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魏晋 Wei-Jin · 诗 Poem

箜篌引

Song of the Konghou

曹植

Cao Zhi

宴饮Feasting 感慨Reflection

置酒高殿上，亲交从我游。
中厨办丰膳，烹羊宰肥牛。
秦筝何慷慨，齐瑟和且柔。
阳阿奏奇舞，京洛出名讴。
乐饮过三爵，缓带倾庶羞。
主称千金寿，宾奉万年酬。
久要不可忘，薄终义所尤。
谦谦君子德，磬折欲何求。
惊风飘白日，光景驰西流。
盛时不再来，百年忽我遒。
生存华屋处，零落归山丘。
先民谁不死，知命复何忧。

Wine is set in the high hall; kin and friends roam with me.
In the middle kitchen a rich feast is prepared; sheep are cooked, fat oxen slaughtered.
The Qin zither, how stirring; the Qi se, harmonious and soft.
At Yang'e a wondrous dance is played; from Jing and Luo famous songs arise.
We drink merrily past three cups; loosening our sashes, we pour out every dish.
The host proposes a thousand-gold toast; the guests offer ten-thousand-year reply.
Old promises must not be forgotten; a cold ending is what righteousness blames.
The modest gentleman's virtue—bowing like a qing, what does he seek?
A startling wind scatters the white sun; light and shadow gallop westward.
The prime time comes no more; a hundred years suddenly press upon me.
Alive, one dwells in splendid rooms; fallen, one returns to the hills.
What mortal did not die? Knowing fate, what sorrow remains?

Listen

Meaning

Cao Zhi paints a sumptuous banquet of music, dance and wine, then turns abruptly to the brevity of life. The revelry gives way to the realization that time flies and all must die, closing with a stoical acceptance. The poem weaves joy and lament into a calm philosophical detachment.

置酒高殿上，亲交从我游。中厨办丰膳，烹羊宰肥牛。秦筝何慷慨，齐瑟和且柔。阳阿奏奇舞，京洛出名讴。乐饮过三爵，缓带倾庶羞。主称千金寿，宾奉万年酬。久要不可忘，薄终义所尤。谦谦君子德，磬折欲何求。惊风飘白日，光景驰西流。盛时不再来，百年忽我遒。生存华屋处，零落归山丘。先民谁不死，知命复何忧。

Appreciation

[Plain Paraphrase] The first eight lines depict the banquet's splendor: wine in the high hall, kin and friends, a rich feast, the stirring Qin zither and soft Qi se, the wondrous dance and famous songs. The middle four lines write the merry drinking and the host-guest toasts. The last twelve turn to reflection: old promises, modest virtue, the startling wind scattering the sun, time galloping west, the prime never returning, life's sudden press, splendid rooms versus the hills, and knowing fate without sorrow. [Structure] The poem follows banquet-to-reflection: the front half exhausts the scene's magnificence and joy, the back half exhausts time's passing and life's brevity, closing in detachment—a complex mood of 'joy then feeling, feeling then release.' [Imagery] 'Startling wind scatters the white sun' and 'light and shadow gallop west' are famous lines on time's flight; 'splendid rooms' versus 'hills' condense life's impermanence. The whole achieves, in Jian'an fashion, 'lofty bone and rare height' with both heroic music and philosophical calm.

【白话串讲】曹植写《箜篌引》：“置酒高殿上，亲交从我游”——“中厨办丰膳，烹羊宰肥牛”——“乐饮过三爵，缓带倾庶羞”——“久要不可忘，薄终义所尤”——“谦谦君子德，磬折欲何求”——他写宴饮与友情。【意象与手法】此诗写宴饮之乐与人生短暂的感慨，是曹植的名篇。前八句写宴饮的盛况：「置酒高殿上」写置酒高殿上，「亲交从我游」写亲交从我游，「中厨办丰膳」写中厨办丰膳，「烹羊宰肥牛」写烹羊宰肥牛，「秦筝何慷慨」写秦筝何慷慨，「齐瑟和且柔」写齐瑟和且柔，「阳阿奏奇舞」写阳阿奏奇舞，「京洛出名讴」写京洛出名讴；中四句写宴饮的欢愉与情义：「乐饮过三爵」写乐饮过三爵，「缓带倾庶羞」写缓带倾庶羞，「主称千金寿」写主称千金寿，「宾奉万年酬」写宾奉万年酬；后十二句写感慨：「久要不可忘」写久要不可忘，「薄终义所尤」写薄终义所尤，「谦谦君子德」写谦谦君子德，「磬折欲何求」写磬折欲何求，「惊风飘白日」写惊风飘白日，「光景驰西流」写光景驰西流，「盛时不再来」写盛时不再来，「百年忽我遒」写百年忽我遒，「生存华屋处」写生存华屋处，「零落归山丘」写零落归山丘，「先民谁不死」写先民谁不死，「知命复何忧」写知命复何忧。全诗以宴饮写人生短暂的感慨，写尽乐而感、感而达的复杂心绪，是曹植的代表作。【情感与主旨】此诗写宴饮之乐与人生短暂的感慨，是曹植的名篇。曹植（192—232），字子建，沛国谯（今安徽亳州）人，三国魏著名诗人，曹操之子，与曹操、曹丕并称「三曹」，是建安文学的代表。此诗写宴饮：置酒高殿上，亲交从我游；中厨办丰膳，烹羊宰肥牛；秦筝何慷慨，齐瑟和且柔；阳阿（舞名）奏奇舞，京洛出名讴（名曲）；乐饮过三爵，缓带倾庶羞；主称千金寿，宾奉万年酬；久要（旧约）不可忘，薄终义所尤（薄情而终是道义所责）；谦谦君子德，磬折（弯腰）欲何求；惊风飘白日，光景（时光）驰西流；盛时不再来，百年忽我遒（迫近）；生存华屋处，零落归山丘；先民谁不死，知命复何忧。全诗以宴饮写人生短暂的感慨——前段写尽宴饮的盛况与欢愉，后段写尽时光易逝、人生短暂的感慨，而以「知命复何忧」的达观收束，写尽乐而感、感而达的复杂心绪，是理解曹植与建安文学的重要篇章。【名句点睛】常考「惊风飘白日，光景驰西流」写时光易逝的名句；「盛时不再来，百年忽我遒」写人生短暂；「生存华屋处，零落归山丘」写人生归宿；「先民谁不死，知命复何忧」写知命达观；以及全诗以宴饮写人生感慨、乐而感感而达的手法。

Background

Cao Zhi (192–232), courtesy name Zijian, was a native of Pei commandery Qiao (today's Bozhou, Anhui), a famous poet of the state of Wei in the Three Kingdoms, son of Cao Cao, and with father and brother counted among the 'Three Caos,' a representative of Jian'an literature, famed as 'eight dou of talent.' Gifted yet ill-fated, he was favored by Cao Cao in youth but later suppressed by Cao Pi's suspicion, his great ambitions unfulfilled, and many of his poems voice life's reflections. This poem depicts a banquet: wine set in the high hall with kin and friends; a rich middle-kitchen feast of sheep and oxen; the stirring Qin zither and soft Qi se; the Yang'e dance and Jing-Luo songs; merry drinking past three cups; the host's thousand-gold toast and guests' ten-thousand-year reply; old promises not forgotten and a cold ending blamed by righteousness; the modest gentleman bowing like a qing; the startling wind scattering the sun and light galloping west; the prime never returning and a hundred years pressing near; alive in splendid rooms, fallen to the hills; what mortal did not die, knowing fate without sorrow. It closes in detachment, a crucial text for Cao Zhi and Jian'an literature.

此诗写宴饮之乐与人生短暂的感慨，是曹植的名篇。曹植（192—232），字子建，沛国谯（今安徽亳州）人，三国魏著名诗人，曹操之子，与曹操、曹丕并称「三曹」，是建安文学的代表，有「才高八斗」之称。曹植才华横溢而命运多舛，早年受曹操宠爱，后因曹丕猜忌，备受压抑，壮志难酬，其诗多写人生感慨。此诗写宴饮：「置酒高殿上，亲交从我游」写置酒高殿、亲交同游；「中厨办丰膳，烹羊宰肥牛」写丰盛的宴席；「秦筝何慷慨，齐瑟和且柔」写秦筝慷慨、齐瑟和柔；「阳阿奏奇舞，京洛出名讴」写阳阿奇舞、京洛名曲；「乐饮过三爵，缓带倾庶羞」写乐饮三爵、缓带尽享佳肴；「主称千金寿，宾奉万年酬」写主祝千金之寿、宾奉万年之祝；「久要不可忘，薄终义所尤」写旧约不可忘、薄情而终是道义所责；「谦谦君子德，磬折欲何求」写谦谦君子的德行、磬折（弯腰）又欲何求；「惊风飘白日，光景驰西流」写惊风飘白日、时光驰向西流；「盛时不再来，百年忽我遒」写盛时不再来、百年忽然迫近；「生存华屋处，零落归山丘」写生时居于华屋、死时零落归山丘；「先民谁不死，知命复何忧」写先民谁不死、知命复何忧。全诗以宴饮写人生短暂的感慨，以「知命复何忧」的达观收束，是理解曹植与建安文学的重要篇章。

Art

The artistry can be read in four aspects. First, expository enumeration (铺陈) of the scene: the first eight lines pile up 'wine,' 'rich feast,' 'sheep and oxen,' 'Qin zither,' 'Qi se,' 'wondrous dance,' 'famous songs' to exhaust the banquet's grandeur. Second, antithetical pairing of merriment: the middle four lines pair 'merry drinking' with 'loosening sashes' and 'host's toast' with 'guest's reply' to write the conviviality. Third, aphoristic lines for reflection: 'A startling wind scatters the white sun; light and shadow gallop westward' and 'The prime time comes no more' write time's flight in sententious form. Fourth, detached closure: 'Alive, one dwells in splendid rooms; fallen, one returns to the hills' and 'What mortal did not die? Knowing fate, what sorrow remains?' close in philosophical ease. The fourfold method weaves joy, feeling and release into one complex mood, a representative of Cao Zhi.

此诗的艺术特色可从四个方面解析。其一，以铺陈写盛况。前八句「置酒高殿上，亲交从我游。中厨办丰膳，烹羊宰肥牛。秦筝何慷慨，齐瑟和且柔。阳阿奏奇舞，京洛出名讴」以铺陈写宴饮的盛况——那「置酒」「丰膳」「烹羊宰肥牛」「秦筝」「齐瑟」「奇舞」「名讴」写尽宴饮的盛大，铺陈写尽盛况。其二，以对举写欢愉。中四句「乐饮过三爵，缓带倾庶羞。主称千金寿，宾奉万年酬」以对举写欢愉——那「乐饮」「缓带」写尽欢愉，「主称千金寿，宾奉万年酬」写尽主宾的酬酢，对举写尽宴饮的欢愉。其三，以警句写感慨。「惊风飘白日，光景驰西流。盛时不再来，百年忽我遒」以警句写感慨——那「惊风飘白日，光景驰西流」写时光如白日飘驰，「盛时不再来」写盛时不再，以警句写尽时光易逝的感慨。其四，以达观收束。「生存华屋处，零落归山丘。先民谁不死，知命复何忧」以「先民谁不死，知命复何忧」的达观收束——那「先民谁不死」写先民谁不死，「知命复何忧」写知命复何忧，以达观收束，写尽人生感慨中的旷达。四重手法，使此诗以宴饮写人生短暂的感慨，写尽乐而感、感而达的复杂心绪，是曹植的代表作。

Allusions

The diction is steeped in the banquet and life-reflection tradition. 'Wine set in the high hall' evokes 'setting wine in the high hall, singing sadly over the cup'; 'kin and friends roam with me' evokes companions; 'rich feast' the inner kitchen's abundance; 'sheep and oxen' echoes Li Bai's 'kill the sheep, slaughter the ox, let us be merry'; 'Qin zither, how stirring' the Qin zither's fervor; 'Qi se, harmonious and soft' the Qi zither's gentleness; 'Yang'e wondrous dance' the famous dance tune Yang'e; 'Jing-Luo famous songs' the capital's renowned airs; 'past three cups' the three-cup ritual; 'loosening sashes' evokes ease; 'thousand-gold toast' the weighty birthday gift; 'ten-thousand-year reply' the long-life wish; 'old promises' echoes the Analects 'not forgetting the words of a lifetime'; 'modest gentleman' the Zhouyi 'modest gentleman, shepherding himself in humility'; 'bowing like a qing' the respectful bow; 'startling wind scatters the white sun' the swift wind and sun, recalling 'the sun sets behind the mountains'; 'light and shadow gallop west' time's westward rush; 'the prime comes no more' echoes Tao Yuanming's 'the prime years come not again'; 'a hundred years' life's span; 'splendid rooms' versus 'hills' the grave's return; 'what mortal did not die' and 'knowing fate' the Analects 'at fifty know Heaven's decree' and the ease of accepting fate. The poem absorbs these traditional images and allusions to write life's brevity in detached acceptance.

此诗的用语深植于宴饮与人生感慨的传统。「置酒高殿上」令人想到「置酒」写设宴的意象——「置酒高堂，悲歌临觞」，也令人想到「高殿」写华贵殿宇的意象；「亲交从我游」令人想到「亲交」写亲友的意象，也令人想到「从游」写随从游宴的意象；「中厨办丰膳」令人想到「中厨」写内厨的意象，也令人想到「丰膳」写丰盛膳食的意象；「烹羊宰肥牛」令人想到「烹羊宰牛」写宴饮的意象——「烹羊宰牛且为乐，会须一饮三百杯」（李白《将进酒》），也令人想到「太牢」的盛筵；「秦筝何慷慨」令人想到「秦筝」写秦地之筝的意象，也令人想到「慷慨」写激昂的意象；「齐瑟和且柔」令人想到「齐瑟」写齐地之瑟的意象，也令人想到「和且柔」写和柔的意象；「阳阿奏奇舞」令人想到「阳阿」写舞名（阳阿是古代著名的舞曲名）的意象，也令人想到「奇舞」写奇妙舞蹈的意象；「京洛出名讴」令人想到「京洛」写京都洛阳的意象，也令人想到「名讴」写著名歌曲的意象；「乐饮过三爵」令人想到「三爵」写三杯酒的意象——「三爵之礼」的饮酒礼，也令人想到「乐饮」写尽兴饮酒的意象；「缓带倾庶羞」令人想到「缓带」写放松衣带的意象——「缓带轻裘」，也令人想到「庶羞」写众多佳肴的意象；「主称千金寿」令人想到「称寿」写祝寿的意象——「奉觞上寿」，也令人想到「千金寿」写贵重祝礼的意象；「宾奉万年酬」令人想到「万年」写万寿无疆的祝辞——「万岁千秋」，也令人想到「酬」写回敬的意象；「久要不可忘」令人想到「久要」写旧约的意象——《论语》「久要不忘平生之言」，也令人想到「故人」的旧谊；「薄终义所尤」令人想到「薄终」写薄情而终的意象，也令人想到「义」写道义的意象；「谦谦君子德」令人想到「谦谦君子」写谦逊君子的意象——《周易》「谦谦君子，卑以自牧」，也令人想到「君子之德」的传统；「磬折欲何求」令人想到「磬折」写弯腰如磬的意象——「磬折」是恭敬的姿态，也令人想到「何求」写无所求的意象；「惊风飘白日」令人想到「惊风」写疾风的意象，也令人想到「白日」写太阳的意象——「白日依山尽」，更令人想到「羲和驭日」的时光；「光景驰西流」令人想到「光景」写时光的意象，也令人想到「驰西流」写向西疾驰的意象；「盛时不再来」令人想到「盛时不再来」写盛时难再的意象——「盛年不重来，一日难再晨」（陶渊明《杂诗》），也令人想到「时不再来」的感慨；「百年忽我遒」令人想到「百年」写一生的意象——「人生不满百」，也令人想到「遒」写迫近的意象；「生存华屋处」令人想到「华屋」写华美房屋的意象——「华屋山丘」，也令人想到「生存」写生时的意象；「零落归山丘」令人想到「零落」写凋零的意象，也令人想到「山丘」写坟墓的意象——「可怜无定河边骨」，更令人想到「一抔黄土」的归宿；「先民谁不死」令人想到「先民」写古人的意象，也令人想到「谁不死」写人皆有死的感慨；「知命复何忧」令人想到「知命」写知天命的意象——《论语》「五十而知天命」，也令人想到「乐天知命」的达观。全诗化用三爵、久要、谦谦君子、磬折、惊风白日、盛时不再来、华屋山丘、先民、知命的传统意象与典故，以宴饮写人生短暂的感慨，正是曹植「骨气奇高」而善用典、承人生感慨传统写达观的本领。

Commentary

This poem has long been praised as a masterpiece of Cao Zhi and a representative of Jian'an literature. Critics rated it highly: Zhong Rong's 'Poetry Gradations' says Cao Zhi's poetry has 'lofty bone and rare height, splendid diction'; a Qing reader notes 'A startling wind scatters the white sun; light and shadow gallop westward' as a timeless line on time's flight. Its special value lies in using twenty-four lines to exhaust both banquet-joy and life's reflection—the wine, the feast, the zithers, the dance, the songs, the toasts, the startling sun, the passing prime, the splendid rooms and hills, the knowing fate—all in Cao Zhi's hand. It pairs with Cao Cao's 'Short Song' ('Singing to wine, how brief is life') as banquet-reflection masterpieces—one seeking worthies, one accepting fate; and inherits Tao Yuanming's 'the prime comes not again.' For today's readers it is a window into Cao Zhi and Jian'an literature, and a classic of banquet-reflection: that white sun galloping west still speaks, across ages, of prime-time-past and fate-accepted ease.

此诗历来被推为曹植的名篇，也是建安文学的代表作。历代论者对此诗评价极高：钟嵘《诗品》评曹植诗「骨气奇高，词采华茂」；清人更指出「惊风飘白日，光景驰西流」写时光易逝，是千古名句。在诗歌史上，此诗的特殊价值在于：它以二十四句的长歌写尽宴饮之乐与人生短暂的感慨——那高殿上的美酒，那丰膳肥牛的盛宴，那慷慨的秦筝，那和柔的齐瑟，那阳阿的奇舞，那京洛的名讴，那三爵的乐饮，那千金寿的酬酢，那惊风飘白日的时光，那盛时不再来的感慨，那华屋零落山丘的归宿，那先民知命的达观，都写尽了曹植宴饮中的感慨与旷达；那「惊风飘白日，光景驰西流」更写尽时光易逝的深沉感慨。此诗与曹操《短歌行》（「对酒当歌，人生几何」）同为宴饮感慨名篇，一写「周公吐哺」的求贤，一写「知命复何忧」的达观；又与陶渊明「盛年不重来」的感慨一脉相承，可见中国诗写人生感慨的传统。对于今日读者，此诗是理解曹植与建安文学的窗口，也是中国诗写宴饮感慨的经典——那驰向西流的白日，穿越千年，仍在诉说着盛时不再、知命无忧的感慨。

Prosody

Form Poetry · Five-character ancient-style verse诗·五言古诗

Rhyme Five-character ancient-style; even lines rhyme (游/牛, 柔/讴, 羞/酬, 尤/求, 流/遒/丘/忧), one rhyme throughout.五言古体，偶句押韵（游/牛、柔/讴、羞/酬、尤/求、流/遒/丘/忧），一韵到底

Tone pattern A five-character ancient-style poem of twenty-four lines, even lines rhyming throughout in one rhyme, with a grave, flowing music fitting both the banquet's ease and reflection's depth.此诗为五言古诗，二十四句，偶句押韵，一韵到底，音节雍容，正合宴饮的雍容与感慨的深沉。

Reading note This is a five-character ancient-style poem of twenty-four lines, even lines rhyming in the 'you' category (游, 牛, 柔, 讴, 羞, 酬, 尤, 求, 流, 遒, 丘, 忧), one rhyme throughout, grave and flowing. The first eight lines depict the banquet's splendor, the middle four the merriment and toasts, the last twelve time and detachment. Read the splendor in a full tone, the startling sun in a feeling tone, and close 'What mortal did not die? Knowing fate, what sorrow remains?' in expansive ease, to convey Cao Zhi's reflection and detachment. His five-character verse is famed for 'lofty bone,' and this is the model of his banquet-reflection poetry.此诗为五言古诗，二十四句，偶句押韵——「从游」「肥牛」「和且柔」「出名讴」「倾庶羞」「奉万年酬」「义所尤」「欲何求」「驰西流」「忽我遒」「归山丘」「复何忧」皆押「尤」部韵（游、牛、柔、讴、羞、酬、尤、求、流、遒、丘、忧），一韵到底，音节雍容流宕。全诗以宴饮写感慨：前八句写宴饮的盛况（置酒高殿上，亲交从我游；中厨办丰膳，烹羊宰肥牛；秦筝何慷慨，齐瑟和且柔；阳阿奏奇舞，京洛出名讴），中四句写欢愉与情义（乐饮过三爵，缓带倾庶羞；主称千金寿，宾奉万年酬；久要不可忘，薄终义所尤；谦谦君子德，磬折欲何求），后十二句写时光与达观。诵读此诗，宜以雍容的语调读「置酒高殿上」的盛况，以感慨的语调读「惊风飘白日」的时光，结句「先民谁不死，知命复何忧」要读得旷达而有余韵，方能传达出曹植的感慨与达观。曹植五言以「骨气奇高」著称，此诗正是其宴饮感慨五言的典范。

Line by line

惊风飘白日，光景驰西流

A startling wind scatters the white sun; light and shadow gallop westward.

惊风飘着白日，时光疾驰向西流。

A startled wind drifts the bright sun; time races westward.

此联是全诗写感慨的核心，以惊风白日写时光易逝，是千古名句。「惊风飘白日」写惊风飘着白日——那「惊风」写疾风，「飘白日」写白日被风吹飘，写尽时光飞逝的意象；「光景驰西流」写时光疾驰向西流——那「光景」写时光，「驰西流」写向西疾驰，写尽时光一去不返。这句的深意在于：它以「惊风飘白日」的意象与「光景驰西流」的直陈，写尽时光易逝的深沉感慨——惊风飘着白日，那「惊风飘白日」写尽时光如白日被惊风吹飘的意象——白日本高悬，却被惊风飘动，正见时光之速、日暮之近；时光疾驰向西流，那「光景驰西流」写尽时光向西疾驰、一去不返——日向西落，时光西流，正是光阴似箭；那「飘白日」写尽日暮之近，那「驰西流」写尽时光之速，一写意象，一写直陈，写尽时光易逝的深沉感慨——前文写尽宴饮的盛况与欢愉，此联以惊风白日写时光，从宴饮之乐转入时光易逝之慨，正是全诗由乐转感的枢纽，也为「盛时不再来，百年忽我遒」张本。若换作直说「时光过得真快」，则失其意象；唯以「惊风飘白日」的意象与「光景驰西流」的直陈写时光易逝，写尽感慨之深，也让此联成为全诗写感慨的核心与千古名句。

The wind. A startled wind drifts the bright sun; time races westward. The startled wind moving the sun and the racing westward time are the poem's opening on transience. To have described the flying sun would be an image; the startled-wind-drifting-the-bright-sun against the time-racing-westward is the image.

生存华屋处，零落归山丘

Alive, one dwells in splendid rooms; fallen, one returns to the hills.

生时居于华屋，死时零落归于山丘。

Alive, we dwell in splendid halls; fallen, we return to the hills.

此联写人生的归宿，以华屋与山丘对照写尽人生无常，是千古名句。「生存华屋处」写生时居于华屋——那「生存」写活着时，「华屋处」写华美的屋宇，写尽生时的富贵；「零落归山丘」写死时零落归于山丘——那「零落」写凋零，「归山丘」写归于山丘，写尽死后的归宿。这句的深意在于：它以「生存华屋处」的富贵与「零落归山丘」的归宿，写尽人生无常的感慨——生时居于华屋，那「华屋处」写尽生时的富贵荣华——高殿美酒、华屋锦衣，正是生时的盛况；死时零落归于山丘，那「零落归山丘」写尽死后的归宿——任你生前如何富贵，死后终归零落、归于山丘，那「零落」写尽凋零，「归山丘」写尽归于一抔黄土；那「生存华屋处」写尽生时的富贵，那「零落归山丘」写尽死后的虚空，一华一零，写尽人生无常的深沉感慨——华屋与山丘的对照，写尽富贵如云烟、人生终归尘土，正是曹植对人生归宿的深刻体悟；此联上承「盛时不再来，百年忽我遒」的感慨，下启「先民谁不死，知命复何忧」的达观，是曹植由感慨转向达观的枢纽。若换作直说「人生最终都要死」，则失其对照；唯以「生存华屋处」与「零落归山丘」的对照写尽人生无常，写尽感慨之深，也让此联成为全诗写人生归宿的千古名句。

The halls. Alive, we dwell in splendid halls; fallen, we return to the hills. The splendid halls of life against the hills of death are the Cao Zhi contrast. To have described the rich life and the bare grave would be a contrast; the alive-in-splendid-halls against the fallen-returning-to-the-hills is the contrast.

Study

Word focus

惊 The character 'jing' (惊, 'startling') in 'a startling wind scatters the white sun' (惊风飘白日) is the keyword of time, writing in one character the heart-stopping speed of time's flight. 'Jing' means sudden, alarming. Cao Zhi uses it at least doubly: first, as the wind's violence—the startling wind writes the wind's sudden force, the sun scattered, showing time's swiftness; second, as time's alarm—'jing' also writes feeling: the startling wind scatters the sun and time flies, alarming the heart. As the hinge of his reflection, 'jing' pairs with 'light and shadow gallop west' to exhaust the deep lament of time's passage, making the line a famous reflection; replacing it with 'ji' or 'jing (劲)' would lose the heart-stopping quality. 「惊风飘白日」之「惊」字是写时光的关键字，一个「惊」字写尽时光飞逝的惊心。惊者，惊疾、惊人、突然也。曹植以「惊风」写飘白日，这个「惊」字至少有双重意味：其一，写风之疾——那「惊风飘白日」写惊风飘着白日，那「惊」字写尽风势的疾劲——惊风骤起，白日飘动，正见时光之速；其二，写时光之惊——那「惊」字更是写感慨——惊风飘白日，时光飞逝而令人惊心，那「惊」字写尽时光易逝的惊心感慨。以「惊」字写时光，正是曹植写感慨的枢纽——若换作「疾」「劲」等字，则或失其写时光飞逝的惊心，或失其与「飘白日」的配合；唯「惊」字，以一字写尽惊风骤起、白日飘动的疾速与时光易逝的惊心，与「光景驰西流」的疾驰相合，写尽时光易逝的深沉感慨，也让「惊风飘白日」成为全诗写感慨的名句。

零落 The word 'lingluo' (零落, 'fallen / withered') in 'fallen, one returns to the hills' (零落归山丘) is the keyword of destination, writing in two characters life's withering end. 'Lingluo' means to wither, to drift and scatter. Cao Zhi uses it at least doubly: first, as the state of withering—'fallen, one returns to the hills' writes the form of drifting scatter, as plants wither so life withers; second, as the sorrow of destination—'lingluo' also writes the end: however glorious in life, one falls and returns to the hills, a deep lament that life ends in scatter. As the hinge of his life-reflection, 'lingluo' contrasts with 'splendid rooms' to exhaust life's impermanence, making the line a famous statement of life's destination. 「零落归山丘」之「零落」是写归宿的关键词，一个「零落」写尽人生凋零的归宿。零落者，凋零、飘零也。曹植以「零落」写归山丘，这个「零落」至少有双重意味：其一，写凋零之态——那「零落归山丘」写零落归于山丘，那「零落」写尽凋零飘零的形态——草木零落，人生凋零；其二，写归宿之悲——那「零落」更是写归宿——任你生前富贵，死后零落归于山丘，那「零落」写尽人生终归凋零的深沉感慨。以「零落」写归宿，正是曹植写人生感慨的枢纽——若换作「飘零」「凋谢」等词，则或失其与「华屋」的对照，或失其写归宿的凝练；唯「零落」二字，以凋零飘零写尽人生终归山丘的归宿，与「生存华屋处」的富贵相对照，写尽人生无常的深沉感慨，也让「零落归山丘」成为全诗写人生归宿的名句。

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