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明 Ming · 诗 Poem

桃花庵歌

Song of the Peach Blossom Shrine

唐寅

Tang Yin

隐逸seclusion 率真frankness 讽世satire

桃花坞里桃花庵，桃花庵里桃花仙。
桃花仙人种桃树，又折花枝当酒钱。
酒醒只在花前坐，酒醉还须花下眠。
花前花后日复日，酒醉酒醒年复年。
但愿老死花酒间，不愿鞠躬车马前。
车尘马足富者趣，酒盏花枝贫者缘。
若将富贵比贫贱，一在平地一在天。
若将贫贱比车马，他得驱驰我得闲。
别人笑我忒风颠，我笑他人看不穿。
不见五陵豪杰墓，无花无酒锄作田。

In Peach Blossom Cove there's a Peach Blossom Shrine,
In the shrine dwells a Peach Blossom Immortal.
The Peach Blossom Immortal plants peach trees,
And breaks off blossoms for wine money.
Sober, he sits before flowers; drunk, he sleeps under them.
Day after day before and after blooms, year after year drunk or sober.
I wish to grow old among flowers and wine,
Not bow before the carriage of the rich.
Dust and hoofs are the wealthy's delight,
But wine cups and flower boughs are the poor's fate.
If you compare wealth with poverty,
One's on the ground, the other above.
If you compare poverty with carriages,
He's driven and hurried, I have leisure.
Others laugh at me for being too crazy,
I laugh at them for not seeing through.
Do you not see the tombs of heroes of Wuling?
Without flowers or wine, plowed into fields.

Listen

Meaning

The poet portrays himself as a 'Peach Blossom Immortal' living in seclusion, planting peach trees, exchanging blossoms for wine, and spending his days and years drunk or sober among flowers. He prefers to die among flowers and wine rather than bow to the wealthy. He contrasts the leisurely life of the poor with the busy life of the rich, and laughs at those who cannot see through worldly ambitions.

桃花坞里建有桃花庵，庵中住着种桃饮酒的桃花仙。仙人种下桃树，折花换酒钱。酒醒便在花前静坐，酒醉就在花下安眠。花开花落日复一日，醉醒之间年复一年。只愿老死花酒之间，不愿在权贵车马前弯腰。车马喧阗是富人乐趣，花酒相伴是贫者缘分。富贵与贫贱相比，一天一地；贫贱与车马相较，他们奔忙我得清闲。旁人笑我太过疯癫，我笑旁人看不穿。请看五陵豪杰墓，无花无酒，都已被锄作农田。

Appreciation

The poem uses the repeated contrast between 'flowers and wine' and 'carriages and horses' to highlight the poet's disdain for fame and wealth. The language is colloquial and rhythmic, with a carefree and defiant tone. The famous lines 'Others laugh at me for being too crazy, I laugh at them for not seeing through' reveal the poet's proud detachment.

【白话串讲】唐寅在桃花庵里种桃树，拿桃花换酒钱。他说：“但愿老死花酒间，不愿鞠躬车马前”——宁愿在花下醉死，也不肯向权贵弯腰。一个风流才子的反叛宣言。【意象与手法】诗歌采用民歌复沓手法，十句之中九用“花”字、六用“酒”字、三用“车马”，回环往复，朗朗上口【情感与主旨】《桃花庵歌》约作于唐寅晚年隐居苏州桃花坞时期【名句点睛】此诗为明唐寅之作，精要赏析详见下方深度赏析。

Background

Tang Yin wrote this poem in his later years when he lived in seclusion in Peach Blossom Cove, Suzhou. After being implicated in a cheating scandal in the imperial exams, he abandoned his official career and built a shrine in the cove, supporting himself by painting and writing. This poem expresses his love for freedom and contempt for worldly glory.

唐寅（一四七〇—一五二三），字伯虎，一字子畏，号六如居士、桃花庵主，吴县（今苏州）人。明弘治十一年解元，次年入京会试，受累科场案下狱，黜为吏，遂绝意仕进，归吴中以诗酒书画自放。此诗约作于其晚年购宅桃花坞、筑桃花庵隐居时期。桃花坞在苏州城北，唐寅在此种桃、作画、纵酒，自号桃花庵主。明代中叶江南城市经济繁荣，文人失意者多以狂放自处，唐寅科场受挫，遂以佯狂玩世写胸中块垒。此诗承陶渊明归隐、李白傲岸之绪，又带市井白话的鲜活，是吴中才子诗的代表的作。其以桃花、酒为意象核心，写不愿鞠躬车马前的独立，与五陵豪杰墓的荣枯对照，既讽世亦自遣，足见一个被体制放逐的才士如何以花酒重构自我价值，亦折射明代科举功名之外另一种文人生命形态。其创作之具体机缘虽或难详考，然置于诗人整体生平遭际与所处时代风气之中观之，此作之精神脉络与情感指向自可想见，亦足为知人论世者所重。

Art

The poem employs folk song repetition, with the words 'flower' and 'wine' appearing multiple times. It uses parallelism and contrast between 'flowers/wine' and 'carriages/horses', and between 'poor' and 'rich'. The language is simple and witty, reflecting Tang Yin's frank and unrestrained style.

此诗艺术最突出在民歌复沓与回环往复。全诗以桃花、酒、花、车马等字眼密集重现，十句之中九用花字、六用酒字、三用车马，如桃花坞里桃花庵，桃花庵里桃花仙顶针连锁，朗朗上口而意绪流转。章法上由居处（桃花庵）写到人（桃花仙）、写到日用（种桃折花当酒钱）、写到醉醒坐眠、写到愿老死花酒不愿鞠躬车马、再写到富贵贫贱对照、终以旁人笑我与我笑旁人翻案、以五陵豪杰墓作结，层层递进展现隐逸价值观。修辞多用对比：花酒对车马、贫者对富者、我笑对他人笑、豪杰墓对花酒田，正反相形，主旨愈显。语言则以七言歌行长句为主，间以散文句式，明白如话而机锋暗藏。全诗似疏放实沉痛，以佯狂写孤高，是明诗中以俗为雅、以狂写洁的范例，亦见吴中诗派尚率真、重性灵的取向。综而言之，《桃花庵歌》正是以如此艺术匠心，于尺幅之间见千里之势，言有尽而意无穷，足见作者驾驭语言、熔铸意境之深厚功力，故能历久而不失其动人之处。

Allusions

'Bow before the carriage' alludes to Tao Yuanming's refusal to bow for five pecks of rice, symbolizing defiance of authority. 'Heroes of Wuling' refers to the wealthy families of the Han dynasty; their tombs have been plowed into fields, illustrating the futility of wealth.

桃花意象渊源极古，陶渊明《桃花源记》以桃为避世之境，此诗桃花庵、桃花仙即隐逸符号的翻新；李白桃花庵主唐寅自况亦近李白桃花流水窅然去的仙逸。车马本指达官贵人，古诗陌上桑使君从南来，五马立踟蹰、杜甫冠盖满京华皆以车马象权势，不愿鞠躬车马前即不为权贵折腰，暗承陶渊明不为五斗米折腰与李白安能摧眉折腰事权贵。五陵豪杰墓用汉代五陵（长陵、安陵等）为权贵聚居之典，李白五陵年少金市东、杜甫同学少年多不贱皆可参，此处以豪杰墓无花无酒锄作田写富贵终归虚无，与《红楼梦》陋室空堂、当年笏满床同慨。风颠本指疯癫，唐寅以佯狂玩世，实继阮籍、徐渭的狂士传统。典故多化于白话，是明诗以常语写深慨的特点。以桃花写避世、以车马写权势、以五陵写荣枯，典故皆化于白话，俗中见雅，恰合吴中才子诗的率真取向与性灵主张。

Commentary

The Siku Quanshu criticizes Tang Yin's poems as 'natural and unrestrained, but sometimes vulgar'. Qian Zhongshu noted that his poems use vernacular language to express deep sorrow. Wang Shizhen praised his 'light and flamboyant talent'.

此诗自明代即广为流传，唐寅佯狂形象与此诗相互成就，后世以唐伯虎点秋香等民间叙事附会，更使其家喻户晓。清代沈德潜《明诗别裁集》虽未多选唐寅，而此诗以率真见性，向来为选家与民间并重。近世文学史多以此诗为明代性灵、狂放诗风的代表，与徐渭、袁宏道一脉相承；考点常聚于复沓手法、花酒与车马对比及别人笑我忒风颠，我笑他人看不穿的翻案之笔。其传播之广，尤在结末五陵豪杰墓与看不穿二句，成为中国人表达粪土荣利、看破功名的经典语码。今人读之，既能见科场案对一个才士的摧毁与重塑，亦可见明代江南文人以花酒自遣、以佯狂守真的生命智慧——在功名之外，另有一种以美与醉对抗虚无的价值。其佯狂守真、以美遣愁的生命姿态，与科场失意后的精神重塑互为表里，遂成明代性灵狂放诗风的代表，亦足为失意文人的生命参照。

Prosody

Form Seven-character ancient verse七言歌行（明诗，拟民歌体）

Rhyme Level tone xian rhyme (an, xian, qian, mian, nian, qian, yuan, tian, xian, chuan, tian, etc.)此诗为歌行体，换韵自由，大体依《平水韵》平仄交替，如仙、钱、眠、年、前、缘、天、闲、穿、田等随文意换韵，具民歌转韵之畅。

Tone pattern Seven-character lines, free parallelism, smooth rhythm with anaphora and repetition.歌行不守近体严式，以七言为主兼散文句，平仄随语气流转，复沓处（桃花坞里桃花庵，桃花庵里桃花仙）以顶针造成回环节奏，不求合律而求声情相生。

Reading note The poem uses repeated words like 'peach blossom', 'flower', and 'wine' in a circular pattern, creating a folk-song-like cadence typical of Tang Yin's frank style.此诗体制近七言歌行而兼民歌风，其声律之妙全在回环复沓与对比节奏：桃花、酒、车马等字密集重现，顶针连锁如桃花坞里桃花庵，桃花庵里桃花仙，造成歌谣般的朗朗上口；而花酒对车马、贫者对富者、我笑对他人笑的对照排比，使声情由畅达转为机锋。歌行换韵自由，随诗意转舒转敛，至结句不见五陵豪杰墓以沉郁收束，余味苍凉。全诗句式长短间出，明白如话，恰合吴中才子以俗为雅、以率真写性灵的取向。其不事雕琢而意脉完足，正是明诗摆脱台阁体、回归真性的代表声口，足为歌行体中以狂写洁、以复沓写闲适的范本。

Line by line

桃花坞里桃花庵，桃花庵里桃花仙。

In Peach Blossom Cove there's a Peach Blossom Shrine; in the shrine dwells a Peach Blossom Immortal (the poet's self-image).

桃花坞里建有桃花庵，庵中住着种桃饮酒的桃花仙。

In Peach Blossom Vale stands the Peach Blossom Hut; in the Peach Blossom Hut lives the Peach Blossom Immortal.

开篇二句以顶针连锁的复沓手法，由地（桃花坞）到庵（桃花庵）到人（桃花仙），层层收束而意绪流转，朗朗上口。桃花叠用三次，既写居处风物，更立隐逸符号——桃在陶渊明《桃花源记》中即避世之境，此处桃花仙乃诗人自况，示其超脱尘网、与桃为友的仙逸。庵字点出并非豪宅而是简居，仙字则点出精神之高。二句以白话民歌风起手，看似游戏实为郑重：先安顿一个不与世俗同流的精神空间，为后文不愿鞠躬车马前张本。复沓而不板滞，是明诗以俗为雅、以狂写洁的先声，亦见吴中才子诗的率真底色。

The immortal. In Peach Blossom Vale stands the Peach Blossom Hut; in the Peach Blossom Hut lives the Peach Blossom Immortal. The repeated peach blossom and the self-styled immortal are the opening. To have styled himself the peach-blossom immortal would be a self-styling; the in-peach-blossom-vale-stands-the-peach-blossom-hut-in-the-peach-blossom-hut-lives-the-peach-blossom-immortal is the self-styling.

酒醒只在花前坐，酒醉还须花下眠。

Sober, he sits before flowers; drunk, he sleeps under them.

酒醒便在花前静坐，酒醉就在花下安眠。

Sober, he sits before the flowers; drunk, he sleeps beneath the flowers.

此二句写隐逸日常的醉醒坐眠，以花前对花下、酒醒对酒醉的工巧对照，将花与酒打成一片，构成桃花庵主完整的生命节律。坐与眠写静态，醒与醉写状态，四字组合出安顿于自然、不假外求的从容。唐寅以醉为常态，实承陶渊明琴中趣、李白斗酒诗百篇的饮者传统，而更见市井真率。花下眠非真懒，而是以美与醉对抗科场失意后的虚无——既然功名不可期，便在花酒中安顿此身。二句语言极平易而意境极闲适，是复沓体中以对句写生活美学的范例，亦为后文愿老死花酒间作具体注脚，物我两忘之致盎然。

The flowers. Sober, he sits before the flowers; drunk, he sleeps beneath the flowers. The sober sitting and the drunken sleeping among flowers are the life rhythm. To have slept among the flowers would be a rhythm; the sober-he-sits-before-the-flowers-drunk-he-sleeps-beneath-the-flowers is the rhythm.

别人笑我忒风颠，我笑他人看不穿。

Others laugh at me for being too crazy; I laugh at them for not seeing through.

旁人笑我太过疯癫，我笑旁人看不穿。

Others laugh at me for being mad; I laugh at them for not seeing through.

此二句为全诗翻案之笔，以别人笑我与我笑他人对照，将世俗的嘲讽反转为智者的俯视。风颠即疯癫，唐寅以佯狂玩世，实继阮籍、徐渭的狂士传统——表面的颠狂恰是看透后的自卫。看不穿三字是诗眼，指世人沉溺功名富贵而不悟其虚，反以狂者为异。我一笑他人笑，立场倒转，价值重估：被笑者实为清醒，笑人者方是蒙昧。此联机锋暗藏，以口语写哲理，举重若轻，遂使全诗的佯狂获得精神高度——不是真疯，而是不愿同流合污的孤高。与结句五陵豪杰墓呼应，构成看破与不看破的终极对照，是明诗中以狂写洁的巅峰之笔。

The laughter. Others laugh at me for being mad; I laugh at them for not seeing through. The others-laugh and I-laugh reverse are the turn. To have laughed back at the world would be a reversal; the others-laugh-at-me-for-being-mad-I-laugh-at-them-for-not-seeing-through is the reversal.

不见五陵豪杰墓，无花无酒锄作田。

Do you not see the tombs of heroes of Wuling? Without flowers or wine, plowed into fields.

请看五陵豪杰墓，无花无酒，都已被锄作农田。

Do you not see the graves of the heroes of the Five Mounds? No flowers, no wine—they have been hoed into fields.

结句以五陵豪杰墓的荣枯对照收束全篇，是看不穿的注脚与全诗的价值落点。五陵本汉代权贵聚居之地，豪杰墓指当年赫赫功名，而今无花无酒、锄作农田，富贵烟消、荒冢被垦，与桃花庵的花酒长存恰成反讽。不见（或请看）二字引读者正视这一历史虚无：世人趋之若鹜的功名，终归不过一抔锄田之土。此句将前文不愿鞠躬车马、我笑他人看不穿的抽象价值，坐实为可触可感的荣枯对照，举重若轻而力透纸背。以田间实景收束狂放长歌，余味苍凉，遂成中国人粪土荣利、看破功名的经典语码，亦见唐寅以佯狂守真、以花酒对抗虚无的生命智慧。

The graves. Do you not see the graves of the heroes of the Five Mounds? No flowers, no wine—they have been hoed into fields. The heroes' graves hoed into fields are the close. To have hoed the heroes' graves into fields would be a vanity; the do-you-not-see-the-graves-of-the-heroes-of-the-five-mounds-no-flowers-no-wine-they-have-been-hoed-into-fields is the vanity.

Study

Word focus

花酒 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. 花酒是此诗的核心意象群，十句九用花、六用酒，花酒并称更成全诗精神符号。花指桃花，承陶渊明桃源避世与李白仙逸传统，象自然之美与隐逸之境；酒承陶渊明、李白饮者传统，象对功名的疏放与对虚无的化解。花酒并言，写桃花庵主以美与醉安顿此身的生命方式——既然科场受挫、功名无望，便在花前坐、花下眠、以花换酒钱中重构价值。花酒与车马（权贵）形成全诗根本对比：贫者缘在花酒，富者趣在车马；他们驱驰我得闲。花酒非真颓废，而是被体制放逐的才士以审美对抗虚无的自主选择。一词贯穿全篇，是明诗以俗为雅、以率真写性灵的典型符号。

看不穿 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. 看不穿是翻案之笔的诗眼，与别人笑我忒风颠对举，指世人沉溺功名富贵而不悟其终归虚无。穿本看透、识破之意，看不穿即执迷不悟。唐寅以我笑他人看不穿翻转世俗评判：被笑为疯癫的自己实已看破，笑人者反在迷局。此词将全诗的佯狂提升为哲学高度——狂非真狂，乃不愿同流合污的清醒伪装。看不穿与结句五陵豪杰墓无花无酒锄作田互为注脚：世人争逐的豪杰功名，终不过锄田之土，正是不看穿的代价。三字口语如话，却机锋内蕴，举重若轻，是明诗中以白话写深慨、以狂写洁的典范，亦成后人讽世警语的源头。