You Are the Only You in the World
Poem by Lan Xin (Lanxin Samei)
Internationally acclaimed bilingual writer, poet and translator, member of the Chinese Writers Association. The only female inheritor of UNESCO-listed Dongba Culture, International Disseminator of Dongba Culture and practitioner of Chinese culture’s global outreach. Winner of the Italian Francesco Giampietri International Literary Award, President of Lanxin Samei Academy and Dean of Yulong Wenbi Dongba Culture Academy.
My dear
You think
you’re an insignificant being in this world
far too ordinary to be extraordinary
far too common to stand out
So
you’ve never truly known yourself
never cherished your worth
never taken yourself seriously
never pondered what kind of person you truly want
or what kind of life you long for
But
do you know
even a grain of dust chooses where it drifts
a blade of grass pushing through rock cracks sways with its crooked charm
the flaws of a gem are exactly nature’s precious gift
flowers bloom in countless hues to create a splendid riot of blossoms
trees stand in irregular harmony—nature’s magnificent craftsmanship
Is being human any different?
Since you exist in this world
you are unique
you hold an irreplaceable value
even a sacred mission
My dear
rather than admiring others
better to embrace your true self
rather than imitating others
better to become the best version of you
Gather your scattered gaze
turn inward to your own heart
observe your soul
face the inner child within
and invite her to merge with you as one
You are the center
you should be the one flying the kite
not the kite being controlled
All things have spirit
each has a mission
let flowers be flowers
let trees be trees
let yourself become the best version of you
the one and only you in the world
the irreplaceable you
I believe in you
Interpretation:
This is an ode to self-acceptance dedicated to women everywhere by Lan Xin. She breaks the world’s definition of „perfection“ and emphasizes that women’s uniqueness is their ultimate value. Core message: stop comparing, embrace your true self—self-love and self-confidence are a woman’s most precious armor. This affirmation of women’s self-worth resonates deeply with women across the globe.
When You Give It Your All, the World Clears a Path for You
My dear
When hardships, setbacks, frustrations, injustices, or barriers come your way
You don’t want to face the trouble
Don’t want to take on the challenge
Don’t want to shoulder the responsibility
Don’t want to bear the pressure
So
You cowardly make excuses to run away
Shy away
Give up
Sometimes you console yourself
Sometimes you spiral into despair
But
My dear
Is this the version of yourself you like?
Is this the path or outcome you want?
I know it’s not.
When you give it your all
The whole world clears a path for you.
When you pour your heart into it
Win or lose
You’ll have no regrets in your soul.
But if
You hold anything back
The hardest person to forgive
Will be you.
Why didn’t I commit to doing it?
Why am I so lazy?
Why am I so cowardly and helpless?
I hate who I am right now!
I loathe this side of me!
There are times
When we have to push ourselves to the limit
Force ourselves to reach the goals we set
Cast aside all hesitation
Fight through every obstacle!
In this world
There are always things
That don’t follow the rules
No room for cowardice.
Kindness in your heart is good
But you also need the resolve and strength to seize what you’re after
And the wisdom to navigate life’s twists and turns.
The darker, more low, or tougher your days get
The more you can’t afford to lose hope, sink low, give up, or fall apart
The more you need to lift your spirits
Calm down to find a way forward
Go out and chase opportunities
Roll up your sleeves and work
Bring the resolve and action to give it your all—and win.
Your potential is boundless
This is the perfect time to unlock it.
More often than not
Success is born in moments like these.
When you move forward with all your might
You’ll cut through every thorn in your path
And the whole world will clear a way for you.
Heaven helps those
Who help themselves
To lift others, first lift yourself.
Instead of pinning your hopes on someone else
Let go of that wish early
Rely on yourself first.
You are your own savior
Relying on yourself
Is more trustworthy than anyone else.
In this world
The greatest anchor you’ll ever have
Is always
—You！
Interpretation:
This is a battle cry for striving women globally from Lan Xin. Focusing on the hardships and potential in women’s growth, she conveys a core belief: self-reliance and wholehearted effort are the strongest forces to break free from constraints. No matter the circumstances, women’s resilience and determination will ultimately pave the way forward. This positive energy injects courage for independent growth into women around the world.
This poem takes the millennium-old temple at Yulong Wenbi Dongba Culture Academy as its spiritual core, unfolding a transcendent covenant between civilization and life across time and space. Standing tall for a thousand years, the ancient temple and the age-old Ten-Mile Fragrance tree are guardians of time and ferrymen of past and present lives — through cycles of reincarnation, they have long awaited an inheritor who understands Dongba culture, cherishes all living beings, and resonates with heaven and earth. Lanxin is precisely the destined one who answered the call, a soulmate bound by an ancient pact with the temple, Dongba civilization and all creatures.
This waiting is the profound call of Dongba civilization echoing through millennia, the silent gaze of all beings for their true witness. This journey is the inheritor’s devout devotion to cultural roots, the fated reunion of soul with homeland and heritage. The closing question —“Who has waited for you? Who are you waiting for?”— reveals a beautiful mutual longing across time: the temple gains the torch of cultural inheritance, all beings meet their true appreciator, and Lanxin finally embraces the thousand-year-old civilization and resonates in harmony with all creatures. It is a grand reunion of nature, time, civilization and heart, allowing the profound heritage of Dongba culture to bloom into eternal beauty spanning three lifetimes amid the vibrant spring.
Spring of a Thousand Years
The spring that kicks off the twelve months of the year
Comes walking out from the ancient Dongba scriptures
In this thousand-year-old temple
It takes root and settles down
Bees leap up
To the top of the crabapple branches
Buzzing to spread the glad tidings of spring
The thousand-year-old Ten-Mile Fragrance tree standing in the temple center
Has also traveled here from a thousand years ago
Draped in pure white, cloaked in full-bloom fragrance
Swaying elegantly, bursting into a profusion of blossoms
Starting from the bleak, desolate winter
It unfolds its blooms to the world, one by one
— Beauty spanning three lifetimes
Pheasants and jungle fowls sing and soar joyfully on the back hill
Steeds on the distant Ancient Tea-Horse Road prance and leap merrily
Farm cattle in the nearby fields low loudly
All living things rush to learn the good news of spring’s arrival
They offer their highest etiquette
To welcome this Dongba Spring that has finally come after wandering through a thousand years
O dear Dongba Spring
Over these thousand years
Who has been waiting for you?
Who are you waiting for?
To the Divine Flying Stone
On this day
I set forth from Jade Dragon Snow Mountain
With celestial sunlight as my guide
Mountains greet me with smiling faces
Jinsha River sings with unrestrained joy
Yaks and goats come to offer their regards
On this most auspicious day
All living things rejoice
Descending the path where ancestors once migrated
Winding up along the Wuliang River
The sheer cliffs and steep crags amid towering mountains
Form the only celestial path leading to this pure land
Even ninety-nine turns and eighty-one bends
Fail to capture your exquisite grace
The God of Wind sends word via pine trees
The God of Mountains relays a message through flying birds
At last, I am led to the mountain’s summit
A giant boulder stands tall between the blue sky and white clouds
Like a divine frog that descended from heaven
Crouching mid-air in its thousand-year vigil
Guarding this sacred pure land
Are you the divine stone that watches over this pure land
Are you the divine frog that holds the mysteries of the five elements
Where did you fly from
Why did you alight here
What sacred mission transformed you into this frog-shaped boulder
The cacti atop your head stand in neat array
What whimsical nature deity designed such a wondrous form
All living things pass on the torch of love
White clouds drift overhead
Birds soar high above
Winds sing merrily up above
The lush greenery that fills my eyes
Is a greeting gift from the God of Mountains
The azure river water flowing by
Is a greeting gift from the God of Rivers
The fluttering red silk scarf in my hand
Is a greeting gift from the God of Wind
That ladder of clouds stretching into the sky
Is a greeting gift from the clouds themselves
And love
Is my greeting gift
I give thanks to heaven for its boundless benevolence
I give thanks to the earth for its abundant nurturing
I give thanks to the divine stone for its faithful guardianship
Your noble names shall be inscribed upon the starry river
And forever etched in the hearts of all beings
In the name of love
Your legacy shall endure for a hundred generations
Concise Annotation
This poem is a soul-stirring ode inspired by Lan Xin’s journey to a sacred Dongba land, a remote area in Sichuan Province. It overflows with profound reverence for this pure, hallowed territory and a heartfelt celebration of the eternal transmission of love among all living things.
Embarking from Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and tracing the migratory routes of her ancestors, the poet traverses a perilous mountain path—a celestial thoroughfare leading to the sanctuary. Guided by the God of Wind and the God of Mountains, she encounters a colossal boulder atop the peak, shaped like a divine frog.
This stone is both a guardian spirit watching over the pure land and an embodiment of the cosmic mysteries rooted in Dongba culture. Every element along the way, from the lush greenery and azure river to the fluttering red silk scarf and cloud-like ladder, serves as a heartfelt token bestowed by nature.
With love as its central theme, the poem not only conveys deep gratitude for the blessings of heaven and earth and the steadfast guardianship of the divine stone, but also extols the timeless law of love passed down among all beings. It transforms the sanctity and warmth of this Dongba haven into a spiritual resonance that transcends time and borders.
On an autumn afternoon
The holy sunlight
Leaps from the snow-capped peak into the academy
As if traveling through a millennium of time
Back to the homeland of ages past
That gaze, waiting for a thousand years
Freezes for me at this very moment
When I turn around abruptly
It feels like a lifetime apart
I take off the necklace around my neck
Amid the winding starlight
Are dotted the traces of past and present lives
Dongba hieroglyphs linger between the links—
The proverbs our ancestors carved on wooden tablets
The phoenix glowing in that shimmering starlight
Embraces the flaming red sun
Chirping softly and melodiously
Yearning to roost upon the parasol tree
The clove blossoms stretching miles ahead
Along with mountain breezes, sunlight, and blue-purple birds
Dance gracefully in the tunnel of time and space
Shadows of prayer flags brush the lines on my palms
Harmonizing gently with the cadence of Dongba chants
With the highest reverence
And the most graceful bearing
They welcome the phoenix home
O dear time and space
How can I ever hold you fast
Only by
Stringing you all onto this necklace—
Clouds, sun, halos, ancient trees
The divine birds soaring out of Dongba scriptures
And myself, who has wandered for a thousand years
Stringing them into a chain of time and space
Then, with trembling hands
II place it around the neck of this thousand-year-old temple
Concise Annotation
This poem is a spiritual expression of Lan Xin who resides at the millennium-old Dongba Culture Academy. It embodies the profound animistic philosophy rooted in Dongba culture.
With the autumn sunlight as a medium to travel through time and space, the poet turns the necklace around her neck into a carrier of civilization—the hidden Dongba hieroglyphs are the proverbs of ancestors, while the phoenix glowing in starlight is a spiritual metaphor for herself. The vivid scene of mountain breezes, blooming flowers, prayer flags and chants dancing in harmony, welcoming the „phoenix“ home, implies the academy’s millennium-long wait and the poet’s destined encounter with her cultural mission.
In the end, the poet strings the wonders of nature, cultural totems and her thousand-year spiritual journey into the „Chain of Time and Space“. When she places it on the ancient temple, this act not only conveys her deep cherish for the present beauty and gratitude for the blessings of all things, but also seals an eternal promise to inherit and carry forward the precious Dongba culture.
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