汉 Han · 诗 Poem
涉江采芙蓉
Crossing the River to Pick Lotus
涉江采芙蓉，兰泽多芳草。
采之欲遗谁，所思在远道。
还顾望旧乡，长路漫浩浩。
同心而离居，忧伤以终老。
In the orchid marsh many fragrant grasses.
Whom shall I give them to?
My beloved is far away.
I look back toward my old home,
The long road stretches endlessly.
Two hearts together but living apart,
Grief and sorrow will last till old age.
Meaning
This poem from the Nineteen Old Poems expresses the sorrow of separation. The speaker picks fragrant flowers by the river but has no one to send them to, as the beloved is far away. Looking back at home, the road is endless. Though their hearts are united, they live apart, leading to lifelong sadness.
渡过江水采摘荷花，兰草丛生的水泽里芳草萋萋。采下这花要送给谁呢？我所思念的人远在天涯。回头眺望故乡，长路漫漫浩渺无边。两心相通却身居异地，只能怀着忧伤度过余生。
Appreciation
The poem opens with beautiful imagery of picking lotuses and fragrant herbs, creating a joyful scene, which is then contrasted with the sudden realization that there is no one to give them to. The turning point at 'I look back' shifts to the longing for home, and the final couplet encapsulates the tragedy of separated lovers in a chaotic era.
【白话串讲】 涉江采了一朵芙蓉花，想送给谁呢？思念的人在远方。回头望故乡，长路漫漫——“同心而离居，忧伤以终老”，汉代人把异地恋写到了底。 【意象与手法】 诗仅四十言而章法完整，前二句写景起兴，三四句以问句转悲，五六句“还顾望旧乡”拓开空间，末二句收束抒情。善用乐哀反衬 【情感与主旨】 《涉江采芙蓉》列《古诗十九首》第六，约作于东汉后期 【名句点睛】 考点以名句默写（“涉江采芙蓉，兰泽多芳草”“同心而离居，忧伤以终老”）为主，亦考采赠意象的象征义与乐哀反衬手法
Background
Composed in the late Eastern Han dynasty, this poem reflects the widespread displacement caused by official travel, military campaigns, and wars, which separated families and lovers. It is one of the Nineteen Old Poems, a set of anonymous pentasyllabic poems that express deep, universal emotions.
《涉江采芙蓉》列《古诗十九首》第六首，与组内诸篇同出《文选》卷二十九。十九首为东汉末年无名氏文士之作，约产生于桓灵之际，此诗亦在其列。关于此诗的作者与视角，历来有两说：一说为游子之辞，写远客他乡者涉江采芳、还顾旧乡而思归不得；一说为思妇之辞，写闺中女子采莲欲赠远人而路远难致。二说并存，然就「还顾望旧乡」一句论，显系游子回望故乡的口吻，故今人多主游子怀乡说。东汉末年的社会动荡使大批下层士人离乡背井、宦游四方，欲归不能的乡愁成为这一时代文学的重要主题，此诗正是其最凝练的结晶。就版本而言，此诗文字赖《文选》《玉台新咏》以传，各本无异文，「兰泽多芳草」句，或以为「泽」字与芙蓉、芳草的水陆之辨有微瑕，然以诗意论，兰泽泛指水畔芳草丛生之地，与芙蓉并写，正见采撷环境之清美。此诗仅八句四十字，是十九首中最短的一篇，却以最经济的笔墨完成了从起兴、设问到抒情、收束的完整章法，历来被视为五言短章抒情的典范。此诗在十九首中的独特处，正在其「最短而最完」——四十字而章法无一懈笔，起兴、设问、写景、抒情四层俱全。关于「兰泽多芳草」的「兰」字，或以为实指泽兰，或以为泛指芳草，然以诗意论，兰泽即长满兰草的水泽，与「多芳草」互文见义，正见采撷环境之清美。此诗虽短，然其「同心而离居」的悲剧结构，已包孕了中国文学「有情人难成眷属」的永恒母题。
Art
In just 40 characters, the poem presents a complete structure: opening with scene-setting, a question that introduces the separation, a spatial expansion with the look back, and a concluding lament. The use of fragrant plants (lotus, orchid, grass) carries on the tradition of the Chu Ci, symbolizing virtue and longing. The contrast between joy (picking flowers) and sorrow (being apart) heightens the emotional impact.
此诗四十字而章法完备，层层转折，无一字虚设。起二句「涉江采芙蓉，兰泽多芳草」以白描起兴，「涉江」二字写渡水之劳，见采撷之诚；「兰泽多芳草」写泽畔芳草萋萋，既点环境之清美，又以「多」字暗含触目伤怀之意——芳草虽多，而所赠之人不在。三四句「采之欲遗谁，所思在远道」以设问转悲，采花本为赠人，然所思之人远在天涯，花无所赠，情无所寄，一个问句将前文的明丽景致陡然翻入哀愁，乐景哀情的转折于此完成。五六句「还顾望旧乡，长路漫浩浩」拓开空间，游子回望故乡，唯见长路漫漫、浩渺无边，「漫浩浩」三字叠用，写尽归途之遥与归心之切，是全诗空间的极处。末二句「同心而离居，忧伤以终老」收束抒情，以「同心」与「离居」的尖锐对立，点出两情相笃而身各一方的悲剧，再以「忧伤以终老」将此生的遗憾推到极致，戛然而止而余哀不绝。全诗以乐景起、以哀情结，采芳、设问、回望、自伤四层递转，正是「乐哀反衬」手法的典范。全诗最见匠心处，在于以「采之欲遗谁」的一问破题，将采芳的欢愉瞬间翻为无赠的怅惘，一正一反之间，情感的落差成就了诗意的张力。末二句「同心而离居，忧伤以终老」，以「同心」与「离居」的对立、「忧伤」与「终老」的绵延，将一时的别离升华为一生的遗憾，四十字而写尽有情人不能相守的全部悲哀，其以少胜多的功力，正是五言短章抒情的极致。
Allusions
The act of picking lotus to send to a distant loved one has roots in folk custom and is also seen in later poems like 'Xi Zhou Song'. 'Tongxin' (same heart) alludes to the knot of mutual love, while 'liju' (living apart) creates a poignant contrast. This poem also echoes Qu Yuan's use of fragrant plants as a metaphor for moral purity and longing.
「涉江采芙蓉」暗用《楚辞》的采撷传统。屈原《九歌·湘夫人》有「搴汀洲兮杜若，将以遗兮远者」，写采香草以赠远方之人，实为「采芳赠远」母题的源头；此诗「涉江」二字又直接唤起《楚辞·九章·涉江》篇名的记忆，以渡江采花之举暗合屈子行吟泽畔的孤独。芙蓉即荷花，《离骚》「制芰荷以为衣兮，集芙蓉以为裳」，以荷为高洁之饰，此诗采芙蓉以赠所思，正承屈赋香草美人之喻，以花之清芬寄人之高洁。「兰泽多芳草」的兰与芳草，亦出《离骚》「兰芷变而不芳兮」的香草系统，兰草芳洁，既是实景，又暗喻所怀之人的品德。此诗将楚辞的香草赠远传统移入汉末五言，化巫祭的比兴为日常的相思，使「采芳怀人」成为后世抒情诗最习见的母题之一。「同心而离居」的「同心」可上溯《周易·系辞》「二人同心，其利断金」，本言同心之利，此诗反用之，写同心而不得相聚，遂成反衬，一字之转，愁苦倍增。学界对「采之欲遗谁」的「遗」字读音素有讨论，读去声 wèi，义为赠送，与《湘夫人》「将以遗兮远者」同，是为采芳赠远传统的确证。又「长路漫浩浩」的「漫浩浩」，其叠字状远的手法，可上溯《诗经·秦风·蒹葭》「道阻且长」的溯洄之叹，蒹葭以「道阻且长」写求之不得，此诗以「长路漫浩浩」写归之不得，同以路之难通写情之难遂，可见《诗经》以来「行路」意象与「相思」主题的深厚关联。学界又有谓此诗「还顾望旧乡」为游子视角的明证，与「采之欲遗谁」的采撷者视角可并为一人的行游自叙，此说渐为今人所取。
Commentary
Ming critic Zhong Xing praised the line 'I look back toward my old home' as unexpectedly powerful. Qing critic Shen Deqian said the poem leaves a lingering aftertaste. Modern critics see it as a prime example of 'using joyful scenes to depict sorrow' and representing the concise yet profound style of the Nineteen Old Poems.
钟嵘《诗品》列古诗于上品，称其「文温以丽，意悲而远」，此诗以四十字写离居之痛，正合「意悲而远」之评。刘勰《文心雕龙·明诗》谓古诗「婉转附物，怊怅切情」，此诗「涉江采芙蓉」的婉转起兴、「忧伤以终老」的怊怅收束，皆可为此语之例证。就选本而言，《文选》录此诗为十九首第六，宋郭茂倩《乐府诗集》未收，盖其非乐府旧题，然明清选家于此诗殊为推崇。明陆时雍《诗镜总论》评「同心而离居，忧伤以终老」为「至情之语，怨而不怒」；清沈德潜《古诗源》论古诗「言情不尽，其情乃长」，此诗末句以「终老」二字将忧伤拉长至一生的长度，正是「言情不尽」的极致。近人王国维《人间词话》以「一切景语皆情语」论词，移以论此诗，则「兰泽多芳草」「长路漫浩浩」皆情语也，景中寓情，情溢于景。今人马茂元《古诗十九首初探》逐句笺此诗，指其「由采芳而怀人，由怀人而自伤」的层层递进，为此诗研究最精当的概括。又清方东树《昭昧詹言》评此诗「四十字如一笔书成，不可增减」，姜任修《古诗十九首绎》谓「同心而离居」二句「千古情人同声一哭」。近人俞平伯《读词偶得》尝以此诗为例论「乐景写哀」的笔法，以为「兰泽多芳草」的明丽，正是「忧伤以终老」的反衬。此诗还因「采芙蓉」的意象而别具声情，后世咏荷寄情的诗篇，自《西洲曲》「采莲南塘秋」至周邦彦「叶上初阳干宿雨」，皆可于此诗见其源头，可见其在采莲、采芳题材中的枢纽地位。
Prosody
Line by line
涉江采芙蓉
I cross the river to pick lotus flowers
渡过江水采摘荷花
I wade across the river to gather lotus flowers.
此句以「涉江」起笔，五字之中暗藏一个渡水劳行的身影。江是阻隔，涉之而采芙蓉，见采撷者不避险远、诚意殷殷，「涉」字写尽为采芳而不辞劳苦的心意。芙蓉即荷花，生于水中，采之须涉江，此一举动的艰难与郑重，反衬出所赠之人的珍贵。此句又暗用楚辞「采芳赠远」的传统，渡江采花之举，正是屈子行吟泽畔的遗韵，将汉末游子的相思与屈原的孤独接通。全诗以「涉江」二字开篇，即以一个渡水的动作奠定全篇的空间与情感基调——所求者远，故需涉江，而涉江之后，远者仍不可及，为下文的哀叹埋下伏笔。
The crossing. I wade across the river to gather lotus flowers. The crossing itself is the devotion: the flower grows across the water, and the lover wades for it. The Chuci picking-flowers-to-send tradition is recalled. To have said I picked lotus flowers would be an action; the wading-across to pick them is the action.
采之欲遗谁
I have picked them—for whom shall I send them?
采下这花要送给谁呢
I have gathered them—whom shall I give them to?
此句以设问转悲，是全诗情感的枢纽。「采之」承上，写采撷已成；「欲遗谁」一转，陡然发问，花既在握，而赠者何人？一个「谁」字问得突兀而沉痛，将前二句明丽的水泽采撷之景瞬间击碎。此句的妙处在以问句代替陈述，不言无人可赠，而借「欲遗谁」的迟疑道出，欲赠而无人，其怅惘较直说更甚。此句又直承《湘夫人》「将以遗兮远者」之意，然屈原尚有「远者」可寄，此诗却连「遗谁」亦成疑问，将采芳赠远的传统推向更深的绝望，一问之下，乐景尽翻为哀情。
The question. I have gathered them—whom shall I send them to? The sudden question breaks the pleasant gathering: the flowers are in hand, but the recipient is far beyond reach. The question replaces the statement. To have said there was no one to send them to would be a statement; the picked flowers and the whom-shall-I-send question are the statement.
还顾望旧乡
I turn my head and gaze toward my old home
回头眺望故乡
I turn and gaze back toward my old home.
此句是全诗视角的转换，从水泽采撷转入回望故乡。「还顾」写猛然回头，「望旧乡」写眺望的方向，一个回望的动作，将游子从眼前的采撷之乐拉回心底的乡愁。此句与「采之欲遗谁」相承——花既无所赠，人便不由得回望来处，情感的轨迹自然流向故乡。旧乡二字，点出游子的身份，也点出全诗思乡怀人的主旨，此前采芙蓉、遗所思的种种，皆因「望旧乡」而豁然贯通。此句又以「望」字拓开空间，为下句「长路漫浩浩」的苍茫远景作铺垫，一望之间，景与情、人与乡俱入画面。
The look back. I turn and gaze back toward my old home. The turned head follows the failed gift: no one to send it to, so the eyes turn homeward. The old home is the poem's real subject. To have said I looked toward home would be a look; the turned head and the gaze at the old home are the look.
同心而离居
Two hearts are one, yet we dwell apart
两心相通却身居异地
Our hearts are as one, yet we live far apart.
此句以「同心」与「离居」的对立，写尽有情人不得相守的悲剧，是全诗情感的顶点。「同心」谓两情相笃、心心相印，「离居」谓身各一方、不得相聚，二语并置，其矛盾触目惊心——情愈深而离愈苦，同心恰成离居之痛的反衬。此句化用《周易》「二人同心」之语而反其意，将「同心之利」翻作「同心之悲」，一字之转，愁苦倍增。以「而」字连接两个对立的概念，语势一顿，如鲠在喉，将无法化解的遗憾凝于一瞬，为末句「忧伤以终老」蓄满情感，是全篇以少胜多的关键一联。
The contradiction. Our hearts are as one, yet we live far apart. The two-stroke line (one heart, separate dwellings) is the whole tragedy: love at its deepest, distance at its widest. To have said we loved but were apart would be a contradiction; the as-one hearts and the separate dwelling are the contradiction.
Study
Word focus
Related Reading
The line 'each at the edge of the sky' in that poem parallels 'hearts together but living apart' in this one; both express the pain of distance.
《行行重行行》与《涉江采芙蓉》同写游子思妇的别离之痛，而章法繁简迥异。《行行重行行》十六句，以叠字、兴喻、换韵层层铺写，怨深而意婉；《涉江采芙蓉》仅八句四十字，以采芳、设问、回望、自伤四层递转，情挚而语简。一以回环往复见长，一以精炼含蓄取胜，同是十九首，却展示了汉末五言诗既可铺陈、又可凝练的两种笔法，皆为抒情诗的极致，故钟嵘以「一字千金」总评之，二诗实各得其一端，然皆足为五言抒情之极则。
湘夫人 The Lady of the Xiang River 屈原 · 采芳赠远母题的源头与流变 Related readingCompare this related work with the poem above through theme, imagery, tone, and emotional movement.
屈原《九歌·湘夫人》「搴汀洲兮杜若，将以遗兮远者」，是「采芳赠远」母题的源头，此诗「涉江采芙蓉，采之欲遗谁」正承其绪。然楚辞的采芳是在巫祭语境中赠神，香草是通神的媒介；此诗的采芙蓉则是汉末游子的怀人，花草是寄情的信物。屈原之赠尚有「远者」可寄，此诗之采却连「遗谁」亦成疑问，将采芳赠远的传统推向更深的绝望。从巫祭的通神到人间的怀人，从可寄的远者到无人的怅惘，此一母题的流变，正见中国抒情诗由神界走向人间的轨迹。
相思 Love Seeds 王维 · 采撷寄情传统的隔代回响 Related readingCompare this related work with the poem above through theme, imagery, tone, and emotional movement.
王维《相思》「红豆生南国，春来发几枝。愿君多采撷，此物最相思」，与此诗同以「采撷寄情」为骨，皆欲采自然之物以寄相思。然王维的红豆是南国的春色，情调明丽而含蓄，「多采撷」是劝对方珍重相思；此诗的芙蓉是泽畔的清芳，情调哀婉而沉痛，「采之欲遗谁」是自问无人可赠。一赠人，一自伤，同是采撷，而情感指向相反。从汉末的「欲遗谁」到盛唐的「最相思」，采撷寄情这一母题由怅惘走向圆融，其间的变迁，正是中国诗歌情感色调由汉末之悲向盛唐之丽的推移。