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唐 Tang · 诗 Poem

九日送别

Parting on the Ninth Day

王之涣

Wang Zhihuan

送别Parting 重阳Double Ninth Festival

蓟庭萧瑟故人稀，何处登高且送归。
今日暂同芳菊酒，明朝应作断蓬飞。

The Ji court is bleak and the old friends are few -
Where can I climb high enough to watch you go?
Today we share the wine of Chrysanthemum for a little while;
Tomorrow you will fly off like a rootless tumbleweed.

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Meaning

On the Double Ninth Festival the poet sees a friend off in the northern border town of Ji, where old friends are scarce and the court is bare. The custom of climbing a height finds no hill to climb, so the parting is made over a cup of chrysanthemum wine instead. The two days are set against each other: together now, gone tomorrow like a torn weed. The theme is the shortness of the meeting and the drifting that follows it.

蓟庭萧瑟故人稀，何处登高且送归。今日暂同芳菊酒，明朝应作断蓬飞。

Appreciation

[Plain Paraphrase] In a bleak border courtyard the poet counts his friends and looks for somewhere to climb; the holiday offers no hill, so he sees his companion off over wine instead. The last line sends him into the future as a tumbleweed.
[Structure] The two couplets are built on one axis of time and one axis of place. Time runs from 'today' to 'tomorrow'; place runs from the Ji court, where the parting happens, to wherever a torn weed ends up. Neither couplet mentions grief directly.
[Imagery] The chrysanthemum wine and the tumbleweed are the poem's two symbols: the first belongs to the festival and to the present, the second to the journey and to what follows. The distance between them is the poem's entire feeling.
[Tone] Twenty-eight characters, and not one adjective of sorrow; the grief arrives through the contrast rather than through description.

【白话串讲】王之涣写《九日送别》：“蓟庭萧瑟故人稀，何处登高且送归”——“今日暂同芳菊酒，明朝应作断蓬飞”——今天一起喝菊花酒，明天就要像断蓬一样各自飞散——他写重阳送别。【意象与手法】此诗写重阳送别，以佳节送别写离情，是王之涣的名篇。前两句「蓟庭萧瑟故人稀，何处登高且送归」写重阳送别的萧瑟——「蓟庭萧瑟故人稀」写蓟庭萧瑟、故人稀少，「何处登高且送归」写何处登高且送友人归去；后两句「今日暂同芳菊酒，明朝应作断蓬飞」写今昔的对照——「今日暂同芳菊酒」写今日暂同饮芳菊酒，「明朝应作断蓬飞」写明朝应作断蓬纷飞。全诗以重阳送别，以今昔对照写离情，写尽送别的感慨，正是王之涣「含蓄蕴藉」诗风的本领。【情感与主旨】此诗写重阳节在蓟庭（蓟地的庭院，蓟在今北京一带，唐时为边地）送别友人。重阳本有登高、赏菊、饮酒之俗，然此诗写重阳送别：蓟庭萧瑟，故人稀少，何处登高，暂且送友人归去；今日暂同饮芳菊酒（重阳饮菊花酒），明朝友人应如断蓬（断根的蓬草）纷飞远去。诗人以「蓟庭萧瑟故人稀」写送别之地的萧瑟与故人的稀少，「何处登高且送归」写重阳无兴登高、暂且送归，「今日暂同芳菊酒」写今日重阳暂同饮菊酒，「明朝应作断蓬飞」以断蓬写友人明日的远行飘零。全诗以重阳送别，以今昔对照写离情——今日同饮，明朝分别，那「暂同」写欢会的短暂，那「断蓬飞」写别后的飘零，写尽送别的感慨与离情，正是王之涣「含蓄蕴藉」诗风的本领。【名句点睛】常考「今日暂同芳菊酒，明朝应作断蓬飞」以今昔对照写离情；「断蓬」写友人远行的飘零；「蓟庭萧瑟故人稀」写送别之地的萧瑟；以及全诗以重阳送别、以今昔对照写离情的手法。

Background

Wang Zhihuan (688-742), courtesy name Jiling, came from Bingzhou Jinyang, in modern Taiyuan, and is remembered as a leading frontier poet of the High Tang. Ji, in the modern Beijing area, was a northern borderland in the Tang - a place of garrisons and of farewells. The Double Ninth, the ninth day of the ninth month, carried the customs of climbing a height, admiring chrysanthemums and drinking wine made from them, and the poet's difficulty is that on this occasion none of it can be performed as usual.

此诗写重阳节在蓟庭送别友人，是王之涣的名篇。王之涣（688—742），字季凌，并州晋阳（今山西太原）人，盛唐著名边塞诗人。蓟，即蓟州、蓟门，在今北京一带，唐时为北方边地，常为征戍、送别之所。此诗写重阳节送别：重阳本有登高、赏菊、饮酒之俗，然诗人于蓟庭送别友人——蓟庭萧瑟，故人稀少，何处登高，暂且送友人归去；今日暂同饮芳菊酒（重阳饮菊花酒），明朝友人应如断蓬（断根的蓬草，随风飘转）纷飞远去。诗人以「蓟庭萧瑟故人稀」写送别之地的萧瑟与故人的稀少，「何处登高且送归」写重阳无兴登高、暂且送归，「今日暂同芳菊酒」写今日重阳暂同饮菊酒，「明朝应作断蓬飞」以「断蓬」写友人明日的远行飘零——蓬草断根，随风飘转，正似友人别后的漂泊。全诗以重阳送别，以「今日」「明朝」的今昔对照写离情——今日同饮，明朝分别，那「暂同」写欢会的短暂，那「断蓬飞」写别后的飘零，写尽送别的感慨与离情。此诗虽仅二十八字，却是理解唐人重阳送别与王之涣诗风的重要篇章。

Art

Four things stand out. First, atmosphere by desolation: 'the Ji court is bleak and the old friends are few' establishes scarcity before anything has happened. Second, the holiday is turned into an impossibility - 'where can I climb?' - and the adverb qie ('at least, for now') drops the whole line back into plain action: unable to climb, the poet sees his friend off instead. Third, the pairing of today and tomorrow makes the two halves of the poem a single comparison in which the side of the meeting lasts one day. Fourth, the metaphor of the tumbleweed turns a journey into a botanical fact - a weed whose root is cut spins wherever the wind carries it - and so the traveller's future is given without a word of pity. The strongest effect is the reversal in the last couplet: the wine that gathers people together serves only to measure how briefly they stay together.

此诗的艺术特色可从四个方面解析。其一，以萧瑟写氛围。首句「蓟庭萧瑟故人稀」写蓟庭萧瑟、故人稀少——那「萧瑟」写蓟庭的萧瑟秋景，「故人稀」写故人稀少，以萧瑟写尽送别之地的寂寥氛围。其二，以设问写无兴。「何处登高且送归」以「何处」的设问写重阳无处登高、暂且送归——那「何处登高」写重阳本应登高却不知何处，那「且送归」写暂且送友人归去，写尽重阳送别的无奈。其三，以今昔对照写离情。「今日暂同芳菊酒，明朝应作断蓬飞」写今日暂同饮菊酒、明朝应作断蓬飞——那「今日」「明朝」的对照写今昔之别，「暂同」写欢会的短暂，「断蓬飞」写别后的飘零，以今昔对照写尽离情。其四，以比喻写飘零。「断蓬飞」以断根的蓬草喻友人的远行飘零——那「断蓬」写断根飘转的蓬草，「飞」写飘飞，以比喻写尽友人别后的漂泊。四重手法，使此诗以重阳送别，以今昔对照写离情，正是王之涣「含蓄蕴藉」诗风的本领。

Allusions

The ninth day of the ninth month carries the whole Double Ninth tradition of climbing, chrysanthemums and chrysanthemum wine, together with Wang Wei's line about inserting the cornel twig and finding oneself missing from the group. The Ji court recalls the border geography of the north, remembered through Du Fu's news that the Ji region had been retaken. The bleakness descends from Song Yu's autumn rhapsody, in which grass and trees are shaken down and wither. The tumbleweed belongs to a long line of Chinese poetry in which the tumbleweed plant stands for a life without a root - Wang Wei's 'travelling weed out of the Han pass' and the 'flying and spinning weed' of later verse - and Du Fu's line on meeting a friend after years rests on the same sense of lives crossing by chance.

此诗的用语深植于重阳与送别的传统。「九日」即九月九日重阳节，令人想到重阳登高、赏菊、饮菊花酒的习俗，也令人想到「遥知兄弟登高处，遍插茱萸少一人」（王维《九月九日忆山东兄弟》）的重阳思亲传统；「蓟庭」令人想到「蓟门」作为边地的意象，也令人想到「蓟北」的边塞传统——「剑外忽传收蓟北」（杜甫《闻官军收河南河北》），蓟为北方边地；「萧瑟」令人想到「萧瑟兮草木摇落而变衰」（宋玉《九辩》）的悲秋传统，也令人想到「无边落木萧萧下」的萧瑟意象；「登高」令人想到重阳登高的习俗，也令人想到「登高能赋」的传统；「芳菊酒」令人想到重阳饮菊花酒的习俗——菊花酒又名「菊花醪」，令人想到「采菊东篱下」（陶渊明）的菊意象与重阳饮酒的传统；「断蓬」令人想到「征蓬出汉塞，归雁入胡天」（王维《使至塞上》）的蓬草意象——「征蓬」喻远行者，令人想到「蓬」作为漂泊无定的象征，也令人想到「人生不相见，动如参与商」（杜甫）的别离感慨；「飞」令人想到「飞蓬」的飘转意象，也令人想到「转蓬」的漂泊传统。全诗化用重阳、登高、菊酒、断蓬的传统意象，以重阳送别写离情，正是王之涣承送别与重阳传统、以今昔对照写离情的本领。

Commentary

One of Wang Zhihuan's best-known short poems and the standard Tang example of parting at a festival. Qing anthologists called it plain in words and deep in feeling; later readers single out 'tomorrow you will fly off like a rootless tumbleweed' as the poem's pivot, because it moves the whole poem out of the courtyard and into the road. It is often read beside Wang Wei's Ninth Day poem, which thinks of family, and Gao Shi's parting poem, which consoles - the same festival and the same occasion seen from three different tempers.

此诗历来被推为王之涣的名篇，也是唐人重阳送别诗的代表。历代论者对此诗评价极高：清人评此诗「以重阳送别，今昔对照，语浅意深」；近人更指出「明朝应作断蓬飞」以断蓬写别后飘零，是此诗的点睛之笔。在诗歌史上，此诗的特殊价值在于：它以二十八字的短章写尽重阳送别的感慨——那萧瑟的蓟庭，那稀少的故人，那无处登高的无奈，那暂同的菊酒，那明朝的断蓬飞，都写尽了重阳送别的景致与离情；那「断蓬飞」更写尽友人别后的飘零。此诗与王维《九月九日忆山东兄弟》同为重阳名篇，一写思亲，一写送别；又与王勃《江亭夜月送别》同为送别名篇，可见唐人重阳送别与江亭送别的不同情调。对于今日读者，此诗是理解唐人重阳送别习俗与王之涣诗风的窗口，也是中国诗写送别的经典——那明朝断蓬飞的飘零，穿越千年，仍在诉说着重阳送别的离情。

Prosody

Form Poetry - seven-character quatrain (qi-yan jue-ju)诗·七言绝句

Rhyme Level-tone rhyme on the Wei group - xi (xi), gui (gui), fei (fei) - rhyming on the second and fourth lines and on the last word of the fourth.押平声微韵（稀、归、飞），三句皆押韵，平韵悠长，正合离情的悠长

Tone pattern The four lines begin on an oblique tone and close on a level rhyme, rising out of the bleak first couplet and settling on the prolonged level rhyme, which keeps the farewell open rather than closed.此诗为七言绝句，四句，前写送别，后写离情。全诗仄起平收，节奏从容，于平易中见深婉。

Reading note The standard regained quatrain of twenty-eight characters. The rhyme words are 'few', 'go', 'fly', so the whole poem rhymes on things that leave. Rhyme falls on the second line and the closing line, and the two middle characters of the third line carry the pivot from present to future. Read the first couplet slowly and dry, the third line warmly, and the last line with the longest possible pause after 'fly'.此诗为七言绝句，四句：前两句写送别（蓟庭萧瑟故人稀，何处登高且送归），后两句写离情（今日暂同芳菊酒，明朝应作断蓬飞）。押平声微韵，韵脚「稀、归、飞」皆平声，悠长舒缓，正合离情的悠长。全诗以重阳送别——首句「蓟庭萧瑟故人稀」写送别之地的萧瑟，次句「何处登高且送归」写重阳无兴送归，三句「今日暂同芳菊酒」写今日同饮，结句「明朝应作断蓬飞」以断蓬写别后飘零，起承转合，一气呵成。此诗最见王之涣七绝的「含蓄蕴藉」：前写今、后写明朝，以今昔对照写离情。诵读此诗，宜以萧瑟的语调读「蓟庭萧瑟故人稀」的送别，以感慨的语调读「今日暂同芳菊酒」的欢会，结句「明朝应作断蓬飞」要读得深婉而有余韵，方能传达出王之涣的离情。王之涣七绝以「含蓄」著称，此诗正是其重阳送别七绝的典范。

Line by line

蓟庭萧瑟故人稀，何处登高且送归

The Ji court is bleak and the old friends are few - where can I climb high enough to watch you go?

蓟庭萧瑟，故人稀少，何处登高，暂且送友人归去。

The Jilin courtyard is bleak; old friends are few. Where shall we climb the heights? For now, I see you home.

此联写重阳送别的萧瑟，以萧瑟写氛围，以设问写无兴。「蓟庭萧瑟故人稀」写蓟庭萧瑟、故人稀少——那「蓟庭」写蓟地的庭院，「萧瑟」写秋日的萧瑟，「故人稀」写故人稀少，写尽送别之地的寂寥；「何处登高且送归」写何处登高且送友人归去——那「何处登高」以设问写重阳无处登高，「且送归」写暂且送友人归去，写尽重阳送别的无奈。这句的深意在于：它以「蓟庭萧瑟故人稀」的萧瑟与「何处登高且送归」的设问，写尽重阳送别的寂寥与无奈——蓟庭萧瑟，故人稀少，正是边地送别的寂寥氛围；重阳本应登高，却无处可登，只得暂且送友人归去，那「何处登高」的设问写尽重阳无兴的无奈，那「且送归」写尽送别的仓促；萧瑟之景与无奈之情交融，写尽重阳送别的寂寥。若换作直说「重阳节送别很冷清」，则失其含蓄；唯以「蓟庭萧瑟故人稀」写萧瑟、「何处登高且送归」的设问写无兴，写尽重阳送别的寂寥与无奈，也让此联成为全诗送别氛围的开篇。

The bleakness. The Jilin courtyard is bleak; old friends are few. Where shall we climb the heights? For now, I see you home. The bleak northern courtyard, the few old friends, and the where-shall-we-climb question are the Double-Ninth parting. To have described the bleak Double Ninth would be a setting; the Jilin-courtyard-bleak-old-few against the where-shall-we-climb-for-now-seeing-you-home is the setting.

今日暂同芳菊酒，明朝应作断蓬飞

Today we share the wine of Chrysanthemum for a little while; tomorrow you will fly off like a rootless tumbleweed.

今日暂同饮芳菊酒，明朝应作断蓬纷飞。

Today we share the chrysanthemum wine; tomorrow you will fly like a broken thistle.

此联是全诗的点睛之笔，以今昔对照写离情，以断蓬写飘零。「今日暂同芳菊酒」写今日暂同饮芳菊酒——那「今日」写当前，「暂同」写暂时一同，「芳菊酒」写重阳的菊花酒，写尽今日重阳同饮的欢会；「明朝应作断蓬飞」写明朝应作断蓬纷飞——那「明朝」写明日，「应作」写应会化作，「断蓬飞」写断根的蓬草纷飞，写尽友人明日的远行飘零。这句的深意在于：它以「今日」「明朝」的今昔对照，写尽送别的感慨——今日重阳，暂同饮芳菊酒，是欢会的时刻；明朝友人即别，应如断根的蓬草，随风飘飞远去；那「今日」「明朝」的对照写尽欢会的短暂与分别的必然，那「暂同」写尽同饮的短暂，那「断蓬飞」以断根的蓬草写友人别后的漂泊——蓬草断根，随风飘转，正似友人远行的无定；今日同饮，明朝飘零，一欢一散，正写尽重阳送别的离情与感慨。若换作直说「今天喝酒明天就分别了」，则失其含蓄；唯以「今日暂同芳菊酒」写欢会、「明朝应作断蓬飞」的比喻写飘零，以今昔对照写尽离情，也让此联成为全诗的点睛之笔。

The thistle. Today we share the chrysanthemum wine; tomorrow you will fly like a broken thistle. The today-tomorrow contrast and the broken-thistle image are the parting. To have compared the parted friend to a broken thistle would be a comparison; the today-sharing-the-chrysanthemum-wine against the tomorrow-you'll-fly-like-a-broken-thistle is the comparison.

Study

Word focus

暂 'For a little while' - zan, briefly, for the moment; it marks the wine as a short interval rather than a lasting state. 「今日暂同芳菊酒」之「暂」字是写离情的关键字，一个「暂」字写尽欢会的短暂。暂者，暂且、暂时也。王之涣以「暂同」写今日同饮，这个「暂」字至少有双重意味：其一，写欢会之短——那「暂同」写暂且一同，那「暂」字写尽今日同饮的短暂，欢会转瞬即逝；其二，写别离之近——那「暂」字更是写别离——今日暂同，明朝即别，那「暂」字写尽欢会的短暂与别离的临近。以「暂」字写离情，正是王之涣写今昔对照的枢纽——若换作「共」「同」等字，则或失其与「明朝应作断蓬飞」的对照，或失其离情的深婉；唯「暂」字，以一字写尽今日同饮的短暂与明朝即别的临近，与「明朝应作断蓬飞」相合，写尽重阳送别的离情，也让「今日暂同芳菊酒」成为全诗今昔对照的关键。

断 'Torn, cut off' - duan, broken; a torn weed is one whose root is severed, hence the classic figure for a traveller without a home. 「明朝应作断蓬飞」之「断」字是写飘零的关键字，一个「断」字写尽友人别后的漂泊。断者，折断、断绝也。王之涣以「断蓬」写友人，这个「断」字至少有双重意味：其一，写蓬根之断——那「断蓬」写断根的蓬草，那「断」字写蓬根已断，随风飘转，写尽漂泊的无定；其二，写离情之绝——那「断」字更是写离情——蓬根断，正如友人与此地别绝，那「断」字写尽离别的决绝与飘零。以「断」字写飘零，正是王之涣收束全诗的枢纽——若换作「飞」「转」等字，则或失其与「蓬」的配合，或失其漂泊的力度；唯「断」字，以一字写尽断根飘转的蓬草与友人别后的漂泊，与「明朝应作」的推测相合，写尽重阳送别的离情，也让「明朝应作断蓬飞」成为全诗的点睛之笔。