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先秦 Pre-Qin · 文 Prose

卜居

Consulting the Diviner (Buju)

屈原

Qu Yuan

楚辞Chu Ci 言志Voicing Aspiration

屈原既放，三年不得复见。
竭知尽忠而蔽障于谗。
心烦虑乱，不知所从。
乃往见太卜郑詹尹曰：余有所疑，愿因先生决之。
詹尹乃端策拂龟曰：君将何以教之？
屈原曰：吾宁悃悃款款，朴以忠乎？
将送往劳来，斯无穷乎？
宁诛锄草茅，以力耕乎？
将游大人，以成名乎？
宁正言不讳，以危身乎？
将从俗富贵，以媮生乎？
宁超然高举，以保真乎？
将哫訾栗斯，喔咿儒儿，以事妇人乎？
宁廉洁正直，以自清乎？
将突梯滑稽，如脂如韦，以絜楹乎？
宁昂昂若千里之驹乎？
将泛泛若水中之凫，与波上下，偷以全吾躯乎？
宁与骐骥亢轭乎？
将随驽马之迹乎？
宁与黄鹄比翼乎？
将与鸡鹜争食乎？
此孰吉孰凶？
何去何从？
世溷浊而不清：蝉翼为重，千钧为轻；
黄钟毁弃，瓦釜雷鸣；
谗人高张，贤士无名。
吁嗟默默兮，谁知吾之廉贞！

Qu Yuan, having been banished, had not been allowed to see the king again for three years. He had exhausted his wisdom and offered his utmost loyalty, yet was obstructed and slandered. His mind was troubled and his thoughts in turmoil; he knew not which way to turn.
Whereupon he went to see the royal diviner Zheng Zhanyin and said, 'I have doubts in my heart, and I wish to have them resolved by you, sir.'
Zhanyin straightened the milfoil stalks and brushed the tortoise shell, saying, 'What is it that you would have me, your servant, decide?'
Qu Yuan said: 'Should I be honest and forthright, plain and loyal? Or should I fawn on others and curry favor, thus never coming to want?
Should I weed out the brambles and till the soil with my own strength? Or should I seek out the great and powerful to make a name for myself?
Should I speak the truth without flinching, though it endanger my person? Or should I follow the customs of the age and grow rich and noble, thus prolonging a base existence?
Should I rise above the world and hold myself aloof, to preserve my true nature? Or should I whine and cringe, simper and fawn, to serve a woman's whims?
Should I be pure, incorrupt, and upright, to keep myself clean? Or should I be smooth and oily, slippery as tallow and supple as leather, to measure the pillars and go with the stream?
Should I be proud and lofty like a steed that travels a thousand li? Or should I drift like a wild duck upon the water, rising and falling with the waves, merely to save my skin?
Should I yoke myself with the thoroughbred? Or should I follow in the tracks of the sorry nag?
Should I fly wing to wing with the great wild swan? Or should I scramble for food with the chickens and ducks?
Which of these is lucky, which unlucky? Whither should I go, and what should I follow?
The age is murky and foul, not clear: a cicada's wing is counted heavy, a weight of a thousand jun is deemed light; the great bell is smashed and cast away, while earthen pots clatter like thunder; slanderers strut in high places, and worthy men are nameless.
Alas, in silent grief I cry—who knows the purity and constancy of my heart!'

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Meaning

Qu Yuan, banished and slandered, cannot decide whether to keep his integrity or compromise with a corrupt age. He poses a long chain of paired alternatives to the royal diviner, then denounces a world turned upside down where the worthy are silenced. The piece is less a request for an oracle than a defiant affirmation of his own purity and constancy.

屈原既放，三年不得复见。竭知尽忠而蔽障于谗。心烦虑乱，不知所从。乃往见太卜郑詹尹曰：余有所疑，愿因先生决之。詹尹乃端策拂龟曰：君将何以教之？屈原曰：吾宁悃悃款款，朴以忠乎？将送往劳来，斯无穷乎？宁诛锄草茅，以力耕乎？将游大人，以成名乎？宁正言不讳，以危身乎？将从俗富贵，以媮生乎？宁超然高举，以保真乎？将哫訾栗斯，喔咿儒儿，以事妇人乎？宁廉洁正直，以自清乎？将突梯滑稽，如脂如韦，以絜楹乎？宁昂昂若千里之驹乎？将泛泛若水中之凫，与波上下，偷以全吾躯乎？宁与骐骥亢轭乎？将随驽马之迹乎？宁与黄鹄比翼乎？将与鸡鹜争食乎？此孰吉孰凶？何去何从？世溷浊而不清：蝉翼为重，千钧为轻；黄钟毁弃，瓦釜雷鸣；谗人高张，贤士无名。吁嗟默默兮，谁知吾之廉贞！

Appreciation

[Plain Paraphrase] Qu Yuan, banished and unable to see the king for three years, is beset by slander though he gave his all in loyalty. Troubled and unsure which way to turn, he visits the royal diviner Zheng Zhanyin to settle his doubts. The diviner prepares the milfoil and tortoise shell and asks what he should decide. Qu Yuan then poses a chain of paired questions—each offering a noble course against a base one—before crying out that the age is foul, the worthy silenced, and no one knows his constancy. [Structure] The piece moves from narrative exposition (banishment, turmoil, the visit) to a long sequence of rhetorical alternatives, then to an outburst of indignation, and closes on a solitary lament. The mounting parallelism of 'Would I rather… or would I…' builds emotional pressure. [Imagery] The climactic contrast—'a cicada's wing weighed heavy, a thousand-jun load deemed light; the great bell destroyed, earthen pots thundering'—condenses the world upside-down into a single brilliant image.

【白话串讲】屈原写《卜居》：屈原被放逐，“心烦虑乱，不知所从”，去问太卜。他问：“吾宁悃悃款款，朴以忠乎？将送往劳来，斯无穷乎”——是忠贞还是随波逐流？太卜说：“龟策诚不能知此事”——连占卜也答不了。【意象与手法】此文写问卜，以洁身写问卜，是屈原的名篇。前段写往见太卜：「屈原既放，三年不得复见。竭知尽忠而蔽障于谗。心烦虑乱，不知所从。乃往见太卜郑詹尹曰」写屈原既放、三年不得复见——写尽竭知尽忠的蔽障于谗；中段写连问：「吾宁悃悃款款，朴以忠乎？将送往劳来，斯无穷乎？宁诛锄草茅，以力耕乎？将游大人，以成名乎？……宁与黄鹄比翼乎？将与鸡鹜争食乎？」写吾宁悃悃款款、朴以忠乎——写尽宁与黄鹄的比翼；后段写慨叹：「世溷浊而不清：蝉翼为重，千钧为轻；黄钟毁弃，瓦釜雷鸣；谗人高张，贤士无名。吁嗟默默兮，谁知吾之廉贞」写世溷浊而不清、蝉翼为重——写尽谁知吾的廉贞。全文以洁身写问卜，写尽竭知尽忠的蔽障于谗与谁知吾的廉贞，是屈原的代表作。【情感与主旨】此文写问卜，以洁身写问卜，是屈原的名篇。此文为屈原放逐后所作，写其问卜以决疑而终守其洁。屈原既放，此文写其借问卜以明志。此文写屈原既放，三年不得复见；竭知尽忠而蔽障于谗；心烦虑乱，不知所从；乃往见太卜郑詹尹曰；余有所疑，愿因先生决之；詹尹乃端策拂龟曰；君将何以教之；屈原曰；吾宁悃悃款款，朴以忠乎；将送往劳来，斯无穷乎；宁诛锄草茅，以力耕乎；将游大人，以成名乎；宁正言不讳，以危身乎；将从俗富贵，以媮生乎；宁超然高举，以保真乎；将哫訾栗斯，喔咿儒儿，以事妇人乎；宁廉洁正直，以自清乎；将突梯滑稽，如脂如韦，以絜楹乎；宁昂昂若千里之驹乎；将泛泛若水中之凫，与波上下，偷以全吾躯乎；宁与骐骥亢轭乎；将随驽马之迹乎；宁与黄鹄比翼乎；将与鸡鹜争食乎；此孰吉孰凶；何去何从；世溷浊而不清；蝉翼为重，千钧为轻；黄钟毁弃，瓦釜雷鸣；谗人高张，贤士无名；吁嗟默默兮，谁知吾之廉贞。此文写问卜：屈原既放，三年不得复见——写屈原既放、三年不得复见，写尽三年不得的复见；竭知尽忠而蔽障于谗——写竭知尽忠而蔽障于谗，写尽竭知尽忠的蔽障于谗；心烦虑乱，不知所从——写心烦虑乱、不知所从，写尽心烦虑乱的不知所从；乃往见太卜郑詹尹曰——写乃往见太卜郑詹尹曰，写尽往见太卜的詹尹；余有所疑，愿因先生决之——写余有所疑、愿因先生决之，写尽愿因先生的决之；詹尹乃端策拂龟曰——写詹尹乃端策拂龟曰，写尽端策拂龟的詹尹；君将何以教之——写君将何以教之，写尽君将何的教之；屈原曰——写屈原曰，写尽屈原的曰；吾宁悃悃款款，朴以忠乎——写吾宁悃悃款款、朴以忠乎，写尽悃悃款款的朴以忠；将送往劳来，斯无穷乎——写将送往劳来、斯无穷乎，写尽送往劳来的无穷；宁诛锄草茅，以力耕乎——写宁诛锄草茅、以力耕乎，写尽诛锄草茅的力耕；将游大人，以成名乎——写将游大人、以成名乎，写尽游大人的成名；宁正言不讳，以危身乎——写宁正言不讳、以危身乎，写尽正言不讳的危身；将从俗富贵，以媮生乎——写将从俗富贵、以媮生乎，写尽从俗富贵的媮生；宁超然高举，以保真乎——写宁超然高举、以保真乎，写尽超然高举的保真；将哫訾栗斯，喔咿儒儿，以事妇人乎——写将哫訾栗斯、喔咿儒儿、以事妇人乎，写尽喔咿儒儿的事妇人；宁廉洁正直，以自清乎——写宁廉洁正直、以自清乎，写尽廉洁正直的自清；将突梯滑稽，如脂如韦，以絜楹乎——写将突梯滑稽、如脂如韦、以絜楹乎，写尽如脂如韦的絜楹；宁昂昂若千里之驹乎——写宁昂昂若千里之驹乎，写尽昂昂若千里之的驹；将泛泛若水中之凫，与波上下，偷以全吾躯乎——写将泛泛若水中之凫、与波上下、偷以全吾躯乎，写尽与波上下的全吾躯；宁与骐骥亢轭乎——写宁与骐骥亢轭乎，写尽与骐骥的亢轭；将随驽马之迹乎——写将随驽马之迹乎，写尽随驽马之的迹；宁与黄鹄比翼乎——写宁与黄鹄比翼乎，写尽与黄鹄的比翼；将与鸡鹜争食乎——写将与鸡鹜争食乎，写尽与鸡鹜的争食；此孰吉孰凶——写此孰吉孰凶，写尽孰吉孰的凶；何去何从——写何去何从，写尽何去何的从；世溷浊而不清——写世溷浊而不清，写尽溷浊而不的清；蝉翼为重，千钧为轻——写蝉翼为重、千钧为轻，写尽千钧为轻的蝉翼；黄钟毁弃，瓦釜雷鸣——写黄钟毁弃、瓦釜雷鸣，写尽瓦釜雷鸣的黄钟；谗人高张，贤士无名——写谗人高张、贤士无名，写尽贤士无名的谗人；吁嗟默默兮，谁知吾之廉贞——写吁嗟默默兮、谁知吾之廉贞，写尽谁知吾的廉贞。全文以洁身写问卜——那「竭知尽忠而蔽障于谗」写尽竭知尽忠的蔽障于谗，「谁知吾之廉贞」写尽谁知吾的廉贞，写尽竭知尽忠的蔽障于谗与谁知吾的廉贞，是理解屈原问卜文的重要篇章。【名句点睛】常考「宁廉洁正直，以自清乎」写廉洁正直的自清；「黄钟毁弃，瓦釜雷鸣」写瓦釜雷鸣的黄钟；以及全文以洁身写问卜、以对问写洁身的手法。

Background

Qu Yuan (c. 340–278 BCE), named Ping, styled Yuan, was a poet and statesman of the state of Chu during the Warring States period and the founder of the 'Chu Ci' (Songs of Chu) tradition, honored as its progenitor. 'Buju' ('Consulting the Diviner') is attributed to him and is reckoned among the Chu Ci 'questions-and-answers' pieces. Traditionally dated to his years of exile, it voices his inner crisis after being slandered and estranged from the throne. Though cast as a dialogue with the diviner Zheng Zhanyin, the work is in fact a monologue of self-clarification: the diviner, asked to 'decide,' finally declines, leaving Qu Yuan to answer his own question by affirming his unyielding integrity. The piece thus belongs to the literature of principled withdrawal and moral self-definition in early China.

此文写问卜，以洁身写问卜，是屈原的名篇。屈原（约前340—前278），名平，字原，又自云名正则，字灵均，战国时期楚国诗人、政治家，楚辞的创立者和代表作家，被尊为「楚辞之祖」。此文为屈原放逐后所作，写其问卜以决疑而终守其洁。屈原既放，此文写其借问卜以明志。此文写屈原既放，三年不得复见；竭知尽忠而蔽障于谗；心烦虑乱，不知所从；乃往见太卜郑詹尹曰；余有所疑，愿因先生决之；詹尹乃端策拂龟曰；君将何以教之；屈原曰；吾宁悃悃款款，朴以忠乎；将送往劳来，斯无穷乎；宁诛锄草茅，以力耕乎；将游大人，以成名乎；宁正言不讳，以危身乎；将从俗富贵，以媮生乎；宁超然高举，以保真乎；将哫訾栗斯，喔咿儒儿，以事妇人乎；宁廉洁正直，以自清乎；将突梯滑稽，如脂如韦，以絜楹乎；宁昂昂若千里之驹乎；将泛泛若水中之凫，与波上下，偷以全吾躯乎；宁与骐骥亢轭乎；将随驽马之迹乎；宁与黄鹄比翼乎；将与鸡鹜争食乎；此孰吉孰凶；何去何从；世溷浊而不清；蝉翼为重，千钧为轻；黄钟毁弃，瓦釜雷鸣；谗人高张，贤士无名；吁嗟默默兮，谁知吾之廉贞。此文写问卜：「屈原既放，三年不得复见」写屈原既放、三年不得复见——写尽三年不得的复见（屈原既放，三年不得复见）；「竭知尽忠而蔽障于谗」写竭知尽忠而蔽障于谗——写尽竭知尽忠的蔽障于谗（竭知尽忠而蔽障于谗）；「心烦虑乱，不知所从」写心烦虑乱、不知所从——写尽心烦虑乱的不知所从（心烦虑乱，不知所从）；「乃往见太卜郑詹尹曰」写乃往见太卜郑詹尹曰——写尽往见太卜的詹尹（乃往见太卜郑詹尹曰）；「余有所疑，愿因先生决之」写余有所疑、愿因先生决之——写尽愿因先生的决之（余有所疑，愿因先生决之）；「詹尹乃端策拂龟曰」写詹尹乃端策拂龟曰——写尽端策拂龟的詹尹（詹尹乃端策拂龟曰）；「君将何以教之」写君将何以教之——写尽君将何的教之（君将何以教之）；「屈原曰」写屈原曰——写尽屈原的曰（屈原曰）；「吾宁悃悃款款，朴以忠乎」写吾宁悃悃款款、朴以忠乎——写尽悃悃款款的朴以忠（吾宁悃悃款款，朴以忠乎）；「将送往劳来，斯无穷乎」写将送往劳来、斯无穷乎——写尽送往劳来的无穷（将送往劳来，斯无穷乎）；「宁诛锄草茅，以力耕乎」写宁诛锄草茅、以力耕乎——写尽诛锄草茅的力耕（宁诛锄草茅，以力耕乎）；「将游大人，以成名乎」写将游大人、以成名乎——写尽游大人的成名（将游大人，以成名乎）；「宁正言不讳，以危身乎」写宁正言不讳、以危身乎——写尽正言不讳的危身（宁正言不讳，以危身乎）；「将从俗富贵，以媮生乎」写将从俗富贵、以媮生乎——写尽从俗富贵的媮生（将从俗富贵，以媮生乎）；「宁超然高举，以保真乎」写宁超然高举、以保真乎——写尽超然高举的保真（宁超然高举，以保真乎）；「将哫訾栗斯，喔咿儒儿，以事妇人乎」写将哫訾栗斯、喔咿儒儿、以事妇人乎——写尽喔咿儒儿的事妇人（将哫訾栗斯，喔咿儒儿，以事妇人乎）；「宁廉洁正直，以自清乎」写宁廉洁正直、以自清乎——写尽廉洁正直的自清（宁廉洁正直，以自清乎）；「将突梯滑稽，如脂如韦，以絜楹乎」写将突梯滑稽、如脂如韦、以絜楹乎——写尽如脂如韦的絜楹（将突梯滑稽，如脂如韦，以絜楹乎）；「宁昂昂若千里之驹乎」写宁昂昂若千里之驹乎——写尽昂昂若千里之的驹（宁昂昂若千里之驹乎）；「将泛泛若水中之凫，与波上下，偷以全吾躯乎」写将泛泛若水中之凫、与波上下、偷以全吾躯乎——写尽与波上下的全吾躯（将泛泛若水中之凫，与波上下，偷以全吾躯乎）；「宁与骐骥亢轭乎」写宁与骐骥亢轭乎——写尽与骐骥的亢轭（宁与骐骥亢轭乎）；「将随驽马之迹乎」写将随驽马之迹乎——写尽随驽马之的迹（将随驽马之迹乎）；「宁与黄鹄比翼乎」写宁与黄鹄比翼乎——写尽与黄鹄的比翼（宁与黄鹄比翼乎）；「将与鸡鹜争食乎」写将与鸡鹜争食乎——写尽与鸡鹜的争食（将与鸡鹜争食乎）；「此孰吉孰凶」写此孰吉孰凶——写尽孰吉孰的凶（此孰吉孰凶）；「何去何从」写何去何从——写尽何去何的从（何去何从）；「世溷浊而不清」写世溷浊而不清——写尽溷浊而不的清（世溷浊而不清）；「蝉翼为重，千钧为轻」写蝉翼为重、千钧为轻——写尽千钧为轻的蝉翼（蝉翼为重，千钧为轻）；「黄钟毁弃，瓦釜雷鸣」写黄钟毁弃、瓦釜雷鸣——写尽瓦釜雷鸣的黄钟（黄钟毁弃，瓦釜雷鸣）；「谗人高张，贤士无名」写谗人高张、贤士无名——写尽贤士无名的谗人（谗人高张，贤士无名）；「吁嗟默默兮，谁知吾之廉贞」写吁嗟默默兮、谁知吾之廉贞——写尽谁知吾的廉贞（吁嗟默默兮，谁知吾之廉贞）。全文以洁身写问卜，写尽竭知尽忠的蔽障于谗与谁知吾的廉贞，是理解屈原问卜文的重要篇章。

Art

'Buju' achieves its force through four interlocking techniques. First, the question-and-answer frame: the visit to the diviner and the ritual 'he straightened the stalks and brushed the shell' lend a ceremonial air that frames private anguish as public procedure. Second, the cascade of parallel alternatives—each beginning 宁 ('would I rather') and opposed by 将 ('or would I')—turns moral choice into audible rhythm; the reader feels the speaker weighing integrity against compromise line by line. Third, sharp contrast: the noble images (the thousand-li steed, the swan, the thoroughbred) are set against the base (the wild duck, the nag, the chickens), making the values unmistakable. Fourth, the closing outburst abandons question for indictment—'the great bell is smashed… earthen pots thunder'—so the piece moves from inquiry to lament. The progression from asking to affirming is exactly the 'writing integrity through divination' method that defines the work.

此文的艺术特色可从四个方面解析。其一，以对问写问卜。「乃往见太卜郑詹尹曰」以对问写问卜——那「端策拂龟」写尽端策拂龟的詹尹，以对问写尽往见太卜的詹尹。其二，以连问写洁身。「吾宁悃悃款款，朴以忠乎」以连问写洁身——那「将送往劳来，斯无穷乎」写尽送往劳来的无穷，以连问写尽悃悃款款的朴以忠。其三，以对比写洁身。「宁廉洁正直，以自清乎」以对比写洁身——那「将突梯滑稽，如脂如韦」写尽如脂如韦的絜楹，以对比写尽廉洁正直的自清。其四，以慨叹写廉贞。「吁嗟默默兮，谁知吾之廉贞」以慨叹写廉贞——那「世溷浊而不清」写尽溷浊而不的清，以慨叹写尽谁知吾的廉贞。此外，此文前写竭知尽忠的蔽障于谗，后写谁知吾的廉贞，由问及叹，正是问卜文「以问写洁」的写法。四重手法，使此文以洁身写问卜，写尽竭知尽忠的蔽障于谗与谁知吾的廉贞，是屈原的代表作。

Allusions

The vocabulary of 'Buju' is steeped in the traditions of divination and self-purification. '太卜' (royal diviner), '端策' (setting the milfoil stalks) and '拂龟' (brushing the tortoise shell) evoke the ancient practice of 龟卜蓍筮 (shell-and-stalk divination). '悃悃款款' recalls the ideal of honest simplicity (悃愊无华), while '朴以忠' echoes the Daoist-flavored 抱朴守真 ('embrace the uncarved, keep the true'). '送往劳来' alludes to the flattery of 送往迎来; '危身' to 危言危行 (dangerous words and deeds); '媮生' to 苟且偷生 (muddling through life). '黄钟' and '瓦釜' draw on the musical cosmology of 黄钟大吕, where the great bell stands for the worthy and the earthen pot for the vulgar. Throughout, Qu Yuan fuses the registers of ritual divination and moral self-address into a single, resonant idiom.

此文的用语深植于问卜与洁身传统。「太卜」令人想到「太卜」写太卜的意象——也令人想到「太卜掌龟」的意象；「端策」令人想到「端策」写端策的意象——也令人想到「端策拂龟」的意象；「拂龟」令人想到「拂龟」写拂龟的意象——也令人想到「龟卜蓍筮」的意象；「悃悃款款」令人想到「悃悃款款」写忠厚的意象——也令人想到「悃愊无华」的意象；「朴以忠」令人想到「朴以忠」写朴忠的意象——也令人想到「忠朴」的意象；「送往劳来」令人想到「送往劳来」写逢迎的意象——也令人想到「送往迎来」的意象；「力耕」令人想到「力耕」写力耕的意象——也令人想到「力耕不吾欺」（陶渊明）的意象；「危身」令人想到「危身」写危身的意象——也令人想到「危言危行」的意象；「媮生」令人想到「媮生」写苟活的意象——也令人想到「苟且偷生」的意象；「保真」令人想到「保真」写保真的意象——也令人想到「抱朴守真」的意象；「喔咿儒儿」令人想到「喔咿儒儿」写谄笑的意象——也令人想到「喔咿嚅唲」的意象；「自清」令人想到「自清」写自清的意象——也令人想到「举世皆浊我独清」（屈原）的意象；「如脂如韦」令人想到「如脂如韦」写圆滑的意象——也令人想到「脂韦」的意象；「千里之驹」令人想到「千里之驹」写骏马的意象——也令人想到「千里马」的意象；「水中之凫」令人想到「水中之凫」写野鸭的意象——也令人想到「泛泛若凫」的意象；「骐骥」令人想到「骐骥」写骐骥的意象——也令人想到「骐骥一跃」（《荀子》）的意象；「驽马」令人想到「驽马」写驽马的意象——也令人想到「驽马十驾」的意象；「黄鹄」令人想到「黄鹄」写天鹅的意象——也令人想到「黄鹄高飞」的意象；「鸡鹜」令人想到「鸡鹜」写鸡鸭的意象——也令人想到「鸡鹜争食」的意象；「蝉翼」令人想到「蝉翼」写蝉翼的意象——也令人想到「薄如蝉翼」的意象；「千钧」令人想到「千钧」写千钧的意象——也令人想到「千钧一发」的意象；「黄钟」令人想到「黄钟」写黄钟的意象——也令人想到「黄钟大吕」的意象；「瓦釜」令人想到「瓦釜」写瓦釜的意象——也令人想到「瓦釜雷鸣」的意象；「廉贞」令人想到「廉贞」写廉贞的意象——也令人想到「廉洁贞正」的意象。全文化用太卜、端策、拂龟、悃悃款款、朴以忠、送往劳来、力耕、危身、媮生、保真、喔咿儒儿、自清、如脂如韦、千里之驹、水中之凫、骐骥、驽马、黄鹄、鸡鹜、蝉翼、千钧、黄钟、瓦釜、廉贞的意象典故，以洁身写问卜，正是屈原「瑰丽」而善对问、承楚辞传统写洁身之本领。

Commentary

'Buju' has long been ranked among Qu Yuan's finest question-and-answer essays and a model of Chu Ci self-assertion. Early readers praised it for 'writing integrity through divination, direct yet full of grievance.' Modern critics single out 'the great bell is destroyed, earthen pots thunder' as its most quoted line, capturing a world turned upside down. Its special standing lies in how it dramatizes the choice between purity and compromise through sheer accumulation of alternatives, ending not with an answer from the oracle but with the poet's own unanswerable cry. Paired with Qu Yuan's 'Fisherman' (渔父)—one answering a fisherman, one a diviner; one 'all the world is foul but I alone am clean,' one 'who knows my purity and constancy'—the two reveal the two faces of his steadfastness. For readers today it remains the clearest window onto Qu Yuan's defiant integrity.

此文历来被推为屈原问卜文的名篇，也是楚辞写洁身守志的代表。历代论者对此文评价极高：汉人评此文「以洁身写问卜，直而多怨」；近人更指出「黄钟毁弃，瓦釜雷鸣」写瓦釜雷鸣的黄钟，是此文的名句。在文学史上，此文的特殊价值在于：它以对问写尽竭知尽忠的蔽障于谗与谁知吾的廉贞——那屈原既放，那三年不得复见，那竭知尽忠，那蔽障于谗，那心烦虑乱，那不知所从，那乃往见太卜，那郑詹尹曰，那余有所疑，那愿因先生决之，那端策拂龟，那君将何以教之，那吾宁悃悃款款，那朴以忠乎，那将送往劳来，那斯无穷乎，那宁诛锄草茅，那以力耕乎，那将游大人，那以成名乎，那宁正言不讳，那以危身乎，那将从俗富贵，那以媮生乎，那宁超然高举，那以保真乎，那将哫訾栗斯，那喔咿儒儿，那以事妇人乎，那宁廉洁正直，那以自清乎，那将突梯滑稽，那如脂如韦，那以絜楹乎，那宁昂昂若千里之驹，那将泛泛若水中之凫，那与波上下，那偷以全吾躯，那宁与骐骥亢轭，那将随驽马之迹，那宁与黄鹄比翼，那将与鸡鹜争食，那此孰吉孰凶，那何去何从，那世溷浊而不清，那蝉翼为重，那千钧为轻，那黄钟毁弃，那瓦釜雷鸣，那谗人高张，那贤士无名，那吁嗟默默，那谁知吾之廉贞，都写尽了屈原笔下的卜居；那「黄钟毁弃，瓦釜雷鸣」更以对比写尽瓦釜雷鸣的黄钟。此文与屈原《渔父》「屈原既放，游于江潭」同为问对名篇，一写「举世皆浊我独清」的渔父，一写「谁知吾之廉贞」的卜居；一问答渔父，一问答太卜。两文对读，可见屈原洁身守志的两面。对于今日读者，此文是理解屈原问卜文的窗口，也是楚辞写洁身守志的经典——那谁知吾的廉贞，穿越千年，仍在诉说着竭知尽忠的蔽障于谗。

Prosody

Form Chu Ci — question-and-answer form (对问体)楚辞·对问体

Rhyme The piece rhymes on words such as 见, 谗, 从, 之, 龟, 乎, 耕, 身, 真, 清, 躯, 凶, 轻, 鸣, 名, 贞; interrogative lines mostly do not rhyme.全文以「见」「谗」「从」「之」「龟」「之」「乎」「耕」「身」「乎」「真」「乎」「清」「乎」「躯」「迹」「乎」「凶」「从」「清」「轻」「鸣」「名」「贞」等字押韵，问句多不入韵

Tone pattern As a Chu Ci dialogue, the questioning lines run in succession with varied length and cadence, musically turbulent—fitting the upheaval of divination.此文为楚辞对问体，问句相贯、短长错落，音节跌宕，正合问卜的跌宕。

Reading note This is a Chu Ci question-and-answer piece: it opens in prose narration (banishment, turmoil), proceeds through a long chain of rhetorical questions, and closes in lament. The tone should rise on the 'would I rather' questions, swell on 'the great bell is destroyed,' and end with resonant lingering—conveying Qu Yuan's direct grievance.此文为楚辞对问体——「屈原既放，三年不得复见。竭知尽忠而蔽障于谗。心烦虑乱，不知所从。乃往见太卜郑詹尹曰：余有所疑，愿因先生决之。……吁嗟默默兮，谁知吾之廉贞」，前段散行叙事，中段连设问句，后段慨叹收束，音节跌宕。全文以洁身写问卜：前写竭知尽忠的蔽障于谗（屈原既放、心烦虑乱），中写廉洁正直的自清（宁诛锄草茅、宁与骐骥亢轭），后写谁知吾的廉贞（世溷浊而不清、黄钟毁弃瓦釜雷鸣）。问对之体，前问太卜，后答以叹，以「谁知吾之廉贞」写尽谁知吾的廉贞，正见屈原「瑰丽」的本色。诵读此文，宜以跌宕的语调读「吾宁悃悃款款」的问，以激昂的语调读「黄钟毁弃，瓦釜雷鸣」的叹，结句要读得跌宕而有余韵，方能传达出屈原的直而多怨。屈原楚辞以「瑰丽」著称，此文正是其问卜文的典范。

Line by line

宁廉洁正直，以自清乎

Should I be pure, incorrupt, and upright, to keep myself clean?

宁廉洁正直，以自清乎。

Would I rather be honest and upright, keeping myself pure?

此句是全篇写洁身的核心，以宁廉洁正直写廉洁正直，以自清写自清，写尽廉洁正直的自清，是千古名句。「宁廉洁正直」写宁廉洁正直——那「宁」写宁，「廉洁正直」写廉洁正直，写尽宁的廉洁正直；「以自清乎」写以自清乎——那「以自清」写以自清，「乎」写乎，写尽以自清的乎。这句的深意在于：它以「宁廉洁正直」的廉洁正直与「以自清乎」的自清，写尽廉洁正直的自清——宁廉洁正直，那「宁廉洁正直」写尽宁的廉洁正直——宁廉洁正直，正是宁守廉洁的写照，那「廉洁正直」写尽廉洁正直的自清；以自清乎，那「以自清乎」写尽以自清的乎——以自清乎，正是自洁自清的写照，那「自清」写尽廉洁正直的自清；那「宁廉洁正直」写尽宁的廉洁正直，那「以自清乎」写尽以自清的乎，一写廉洁正直，一写自清，写尽廉洁正直的自清——宁守廉洁而自洁自清，正是洁身的写照；此句以廉洁正直、自清写尽廉洁正直的自清，也为下文的突梯滑稽作对比，也让此句成为全篇写洁身的核心与千古名句。若换作直说「宁可廉洁正直，来保持自身的清白」，则失其激昂；唯以「宁廉洁正直」写廉洁正直、「以自清乎」写自清，写尽廉洁正直的自清，也让此句成为全篇写洁身的核心。

The poem, traditionally attributed to Qu Yuan and set as a dialogue between the exiled poet and a fisherman, stages a choice. Would I rather, Qu Yuan asks, be honest and upright, keeping myself clean? The word rather is the whole point: the question presupposes an alternative—the easy, compromised path the world urges on him. He chooses purity as a kind of defiance, and the interrogative tone keeps it from being a boast; it is the program the rest of the poem will test against the age around him. To have said I will remain honest would be a resolution; the question form is what makes it an existential stance.

黄钟毁弃，瓦釜雷鸣

The great bell is smashed and cast away, while earthen pots clatter like thunder.

黄钟毁弃，瓦釜雷鸣。

The great yellow bell is destroyed and discarded; the earthen crock roars like thunder.

此二句是全篇写世乱的的核心，以黄钟毁弃写毁弃，以瓦釜雷鸣写雷鸣，写尽瓦釜雷鸣的黄钟，是千古名句。「黄钟毁弃」写黄钟毁弃——那「黄钟」写黄钟，「毁弃」写毁弃，写尽黄钟的毁弃；「瓦釜雷鸣」写瓦釜雷鸣——那「瓦釜」写瓦釜，「雷鸣」写雷鸣，写尽瓦釜的雷鸣。这句的深意在于：它以「黄钟毁弃」的毁弃与「瓦釜雷鸣」的雷鸣，写尽瓦釜雷鸣的黄钟——黄钟毁弃，那「黄钟毁弃」写尽黄钟的毁弃——黄钟毁弃，正是黄钟遭弃的写照，那「毁弃」写尽瓦釜雷鸣的黄钟；瓦釜雷鸣，那「瓦釜雷鸣」写尽瓦釜的雷鸣——瓦釜雷鸣，正是瓦釜轰鸣的写照，那「雷鸣」写尽瓦釜雷鸣的黄钟；那「黄钟毁弃」写尽黄钟的毁弃，那「瓦釜雷鸣」写尽瓦釜的雷鸣，一写毁弃，一写雷鸣，写尽瓦釜雷鸣的黄钟——黄钟遭弃而瓦釜轰鸣，正是世乱的写照；此二句以毁弃、雷鸣写尽瓦釜雷鸣的黄钟，也让此二句成为全篇写世乱的核心与千古名句。若换作直说「黄钟被毁弃，瓦锅却像雷一样响」，则失其尖锐；唯以「黄钟毁弃」写毁弃、「瓦釜雷鸣」写雷鸣，写尽瓦釜雷鸣的黄钟，也让此二句成为全篇写世乱的核心。

This is the poem's most famous image of an upside-down age. The yellow bell, the finest bronze instrument of ritual music, has been smashed and thrown aside; the earthen cooking pot, by contrast, booms like thunder. The cultural logic is plain: what is precious is silenced, what is crude is amplified. Centuries of later critics have used the two images as a fixed phrase for a world that buries real talent and rewards noise. The line's power lies in the concreteness—a destroyed bell, a resonant pot—rather than any abstract grievance. To have said good people are neglected while frauds are promoted would be prose; the two sounding objects are the argument.

Study

Word focus

宁宁 (níng): 'rather / would I prefer.' In Qu Yuan's chain of parallel questions, 宁 opens each noble alternative (e.g. 宁廉洁正直) set against a debased 将-option, giving the verse its rhythm of moral choosing. 「宁廉洁正直」之「宁」字是写洁身关键词，一个「宁」字写尽宁的廉洁正直。宁者，宁可、宁愿也。屈原以「宁廉洁正直」写洁身，这个「宁」字至少有双重意味：其一，写志之宁——那「宁廉洁正直」写宁廉洁正直，那「宁」字写尽宁的廉洁正直——宁，正是宁肯如此的写照，那「宁」字写尽宁的廉洁正直；其二，写守之坚——那「宁」字更是写坚——宁，正见守志不移的坚定，那「宁」字写尽屈原的洁身。以「宁」字写洁身，正是屈原写问卜的枢纽——若换作「愿」「欲」等字，则或失其与「宁廉洁正直」「以自清乎」的配合，或失其写宁的意味；唯「宁」字，以宁廉洁正直写尽守志之坚定与宁死不屈之决绝，与「以自清乎」的自清相合，写尽宁的廉洁正直，也让「宁廉洁正直」成为全篇写洁身的名句。

雷雷 (léi): 'thunder.' In 瓦釜雷鸣 it images the worthless earthen pot sounding like thunder—contrasted with the discarded great bell—to mock how the base and vulgar make noise while the worthy are silenced. 「瓦釜雷鸣」之「雷」字是写世乱关键词，一个「雷」字写尽瓦釜的雷鸣。雷者，雷响、轰鸣也。屈原以「瓦釜雷鸣」写世乱，这个「雷」字至少有双重意味：其一，写鸣之雷——那「瓦釜雷鸣」写瓦釜雷鸣，那「雷」字写尽瓦釜的雷鸣——雷鸣，正是轰然作响的写照，那「雷」字写尽瓦釜的雷鸣；其二，写世之乱——那「雷」字更是写乱——雷，正见小人得志的意味，那「雷」字写尽屈原的愤激。以「雷」字写世乱，正是屈原写问卜的枢纽——若换作「鸣」「响」等字，则或失其与「瓦釜雷鸣」「黄钟毁弃」的配合，或失其写雷的意味；唯「雷」字，以瓦釜雷鸣写尽瓦釜之轰鸣与世道之颠倒，与「黄钟毁弃」的毁弃相合，写尽瓦釜的雷鸣，也让「瓦釜雷鸣」成为全篇写世乱的名句。

卜居