“But just as the river is always at the door, so is the world always outside. And it is in the world that we have to live.”

“...What does the blessing of heaven mean? We know the kirin is just an animal, not a mythical creature."It has become a symbol now.... That is the way human beings deal with the world.”

“How was it possible for the world to be so beautiful and so cruel at the same time?”

“It's like a spell. It's so strong I can't fight it. Is love always like this?”

“Don't you know the man whose life you spare will always hate you?”

“She entered a state where prayer and poetry became one and the everyday world seemed full of holiness and significance.”

“They reminded me of the people of my village, their indomitable spirit in the face of disaster, their unshakable belief that no matter what might befall them, life was basically good and the world benign.”