevity. Despite the beauty and the efforts to adorn and beautify life, the shadow of death makes these efforts seem futile and sorrowful. The mayfly’s brief life, its delicate beauty, and its fleeting display become symbols of human existence.
The poem begins by comparing the mayfly’s wings to a splendid garment. This beauty, however, is fleeting, lasting only a single day, like a flower that blooms and dies quickly. This observation evokes a sense of urgency to cherish life and live fully in the present. The second section repeats similar themes. The third section describes the newly emerged mayfly, with its snow-white wings, which quickly takes to the air, showcasing its ephemeral splendor. This imagery encourages humans to embrace the spirit of the mayfly: to live brightly and die gracefully.
Though the poem’s content is simple and its structure straightforward, its expression is powerful. The repeated imagery of the mayfly’s fleeting beauty conveys a sense of unreal brilliance. The contrast between the vibrant display and the poet’s deep sorrow for the brevity of life amplifies the transient nature of existence. This poignant depiction underscores the ephemeral quality of life and the inescapable reality of mortality.
The poem’s tone is naturally melancholic, reflecting the existential question: “Who am I? Where am I going?” In ancient China, where strong religious answers to life and death were often absent, such deep-seated sorrow was common. Yet, this sorrow and confusion ultimately reveal a profound attachment to life, a natural human inclination. In Ruan Ji’s “Odes of Yihai,” he reflects on the short-lived beauty of various creatures, lamenting, “How brief is life, and how each strives with fervor.” This sentiment captures the essence of the human condition: an acknowledgment of life’s fleeting nature coupled with a yearning for something more enduring.