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汉 Han · 诗 Poem

箜篌引

The Harp Song (Konghou Yin)

曹植

Cao Zhi

宴饮Feasting / the banquet 感慨Reflections / lament

置酒高殿上，亲友从我游。
中厨办丰膳，烹羊宰肥牛。
秦筝何慷慨，齐瑟和且柔。
阳阿奏奇舞，京洛出名讴。
乐饮过三爵，缓带倾庶羞。
主称千金寿，宾奉万年酬。
久要不可忘，薄终义所尤。
谦谦君子德，磬折欲何求。
惊风飘白日，光景驰西流。
盛时不再来，百年忽我遒。
生存华屋处，零落归山丘。
先民谁不死，知命复何忧。

Wine is set out on the high hall; kinsmen and friends roam with me.
The central kitchen prepares a lavish feast—they boil the sheep and slaughter the fat ox.
The Qin zither is how stirring; the Qi se is harmonious and soft.
At Yang'e they play wondrous dances; from the capital comes famous song.
Joyfully we drink past three cups; with loosened sashes we pour out the many dishes.
The host proposes a thousand-gold toast; the guests offer a ten-thousand-year reply.
Old pledges must not be forgotten; to end in neglect is what righteousness blames.
Humble is the gentleman's virtue; bowing like a chime-stone, what does he seek?
A sudden gale carries off the white sun; the light and shade gallop flowing to the west.
The prime of life comes no more; a hundred years suddenly hasten toward me.
While living we dwell in splendid houses; fallen to ruin we return to the hills.
Who among the ancients did not die? To know one's fate—what sorrow remains?

Listen

Meaning

Cao Zhi's 'The Harp Song' depicts a splendid feast with music and friends, then turns abruptly to the flight of time and the certainty of death. It moves from joy to lament, closing on a resigned, fate-accepting calm.

置酒高殿上，亲友从我游。中厨办丰膳，烹羊宰肥牛。秦筝何慷慨，齐瑟和且柔。阳阿奏奇舞，京洛出名讴。乐饮过三爵，缓带倾庶羞。主称千金寿，宾奉万年酬。久要不可忘，薄终义所尤。谦谦君子德，磬折欲何求。惊风飘白日，光景驰西流。盛时不再来，百年忽我遒。生存华屋处，零落归山丘。先民谁不死，知命复何忧。

Appreciation

[Plain Paraphrase] The first ten lines paint a grand banquet—wine on the high hall, kinsmen and friends, boiled sheep and fat ox, the stirring Qin zither and soft Qi se, wondrous dances and famous songs, three cups and loosened sashes, a thousand-gold toast and ten-thousand-year reply, old pledges kept and the humble gentleman's bow. [Structure] The opening describes the feast's abundance; the middle turns to exhortation and courtesy; the close breaks into lament as a sudden gale carries off the sun and life's prime passes. [Imagery] The contrast of 'splendid houses' with 'return to the hills' condenses the whole rise-and-fall; the gale and the westward light figure time's sudden flight. [Tone] The poem moves from generous, brave music to desolate reflection, the classic Jian'an 'sorrow of living' that ends in spacious acceptance.

【白话串讲】曹植写《箜篌引》：“置酒高殿上，亲友从我游”——“中厨办丰膳，烹羊宰肥牛”——“秦筝何慷慨，齐瑟和且柔”——“乐饮过三爵，缓带倾庶羞”——“久要不可忘，薄终义所尤”——“谦谦君子德，磬折欲何求”——他写宴饮——谦谦君子德。【意象与手法】此诗写宴饮，以感慨写宴饮，是曹植的名篇。前段写盛宴：「置酒高殿上，亲友从我游。中厨办丰膳，烹羊宰肥牛。秦筝何慷慨，齐瑟和且柔。阳阿奏奇舞，京洛出名讴。乐饮过三爵，缓带倾庶羞」写置酒高殿上、亲友从我游——写尽缓带倾庶的一羞；中段写劝勉：「主称千金寿，宾奉万年酬。久要不可忘，薄终义所尤。谦谦君子德，磬折欲何求」写主称千金寿、宾奉万年酬——写尽磬折欲何的一求；后段写感慨：「惊风飘白日，光景驰西流。盛时不再来，百年忽我遒。生存华屋处，零落归山丘。先民谁不死，知命复何忧」写惊风飘白日、光景驰西流——写尽知命复何的一忧。全诗以感慨写宴饮，写尽缓带倾庶的一羞与知命复何的一忧，是曹植的代表作。【情感与主旨】此诗写宴饮，以感慨写宴饮，是曹植的名篇。此诗为曹植箜篌引，写其宴饮之盛与时光之慨。曹植此诗写其高殿宴饮的感慨。此诗写置酒高殿上，亲友从我游；中厨办丰膳，烹羊宰肥牛；秦筝何慷慨，齐瑟和且柔；阳阿奏奇舞，京洛出名讴；乐饮过三爵，缓带倾庶羞；主称千金寿，宾奉万年酬；久要不可忘，薄终义所尤；谦谦君子德，磬折欲何求；惊风飘白日，光景驰西流；盛时不再来，百年忽我遒；生存华屋处，零落归山丘；先民谁不死，知命复何忧。此诗写盛宴：置酒高殿上，亲友从我游——写置酒高殿上、亲友从我游，写尽亲友从我的游；中厨办丰膳，烹羊宰肥牛——写中厨办丰膳、烹羊宰肥牛，写尽烹羊宰肥的牛；秦筝何慷慨，齐瑟和且柔——写秦筝何慷慨、齐瑟和且柔，写尽齐瑟和且的一柔；阳阿奏奇舞，京洛出名讴——写阳阿奏奇舞、京洛出名讴，写尽京洛出名的一讴；乐饮过三爵，缓带倾庶羞——写乐饮过三爵、缓带倾庶羞，写尽缓带倾庶的一羞；主称千金寿，宾奉万年酬——写主称千金寿、宾奉万年酬，写尽宾奉万年的酬；久要不可忘，薄终义所尤——写久要不可忘、薄终义所尤，写尽薄终义所的尤；谦谦君子德，磬折欲何求——写谦谦君子德、磬折欲何求，写尽磬折欲何的一求；惊风飘白日，光景驰西流——写惊风飘白日、光景驰西流，写尽光景驰西的流；盛时不再来，百年忽我遒——写盛时不再来、百年忽我遒，写尽百年忽我的遒；生存华屋处，零落归山丘——写生存华屋处、零落归山丘，写尽零落归山的丘；先民谁不死，知命复何忧——写先民谁不死、知命复何忧，写尽知命复何的一忧。全诗以感慨写宴饮——那「缓带倾庶羞」写尽缓带倾庶的一羞，「知命复何忧」写尽知命复何的一忧，写尽缓带倾庶的一羞与知命复何的一忧，是理解曹植宴饮诗的重要篇章。【名句点睛】常考「置酒高殿上，亲友从我游」写亲友从我的游；「惊风飘白日，光景驰西流」写光景驰西的流；以及全诗以感慨写宴饮、以铺陈写感慨的手法。

Background

Cao Zhi (192–232), style name Zijian, was a son of Cao Cao and brother of Cao Pi, a prince of Wei and the consummate master of Jian'an literature; Zhong Rong's Shipin praised his 'lofty bone and flourishing ornament,' and he is known as the Prince of Chen. This yuefu, 'The Harp Song,' records the splendor of his feast and his lament over passing time. Writing of wine on the high hall with kinsmen and friends, the lavish kitchen, the zither and se, the dances and songs, the three cups and loosened sashes, the host's toast and the guests' reply, the kept pledges and the humble gentleman, then the gale carrying off the sun, the prime that comes no more, the splendid house and the hill, and the ancients who all must die—Cao Zhi sets the feast's abundance against time's flight, an important entry into his banquet poetry.

此诗写宴饮，以感慨写宴饮，是曹植的名篇。曹植（192—232），字子建，沛国谯县（今安徽亳州）人，曹操之子，曹丕之弟，三国魏诗人，建安文学集大成者，南朝钟嵘《诗品》称其「骨气奇高，词采华茂」，世称「陈思王」。此诗为曹植箜篌引，写其宴饮之盛与时光之慨。曹植此诗写其高殿宴饮的感慨。此诗写置酒高殿上，亲友从我游；中厨办丰膳，烹羊宰肥牛；秦筝何慷慨，齐瑟和且柔；阳阿奏奇舞，京洛出名讴；乐饮过三爵，缓带倾庶羞；主称千金寿，宾奉万年酬；久要不可忘，薄终义所尤；谦谦君子德，磬折欲何求；惊风飘白日，光景驰西流；盛时不再来，百年忽我遒；生存华屋处，零落归山丘；先民谁不死，知命复何忧。此诗写盛宴：「置酒高殿上，亲友从我游」写置酒高殿上、亲友从我游——写尽亲友从我的游（置酒高殿上，亲友从我游）；「中厨办丰膳，烹羊宰肥牛」写中厨办丰膳、烹羊宰肥牛——写尽烹羊宰肥的牛（中厨办丰膳，烹羊宰肥牛）；「秦筝何慷慨，齐瑟和且柔」写秦筝何慷慨、齐瑟和且柔——写尽齐瑟和且的一柔（秦筝何慷慨，齐瑟和且柔）；「阳阿奏奇舞，京洛出名讴」写阳阿奏奇舞、京洛出名讴——写尽京洛出名的一讴（阳阿奏奇舞，京洛出名讴）；「乐饮过三爵，缓带倾庶羞」写乐饮过三爵、缓带倾庶羞——写尽缓带倾庶的一羞（乐饮过三爵，缓带倾庶羞）；「主称千金寿，宾奉万年酬」写主称千金寿、宾奉万年酬——写尽宾奉万年的酬（主称千金寿，宾奉万年酬）；「久要不可忘，薄终义所尤」写久要不可忘、薄终义所尤——写尽薄终义所的尤（久要不可忘，薄终义所尤）；「谦谦君子德，磬折欲何求」写谦谦君子德、磬折欲何求——写尽磬折欲何的一求（谦谦君子德，磬折欲何求）；「惊风飘白日，光景驰西流」写惊风飘白日、光景驰西流——写尽光景驰西的流（惊风飘白日，光景驰西流）；「盛时不再来，百年忽我遒」写盛时不再来、百年忽我遒——写尽百年忽我的遒（盛时不再来，百年忽我遒）；「生存华屋处，零落归山丘」写生存华屋处、零落归山丘——写尽零落归山的丘（生存华屋处，零落归山丘）；「先民谁不死，知命复何忧」写先民谁不死、知命复何忧——写尽知命复何的一忧（先民谁不死，知命复何忧）。全诗以感慨写宴饮，写尽缓带倾庶的一羞与知命复何的一忧，是理解曹植宴饮诗的重要篇章。

Art

The poem's craft may be read in four moves. First, it renders the feast through accumulation: 'wine on the high hall' and 'kinsmen roam with me' spread the scene of friends gathered. Second, it writes the lavish meal in plain description: 'boil the sheep, slaughter the fat ox' shows the abundance directly. Third, it pairs music and dance in antithesis: 'the Qin zither is stirring' against 'the Qi se is soft' sets the two instruments in relief. Fourth, it speaks the lament plainly: 'a sudden gale carries off the white sun' and 'the light and shade gallop west' give the feeling directly. The first part writes the feast's abundance, the last the fate-accepting calm—moving from joy to sorrow, the banquet poem's 'writing sorrow through joy.' The structure turns clear from pleasure to grief: the first ten lines accumulate the feast's splendor layer by layer; 'the host proposes, the guests reply' marks pleasure's height; then 'old pledges' and 'the humble gentleman' turn to exhortation; 'a sudden gale' bursts in, the realm opens, and 'the prime comes no more' follows; 'splendid houses' against 'hills' makes the contrast stark; it closes on 'who did not die—what sorrow remains,' first grieving then spacious—Cao Zhi's 'joy peaks, sorrow comes, and returns to calm.'

此诗的艺术特色可从四个方面解析。其一，以铺陈写盛宴。「置酒高殿上」以铺陈写盛宴——那「亲友从我游」写尽亲友从我的游，以铺陈写尽亲友从我的游。其二，以白描写丰膳。「中厨办丰膳」以白描写丰膳——那「烹羊宰肥牛」写尽烹羊宰肥的牛，以白描写尽烹羊宰肥的牛。其三，以对仗写乐舞。「秦筝何慷慨」以对仗写乐舞——那「齐瑟和且柔」写尽齐瑟和且的一柔，以对仗写尽齐瑟和且的一柔。其四，以直抒写感慨。「惊风飘白日」以直抒写感慨——那「光景驰西流」写尽光景驰西的流，以直抒写尽光景驰西的流。此外，此诗前写缓带倾庶的一羞，后写知命复何的一忧，由宴及慨，正是宴饮诗「以乐写哀」的写法。四重手法，使此诗以感慨写宴饮，写尽缓带倾庶的一羞与知命复何的一忧，是曹植的代表作。又，此诗结构由乐入哀、转捩分明：前十句以铺陈写盛宴之盛，置酒、丰膳、筝瑟、歌舞、三爵、缓带，一层层写尽欢会之乐；「主称千金寿，宾奉万年酬」写主宾酬酢之欢，至此为乐之极；「久要不可忘，薄终义所尤。谦谦君子德，磬折欲何求」四句忽然转入劝勉，以久要不忘、谦谦君子点出宴中之义，由乐转庄；「惊风飘白日，光景驰西流」一笔惊起，以惊风白日写光阴之骤逝，全诗境界顿开，乐极生悲之意喷薄而出；「盛时不再来，百年忽我遒」紧承其意，「生存华屋处，零落归山丘」以华屋对山丘，一盛一衰、一荣一朽，对照强烈；末以「先民谁不死，知命复何忧」宕开，以知命旷达收束，先悲后达，正是曹植「乐极哀来而归于旷达」的深意，也是建安「忧生之嗟」的典型。

Allusions

The poem's language is steeped in the feast and lament tradition. 'Wine set out' recalls 'wine set in the high hall'; 'high hall' the lofty palace; 'lavish feast' the rich board; 'boil the sheep, slaughter the fat ox' the slaughtered ox of Li Bai's 'boil the sheep, kill the ox, let us be merry'; 'Qin zither' and 'stirring' the qin zither's lofty tune; 'Qi se' and 'soft' the Qi se's eastern song; 'Yang'e' the tunes of Yang'e from the Huai Nan Zi; 'capital' the dust of the capital; 'three cups' from the Zuo Zhuan ('past three cups is unseemly'); 'loosened sash' the easy robe; 'many dishes' the varied delicacies of the Yi Li; 'thousand-gold toast' and 'ten-thousand-year reply' the birthday gifts; 'old pledge' from the Lun Yu ('forget not the word of a lifetime'); 'humble gentleman' from the Yi Jing; 'chime-stone bow' the reverent bow; 'sudden gale' and 'white sun' the sun's light of Wang Zhihuan; 'light and shade' time's west-flowing; 'prime' the prime that does not return of Tao Yuanming; 'hundred years' life's span; 'splendid house' and 'hills' the house and mound. Drawing on all these, the poem writes lament through the feast, showing Cao Zhi's 'lofty bone' and his mastery of the banquet tradition.

此诗的用语深植于宴饮与感慨传统。「置酒」令人想到「置酒」写设宴的意象——也令人想到「置酒高堂」（曹植）的意象；「高殿」令人想到「高殿」写高殿的意象——也令人想到「高殿崔嵬」的意象；「丰膳」令人想到「丰膳」写盛膳的意象——也令人想到「丰膳美酒」的意象；「烹羊宰肥牛」令人想到「烹羊宰肥牛」写宰烹的意象——也令人想到「烹羊宰牛且为乐」（李白）的意象；「秦筝」令人想到「秦筝」写秦筝的意象——也令人想到「秦筝吐绝调」的意象；「慷慨」令人想到「慷慨」写慷慨的意象——也令人想到「慷慨以任气」的意象；「齐瑟」令人想到「齐瑟」写齐瑟的意象——也令人想到「齐瑟弹东吟」的意象；「阳阿」令人想到「阳阿」写阳阿的意象——《淮南子》阳阿采菱之曲，也令人想到「阳阿之曲」的意象；「京洛」令人想到「京洛」写京洛的意象——也令人想到「京洛多风尘」的意象；「名讴」令人想到「名讴」写名歌的意象——也令人想到「名讴妙舞」的意象；「三爵」令人想到「三爵」写三爵的意象——《左传》「臣侍君宴，过三爵，非礼也」，也令人想到「酒过三巡」的意象；「缓带」令人想到「缓带」写缓带的意象——也令人想到「缓带轻裘」的意象；「庶羞」令人想到「庶羞」写众肴的意象——《仪礼》「庶羞」写多种美味，也令人想到「百味庶羞」的意象；「千金寿」令人想到「千金寿」写寿礼的意象——也令人想到「千金买寿」的意象；「万年酬」令人想到「万年酬」写祝寿的意象——也令人想到「千秋万岁」的意象；「久要」令人想到「久要」写旧约的意象——《论语》「久要不忘平生之言」，也令人想到「久要不忘」的意象；「薄终」令人想到「薄终」写薄终的意象——也令人想到「薄情寡义」的意象；「义所尤」令人想到「义所尤」写义尤的意象——也令人想到「义之所在」的意象；「谦谦君子」令人想到「谦谦君子」写谦谦的意象——《周易》「谦谦君子」，也令人想到「谦谦君子，温润如玉」的意象；「磬折」令人想到「磬折」写磬折的意象——磬折写弯腰如磬的恭敬，也令人想到「磬折礼恭」的意象；「惊风」令人想到「惊风」写疾风的意象——也令人想到「惊风飘白日」的意象；「白日」令人想到「白日」写日光的意象——也令人想到「白日依山尽」（王之涣）的意象；「光景」令人想到「光景」写光阴的意象——也令人想到「光景西驰」的意象；「西流」令人想到「西流」写西落的意象——也令人想到「长河落日」的意象；「盛时」令人想到「盛时」写盛时的意象——也令人想到「盛年不重来」（陶渊明）的意象；「百年」令人想到「百年」写百年的意象——也令人想到「人生百年」的意象；「我遒」令人想到「我遒」写我迫的意象——也令人想到「岁不我与」的意象；「华屋」令人想到「华屋」写华屋的意象——也令人想到「华屋山丘」的意象；「山丘」令人想到「山丘」写出丘的意象——也令人想到「新鬼烦冤旧鬼哭」（杜甫）的意象；「先民」令人想到「先民」写先民的意象——也令人想到「先民有言」（《诗经》）的意象；「知命」令人想到「知命」写知命的意象——《论语》「五十而知天命」，也令人想到「知命乐天」的意象。全诗化用置酒、高殿、丰膳、烹羊宰肥牛、秦筝、慷慨、齐瑟、阳阿、京洛、名讴、三爵、缓带、庶羞、千金寿、万年酬、久要、薄终、义所尤、谦谦君子、磬折、惊风、白日、光景、西流、盛时、百年、我遒、华屋、山丘、先民、知命的意象典故，以感慨写宴饮，正是曹植「骨气奇高」而善铺陈、承古诗宴饮传统写感慨之本领。

Commentary

This poem has long been ranked among Cao Zhi's finest banquet poems and a Jian'an exemplar of 'joy peaking into sorrow.' Zhong Rong praised his 'lofty bone and flourishing ornament,' and later critics call it 'writing lament through the feast, brave and solemn.' Its special value lies in condensing, in five-character lines, the whole arc from the loosened sash's ease to the fate-accepting calm—the wine, the hall, the friends, the kitchen, the zither, the se, the dance, the song, the three cups, the toast, the pledge, the gentleman, the gale, the sun, the light, the prime, the house, the hill, the ancients, the fate—all belong to Cao Zhi's Harp Song; and 'a sudden gale carries off the white sun' crowns the feeling. Read beside his 'Famous City'—one 'return to feast at Pingle, wine ten thousand coins a dou,' this 'wine set on the high hall'—the two show two faces of his banquet poetry. For today's reader it is a window onto Cao Zhi's banquet verse and a classic of Jian'an 'sorrow of living.'

此诗历来被推为曹植宴饮诗的名篇，也是建安诗写乐极生悲的代表。历代论者对此诗评价极高：钟嵘评曹植「骨气奇高，词采华茂」，清人更评此诗「以感慨写宴饮，慷慨悲壮」；近人指出「惊风飘白日，光景驰西流」写光景驰西的流，是此诗的名句。在诗歌史上，此诗的特殊价值在于：它以五言写尽缓带倾庶的一羞与知命复何的一忧——那置酒，那高殿上，那亲友，那从我游，那中厨，那办丰膳，那烹羊，那宰肥牛，那秦筝，那何慷慨，那齐瑟，那和且柔，那阳阿，那奏奇舞，那京洛，那出名讴，那乐饮，那过三爵，那缓带，那倾庶羞，那主称，那千金寿，那宾奉，那万年酬，那久要，那不可忘，那薄终，那义所尤，那谦谦，那君子德，那磬折，那欲何求，那惊风，那飘白日，那光景，那驰西流，那盛时，那不再来，那百年，那忽我遒，那生存，那华屋处，那零落，那归山丘，那先民，那谁不死，那知命，那复何忧，都写尽了曹植笔下的箜篌引；那「惊风飘白日，光景驰西流」更以写景写尽光景驰西的流。此诗与曹植《名都篇》「名都多妖女」同为宴饮名篇，一写「归来宴平乐，美酒斗十千」的名都篇，一写「置酒高殿上」的箜篌引；一写京洛，一写高殿。两诗对读，可见曹植宴饮诗的两面。对于今日读者，此诗是理解曹植宴饮诗的窗口，也是建安诗写乐极生悲的经典——那知命复何的一忧，穿越千年，仍在诉说着光景驰西的流。

Prosody

Form Yuefu, Xianghe song (mostly five-character line)乐府·相和歌

Rhyme Mostly five-character lines, rhyming on you, niu, rou, ou, xiu, chou, you, qiu, liu, qiu, qiu, you—the you/you rhyme throughout, one rhyme to the end.箜篌引，五言为主，押「游」「牛」「柔」「讴」「羞」「酬」「尤」「求」「流」「遒」「丘」「忧」（平声尤幽韵），一韵到底

Tone pattern As a yuefu the poem is mostly five-character, rhyming in the level tone throughout, with a brave music that fits its lament.此诗为乐府箜篌引，五言为主，押平声韵，一韵到底，音节慷慨，正合感慨的慷慨。

Reading note This is a yuefu, the Harp Song, mostly five-character, rhyming on the level-tone you series (you, niu, rou, ou, xiu, chou, you, qiu, liu, qiu, qiu, you) to the end, with a brave music. It moves from the feast's abundance (wine on the high hall, lavish kitchen) through the gentleman's bow (host's toast, humble virtue) to the fate-accepting calm (gale off the sun, splendid house to hill). The yuefu narration lays feast, exhortation, and lament in turn, and 'what sorrow remains' seals the calm—showing Cao Zhi's 'lofty bone.' Read the feast with a brave tone and the lament with a desolate one, the close generous and lingering.此诗为乐府箜篌引——「置酒高殿上，亲友从我游。……先民谁不死，知命复何忧」，五言为主，押平韵（游、牛、柔、讴、羞、酬、尤、求、流、遒、丘、忧），一韵到底，音节慷慨。全诗以感慨写宴饮：前写缓带倾庶的一羞（置酒高殿上、中厨办丰膳），中写磬折欲何的一求（主称千金寿、谦谦君子德），后写知命复何的一忧（惊风飘白日、生存华屋处）。乐府铺叙，前写盛宴，中写劝勉，后写感慨，以「知命复何忧」写尽知命复何的一忧，正见曹植「骨气奇高」的本色。诵读此诗，宜以慷慨的语调读「置酒高殿上」的盛宴，以苍凉的语调读「光景驰西流」的感慨，结句要读得慷慨而有余韵，方能传达出曹植的慷慨悲壮。曹植乐府以「骨气奇高」著称，此诗正是其宴饮诗的典范。

Line by line

置酒高殿上，亲友从我游

Wine is set out on the high hall; kinsmen and friends roam with me.

置酒高殿上，亲友从我游。

Wine is set out in the high hall; friends and kinsmen gather to feast with me.

此二句是全诗写盛宴的核心，以置酒高殿上写高殿上，以亲友从我游写从我游，写尽亲友从我的游，是千古名句。「置酒高殿上」写置酒高殿上——那「置酒」写置酒，「高殿上」写高殿上，写尽置酒的高殿上；「亲友从我游」写亲友从我游——那「亲友」写亲友，「从我游」写从我游，写尽亲友的从我游。这句的深意在于：它以「置酒高殿上」的高殿上与「亲友从我游」的从我游，写尽亲友从我的游——置酒高殿上，那「置酒高殿上」写尽置酒的高殿上——置酒高殿上，正是高殿设宴的写照，那「高殿上」写尽亲友从我的游；亲友从我游，那「亲友从我游」写尽亲友的从我游——亲友从我游，正是亲友相聚的写照，那「从我游」写尽亲友从我的游；那「置酒高殿上」写尽置酒的高殿上，那「亲友从我游」写尽亲友的从我游，一写高殿上，一写从我游，写尽亲友从我的游——高殿设宴而亲友相聚，正是盛宴的写照；此二句以高殿上、从我游写尽亲友从我的游，也为下文的丰膳作铺垫，也让此二句成为全诗写盛宴的核心与千古名句。若换作直说「在高殿上摆酒，亲友们都随我来游玩」，则失其华美；唯以「置酒高殿上」写高殿上、「亲友从我游」写从我游，写尽亲友从我的游，也让此二句成为全诗写盛宴的核心。

Cao Zhi opens with splendor precisely so he can undercut it. Wine in the high hall, all friends and kin gathered—the banquet of a prince of the royal house, at the height of its warmth. The diction is deliberately ceremonial: set out, high hall, gather with me. But this is Cao Zhi, the brother under suspicion, the man whose every feast is shadowed by court mistrust, and the splendor is already a little tender. The full board prepares the emptiness to come. To have described a happy party would be one-note; the grandeur is the setup for the grief.

惊风飘白日，光景驰西流

A sudden gale carries off the white sun; the light and shade gallop flowing to the west.

惊风飘白日，光景驰西流。

A sudden wind drives the white sun; the daylight races westward and flows away.

此二句是全诗写感慨的核心，以惊风飘白日写飘白日，以光景驰西流写驰西流，写尽光景驰西的流，是千古名句。「惊风飘白日」写惊风飘白日——那「惊风」写惊风，「飘白日」写飘白日，写尽惊风的飘白日；「光景驰西流」写光景驰西流——那「光景」写光景，「驰西流」写驰西流，写尽光景的驰西流。这句的深意在于：它以「惊风飘白日」的飘白日与「光景驰西流」的驰西流，写尽光景驰西的流——惊风飘白日，那「惊风飘白日」写尽惊风的飘白日——惊风飘白日，正是风飘日落的写照，那「飘白日」写尽光景驰西的流；光景驰西流，那「光景驰西流」写尽光景的驰西流——光景驰西流，正是光阴西驰的写照，那「驰西流」写尽光景驰西的流；那「惊风飘白日」写尽惊风的飘白日，那「光景驰西流」写尽光景的驰西流，一写飘白日，一写驰西流，写尽光景驰西的流——惊风飘日而光景西驰，正是时光的写照；此二句以飘白日、驰西流写尽光景驰西的流，也为下文的盛时作铺垫，也让此二句成为全诗写感慨的核心与千古名句。若换作直说「惊风飘着白日，光景驰向西流」，则失其苍凉；唯以「惊风飘白日」写飘白日、「光景驰西流」写驰西流，写尽光景驰西的流，也让此二句成为全诗写感慨的核心。

In the middle of the banquet, the sky itself seems to speed up. A sudden wind drifts the white sun; daylight races westward and flows away. The two verbs, drift and race, turn the afternoon into a rush—as though the feast were being watched from a height by time. Cao Zhi, writing under his brother's tyranny, feels the shortening of his own life in the sun's descent; the merrymaking cannot keep the light from sliding west. This is one of the great early images of time as weather. To have said the day was passing quickly would be trivial; the wind-driven, racing sun is the alarm.

Study

Word focus

飘飘 (piao), 'to drift / scatter,' in 'a sudden gale carries off the white sun' captures both the sun borne away and the swift passage of time—Cao Zhi's lament. With this one word the gust and the falling daylight fuse into an image of time's flight. 「惊风飘白日」之「飘」字是写感慨关键词，一个「飘」字写尽惊风的飘白日。飘者，飘落、飘逝也。曹植以「惊风飘白日」写感慨，这个「飘」字至少有双重意味：其一，写日之飘——那「惊风飘白日」写惊风飘白日，那「飘」字写尽惊风的飘白日——飘白日，正是日飘西落的写照，那「飘」字写尽惊风的飘白日；其二，写时之逝——那「飘」字更是写逝——飘，正见光阴飞逝的意味，那「飘」字写尽曹植的感慨。以「飘」字写感慨，正是曹植写宴饮的枢纽——若换作「落」「坠」等字，则或失其与「惊风飘白日」「光景驰西流」的配合，或失其写飘的意味；唯「飘」字，以惊风飘白日写尽白日之飘逝与光阴之迅疾，与「光景驰西流」的驰西流相合，写尽惊风的飘白日，也让「惊风飘白日」成为全诗写感慨的名句。

忧忧 (you), 'sorrow / care,' in 'to know one's fate—what sorrow remains?' points both to the question 'what sorrow?' and to a transcendent ease—having seen through life and death. The poem thus closes on resigned serenity rather than grief. 「知命复何忧」之「忧」字是写感慨关键词，一个「忧」字写尽知命复何的一忧。忧者，忧愁、忧患也。曹植以「知命复何忧」写感慨，这个「忧」字至少有双重意味：其一，写忧之何——那「知命复何忧」写知命复何忧，那「忧」字写尽知命复何的一忧——复何忧，正是何须再忧的写照，那「忧」字写尽知命复何的一忧；其二，写命之达——那「忧」字更是写达——忧，正见看破生死的意味，那「忧」字写尽曹植的旷达。以「忧」字写感慨，正是曹植写宴饮的枢纽——若换作「悲」「愁」等字，则或失其与「知命复何忧」「先民谁不死」的配合，或失其写忧的意味；唯「忧」字，以知命复何忧写尽生死之看破与旷达之胸怀，与「先民谁不死」的谁不死相合，写尽知命复何的一忧，也让「知命复何忧」成为全诗写感慨的名句。

箜篌引