Zhúlín Qí Xián – the Sages. Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove. (3rd century) Prologue. Where metaphysics and philosophy and witty debates each other schooled where the pure conversation of Qingtan sounded through the shoots of bamboo there the seven sages ruled. A bunch of scholars, writers, and musicians from Chinese Taoist elite to the grove came hiding from the Confucian Jin retreating there between the bamboo reeds. There where with poetry of Tao and manuals on alchemy criticizing the court and the administration there where sins were indulged and mysticism flowed freely. There they gathered with wine and dance and the spoils of sexuality writing truths where lies were preferred indulging in everything that reason forbade