A Quiet Time of Autumn Bamboo Forest and the Fragrance of Books

For this trip, I specially brought the book I had always wanted to read, "Walden," and opened it on the terrace of Zhuxi Valley, finding it just perfect. Every afternoon, I brew a pot of tea, find a comfortable position in the rattan chair, and start reading. The autumn sunlight is warm and pleasant, and occasionally a bamboo leaf falls on the page, which I use as a bookmark. When I read Thoreau’s descriptions of the lake and mountain scenery, I look up to see the swaying sea of bamboo before me, and that resonance brings a knowing smile. Sometimes I get so absorbed in reading that I only realize the time has passed when the sun sets. Reading here is surprisingly efficient, not only because the environment is quiet but also because the mind is peaceful. On the last day, I wrote on the book’s flyleaf: "Autumn of the Year of Jiachen, read at Longyou Zhuxi Valley," forever linking this reading time with this place.