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汉 Han · 乐府 Yuefu ballad

饮马长城窟行

Drinking Horse at the Great Wall Spring

汉乐府

Han Yuefu

思妇Yearning wife 离别Parting

青青河畔草，绵绵思远道。
远道不可思，宿昔梦见之。
梦见在我傍，忽觉在他乡。
他乡各异县，展转不相见。
枯桑知天风，海水知天寒。
入门各自媚，谁肯相为言。
客从远方来，遗我双鲤鱼。
呼儿烹鲤鱼，中有尺素书。
长跪读素书，书中竟何如。
上言加餐食，下言长相忆。

Green, green the grass by the riverside,
Endless my thoughts of the far-off road.
The far-off road can no thought be,
But last night I dreamed of it.
In dream he was by my side,
Suddenly I woke—he is in a foreign land.
Each in a different district,
Tossing, turning, we cannot meet.
Withered mulberry knows the wind from the sky,
The sea knows the cold of the day.
Each man when he returns home brings joy to his own,
Who would speak a word for me?
A traveler came from afar,
Brought me a pair of carp.
I call my boy to cook the carp,
Therein a white silk letter.
Kneeling I read the white silk letter,
What does it say?
First, 'Take good care of your meals,'
Then, 'I think of you always.'

Listen

Meaning

A yearning wife laments her husband's absence, describing her longing, a dream encounter, and the pain of waking to separation. She contrasts her loneliness with others' reunions, then joyfully receives a letter from him, which ends with simple but deep words of care and remembrance.

河边春草青青，绵绵不绝地牵起我对远方爱人的思念。路途遥远本难企及，昨夜却在梦中与他相见；梦中他还在我身旁，醒来却发觉他远在他乡。他乡各有异县，彼此辗转难再相逢。枯桑知天风，海水知天寒，物犹如此，人何以堪。邻人入门各亲其亲，谁肯替我传一言。忽有客从远方来，托我一双鲤鱼形的木函；唤儿剖开鲤鱼，其中有尺素的信。长跪展读素书，书中究竟写些什么？上边叮嘱我多加餐饭，下边诉说长相思念。

Appreciation

This poem alternates between natural imagery and personal emotion. The opening grass and dream set a melancholic tone, while the contrast between the wife's solitude and others' happiness deepens her sorrow. The arrival of the letter brings a climax, and the closing lines are tender and understated, making the longing palpable without exaggeration.

【白话串讲】一个女子梦见丈夫，醒来收到远方捎来的信：“上言加餐饭，下言长相忆”——信里没说想我，只说多吃点饭。汉代人把最深的爱，写进了最平常的叮嘱里。【意象与手法】全诗以思妇第一人称娓娓道来，结构由景入梦、由梦入书，自然流转。起兴手法纯熟，青青河畔草既点节候又喻情丝【情感与主旨】本篇属汉乐府相和歌辞，最早见于《文选》与《玉台新咏》，题为蔡邕作或古辞，今一般视为汉代民间乐府【名句点睛】此诗为汉汉乐府之作，精要赏析详见下方深度赏析。

Background

This yuefu poem from the Han dynasty reflects the heavy conscription and long separations caused by border defenses. The Great Wall spring (Changcheng) was a frontier post, and 'watering horses' implies military campaigns. The wife's voice embodies the common suffering of families left behind.

《饮马长城窟行》是汉乐府相和歌辞中的名篇，属瑟调曲。此诗最早见于《文选》卷二十七，题作《饮马长城窟行》，署「古辞」，不著作者；《玉台新咏》卷一亦收，则题作蔡邕作。今人考辨多以为《文选》题古辞为是，或为汉代无名氏乐府，经文人润色而成，蔡邕之说难以遽信。乐府旧题「饮马长城窟」本与秦筑长城、戍卒劳苦相关，然此篇内容实为思妇怀远、得书慰情，与题面涉戍事者已无直接关联，属借旧题写新意的变格。此诗产生的汉代，征戍、行役、游宦使大量男子离乡，思妇怀远遂成乐府与古诗的共同主题。就版本而言，此诗文字各本大体一致，「入门各自媚」句，《文选》李善注引旧说以为「媚」作「爱」义，然今本多从「媚」；「宿昔梦见之」或作「夙昔」，义同。此诗在乐府中地位崇高，其「青青河畔草」的起兴、「枯桑知天风」的兴喻、「呼儿烹鲤鱼」的鱼书意象，皆成为后世诗歌反复沿用的经典，影响之深远，在汉乐府中罕有其匹。此诗的题面「饮马长城窟」与内容的不相符合，历来是乐府研究的一个议题。或以为此辞本有前段涉戍事而亡佚，今存者为残篇；或以为乐府旧题至汉末已渐脱本义，借题写怀成为通例，此诗即其一例。二说并存，然以乐府发展的通例论，借题写怀说更合实际。就版本而言，「入门各自媚」的「媚」字，或本作「睐」，义为顾视，然「媚」之亲爱义更切，故今本多从之。

Art

The poem uses natural imagery and dreams to express emotion, followed by a dramatic shift with the letter's arrival. The contrast between others' joy and her isolation, and the detailed description of opening the fish-shaped letter box, enhance realism and emotional impact. The final lines are simple yet powerful.

此诗以思妇第一人称娓娓道来，全篇由景入梦、由梦入书，层层转折而自然流转。起二句「青青河畔草，绵绵思远道」以河畔青草起兴，草色绵绵正如情思绵绵，兴而兼比，且以顶真法（「远道」二字）引出下句，音韵流转。中段由思入梦、由梦转醒，「远道不可思，宿昔梦见之」写日思成梦，「梦见在我傍，忽觉在他乡」写梦中相聚而醒后成空，一梦一觉之间，情感跌宕。「他乡各异县，展转不相见」以顶真再转，由梦之虚落到离之实。「枯桑知天风，海水知天寒」二句突兀而起，以枯桑感风、海水感寒的物性，兴寄久别之人深知相思之苦，兴中寓比而不露痕迹，是全篇兴喻的顶点。「入门各自媚，谁肯相为言」写邻人各亲其亲，无人代传音讯，孤寂愈深。后段「客从远方来，遗我双鲤鱼」以下，笔锋陡转，忽有客至、忽得鱼书，「呼儿烹鲤鱼，中有尺素书」以烹鱼见书的奇想写惊喜，「长跪读素书，书中竟何如」以长跪的郑重写珍视，末「上言加餐食，下言长相忆」以家常叮嘱收束，余味悠长。全诗以顶真、复沓、兴喻诸法交织，情感由思而梦、由梦而醒、由醒而书，一波三折，是汉乐府叙事与抒情结合的典范。其以「呼儿烹鲤鱼」的奇想写拆信，将日常的书信往来写得如传奇般动人，虚实相生、亦真亦幻，正是汉乐府想像力的极致，此种以奇写常的手法，对后世叙事诗与传奇皆有启示。

Allusions

'Double carp' refers to a wooden letter case shaped like a pair of fish, common in Han times. 'White silk letter' (chisu) denotes a one-foot-square silk used for writing. The motif of letters and food as symbols of care appears in early Chinese poetry, like 'Adding meals' in the Nineteen Old Poems.

「青青河畔草」的起兴，与《古诗十九首·青青河畔草》「青青河畔草，郁郁园中柳」同源，皆以草色之连绵兴情思之悠长，此一兴象可上溯《诗经·王风·采葛》「彼采葛兮，一日不见，如三月兮」以草木起兴的古老传统，亦与《楚辞·招隐士》「王孙游兮不归，春草生兮萋萋」的春草怀人相承，草色萋萋遂成怀远的经典意象。「枯桑知天风，海水知天寒」二句，历来注家皆以为兴而兼比，闻一多《乐府诗笺》释为喻「久别之人，历尽艰辛，故能深知相思之苦」，其兴法可溯至《诗经·王风·君子于役》的日夕之思。鱼书意象为此诗独造而影响最巨，「客从远方来，遗我双鲤鱼。呼儿烹鲤鱼，中有尺素书」，以剖鱼得书的奇想写远方来书，双鲤鱼实为盛书信的木函，刻作鱼形，呼儿烹鱼而内藏素书，虚实相生，遂成「鱼书」「鱼雁」传书的文学源头，后世如古乐府《饮马长城窟行》后段、唐人「鱼书欲寄何由达」皆本于此。「尺素书」指写在白绢上的信，素为生绢，长可尺余，故名尺素，此称后为书信的代名词。学界对「双鲤鱼」的解释素有歧说，或以为真鱼而腹中藏书，或以为木函之喻，今人多从闻一多说，以为鱼形木函，然其以真鱼之想状函书之奇，正见乐府想像之瑰丽。又「长跪读素书」的「长跪」之礼，见古人展读家书的郑重，其礼可溯《史记》「长跪读之」，一字之微，亦见乐府用词之古雅。

Commentary

Scholars praise this poem for its genuine emotion and narrative structure. It intertwines personal grief with universal themes of war and separation, using plain language to achieve deep pathos. The letter's two lines are considered a classic expression of love through everyday care.

此诗在汉乐府中备受推崇，宋郭茂倩《乐府诗集》收入相和歌辞瑟调曲，题下引《乐府解题》述其本旨。明钟惺《古诗归》评此诗「缠绵悱恻，汉诗之极」，谭元春则赏其「忽而梦，忽而书，忽而读，如游龙夭矫」。清陈祚明《采菽堂古诗选》论其「字字婉转，句句沉郁」，特举「枯桑知天风」二句为「兴体之妙」。沈德潜《古诗源》评「青青河畔草」以下「一路顶真下去，音调之美，无与比伦」，深赏其顶真回环的声韵。近人闻一多于《乐府诗笺》中对此诗字句、本事考辨最精，其「双鲤鱼」为木函之说，已成今人共识。此诗亦因「上言加餐食，下言长相忆」的朴实叮嘱，成为后世书信体诗文的典范，其「鱼书」「尺素」意象更远播东瀛，日本和歌汉诗中常见化用。就接受史而言，此诗与《古诗十九首》同属汉末文人抒情诗的先声，其由民歌的质朴向文人的婉曲过渡的痕迹，正是中国五言诗发展史上一处关键的路标。又明陆时雍《古诗镜》评此诗「情真语真，汉诗之古」，清王夫之《古诗评选》则以「枯桑知天风」二句为「兴体之神品」。近人俞平伯尝以「由思入梦，由梦入书」概括此诗章法，最得要领；余冠英《乐府诗选》于「双鲤鱼」为木函之说辨析尤详，已成定论。此诗的影响，还见于其鱼书意象的跨文体传播，从蔡邕《饮马长城窟行》之题到唐人「尺素如残雪」，鱼雁传书遂成中国文学中思念与音问的永恒象征，其源头皆在此篇。

Prosody

Form Han folk song (Xianghe song)乐府相和歌辞瑟调曲（五言古体）

Rhyme Old Chinese rhyme全诗二十句，多次换韵：草道押上声皓韵，傍乡押平声阳韵，县见押去声霰韵，风押平声东韵，寒言押平声寒元韵，鱼书如押平声鱼韵，食忆押入声职韵，古乐府换韵自由

Tone pattern No tonal restrictions; five-character lines with parallelism and repetition此诗以顶真、复沓贯穿，声调流转如环。起句「青青河畔草」平平平仄仄，继以「绵绵思远道」平平平仄仄，叠字与顶真相配，音节回环。通篇以自然声口为主，不循近体平仄，而换韵处恰与情感的转折相应，以声转写情转，是乐府声情的本色。

Reading note Uses reduplication (e.g., 青青, 绵绵) and anadiplosis (e.g., 远道) to create rhythm.此诗用韵最见乐府本色，全篇二十句而换韵六次，韵脚的更迭与情感的起伏严密对应。起四句「草、道」押上声皓韵，音色曲折，正合相思之初的吞吐；「傍、乡」转平声阳韵，音色开张，写梦中之聚的暂时欢愉；「县、见」转去声霰韵，音色决绝，写梦醒成空的失落；「风」孤押东韵，「寒、言」押平声寒元，音色沉郁，写自伤之深；「鱼、书、如」转平声鱼韵，音色清圆，写得书之喜；「食、忆」转入声职韵，短促顿挫，写读信的郑重与余味。一诗六转韵，如曲调之变奏，韵转而情转，情转而韵转，正是汉乐府以声传情的极致。顶真法的运用更使声韵环环相扣，「远道」承上启下、「梦见」递相接续，音节的绵延与情感的连绵浑然一体。清沈德潜《说诗晬语》论乐府「往复缠绵，转韵如环」，此诗正是其说最贴切的注脚。此诗以顶真法串连全篇，「远道」「梦见」「他乡」诸词的回环，使换韵之间仍觉一气流转，声韵之圆转与情感之缠绵互为表里，正是乐府「如环无端」声情之美的典范。

Line by line

青青河畔草

Green, green, the grass by the river

河边春草青青

Green, green, the grass along the river.

此句以河畔青草起兴，五字写尽春日草色的葱茏。「青青」叠字状色之浓，「河畔」点地之所在，一川烟草铺展开来，既点节候，又为下句「绵绵思远道」张本。草色连绵无尽，正如思妇心中的情丝绵绵不绝，兴而兼比，景语即情语。此句与《古诗十九首·青青河畔草》同出一源，然十九首以「郁郁园中柳」并写，此诗独以「绵绵思远道」相承，以顶真法将草色之绵延直下接以情思之绵长，音韵与意义双流而下，较十九首更见流转。以草起兴写怀人，上承《楚辞》春草萋萋之叹，下开后世「离恨恰如春草」之词，是汉诗兴象的经典。

The river grass. Green, green, the grass along the river. The doubled green grass is the opening image that will run into the longing: the endless grass, the endless longing. To have described river grass would be scenery; the green green grass along the river is the scenery.

枯桑知天风

The withered mulberry knows the wind from the sky

枯桑知天风，海水知天寒

The withered mulberry knows the wind from the sky, the sea knows the cold.

此二句突兀而起，以物性之感应兴人情之深知，是全篇兴喻的顶点。枯桑无叶，然风过而知其寒；海水广大，然岁寒而知其冷，物之感于时者，虽无外显而自知之。闻一多释为喻久别之人历尽艰辛，故能深知相思之苦——思妇以枯桑海水自比，不言苦而苦自知，其隐忍之痛尽在此兴。此二句不与上下叙事直接勾连，忽然宕开，以两个平行而凝重的意象横亘诗中，正是汉乐府「兴寄无端」的笔法，其情感的沉郁，正在这不言苦的自知之中。以物喻人而不露痕迹，较直抒相思更具力度，历来被视为汉诗兴体之极。

The withered mulberry. The withered mulberry knows the wind from the sky; the sea knows the cold. The two senseless things that still feel the weather are the woman's own hidden knowledge: she feels the long separation though she says nothing. To have said the mulberry feels the wind would be an image; the withered mulberry knowing the sky-wind is the image.

客从远方来

A traveler comes from far away

忽有客从远方来

A traveler comes from a far land.

此句是全诗情感的陡然转折，在思妇孤寂无告之际，忽有客自远方而来，一句平实之言，却如石破天惊，带出后文得书的无限惊喜。「客从远方来」五字，不事渲染，只平叙一事，然正因其平，而愈见惊——漫长的等待、无望的相思，皆因这一「远方来客」而豁然有了着落。此句又是汉乐府叙事的常见发端，与《古诗十九首》「客从远方来，遗我一端绮」同构，皆以客至引入赠物，然此诗所遗者双鲤尺素，尤见巧思。以「客」字领起，思妇的视角随之转移，从自伤转入迎客，情感的落点由己及物，为下文的烹鲤得书铺平了道路。

The visitor. A traveler comes from a far land. The plain sentence is the poem's turn: the long wait is broken by an arrival from the husband's direction. To have said a visitor came would be an event; the traveler from afar is the event.

上言加餐食

The first words: eat more meals

上边叮嘱我多加餐饭

The first words of the letter: eat and take care of yourself.

此句写书信的内容，是全篇情感的落点。「上言加餐食」五字，是远人对思妇最朴素的叮嘱，劝其努力加餐、保重身体，语极家常而情极深厚。千言万语，不诉离愁，不言相思，只道加餐，正因爱之深者言之简，最浓的关怀化作了最日常的牵挂。此句与下句「下言长相忆」对举，一上一下，一嘱加餐、一诉长忆，书信的两层内容写尽远人的心意，而思妇得书的慰藉亦尽在其中。以「加餐食」的琐屑语写深情，较之铺陈相思更具力量，此一「以俗为雅」的笔法，正是汉乐府抒情最动人的本色，后世「努力加餐饭」遂成怀人慰远的经典语式。

The letter's first words. The first words of the letter: eat more meals. The husband does not say I miss you; he says take more food. The ordinary care is the deepest love. To have said the letter told her to eat would be a detail; the first words, eat more meals, are the detail.

Study

Word focus

绵绵 continuous (grass) and unbroken (longing) 「绵绵」二字以叠字写草色，更写情思，是此句兴而兼比的关钥。草色绵延不绝，目之所及，其势无尽；情思亦如草色，抽丝剥茧，其长无涯。二字兼状物与写情，将外景的绵延直接引向内情的悠长，景与情之间不留过渡，正是兴法的极致。此词又为全篇的顶真结构开路——「绵绵思远道」以「远道」二字下接「远道不可思」，音韵如环，绵延而下，全诗的声情之美实由此「绵绵」二字肇端。以叠字写情之长，上承《诗经》「杨柳依依」的叠字兴法，下开《西洲曲》等民歌的顶真之体，是汉乐府语言艺术的典范。

媚 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. 「入门各自媚」的「媚」字，是全诗写孤寂最冷峭的一笔。「媚」者爱也，亲也，「各自媚」谓邻人入门，各亲其所亲、各爱其所爱，惟思妇独处无依，无人相亲。此字以邻人的亲热反衬思妇的孤独，人人有归而己无所归，人人之乐适成己之悲凉，一字之中，冷暖自见。以「媚」写亲爱，本带温馨之色，然冠以「各自」，则温馨转为刺心——那是有主之人的温存，与自己无关。此字之妙，正在以乐写哀、以暖写冷，较直说孤寂更深一层，是汉诗反衬手法的精微运用。

展转 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. 「展转不相见」的「展转」二字，写尽两地阻隔、音问难通之状。「展转」本指翻来覆去，此处状双方各处异县、彼此之间辗转间隔，既写空间的阻隔，又写人事的迁转，兼含身心两重的不得相见。二字叠韵连绵，读来回环吞吐，恰似两地之人辗转反侧、不得相通的心绪。以「展转」写不相见，较「迢递」「阻隔」更具动感与缠绵，将静态的隔绝写成动态的挣扎，思妇的无奈尽在二字之中。此词与「绵绵」「展转」同属汉乐府善用连绵词与叠字写情的语言特色，是民歌口吻的保留。