This poem can be read horizontally (left to right, right to left) or vertically (top to bottom, bottom to top). It was originally written in Chinese and MediaGlyphs.
What follows is a literal translation in English with some explanatory notes.
| life | to | death | return | (life returns to death, return death to life) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| from | death | to | life | (from death to life) |
| death | from | life | originate | (death originates from life) |
| rise | life | lead | death | (the arising of life leads to death, death leads to the arising of life) |
| (life arises from death, arise death from life) | (from life to death) | (death leads to life) | (the return of life originates from death, death originates from life's return) |