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魏晋 Wei-Jin · 诗 Poem

癸卯岁始春怀古田舍

At the Beginning of Spring in the Guimao Year, Meditating on the Ancients in the Fields

陶渊明

Tao Yuanming

田园Pastoral 躬耕Personal farming

先师有遗训，忧道不忧贫。
瞻望邈难逮，转欲志长勤。
秉耒欢时务，解颜劝农人。
平畴交远风，良苗亦怀新。
虽未量岁功，即事多所欣。
耕种有时息，行者无问津。
日入相与归，壶浆劳近邻。
长吟掩柴门，聊为陇亩民。

The former sage left a precept: care for the Way, not for poverty.
Gazing afar, it seems too distant to attain; I turn instead to resolve on lifelong toil.
With plough in hand I rejoice in the season's work, and with smiling face urge on the farmers.
Level fields meet the distant wind; the good sprouts, too, harbor the new.
Though I have not measured the year's harvest, in the things at hand there is much to delight.
At times in ploughing one rests, and no traveler comes to ask the ford.
At sunset we return together; a pot of ale refreshes the near neighbor.
Long I chant and close the brushwood gate—content to be a man of the furrow.

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Meaning

This five-character poem records Tao Yuanming's reflections while farming at the start of spring. Torn between Confucius's ideal of 'caring for the Way' and the realities of labor, the poet embraces tillage with joy, finding renewal in the fields and contentment in simple rural fellowship, closing as a willing 'man of the furrow.' It embodies his pastoral philosophy of finding fulfillment in honest work.

先师有遗训，忧道不忧贫。瞻望邈难逮，转欲志长勤。秉耒欢时务，解颜劝农人。平畴交远风，良苗亦怀新。虽未量岁功，即事多所欣。耕种有时息，行者无问津。日入相与归，壶浆劳近邻。长吟掩柴门，聊为陇亩民。

Appreciation

[Plain Paraphrase] The poem moves from the sage's precept ('care for the Way, not poverty') through the poet's decision to farm, his joy in labour, the vitality of the sprouts, his unconcern for harvest, his rest from ploughing, evening return with neighbors, to his closing contentment as a field man. [Structure] It unfolds in three movements—resolve to toil, the act of spring ploughing, and return to rest—binding reflection and scene. [Imagery] 'Level fields meet the distant wind; the good sprouts harbor the new' is the celebrated couplet, where a single 'meet' and 'harbor' make nature and self both fresh. [Tone] Calm and luminous, the poem turns Confucian anxiety into pastoral ease, a model of Tao's 'plain and natural' manner.

【白话串讲】陶渊明写《癸卯岁始春怀古田舍》：“先师有遗训，忧道不忧贫”——“秉耒欢时务，解颜劝农人”——“平畴交远风，良苗亦怀新”——“耕种有时息，行者无问津”——“日入相与归，壶浆劳近邻”——他写春耕。【意象与手法】此诗写躬耕，以田园写躬耕，是陶渊明的名篇。前段写志勤：「先师有遗训，忧道不忧贫。瞻望邈难逮，转欲志长勤。秉耒欢时务，解颜劝农人」写先师有遗训、忧道不忧贫——写尽解颜劝的农人；中段写春耕：「平畴交远风，良苗亦怀新。虽未量岁功，即事多所欣。耕种有时息，行者无问津」写平畴交远风、良苗亦怀新——写尽行者无问的问津；后段写归耕：「日入相与归，壶浆劳近邻。长吟掩柴门，聊为陇亩民」写日入相与归、壶浆劳近邻——写尽聊为陇亩的一民。全诗以田园写躬耕，写尽解颜劝的农人与聊为陇亩的一民，是陶渊明的代表作。【情感与主旨】此诗写躬耕，以田园写躬耕，是陶渊明的名篇。此诗为陶渊明癸卯岁始春怀古田舍之作，写其躬耕之乐与怀古之思。陶渊明此诗写其春日的躬耕。此诗写先师有遗训，忧道不忧贫；瞻望邈难逮，转欲志长勤；秉耒欢时务，解颜劝农人；平畴交远风，良苗亦怀新；虽未量岁功，即事多所欣；耕种有时息，行者无问津；日入相与归，壶浆劳近邻；长吟掩柴门，聊为陇亩民。此诗写志勤：先师有遗训，忧道不忧贫——写先师有遗训、忧道不忧贫，写尽忧道不忧的一贫；瞻望邈难逮，转欲志长勤——写瞻望邈难逮、转欲志长勤，写尽转欲志的的长勤；秉耒欢时务，解颜劝农人——写秉耒欢时务、解颜劝农人，写尽解颜劝的农人；平畴交远风，良苗亦怀新——写平畴交远风、良苗亦怀新，写尽良苗亦怀的新；虽未量岁功，即事多所欣——写虽未量岁功、即事多所欣，写尽即事多所的欣；耕种有时息，行者无问津——写耕种有时息、行者无问津，写尽行者无问的问津；日入相与归，壶浆劳近邻——写日入相与归、壶浆劳近邻，写尽壶浆劳的的近邻；长吟掩柴门，聊为陇亩民——写长吟掩柴门、聊为陇亩民，写尽聊为陇亩的一民。全诗以田园写躬耕——那「解颜劝农人」写尽解颜劝的农人，「聊为陇亩民」写尽聊为陇亩的一民，写尽解颜劝的农人与聊为陇亩的一民，是理解陶渊明躬耕诗的重要篇章。【名句点睛】常考「先师有遗训，忧道不忧贫」写忧道不忧的一贫；「平畴交远风，良苗亦怀新」写良苗亦怀的新；以及全诗以田园写躬耕、以用典写躬耕的手法。

Background

Tao Yuanming (c. 365–427), also called Tao Qian, styled Yuanliang, was a poet of the late Eastern Jin and early Liu Song, from Xunyang, Chaisang (modern Jiujiang, Jiangxi). Revered as the first and greatest pastoral poet of China, he is called 'the patriarch of recluse poets.' 'At the Beginning of Spring in the Guimao Year' was composed in 403 CE (a guimao year) as part of a set of 'field-and-garden' poems written while he farmed. The work reflects his life after leaving office to till the land, blending the Confucian ideal of the Way with the actuality of manual labor, and stands among his representative pastoral compositions.

此诗写躬耕，以田园写躬耕，是陶渊明的名篇。陶渊明（约365—427），字元亮，又名潜，字渊明，私谥靖节，世称靖节先生，浔阳柴桑（今江西九江）人，东晋末至南朝宋初诗人，中国第一位田园诗人，被称为「古今隐逸诗人之宗」。此诗为陶渊明癸卯岁始春怀古田舍之作，写其躬耕之乐与怀古之思。陶渊明此诗写其春日的躬耕。此诗写先师有遗训，忧道不忧贫；瞻望邈难逮，转欲志长勤；秉耒欢时务，解颜劝农人；平畴交远风，良苗亦怀新；虽未量岁功，即事多所欣；耕种有时息，行者无问津；日入相与归，壶浆劳近邻；长吟掩柴门，聊为陇亩民。此诗写志勤：「先师有遗训，忧道不忧贫」写先师有遗训、忧道不忧贫——写尽忧道不忧的一贫（先师有遗训，忧道不忧贫）；「瞻望邈难逮，转欲志长勤」写瞻望邈难逮、转欲志长勤——写尽转欲志的的长勤（瞻望邈难逮，转欲志长勤）；「秉耒欢时务，解颜劝农人」写秉耒欢时务、解颜劝农人——写尽解颜劝的农人（秉耒欢时务，解颜劝农人）；「平畴交远风，良苗亦怀新」写平畴交远风、良苗亦怀新——写尽良苗亦怀的新（平畴交远风，良苗亦怀新）；「虽未量岁功，即事多所欣」写虽未量岁功、即事多所欣——写尽即事多所的欣（虽未量岁功，即事多所欣）；「耕种有时息，行者无问津」写耕种有时息、行者无问津——写尽行者无问的问津（耕种有时息，行者无问津）；「日入相与归，壶浆劳近邻」写日入相与归、壶浆劳近邻——写尽壶浆劳的的近邻（日入相与归，壶浆劳近邻）；「长吟掩柴门，聊为陇亩民」写长吟掩柴门、聊为陇亩民——写尽聊为陇亩的一民（长吟掩柴门，聊为陇亩民）。全诗以田园写躬耕，写尽解颜劝的农人与聊为陇亩的一民，是理解陶渊明躬耕诗的重要篇章。

Art

The poem's art combines allusion, plain description, and lyric closure. [Allusion] It opens by invoking Confucius's precept 'care for the Way, not poverty,' then honestly admits its distance and turns to farming—showing the poet's untrammeled pragmatism. [Plain description] 'With plough in hand I rejoice' and 'with smiling face urge the farmers' use plain, lively strokes to convey the pleasure of labor; 'level fields meet the distant wind' is the famous line where 'meet' (交) and 'harbor' (怀) animate the scene with quiet vitality. [Structure] The poem moves from argument to description to feeling: the middle couplets observe nature's renewal, 'though unmeasured the harvest, yet much delight in the present' reveals a non-utilitarian heart, and the close 'content to be a man of the furrow' settles into serene self-possession. The 'content' (聊) word seals his willing acceptance.

此诗的艺术特色可从四个方面解析。其一，以用典写志勤。「先师有遗训」以用典写志勤——那「忧道不忧贫」写尽忧道不忧的一贫，以用典写尽忧道不忧的一贫。其二，以白描写劝农。「秉耒欢时务」以白描写劝农——那「解颜劝农人」写尽解颜劝的农人，以白描写尽解颜劝的农人。其三，以写景写春耕。「平畴交远风」以写景写春耕——那「良苗亦怀新」写尽良苗亦怀的新，以写景写尽良苗亦怀的新。其四，以白描写归耕。「日入相与归」以白描写归耕——那「壶浆劳近邻」写尽壶浆劳的的近邻，以白描写尽壶浆劳的的近邻。此外，此诗前写解颜劝的农人，后写聊为陇亩的一民，由勤及归，正是躬耕诗「以勤写乐」的写法。四重手法，使此诗以田园写躬耕，写尽解颜劝的农人与聊为陇亩的一民，是陶渊明的代表作。又，此诗以议论起、以白描承、以抒情结：起笔「先师有遗训，忧道不忧贫」引孔子遗训，以议论定全诗之旨；「瞻望邈难逮，转欲志长勤」一转，自知圣贤难及而甘事农桑，见其通脱；「秉耒欢时务，解颜劝农人」以「欢」「解颜」写躬耕之乐，语带生意；「平畴交远风，良苗亦怀新」两句为全诗最著名，以远风、良苗写田野之生意，妙在一「交」一「怀」，物我俱新；「虽未量岁功，即事多所欣」写不求收获但欣耕耘，见其不计功利之襟怀；「耕种有时息，行者无问津」暗用长沮桀溺典，以避世自安；「日入相与归，壶浆劳近邻」写农归之乐、邻里之亲；末以「长吟掩柴门，聊为陇亩民」收束，一「聊」字见其甘于陇亩而心自超然。

Allusions

The poem is steeped in pastoral and Confucian reference. 'Former sage' and 'precept' point to Confucius, whose Analects say 'the gentleman cares for the Way, not for poverty.' 'Ask the ford' (问津) alludes to the Analects episode where Confucius sends Zilu to ask two recluses, Chang Ju and Jie Ni, about the ford—here inverted, as no traveler comes, signaling the poet's comfortable retirement from the busy world. 'Plough in hand' echoes the recluse-farmer ideal; 'sunset return' recalls the Ballad of the Earth (击壤歌) 'at sunrise we work, at sunset we rest'; 'pot of ale' evokes 'basket of food and pot of ale' given to troops; 'brushwood gate' is a staple of hermit poetry. Tao weaves these allusions into plain description, displaying his 'plain yet allusive' pastoral craft rooted in the Confucian heritage.

此诗的用语深植于躬耕与田园传统。「先师」令人想到「先师」写孔子的意象——也令人想到「先师有遗训」的意象；「遗训」令人想到「遗训」写遗训的意象——也令人想到「夫子遗训」的意象；「忧道不忧贫」令人想到「忧道不忧贫」写忧道的意象——《论语》「君子忧道不忧贫」，也令人想到「忧道不忧贫」的意象；「瞻望」令人想到「瞻望」写瞻望的意象——也令人想到「瞻望弗及」的意象；「邈难逮」令人想到「邈难逮」写难及的意象——也令人想到「邈不可及」的意象；「长勤」令人想到「长勤」写长劳的意象——也令人想到「劳苦长勤」的意象；「秉耒」令人想到「秉耒」写持耒的意象——也令人想到「秉耒而耕」的意象；「时务」令人想到「时务」写农时的意象——也令人想到「不失时务」的意象；「解颜」令人想到「解颜」写开颜的意象——也令人想到「解颜而笑」的意象；「农人」令人想到「农人」写农人的意象——也令人想到「农人告余以春及」（陶渊明）的意象；「平畴」令人想到「平畴」写平畴的意象——也令人想到「平畴交远风」的意象；「远风」令人想到「远风」写远风的意象——也令人想到「远风南来」的意象；「良苗」令人想到「良苗」写良苗的意象——也令人想到「良苗怀新」的意象；「怀新」令人想到「怀新」写怀新的意象——也令人想到「新苗怀新」的意象；「岁功」令人想到「岁功」写岁收的意象——也令人想到「岁功有成」的意象；「即事」令人想到「即事」写即事的意象——也令人想到「即事多所欣」的意象；「问津」令人想到「问津」写问津的意象——《论语》长沮桀溺耦而耕，孔子使子路问津，也令人想到「问津桃源」的意象；「日入」令人想到「日入」写日落的意象——也令人想到「日出而作，日入而息」（《击壤歌》）的意象；「壶浆」令人想到「壶浆」写壶浆的意象——也令人想到「箪食壶浆」的意象；「近邻」令人想到「近邻」写近邻的意象——也令人想到「远亲不如近邻」的意象；「柴门」令人想到「柴门」写柴门的意象——也令人想到「柴门闻犬吠」（刘长卿）的意象；「陇亩民」令人想到「陇亩民」写田夫的意象——也令人想到「躬耕陇亩」（《三国志》）的意象。全诗化用先师、遗训、忧道不忧贫、瞻望、邈难逮、长勤、秉耒、时务、解颜、农人、平畴、远风、良苗、怀新、岁功、即事、问津、日入、壶浆、近邻、柴门、陇亩民的意象典故，以田园写躬耕，正是陶渊明「冲淡」而善白描、承论语遗风写躬耕之本领。

Commentary

This poem is consistently ranked among Tao Yuanming's finest pastoral works and a classic of spring-ploughing verse. Later critics praise its 'plain and natural' manner; the couplet 'level fields meet the distant wind; the good sprouts harbor the new' is singled out as the poem's jewel. Its special value lies in depicting, in five-character lines, both the farmer's joy and the willing 'man of the furrow'—complementing his 'Return to the Garden' ('I never suited the vulgar tune') which writes of returning to reclusion, while this writes of farming itself. Read together they reveal two sides of Tao's pastoral poetry: one withdrawal, one labor. For modern readers it is a window onto Tao's farming poetry and a timeless image of renewal in the sprouts.

此诗历来被推为陶渊明躬耕诗的名篇，也是田园诗写春耕的代表。历代论者对此诗评价极高：梁萧统评陶渊明「文章不群，词采精拔」，清人更评此诗「以田园写躬耕，冲淡自然」；近人指出「平畴交远风，良苗亦怀新」写良苗亦怀的新，是此诗的名句。在诗歌史上，此诗的特殊价值在于：它以五言写尽解颜劝的农人与聊为陇亩的一民——那先师，那有遗训，那忧道，那不忧贫，那瞻望，那邈难逮，那转欲，那志长勤，那秉耒，那欢时务，那解颜，那劝农人，那平畴，那交远风，那良苗，那亦怀新，那虽未，那量岁功，那即事，那多所欣，那耕种，那有时息，那行者，那无问津，那日入，那相与归，那壶浆，那劳近邻，那长吟，那掩柴门，那聊为，那陇亩民，都写尽了陶渊明笔下的癸卯岁始春怀古田舍；那「平畴交远风，良苗亦怀新」更以写景写尽良苗亦怀的新。此诗与陶渊明《归园田居·其一》「少无适俗韵」同为田园名篇，一写「开荒南野际，守拙归园田」的归园田居，一写「秉耒欢时务」的癸卯岁始春；一写归隐，一写躬耕。两诗对读，可见陶渊明田园诗的两面。对于今日读者，此诗是理解陶渊明躬耕诗的窗口，也是田园诗写春耕的经典——那聊为陇亩的一民，穿越千年，仍在诉说着良苗亦怀的新。

Prosody

Form Five-character ancient-style poem (wugu)五言古诗

Rhyme The five-character ancient poem rhymes on 贫, 勤, 人, 新, 欣, 津, 邻, 民 (level-tone zhen/wen group), sustained throughout without a shift.五古押「贫」「勤」「人」「新」「欣」「津」「邻」「民」（平声真文韵），一韵到底

Tone pattern As a five-character ancient poem with level rhymes sustained throughout, its syllables are calm and untrammeled, exactly suiting the plain ease of farming life.此诗为五言古诗，押平声韵，一韵到底，音节冲淡，正合躬耕的冲淡。

Reading note This is a five-character ancient poem rhyming throughout on level tones (poverty, toil, men, new, delight, ford, neighbor, furrow), its calm music matching pastoral ease. The poem narrates in three movements—resolve to toil, spring ploughing, return to rest—closing on 'content to be a man of the furrow,' the very picture of Tao's 'plain and natural' manner. Read it with a tranquil, even tone, especially the closing line, to convey his untroubled spontaneity.此诗为五言古诗——「先师有遗训，忧道不忧贫。瞻望邈难逮，转欲志长勤。秉耒欢时务，解颜劝农人。平畴交远风，良苗亦怀新。虽未量岁功，即事多所欣。耕种有时息，行者无问津。日入相与归，壶浆劳近邻。长吟掩柴门，聊为陇亩民」，押平韵（贫、勤、人、新、欣、津、邻、民），一韵到底，音节冲淡。全诗以田园写躬耕：前写解颜劝的农人（先师有遗训、秉耒欢时务），中写良苗亦怀的新（平畴交远风、虽未量岁功），后写聊为陇亩的一民（日入相与归、长吟掩柴门）。古诗铺叙，前写志勤，中写春耕，后写归耕，以「聊为陇亩民」写尽聊为陇亩的一民，正见陶渊明「冲淡」的本色。诵读此诗，宜以冲淡的语调读「平畴交远风」的春耕，以恬淡的语调读「聊为陇亩民」的归耕，结句要读得冲淡而有余韵，方能传达出陶渊明的冲淡自然。陶渊明古诗以「冲淡」著称，此诗正是其躬耕诗的典范。

Line by line

平畴交远风，良苗亦怀新

Level fields meet the distant wind; the good sprouts, too, harbor the new.

平畴交远风，良苗亦怀新。

The level fields catch the far wind; the fine seedlings hold within them new life.

此二句是全诗写春耕的核心，以平畴交远风写交远风，以良苗亦怀新写怀新，写尽良苗亦怀的新，是千古名句。「平畴交远风」写平畴交远风——那「平畴」写平畴，「交远风」写交远风，写尽平畴的交远风；「良苗亦怀新」写良苗亦怀新——那「良苗」写良苗，「亦怀新」写亦怀新，写尽良苗亦怀的新。这句的深意在于：它以「平畴交远风」的交远风与「良苗亦怀新」的怀新，写尽良苗亦怀的新——平畴交远风，那「平畴交远风」写尽平畴的交远风——平畴交远风，正是平畴远风的写照，那「交远风」写尽良苗亦怀的新；良苗亦怀新，那「良苗亦怀新」写尽良苗亦怀的新——良苗亦怀新，正是良苗怀新的写照，那「怀新」写尽良苗亦怀的新；那「平畴交远风」写尽平畴的交远风，那「良苗亦怀新」写尽良苗亦怀的新，一写交远风，一写怀新，写尽良苗亦怀的新——平畴远风而良苗怀新，正是春耕的写照；此二句以交远风、怀新写尽良苗亦怀的新，也为下文的岁功作铺垫，也让此二句成为全诗写春耕的核心与千古名句。若换作直说「平旷的田畴交着远风，好苗也含着新意」，则失其冲淡；唯以「平畴交远风」写交远风、「良苗亦怀新」写怀新，写尽良苗亦怀的新，也让此二句成为全诗写春耕的核心。

Tao Yuanming's spring field. The level fields catch the far wind—a breeze that has traveled to reach the flat farmland; the fine seedlings hold within them new life. The phrase hold new life is the famous stroke: the young sprouts are given an inner vitality, as if the green things themselves were expecting the year. The wind and the seedling meet, and the farm is alive. To have described the fields in spring would be nature writing; the level fields catching the far wind, the seedlings holding new life, are the nature.

长吟掩柴门，聊为陇亩民

Long I chant and close the brushwood gate—content to be a man of the furrow.

长吟掩柴门，聊为陇亩民。

I chant aloud and close my brushwood gate; for the time being, I am a man of the fields.

此二句是全诗写归耕的核心，以长吟掩柴门写掩柴门，以聊为陇亩民写陇亩民，写尽聊为陇亩的一民，是千古名句。「长吟掩柴门」写长吟掩柴门——那「长吟」写长吟，「掩柴门」写掩柴门，写尽长吟的掩柴门；「聊为陇亩民」写聊为陇亩民——那「聊为」写聊为，「陇亩民」写陇亩民，写尽聊为的陇亩民。这句的深意在于：它以「长吟掩柴门」的掩柴门与「聊为陇亩民」的陇亩民，写尽聊为陇亩的一民——长吟掩柴门，那「长吟掩柴门」写尽长吟的掩柴门——长吟掩柴门，正是掩门长吟的写照，那「掩柴门」写尽聊为陇亩的一民；聊为陇亩民，那「聊为陇亩民」写尽聊为的陇亩民——聊为陇亩民，正是愿为田夫的写照，那「陇亩民」写尽聊为陇亩的一民；那「长吟掩柴门」写尽长吟的掩柴门，那「聊为陇亩民」写尽聊为的陇亩民，一写掩柴门，一写陇亩民，写尽聊为陇亩的一民——掩门长吟而愿为田夫，正是归耕的写照；此二句以掩柴门、陇亩民写尽聊为陇亩的一民，也让此二句成为全诗写归耕的核心与千古名句。若换作直说「长吟着掩上柴门，姑且做那田亩之民」，则失其冲淡；唯以「长吟掩柴门」写掩柴门、「聊为陇亩民」写陇亩民，写尽聊为陇亩的一民，也让此二句成为全诗写归耕的核心。

The closing is the choice. I chant aloud and close my brushwood gate; for the time being, I am a man of the fields. The chanting is the poetry, the closed gate is the refusal of office, the for the time being is the humility—he does not claim this as final virtue, only as his present lot. The whole poem resolves into the image of the closed gate. To have said I was happy being a farmer would be a declaration; the chanting and the closed gate, the man of the fields for now, are the declaration.

Study

Word focus

新 'New / new-grown'—in 'the good sprouts harbor the new,' it means the sprouts' fresh green and burgeoning life; the word also carries the poet's joy in spring's renewal, condensing the vitality of the ploughing scene into a single character. 「良苗亦怀新」之「新」字是写春耕关键词，一个「新」字写尽良苗亦怀的新。新者，新绿、新生也。陶渊明以「良苗亦怀新」写春耕，这个「新」字至少有双重意味：其一，写苗之新——那「良苗亦怀新」写良苗亦怀新，那「新」字写尽良苗亦怀的新——怀新，正是苗含新绿的写照，那「新」字写尽良苗亦怀的新；其二，写春之欣——那「新」字更是写欣——新，正见春意勃发的意味，那「新」字写尽陶渊明的欣悦。以「新」字写春耕，正是陶渊明写躬耕的枢纽——若换作「绿」「荣」等字，则或失其与「良苗亦怀新」「平畴交远风」的配合，或失其写新的意味；唯「新」字，以良苗亦怀新写尽新苗之含绿与春意之勃发，与「平畴交远风」的交远风相合，写尽良苗亦怀的新，也让「良苗亦怀新」成为全诗写春耕的名句。

聊 'Merely / content / for the moment'—in 'content to be a man of the furrow,' it expresses his easy, willing acceptance of rural life and spiritual ease, softening any sense of compromise and sealing the poem's tranquil self-possession. 「聊为陇亩民」之「聊」字是写归耕关键词，一个「聊」字写尽聊为的陇亩民。聊者，姑且、聊以也。陶渊明以「聊为陇亩民」写归耕，这个「聊」字至少有双重意味：其一，写身之聊——那「聊为陇亩民」写聊为陇亩民，那「聊」字写尽聊为的陇亩民——聊为，正是姑且为田夫的写照，那「聊」字写尽聊为的陇亩民；其二，写志之恬——那「聊」字更是写恬——聊，正见恬然自处的意味，那「聊」字写尽陶渊明的淡泊。以「聊」字写归耕，正是陶渊明写躬耕的枢纽——若换作「愿」「甘」等字，则或失其与「聊为陇亩民」「长吟掩柴门」的配合，或失其写聊的意味；唯「聊」字，以聊为陇亩民写尽田夫之愿与淡泊之志，与「长吟掩柴门」的掩柴门相合，写尽聊为的陇亩民，也让「聊为陇亩民」成为全诗写归耕的名句。