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南北朝 Northern and Southern Dynasties · 诗 Poem

登江中孤屿

Climbing the Solitary Isle in the River

谢灵运

Xie Lingyun

江南倦历览，江北旷周旋。
怀新道转迥，寻异景不延。
乱流趋孤屿，孤屿媚中川。
云日相辉映，空水共澄鲜。
表灵物莫赏，蕴真谁为传。
想象昆山姿，缅邈区中缘。
始信安期术，得尽养生年。

Weary of sightseeing south of the river, I ranged freely north of the river.
Longing for the new, the road turns distant; seeking the strange, the view does not linger.
Cutting across the turbulent current I make for the lonely isle; the lonely isle charms the mid-stream.
Cloud and sun shimmer in mutual radiance; sky and water share a lucid freshness.
Its manifest spirit none admire; its hidden truth—who will transmit it?
I imagine the bearing of Mount Kunlun, remote from worldly ties.
Only now do I trust in the method of An Qi, able to complete my years of nourishing life.
Listen

Meaning

A landscape poem recording Xie Lingyun's climb of a solitary isle in the Yongjia river. It moves from travel-weariness to the luminous beauty of cloud, sun, sky, and water, then turns to the isle's unappreciated spirit and the poet's resolve to pursue Daoist cultivation.

江南倦历览，江北旷周旋。怀新道转迥，寻异景不延。乱流趋孤屿，孤屿媚中川。云日相辉映，空水共澄鲜。表灵物莫赏，蕴真谁为传。想象昆山姿，缅邈区中缘。始信安期术，得尽养生年。

Appreciation

[Plain Paraphrase] The poem opens with the poet weary of roaming south of the river and ranging north; then, longing for novelty, he cuts across the current to a lonely isle that 'charms the mid-stream.' Cloud and sun shine together, sky and water are clear and fresh. Yet the isle's spiritual beauty is admired by none, its truth transmitted by no one; he imagines Mount Kunlun afar and, convinced at last, trusts the immortal An Qi's art of nurturing life. [Imagery] 'The lonely isle charms the mid-stream' personifies the isle with 'charm' (mei); 'cloud and sun shimmer, sky and water share freshness' paints a clear, luminous realm; 'manifest spirit none admire' asks rhetorically who perceives the isle's soul. The close fuses scenic precision with a yearning for transcendence. [Structure] Travel weariness leads to the isle, scenic splendor to spiritual solitude, and finally to the resolve to cultivate life—typical of the landscape-poem founder's 'scene then thought' movement.

【白话串讲】 谢灵运写《登江中孤屿》：“江南倦历览，江北旷周旋”——“乱流趋孤屿，孤屿媚中川”——“云日相辉映，空水共澄鲜”——“表灵物莫赏，蕴真谁为传”——“始信安期术，得尽养生年”——他登江中孤屿——云日相辉映，空水共澄鲜。 【意象与手法】 “乱流趋孤屿，孤屿媚中川”以“媚”字写孤屿之美；“云日相辉映，空水共澄鲜”以云日空水写澄明之境；“表灵物莫赏，蕴真谁为传”以设问写孤屿之灵无人赏识；结以“始信安期术，得尽养生年”写求仙养生。写景细致、对偶工整，山水诗鼻祖笔法。 【情感与主旨】 谢灵运游永嘉江登孤屿所作，写江南山水之美与孤屿灵秀无人赏识之慨，兼具山水审美与求仙养生之思，是山水诗确立期的代表作。 【名句点睛】 常考“云日相辉映，空水共澄鲜”以云日空水写澄明之境；“乱流趋孤屿，孤屿媚中川”以媚字写孤屿之美。

Background

Climbing the Solitary Isle in the River was written by Xie Lingyun (385–433), of Chenjun Yangxia (modern Taikang, Henan), a poet of the Liu Song dynasty of the Southern Dynasties and the founder of the landscape-poetry school. The poem records his climb of an isle in the Yongjia river. 'Weary of sightseeing south of the river, I ranged north' and 'cutting across the turbulent current I make for the lonely isle' trace his movement; 'cloud and sun shimmer, sky and water share freshness' captures the clear scene; 'only now do I trust the method of An Qi' turns to nurturing life. With fresh, distant imagery and feeling lodged in scene, it is a famous work among Xie's poems and often anthologized, showing its importance in the landscape genre. The poet's crafted hand on ordinary feeling gives the piece lasting life across the ages.

《登江中孤屿》为南朝宋诗人谢灵运所作诗。谢灵运（385—433），陈郡阳夏（今河南太康）人，南朝宋诗人，山水诗派的开创者。此诗写景山水，为登江中孤屿之作。诗中「江南倦历览，江北旷周旋」写江南倦历览，江北旷周旋；「乱流趋孤屿，孤屿媚中川」写乱流趋孤屿，孤屿媚中川；「云日相辉映，空水共澄鲜」写云日相辉映，空水共澄鲜；「始信安期术，得尽养生年」写始信安期术，得尽养生年。谢灵运此诗以写景山水、得尽养生年写其山水之情，清丽幽远，是谢灵运诗中的名篇。此篇《登江中孤屿》在历代选本中多被收录，其艺术价值与流传之广，正可见此诗在同类题材中的重要地位。诗人以匠心独运之笔写寻常之情事，遂使此作历千载而犹有生气，为后人所称赏不绝。此篇《登江中孤屿》在历代选本中多被收录，其艺术价值与流传之广，正可见此诗在同类题材中的重要地位。诗人以匠心独运之笔写寻常之情事，遂使此作历千载而犹有生气，为后人所称赏不绝。

Art

The poem's art lies in its 'fresh, distant, scene-bearing feeling.' Twelve lines move from weariness of sightseeing to longing for the new, then to the lonely isle. It opens 'weary south, ranging north'; 'longing for the new, the road turns distant' shows the seeker's mind; 'cutting across the current I make for the lonely isle; the lonely isle charms the mid-stream' fixes the isle; 'cloud and sun shimmer, sky and water share freshness' paints clarity; and closes 'only now do I trust the method of An Qi, able to complete my years of nourishing life.' Throughout, scene conveys feeling—from travel weariness to completing one's life-years—fresh and far, a signature Xie poem. The whole uses 'many for few': tight structure, deep intent, condensed image, and lingering tone; the longer one reads, the more one feels its fine conception and strong brush—a rare gem among its kind, showing the poet's perfected craft.

此诗艺术上以「清丽幽远、以景写情」见长。全诗共十二句，由江南倦历览而怀新道转迥而乱流趋孤屿。起「江南倦历览，江北旷周旋」写江南倦历览：江南倦历览，江北旷周旋；「怀新道转迥，寻异景不延」写怀新道转迥：怀新道转迥，寻异景不延；「乱流趋孤屿，孤屿媚中川」写乱流趋孤屿：乱流趋孤屿，孤屿媚中川；「云日相辉映，空水共澄鲜」写云日相辉映：云日相辉映，空水共澄鲜；结「始信安期术，得尽养生年」写始信安期术：始信安期术，得尽养生年。全诗以景写情，由江南倦历览而得尽养生年，清丽幽远，是谢灵运诗中的名篇。通篇以少总多之法出之，章法严谨而用意深曲，意象凝练而情韵悠长，读之愈久，愈觉其构思之精与笔力之健，堪称同类诗作中不可多得之佳篇，足见诗人炉火纯青的艺术功力。通篇以少总多之法出之，章法严谨而用意深曲，意象凝练而情韵悠长，读之愈久，愈觉其构思之精与笔力之健，堪称同类诗作中不可多得之佳篇，足见诗人炉火纯青的艺术功力。

Allusions

The lines 'weary south, ranging north,' 'longing for the new, the road turns distant,' 'cutting across the current, the lonely isle charms,' 'cloud and sun shimmer, sky and water fresh,' 'manifest spirit none admire, hidden truth who transmits,' 'imagine Mount Kunlun's bearing, remote from worldly ties,' and 'trust An Qi's method, complete life-years' all carry allusion. 'Imagine Mount Kunlun' uses the Kunlun trope (seat of the Queen Mother of the West) for remote transcendence; 'trust An Qi's method' uses An Qi (an ancient immortal) for nurturing life. The poet folds Kunlun and An Qi into the verse without trace, making the landscape feeling vivid—an instance of skillful fusion of allusion. This method melds past and present unnoticeably, neither flaunting erudition nor clinging to old readings, revealing the poet's deep learning and cunning thought; the reader should savor such places to catch the meaning beyond words.

诗中「江南倦历览江北旷周旋」「怀新道转迥寻异景不延」「乱流趋孤屿孤屿媚中川」「云日相辉映空水共澄鲜」「表灵物莫赏蕴真谁为传」「想象昆山姿缅邈区中缘」「始信安期术得尽养生年」等语，皆含典故故实。「江南倦历览江北旷周旋」写江南倦历览江北旷周旋；「乱流趋孤屿孤屿媚中川」写乱流趋孤屿孤屿媚中川；「云日相辉映空水共澄鲜」写云日相辉映空水共澄鲜；「想象昆山姿缅邈区中缘」用昆山之典（昆山为西王母所居），写想象昆山姿缅邈区中缘；「始信安期术得尽养生年」用安期之典（安期为古仙人），写始信安期术得尽养生年。诗人以昆山、安期等典入诗，不着痕迹，而把写景山水之情写得真切可感，是善于熔铸典故的体现。此等用典之法，熔铸古今而不着痕迹，既不炫博以示学，亦不拘泥于旧解，正见诗人学养之深与运思之巧。读者于此等处尤当细心玩味，方能领会其言外之旨与味外之味。

Commentary

This Climbing the Solitary Isle is Xie Lingyun's landscape work, voicing weariness south, longing for the new, crossing to the isle, cloud-and-sun radiance, and trust in An Qi's method—fresh and far. It opens 'weary south, ranging north': travel weariness and free ranging. 'Longing for the new, the road turns distant' shows the seeking mind. 'Cutting across the current I make for the lonely isle; the lonely isle charms the mid-stream' fixes isle and charm. 'Cloud and sun shimmer, sky and water share freshness' paints radiance and clarity. The close 'only now do I trust the method of An Qi' (using the An Qi allusion) resolves to complete life-years. This closing line is the poem's resting point: nurturing life conveys the landscape feeling. Fresh and far, scene bearing feeling—a famous Xie poem.

这首《登江中孤屿》，是谢灵运写写景山水之作，写江南倦历览、怀新道转迥、乱流趋孤屿、云日相辉映、始信安期术之情，清丽幽远。起「江南倦历览，江北旷周旋」——江南倦历览，江北旷周旋。写江南倦历览：江南倦历览、江北旷周旋——倦历览、旷周旋；「怀新道转迥，寻异景不延」——怀新道转迥，寻异景不延。写怀新道转迥：怀新道转迥、寻异景不延——道转迥、景不延；「乱流趋孤屿，孤屿媚中川」——乱流趋孤屿，孤屿媚中川。写乱流趋孤屿：乱流趋孤屿、孤屿媚中川——趋孤屿、媚中川；「云日相辉映，空水共澄鲜」——云日相辉映，空水共澄鲜。写云日相辉映：云日相辉映、空水共澄鲜——相辉映、共澄鲜；结「始信安期术，得尽养生年」——始信安期术（用安期之典），得尽养生年。写始信安期术：始信安期术、得尽养生年——安期术、养生年。这「始信安期术，得尽养生年」，是全诗之结：以得尽养生年写其山水。全诗清丽幽远，以景写情，正是谢灵运诗中的名篇。

Prosody

Form Poem (five-character ancient-style verse)诗（五言古诗）
Rhyme This is a five-character ancient-style poem of twelve lines. Rhyme: 'xuan,' 'yan,' 'chuan,' 'xian,' 'chuan' (transmit), 'yuan' (ties), 'nian' (years) fall in the xian rhyme group. The form follows the ancient style with regular lines; the syllables rise and fall with feeling, suiting the fresh, distant landscape tone and showing the boldness of using ancient style for landscape.此诗为五言古诗，共十二句。押韵：「旋」「延」「川」「鲜」「传」「缘」「年」押先部韵。诗体依古诗而定，句式整齐，音节随情起伏，正与写写景山水的清丽幽远相称，也见其以古诗写山水的大气。
Tone pattern In phrasing, 'weary south, ranging north' is relaxed; 'longing for the new, the road turns distant' is far; 'cutting across the current, the lonely isle charms' is fresh; 'cloud and sun shimmer, sky and water fresh' is bright; the close 'trust An Qi's method' is remote. The whole's syllables follow feeling—from relaxed to far, from fresh to bright, from bright to remote—matching the ancient style's naturalness, read like landscape sound, fresh and moving.句式上，「江南倦历览，江北旷周旋」写江南倦历览，音节舒缓；「怀新道转迥，寻异景不延」写怀新道转迥，音节悠远；「乱流趋孤屿，孤屿媚中川」写乱流趋孤屿，音节清丽；「云日相辉映，空水共澄鲜」写云日相辉映，音节明净；结「始信安期术，得尽养生年」写始信安期术，音节幽远。全诗音节随情起伏，由舒缓而悠远、由清丽而明净、由明净而幽远，正合古诗「自然」之妙，读来如写景山水、得尽养生年之音，清丽而动人。
Reading note This five-character ancient-style poem is Xie's landscape work and a famous piece. Its art is 'fresh, distant, feeling in scene': 'weary south, ranging north,' 'cutting across the current, the lonely isle charms,' 'cloud and sun shimmer, sky and water fresh,' 'trust An Qi's method, complete life-years.' Especially fine is 'cloud and sun shimmer, sky and water share freshness' capturing the river's clarity, while 'trust An Qi's method' uses the immortal allusion—a model of Xie's 'fresh and distant' style, often anthologized. The poem sounds vivid because the poet matches sound to thought and rhythm to mood; the length of syllables and the rise-fall of tone all embody the meaning—showing the beauty of classical Chinese prosody and craft.此诗为五言古诗，是谢灵运写写景山水之作，也是其诗中的名篇。全诗的艺术特色在于「清丽幽远、以景写情」：「江南倦历览，江北旷周旋」写江南倦历览、「乱流趋孤屿，孤屿媚中川」写乱流趋孤屿、「云日相辉映，空水共澄鲜」写云日相辉映、「始信安期术，得尽养生年」写始信安期术。全诗清丽幽远，以景写情。尤为精妙者，是「云日相辉映，空水共澄鲜」写尽山水之澄；而「始信安期术，得尽养生年」用安期之典，正是谢灵运诗「清丽幽远」的典范，为历代选本所常收。《登江中孤屿》一诗之所以读来声情并茂，正在于诗人以声韵配合情思、以节奏烘托意境，音节之长短、平仄之起伏，皆与诗意相为表里，此亦可见中国古典诗歌声律之美与匠心之工。

Line by line

江南倦历览，江北旷周旋。

Weary of sightseeing south of the river, I ranged freely north of the river.

江南倦历览，江北旷周旋。

Tired of roaming all Jiangnan, I seek out the wilds beyond the northern river.

首二句写江南倦历览，起笔即见其行。「江南倦历览」写江南倦历览，「江南倦」写江南倦、「历览」写历览；「江北旷周旋」写江北旷周旋，「江北旷」写江北旷、「周旋」写周旋。两句一写江南倦历览、一写江北旷周旋，以江南倦历览写倦历览、以江北旷周旋写旷周旋，写尽江南倦历览、江北旷周旋之情。以行起兴，清丽而幽远，是「以行起兴」的妙笔。

The roaming. Tired of roaming all Jiangnan, I seek out the wilds beyond the northern river. The tired-of-roaming-Jiangnan and the sought northern wilds are the opening. To have tired of roaming would be a tiring; the tired-of-roaming-all-jiangnan-i-seek-out-the-wilds-beyond-the-northern-river is the tiring.

乱流趋孤屿，孤屿媚中川。

Cutting across the turbulent current I make for the lonely isle; the lonely isle charms the mid-stream.

乱流趋孤屿，孤屿媚中川。

I cross the racing current toward the lonely isle; the lonely isle charms the middle stream.

此二句写乱流趋孤屿，是全诗写孤屿之态的关键。「乱流趋孤屿」写乱流趋孤屿，「乱流」写乱流、「趋孤屿」写趋孤屿；「孤屿媚中川」写孤屿媚中川，「孤屿」写孤屿、「媚中川」写媚中川。两句一写乱流趋孤屿、一写孤屿媚中川，以乱流趋孤屿写趋孤屿、以孤屿媚中川写媚中川，写尽乱流趋孤屿、孤屿媚中川之情。以屿写景，清丽而幽远，是「以屿写景」的点睛之笔。

The isle. I cross the racing current toward the lonely isle; the lonely isle charms the middle stream. The crossed-racing-current and the charming lonely isle in the middle stream are the image. To have charmed the stream would be a charming; the i-cross-the-racing-current-toward-the-lonely-isle-the-lonely-isle-charms-the-middle-stream is the charming.

云日相辉映，空水共澄鲜。

Cloud and sun shimmer in mutual radiance; sky and water share a lucid freshness.

云日相辉映，空水共澄鲜。

Cloud and sun shine on each other; sky and water are one clear brightness.

此二句写云日相辉映，是全诗写云日之态的关键。「云日相辉映」写云日相辉映，「云日」写云日、「相辉映」写相辉映；「空水共澄鲜」写空水共澄鲜，「空水」写空水、「共澄鲜」写共澄鲜。两句一写云日相辉映、一写空水共澄鲜，以云日相辉映写相辉映、以空水共澄鲜写共澄鲜，写尽云日相辉映、空水共澄鲜之情。以景写情，清丽而幽远，是「以景写情」的点睛之笔。

The brightness. Cloud and sun shine on each other; sky and water are one clear brightness. The cloud-and-sun-shining-on-each-other and the sky-and-water-one-clear-brightness are the couplet. To have shone on each other would be a shining; the cloud-and-sun-shine-on-each-other-sky-and-water-are-one-clear-brightness is the shining.

始信安期术，得尽养生年。

Only now do I trust in the method of An Qi, able to complete my years of nourishing life.

始信安期术，得尽养生年。

Now I believe in Master Anqi's way: to live out the full span of life.

结句写始信安期术，是全诗立意的落点。「始信安期术」用安期之典写始信安期术，「始信」写始信、「安期术」写安期术；「得尽养生年」写得尽养生年，「得尽」写得尽、「养生年」写养生年。两句一写始信安期术、一写得尽养生年，以始信安期术写安期术、以得尽养生年写养生年，写尽始信安期术、得尽养生年之情。以仙写情，清丽而幽远，是全诗最动人处，也是「以仙写情」的点睛之笔。

The years. Now I believe in Master Anqi's way: to live out the full span of life. The now-believed Anqi's way and the live-out-the-full-span-of-life are the close. To have believed the way would be a believing; the now-i-believe-in-master-anqi's-way-to-live-out-the-full-span-of-life is the believing.

Study

Word focus

孤屿 The solitary isle. A key image of the poem: a small island in the rushing river, set against the vast water, embodying the poet's solitary, detached contemplation of nature and the focal point of his gaze. 「孤屿」写乱流趋孤屿，是写孤屿之态的关键。「乱流趋孤屿」着一「孤屿」，写孤屿——着一「孤屿」，写乱流趋孤屿，见其屿之孤。两字写尽孤屿之态，是「以词写屿」的妙笔。「孤屿」一字之用而全篇生色，与诗中情韵相为表里，正见诗人炼字之精与匠心之独运。读者于此等处若细细体会，自能领会其于平淡之中见功力、于寻常处见神奇之妙。
中川 The mid-stream / mid-river. Refers to the open water in which the isle sits, emphasizing its centering within the flowing current and the poet's focused framing of the scene. 「中川」写孤屿媚中川，是写中川之态的关键。「孤屿媚中川」着一「中川」，写中川——着一「中川」，写孤屿媚中川，见其川之中。两字写尽中川之态，是「以词写川」的点睛之词。「中川」一字之用而全篇生色，与诗中情韵相为表里，正见诗人炼字之精与匠心之独运。读者于此等处若细细体会，自能领会其于平淡之中见功力、于寻常处见神奇之妙。
澄鲜 Clear and fresh / lucid brightness. Describes the limpid transparency where cloud and sun meet sky and water, capturing the pure, serene luminosity of the riverscape. 「澄鲜」写空水共澄鲜，是写澄鲜之态的关键。「空水共澄鲜」着一「澄鲜」，写澄鲜——着一「澄鲜」，写空水共澄鲜，见其水之澄鲜。两字写尽澄鲜之态，是「以词写鲜」的点睛之词。「澄鲜」一字之用而全篇生色，与诗中情韵相为表里，正见诗人炼字之精与匠心之独运。读者于此等处若细细体会，自能领会其于平淡之中见功力、于寻常处见神奇之妙。
养生年 Years of nurturing life / longevity through cultivation. Alludes to Daoist practices of preserving life; convinced by the isle's spirit, the poet resolves to devote his remaining years to such cultivation. 「养生年」写得尽养生年，是写养生之态的关键。「得尽养生年」着一「养生年」，写养生年——着一「养生年」，写得尽养生年，见其年之养生。三字写尽养生年之态，是「以词写年」的点睛之词。「养生年」一字之用而全篇生色，与诗中情韵相为表里，正见诗人炼字之精与匠心之独运。读者于此等处若细细体会，自能领会其于平淡之中见功力、于寻常处见神奇之妙。

Related Reading

水调歌头·明月几时有 Tune: 'Prelude to Water Melody' — When Did the Moon Appear? 苏轼 · 同写山水感怀、超然旷达，一写我欲乘风归去、一写乱流趋孤屿孤屿媚中川，皆于山水之中见超然 Both voice landscape contemplation and transcendent ease—one 'riding the wind to return,' one 'crossing to the lonely isle'—finding the transcendent within scene

Su Shi's 'Prelude to Water Melody' ('I would ride the wind and return, yet fear the jade towers are too high and cold') voices landscape feeling and transcendent ease, a famous Song lyric; Xie Lingyun's 'Climbing the Solitary Isle' uses 'cutting across the current, the lonely isle charms' and 'trust An Qi's method, complete life-years' for isle-charm and life-nurturing. Both voice landscape feeling and transcendence: one rides the wind for the transcendent, one crosses to the isle for landscape; one Su Shi's ease, one Xie's remoteness—read together they show two landscape-feeling brushes, both finding the transcendent within scene.

苏轼《水调歌头·明月几时有》「我欲乘风归去，又恐琼楼玉宇，高处不胜寒」，写山水感怀、超然旷达，是宋词长调的名篇；谢灵运《登江中孤屿》则以「乱流趋孤屿，孤屿媚中川」「始信安期术，得尽养生年」写趋孤屿媚中川、得尽养生年。两诗同写山水感怀、超然旷达：一写我欲乘风归去、以乘风写超然，一写乱流趋孤屿孤屿媚中川、以孤屿写山水；一为苏轼之超然、一为谢灵运之幽远，并读正可见诗写「山水感怀」的两种笔法，皆于山水之中见超然。

 八声甘州·对潇潇暮雨洒江天 Tune: 'Eight Beats of Ganzhou' — Facing the Drizzling Dusk Rain over River and Sky 柳永 · 同写江上凝望、悲慨深挚，一写对潇潇暮雨洒江天、一写乱流趋孤屿孤屿媚中川，皆于江上之中见凝望 Both gaze longingly upon the river with deep feeling—one over dusk rain, one toward the lonely isle—finding fixation upon the river

Liu Yong's 'Eight Beats of Ganzhou' ('facing the drizzling dusk rain over river and sky, once it washes clear the autumn') voices river-gazing and deep sorrow, a famous Song lyric of travel; Xie's 'Climbing the Solitary Isle' uses 'cutting across the current, the lonely isle charms' and 'cloud and sun shimmer, sky and water fresh' for isle-charm and radiance. Both gaze upon the river with deep feeling: one over dusk rain for clear autumn, one toward the lonely isle for landscape; one Liu Yong's freshness, one Xie's remoteness—read together they show two 'river-gazing' brushes, both finding fixation upon the river.

柳永《八声甘州·对潇潇暮雨洒江天》「对潇潇暮雨洒江天，一番洗清秋」，写江上凝望、悲慨深挚，是宋词写羁旅的名篇；谢灵运《登江中孤屿》则以「乱流趋孤屿，孤屿媚中川」「云日相辉映，空水共澄鲜」写趋孤屿媚中川、相辉映共澄鲜。两诗同写江上凝望、悲慨深挚：一写对潇潇暮雨洒江天、以暮雨写清秋，一写乱流趋孤屿孤屿媚中川、以孤屿写山水；一为柳永之清丽、一为谢灵运之幽远，并读正可见诗写「江上凝望」的两种笔法，皆于江上之中见凝望。