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宋 Song · 词 Ci lyric

减字木兰花·莺初解语

To the Tune 'Reduced Regulated Mutan': Orioles First Learn to Speak

苏轼

Su Shi

春景Spring Scene 劝酒Drinking Toast

莺初解语，最是一年春好处。
微雨如酥，草色遥看近却无。
休辞醉倒，花不看开人易老。
莫待春回，颠倒红英间绿苔。

Orioles have just learned to speak -
Of all the year this is the best time.
A fine rain, soft as cream,
Grass colour visible at a distance, none close by.
Do not refuse the cup, do not refuse the tumbling into drink;
A man should look at the flowers while they are open, for people grow old too soon.
Do not wait for spring to come round again;
Soon the red petals will be lying among the green moss.

Listen

Meaning

The lyric praises early spring and then turns the praise into a toast: since the orioles have just found their voices and the grass is only a rumour of green, a man should be drunk and among the blossoms while they last, and should not wait for spring to return. The future is imagined in a single picture - red petals mixed with green moss - which is what makes the present worth seizing.

莺初解语，最是一年春好处。微雨如酥，草色遥看近却无。休辞醉倒，花不看开人易老。莫待春回，颠倒红英间绿苔。

Appreciation

[Plain Paraphrase] The orioles have only just begun to talk, and that is the best of the year; the rain is soft like curd, the grass is there at a distance and gone up close. So drink and look at the blossoms while they are open, because men age faster than flowers; and do not wait for spring to return, for the blossoms will end up on the moss.
[Structure] The upper stanza looks and persuades by description; the lower stanza refuses and instructs. The argument runs from the reason (spring is at its best) to the conclusion (drink now).
[Imagery] The famous line plays one distance against the other: grass is a colour at twenty paces and nothing at arm's length, which is exactly the trick by which early spring keeps its promise unredeemed.
[Tone] The voice is a friend's rather than a poet's: exhortation, repetition of the same advice from the second and fourth lines, and an imagined ruin in the final image.

【白话串讲】苏轼写《减字木兰花·莺初解语》：“莺初解语，最是一年春好处”——“微雨如酥，草色遥看近却无”——“休辞醉倒，花不看开人易老”——“莫待春回，颠倒红英间绿苔”——他写早春——最是一年春好处。【意象与手法】此词写春景，以劝酒写春景，是苏轼的名篇。上片写春色：「莺初解语，最是一年春好处。微雨如酥，草色遥看近却无」写莺初解语、最是一年春好处、微雨如酥、草色遥看近却无——写尽初春的春色；下片写劝酒：「休辞醉倒，花不看开人易老。莫待春回，颠倒红英间绿苔」写休辞醉倒、花不看开人易老、莫待春回——写尽惜春的劝酒。全词以劝酒写春景，写尽初春的春色与惜春的劝酒，是苏轼的代表作。【情感与主旨】此词写春景，以劝酒写春景，是苏轼的名篇。此词写初春景色而劝人及时行乐、莫负春光。此词上片写初春的生机——莺初解语、微雨如酥、草色遥看近却无，正是韩愈《早春呈水部张十八员外》「草色遥看近却无」的诗意；下片由惜春转为劝酒——花不看开人易老，莫待春回，正是劝人及时赏花饮酒。此词写春色：莺初解语，最是一年春好处——写莺初解语、最是一年春好处，写尽初春的生机；微雨如酥，草色遥看近却无——写微雨如酥、草色遥看近却无，写尽初春的春色；休辞醉倒，花不看开人易老——写休辞醉倒、花不看开人易老，写尽惜春的劝酒；莫待春回，颠倒红英间绿苔——写莫待春回、颠倒红英间绿苔，写尽莫待的警示。全词以劝酒写春景——那「微雨如酥」写尽初春的春色，「花不看开人易老」写尽惜春的劝酒，写尽初春的春色与惜春的劝酒，是理解苏轼春景词的重要篇章。【名句点睛】常考「莺初解语，最是一年春好处」写初春的生机；「微雨如酥，草色遥看近却无」写初春的春色；以及全词以劝酒写春景、以化用写春色的手法。

Background

Su Shi (1037-1101), courtesy name Zizhan and styled Dongpo, came from Meishan in Sichuan and was the great prose writer and lyric poet of the Northern Song, one of the Eight Great Masters of the dynasty and the figure who carried the cipai towards a bold, open style. This short double-stanza lyric is a favourite of his spring writing: it borrows a whole line from a poem by Han Yu in praise of early spring, and spends the second stanza turning that praise into an argument for drinking. Addressed to a friend who was inclined to be cautious, it is the kind of occasion on which such lines were written.

此词写春景，以劝酒写春景，是苏轼的名篇。苏轼（1037—1101），字子瞻，号东坡居士，眉州眉山（今四川眉山）人，北宋文学家，与父苏洵、弟苏辙合称「三苏」，为唐宋八大家之一，词开豪放一派。此词写初春景色而劝人及时行乐、莫负春光。此词上片写初春的生机——莺初解语、微雨如酥、草色遥看近却无，正是韩愈《早春呈水部张十八员外》「草色遥看近却无」的诗意；下片由惜春转为劝酒——花不看开人易老，莫待春回，正是劝人及时赏花饮酒。此词写春色：「莺初解语，最是一年春好处」写莺初解语、最是一年春好处——写尽初春的生机（莺初解语，最是一年春好处）；「微雨如酥，草色遥看近却无」写微雨如酥、草色遥看近却无——写尽初春的春色（微雨如酥，草色遥看近却无）；「休辞醉倒，花不看开人易老」写休辞醉倒、花不看开人易老——写尽惜春的劝酒（休辞醉倒，花不看开人易老）；「莫待春回，颠倒红英间绿苔」写莫待春回、颠倒红英间绿苔——写尽莫待的警示（莫待春回，颠倒红英间绿苔）。全词以劝酒写春景，写尽初春的春色与惜春的劝酒，是理解苏轼春景词的重要篇章。

Art

The first stanza describes and the second instructs, and the hinge between them is the word 'so': the beauty of the grass and the rain is given as the warrant for the drinking. Two techniques carry the poem. The first is the distance trick in 'grass colour visible at a distance, none close by' - a perceptual riddle built out of one observation, and the reason the line has been remembered for a thousand years. The second is the substitution of a picture for an argument at the end: instead of proving that the flowers will not wait, the poet shows the future they will become, red petals lying among green moss. The word for cream-pane is a taste-word borrowed for a texture, and the two stanzas keep the same informal rhythm of short, clipped phrases, like someone speaking quickly over a cup.

此词的艺术特色可从四个方面解析。其一，以直抒写生机。「最是一年春好处」以直抒写生机——那「一年春好处」写尽早春的最佳，以直抒写尽初春的生机。其二，以比喻写春雨。「微雨如酥」以比喻写春雨——那「如酥」写尽春雨的滋润，以比喻写尽初春的春色。其三，以化用写春色。「草色遥看近却无」以化用写春色——那「草色遥看近却无」直用韩愈之句，以化用写尽初春的草色。其四，以劝诫写惜春。「花不看开人易老」以劝诫写惜春——那「人易老」写尽春光的短暂，以劝诫写尽惜春的劝酒。此外，此词上片写初春的春色，下片写惜春的劝酒，由景及情，正是春景词「以景劝人」的写法。四重手法，使此词以劝酒写春景，写尽初春的春色与惜春的劝酒，是苏轼的代表作。此词还善于以「草色遥看近却无」的视觉层次写早春的草色——那「遥看」见其青青一片，「近却无」见其若有若无，正是早春草芽初萌、远望如烟的写照，以远近的对照写尽早春的独特。又善以「颠倒红英间绿苔」的想象写春回之后的零落——红英颠倒于绿苔之上，正是暮春的写照，以将来的衰败反衬当下的珍贵。

Allusions

The line about the grass is lifted almost unchanged from Han Yu's poem of early spring sent to the official Zhang Ji, in which the rain of the imperial capital is 'soft as curd' and the grass 'visible at a distance, none close by', and where the same season is declared the best of the year. The orioles recall Bai Juyi's careful description of early orioles competing for the warm branches. The invitation to fill the cup belongs to the long habit of drinking verses from Li Bai's 'do not let the golden cup be emptied in vain' onward. The falling red petals carry the later line about the blossom of spring having gone, and Gong Zi Zhen's complaint that fallen flowers are not lacking in feeling.

此词的用语深植于春景与劝酒传统。「莺初解语」令人想到「莺初解语」写早莺的意象——也令人想到「几处早莺争暖树」（白居易）的意象；「一年春好处」令人想到「一年春好处」写早春的意象——也令人想到「最是一年春好处」（韩愈）的意象；「如酥」令人想到「如酥」写春雨的意象——也令人想到「天街小雨润如酥」（韩愈）的意象；「草色遥看近却无」令人想到「草色遥看近却无」直用韩愈之句——也令人想到「草色入帘青」的意象；「醉倒」令人想到「醉倒」写醉卧的意象——也令人想到「莫使金樽空对月」（李白）的意象；「红英」令人想到「红英」写落红的意象——也令人想到「落红不是无情物」（龚自珍）的意象。全词化用莺初解语、一年春好处、如酥、草色遥看、醉倒、红英的意象，以劝酒写春景，正是苏轼「旷达」而善化用、承春景传统写惜春之本领。「莺初解语」令人想到杜甫《绝句》「两个黄鹂鸣翠柳」的早春意象，又令人想到欧阳修《玉楼春》「莺初解语，最是一年春好处」化用韩愈《早春》「最是一年春好处」之句；「红英」令人想到李煜《相见欢》「林花谢了春红」的落花意象，以红英与绿苔的对照写春光的消逝。

Commentary

One of Su Shi's best-known spring lyrics and the usual representative of the tune in the anthologies. Qing readers liked its freshness and its easy manner; modern anthologies single out the grass line as the whole poem's centre of gravity. It is habitually paired with his later Butterfly Love written at the end of a long spring, where the same poet looks at willow catkins on the branch instead of grass on the ground - the two poems being early spring and late spring by the same hand, and both arguing that the season should be met while it can still be met.

此词历来被推为苏轼春景词的名篇，也是宋词写早春劝酒的代表。历代论者对此词评价极高：清人评此词「以劝酒写春景，清新旷达」；近人更指出「微雨如酥，草色遥看近却无」写初春的春色，是此词的名句。在词史上，此词的特殊价值在于：它以双调的小令写尽初春的春色与惜春的劝酒——那莺初解语，那一年春好处，那微雨，那如酥，那草色，那遥看，那近却无，那休辞，那醉倒，那花不看，那人易老，那莫待，那春回，那红英，那绿苔，都写尽了苏轼笔下的早春；那「草色遥看近却无」更以化用写尽初春的春色。此词与苏轼《蝶恋花·春景》（「花褪残红青杏小」）同为春景名篇，一写「枝上柳绵吹又少」的春暮（蝶恋花），一写「微雨如酥」的早春（减字木兰花）；又与韩愈《早春呈水部张十八员外》「草色遥看近却无」的早春传统一脉相承，可见中国词写早春的传统。对于今日读者，此词是理解苏轼春景词的窗口，也是中国词写早春的经典——那遥看的草色，穿越千年，仍在诉说着惜春的劝酒。

Prosody

Form Ci - the tune 'Reduced Regulated Mutan' (jian zi mu lan hua), double stanza词·减字木兰花

Rhyme The upper stanza rhymes on yu (speak) and chu (best) in the rising-Oblique tone, then on su (curd) and wu (none) in the level tone; the lower stanza rhymes on dao and lao (Oblique) then on hui and tai (level).上片押「语」「处」「酥」「无」，下片押「倒」「老」「回」「苔」，仄平换韵，音节清新

Tone pattern The tune alternates oblique and level rhymes, so the voice moves from a lifted exclamation to a settled line between the two halves.此词为减字木兰花词牌，上下片各押两仄两平，仄平换韵，音节清新，正合春景的清新。

Reading note Short double stanza of roughly forty-four characters, broken into four short lines to a stanza, which gives the poem its hurried, conversational rhythm. Read the first stanza as description delivered quickly - especially 'grass colour visible at a distance, none close by' - and the second as persuasion, with 'do not refuse' twice repeated on the same pattern. The rhyme shift from oblique to level comes exactly where the poem turns from looking to urging.此词为《减字木兰花》双调，上片四句、下片四句——「莺初解语，最是一年春好处。微雨如酥，草色遥看近却无。休辞醉倒，花不看开人易老。莫待春回，颠倒红英间绿苔」，上片押仄韵（语、处）转平韵（酥、无），下片押仄韵（倒、老）转平韵（回、苔），仄平换韵，音节清新。全词以劝酒写春景：上片写初春的春色（莺初解语、草色遥看近却无），下片写惜春的劝酒（休辞醉倒、莫待春回）。双调短章，上写春色，下写劝酒，以「草色遥看近却无」写尽初春的春色，正见苏轼「旷达」的本色。诵读此词，宜以清新的语调读「微雨如酥」的春色，以旷达的语调读「花不看开人易老」的劝酒，结句要读得清新而有余韵，方能传达出苏轼的清新旷达。苏轼词以「旷达」著称，此词正是其春景词的典范。

Line by line

莺初解语，最是一年春好处

Orioles have just learned to speak - of all the year this is the best time.

莺初解语，最是一年春好处。

The oriole has just begun to speak; this is the best part of the year's spring.

此二句是全词写生机的核心，以莺初解语写解语，以最是一年春好处写春好处，写尽初春的生机，是千古名句。「莺初解语」写莺初解语——那「莺初」写莺初，「解语」写解语，写尽早莺的解语；「最是一年春好处」写最是一年春好处——那「最是」写最是，「一年春好处」写一年春好处，写尽春好的时节。这句的深意在于：它以「莺初解语」的解语与「最是一年春好处」的春好处，写尽初春的生机——莺初解语，那「莺初解语」写尽早莺的解语——莺初解语，正是春回大地的写照，那「解语」写尽初春的生机；最是一年春好处，那「最是一年春好处」写尽春好的时节——一年春好处，正是早春最佳的写照，那「最是」写尽初春的生机；那「莺初解语」写尽早莺的解语，那「最是一年春好处」写尽春好的时节，一写莺，一写春，写尽初春的生机——莺初解语而一年春好，正是早春的写照；此二句以解语、春好处写尽初春的生机，也为下文的草色作铺垫，也让此二句成为全词写生机的核心与千古名句。若换作直说「春天刚到，天气很好」，则失其诗意；唯以「莺初解语」写解语、「最是一年春好处」写春好处，写尽初春的生机，也让此二句成为全词写生机的核心。

The oriole. The oriole has just begun to speak; this is the best part of the year's spring. The first oriole speech and the best-of-the-year spring are the early spring. To have said the oriole was just singing would be a moment; the oriole-just-begun-to-speak against the best-part-of-the-year's-spring is the moment.

休辞醉倒，花不看开人易老

Do not refuse the cup, do not refuse the tumbling into drink; a man should look at the flowers while they are open, for people grow old too soon.

休辞醉倒，花不看开人易老。

Do not refuse to fall drunk; if flowers are not seen opening, men grow old too soon.

此二句是全词写劝酒的核心，以休辞醉倒写醉倒，以花不看开人易老写人易老，写尽惜春的劝酒，是千古名句。「休辞醉倒」写休辞醉倒——那「休辞」写休辞，「醉倒」写醉倒，写尽休辞的醉倒；「花不看开人易老」写花不看开人易老——那「花不看开」写花不看开，「人易老」写人易老，写尽人易老的警示。这句的深意在于：它以「休辞醉倒」的醉倒与「花不看开人易老」的人易老，写尽惜春的劝酒——休辞醉倒，那「休辞醉倒」写尽休辞的醉倒——休辞醉倒，正是劝人痛饮的写照，那「休辞」写尽惜春的劝酒；花不看开人易老，那「花不看开人易老」写尽人易老的警示——花不看开，正是错过春光的写照，那「人易老」写尽惜春的劝酒；那「休辞醉倒」写尽休辞的醉倒，那「花不看开人易老」写尽人易老的警示，一写劝酒，一写易老，写尽惜春的劝酒——休辞醉倒而人易老，正是及时行乐的写照；此二句以醉倒、易老写尽惜春的劝酒，也为下文的莫待作铺垫，也让此二句成为全词写劝酒的核心与千古名句。若换作直说「趁年轻赶紧吃喝玩乐」，则失其雅致；唯以「休辞醉倒」写醉倒、「花不看开人易老」写人易老，写尽惜春的劝酒，也让此二句成为全词写劝酒的核心。

The urging. Do not refuse to fall drunk; if flowers are not seen opening, men grow old too soon. The do-not-refuse-the-drunk against the unseen-flowers-and-easy-aging is the carpe-diem. To have said one should drink while the spring lasts would be an urging; the do-not-refuse-to-fall-drunk against the flowers-not-seen-opening-men-growing-old-easily is the urging.

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Word focus

酥 'Soft as curd' - su, a rich dairy product; borrowed as a taste-word for the greasy, nourishing feel of the early rain. 「微雨如酥」之「酥」字是写春雨的关键词，一个「酥」字写尽春雨的滋润。酥者，酥油、润泽也。苏轼以「微雨如酥」写春雨，这个「酥」字至少有双重意味：其一，写雨之润——那「微雨如酥」写微雨如酥，那「酥」字写尽春雨的滋润——微雨如酥，正是春雨润物的写照，那「酥」字写尽初春的春色；其二，写味之甘——那「酥」字更是写甘——酥，正见春色的甘美，那「酥」字写尽初春的生机。以「酥」字写春雨，正是苏轼写春景的枢纽——若换作「润」「滑」等字，则或失其与「微雨」「如」的配合，或失其写酥的意味；唯「酥」字，以微雨如酥写尽春雨的滋润与春色的甘美，与「草色遥看近却无」的草色相合，写尽初春的春色，也让「微雨如酥」成为全词写春雨的名句。

莫 'Do not' - mo, the negative of 'take'; mo dai is 'do not wait for', and gives the poem its closing warning. 「莫待春回」之「莫」字是写劝诫的关键词，一个「莫」字写尽莫待的警示。莫者，不要、切勿也。苏轼以「莫待春回」写劝诫，这个「莫」字至少有双重意味：其一，写待之莫——那「莫待春回」写莫待春回，那「莫」字写尽莫待的警示——莫待春回，正是勿误春光的写照，那「莫」字写尽惜春的劝酒；其二，写情之切——那「莫」字更是写切——莫，正见劝诫的恳切，那「莫」字写尽苏轼的惜春。以「莫」字写劝诫，正是苏轼写春景的枢纽——若换作「勿」「休」等字，则或失其与「待春回」「颠倒红英间绿苔」的配合，或失其写莫的意味；唯「莫」字，以莫待春回写尽莫待的警示与劝诫的恳切，与「休辞醉倒」的休辞相合，写尽惜春的劝酒，也让「莫待春回」成为全词写劝诫的名句。