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宋 Song · 词 Ci lyric

南乡子·赋归

Song of the Southern Country - On Returning

陆游

Lu You

思乡Homesickness 感慨Reflection

归梦寄吴樯，水驿江程去路长。
想见芳洲初系缆，斜阳，烟树参差认武昌。
愁鬓点新霜，曾是朝衣染御香。
重到故乡交旧少，凄凉，却恐他乡胜故乡。

My homeward dream entrusted to the Wu boat's mast; by waterpost and river road the way is long.
I can picture the fragrant isle where you first moor - slanting sun, misty trees in disarray, recognizing Wuchang.
Sorrowful temples flecked with new frost; once my court robe was steeped in imperial incense.
Returning to my old home, few friends remain - desolate - yet I fear the stranger land surpasses the native one.

Listen

Meaning

Lu You, returning east from Shu and passing Wuchang, entrusts his homeward dream to a Wu boat on a long river road. He pictures the mooring, marks his white temples, and recalls court days - then admits that home has few old friends, and he almost fears the strange land surpasses the native. The lyric is a grave, paradoxical homesickness.

归梦寄吴樯，水驿江程去路长。想见芳洲初系缆，斜阳，烟树参差认武昌。愁鬓点新霜，曾是朝衣染御香。重到故乡交旧少，凄凉，却恐他乡胜故乡。

Appreciation

[Plain Paraphrase] Homeward dream on the Wu mast; long water road; I picture the fragrant isle, slant sun, misty trees, Wuchang; sorrow temples flecked with frost; once court robe steeped in incense; home again, few friends, desolate, yet I fear the stranger land surpasses home. [Structure] Upper part the long return road and Wuchang seen; lower part the white temples, the court memory, the homecoming dread. [Imagery] 'Homeward dream entrusted to the mast' is a fine opening; 'misty trees in disarray' pictures the city; 'new frost' on the temples states age; the closing paradox - fearing the stranger land better than home - is the poem's sting.

【白话串讲】陆游写《南乡子·赋归》：“归梦寄吴樯，水驿江程去路长”——“想见芳洲初系缆，斜阳，烟树参差认武昌”——“愁鬓点新霜，曾是朝衣染御香”——“重到故乡交旧少，凄凉，却恐他乡胜故乡”——他写归乡——却恐他乡胜故乡。【意象与手法】此词写思乡，以感慨写思乡，是陆游的名篇。上片写归程：「归梦寄吴樯，水驿江程去路长。想见芳洲初系缆，斜阳，烟树参差认武昌」写归梦寄吴樯、水驿江程去路长——写尽归程的漫长；下片写归乡：「愁鬓点新霜，曾是朝衣染御香。重到故乡交旧少，凄凉，却恐他乡胜故乡」写愁鬓点新霜、曾是朝衣染御香——写尽归乡的凄凉。全词以感慨写思乡，写尽归程的漫长与归乡的凄凉，是陆游的代表作。【情感与主旨】此词写思乡，以感慨写思乡，是陆游的名篇。此词为陆游离蜀东归、途径武昌（今湖北武汉）时所作，写其归乡途中与将至故乡的复杂心情。陆游宦游多年，年老思归，然故乡故旧凋零，遂有「却恐他乡胜故乡」之叹。上片写归梦寄吴樯（吴地之船），水驿江程而去路长；想见芳洲初系缆，斜阳下烟树参差以认武昌。下片写愁鬓点新霜，曾是朝衣染御香（旧时曾在朝中任职，衣染御香）；重到故乡而交旧少，凄凉而却恐他乡胜故乡。此词写归程：归梦寄吴樯，水驿江程去路长——写归梦寄吴樯、水驿江程去路长，写尽归程的漫长；想见芳洲初系缆，斜阳，烟树参差认武昌——写想见芳洲初系缆、斜阳、烟树参差认武昌，写尽认城的武昌；愁鬓点新霜，曾是朝衣染御香——写愁鬓点新霜、曾是朝衣染御香，写尽新霜的愁鬓；重到故乡交旧少，凄凉，却恐他乡胜故乡——写重到故乡交旧少、凄凉、却恐他乡胜故乡，写尽归乡的凄凉。全词以感慨写思乡——那「烟树参差认武昌」写尽认城的武昌，「却恐他乡胜故乡」写尽归乡的凄凉，写尽归程的漫长与归乡的凄凉，是理解陆游思乡词的重要篇章。【名句点睛】常考「归梦寄吴樯，水驿江程去路长」写归程的漫长；「重到故乡交旧少，凄凉，却恐他乡胜故乡」写归乡的凄凉；以及全词以感慨写思乡、以反语写凄凉的手法。

Background

Lu You (1125-1210), courtesy name Wuguan, style Fangweng, of Shanyin (Shaoxing, Zhejiang), was a Southern Song poet, historian, and patriot. Written as he left Shu for home and passed Wuchang, it holds his mixed homecoming feeling: long years away, white temples, old court memory, and the dread that home's friends are gone - so the strange land might surpass the native. Upper the return road, lower the homecoming desolation, a 'return that mourns' (yi gui xie chou) lyric of real, weighed feeling.

此词写思乡，以感慨写思乡，是陆游的名篇。陆游（1125—1210），字务观，号放翁，越州山阴（今浙江绍兴）人，南宋文学家、史学家、爱国诗人。此词为陆游离蜀东归、途径武昌（今湖北武汉）时所作，写其归乡途中与将至故乡的复杂心情。陆游宦游多年，年老思归，然故乡故旧凋零，遂有「却恐他乡胜故乡」之叹。上片写归梦寄吴樯（吴地之船），水驿江程而去路长；想见芳洲初系缆，斜阳下烟树参差以认武昌。下片写愁鬓点新霜，曾是朝衣染御香（旧时曾在朝中任职，衣染御香）；重到故乡而交旧少，凄凉而却恐他乡胜故乡。此词写归程：「归梦寄吴樯，水驿江程去路长」写归梦寄吴樯、水驿江程去路长——写尽归程的漫长（归梦寄吴樯，水驿江程去路长）；「想见芳洲初系缆，斜阳，烟树参差认武昌」写想见芳洲初系缆、斜阳、烟树参差认武昌——写尽认城的武昌（想见芳洲初系缆，斜阳，烟树参差认武昌）；「愁鬓点新霜，曾是朝衣染御香」写愁鬓点新霜、曾是朝衣染御香——写尽新霜的愁鬓（愁鬓点新霜，曾是朝衣染御香）；「重到故乡交旧少，凄凉，却恐他乡胜故乡」写重到故乡交旧少、凄凉、却恐他乡胜故乡——写尽归乡的凄凉（重到故乡交旧少，凄凉，却恐他乡胜故乡）。全词以感慨写思乡，写尽归程的漫长与归乡的凄凉，是理解陆游思乡词的重要篇章。

Art

The art has four moves. First, imagination for the road: 'homeward dream entrusted to the Wu mast' figures the long return. Second, scene for Wuchang: 'misty trees in disarray' pictures the city. Third, contrast for the frost: 'once court robe steeped in incense' sets past honor against present white temples. Fourth, paradox for desolation: 'I fear the stranger land surpasses the native' reverses the usual homesickness. Upper the road, lower the homecoming - from journey to native, the 'return that mourns' form. Fine touches: 'I picture' the mooring; the 'fleck' (dian) of new frost on the temples. The result is grave, real, paradoxical.

此词的艺术特色可从四个方面解析。其一，以想象写归程。「归梦寄吴樯」以想象写归程——那「归梦寄吴樯」写尽归梦的寄船，以想象写尽归程的漫长。其二，以景语写武昌。「烟树参差认武昌」以景语写武昌——那「烟树参差」写尽参差的烟树，以景语写尽认城的武昌。其三，以对照写新霜。「曾是朝衣染御香」以对照写新霜——那「曾是朝衣」写尽当年的朝衣，以对照写尽新霜的愁鬓。其四，以反语写凄凉。「却恐他乡胜故乡」以反语写凄凉——那「却恐」写尽他乡的胜乡，以反语写尽归乡的凄凉。此外，此词上片写归程的漫长，下片写归乡的凄凉，由程及乡，正是思乡词「以归写愁」的写法。四重手法，使此词以感慨写思乡，写尽归程的漫长与归乡的凄凉，是陆游的代表作。此词还善于以「想见芳洲初系缆」的「想见」写想象之系缆——那「想见芳洲」「初系缆」写尽将泊的芳洲，正是以想写程，以「想见」写尽归程的漫长。又善以「愁鬓点新霜」的「点」字写新霜之点——那「点新霜」写尽鬓上的新霜，以「点」字写尽新霜的愁鬓。

Allusions

The language rests on homesickness and reflection. 'Wu mast' the Wu-land sail; 'waterpost, river road' the water route; 'fragrant isle' Qu Yuan's 'gather fragrant isle, orchid'; 'Wuchang' modern Wuhan; 'court robe steeped in incense' the court garment; 'old friends' the 'old and new rain' friends. 'Slant sun' Xin Qiji's 'slant sun, grass, trees,' 'misty trees' Liu Yong's 'misty willow, painted bridge.' The lyric blends these into a real, homesick, 'weighed' (chen yu) return.

此词的用语深植于思乡与感慨传统。「吴樯」令人想到「吴樯」写吴地船帆的意象——也令人想到「樯帆」的意象；「水驿江程」令人想到「水驿江程」写水路的意象——也令人想到「驿路梨花」的意象；「芳洲」令人想到「芳洲」写芳草的意象——也令人想到「采芳洲兮杜若」（屈原）的意象；「武昌」令人想到「武昌」写武昌的意象——今湖北武汉，也令人想到「武昌鱼」的意象；「朝衣染御香」令人想到「朝衣」写朝服的意象——也令人想到「衣上征尘杂酒痕」的意象；「交旧」令人想到「交旧」写旧友的意象——也令人想到「旧雨新知」的意象。全词化用吴樯、水驿江程、芳洲、武昌、朝衣、交旧的意象，以感慨写思乡，正是陆游「沉郁」而善写真、承思乡传统写凄凉之本领。「斜阳」令人想到「斜阳」写夕阳的意象——也令人想到「斜阳草树，寻常巷陌」（辛弃疾）的意象；「烟树」令人想到「烟树」写烟霭树木的意象——也令人想到「烟柳画桥」（柳永）的意象，以烟树写武昌之景。

Commentary

Long a Lu You homesick classic and a Song model of homecoming desolation, it drew the Qing note 'homesickness in reflection, true and piercing,' and modern praise for 'few friends, desolate, yet I fear the stranger land surpasses home' as its line. Its worth is a middle-length tune holding the return road, Wuchang, the frost temples, the court memory, the homecoming dread - the mast, the misty trees, the 'fear the stranger land.' Set beside his 'Autumn Thought' and the Shi Jing 'Cai Wei' home-longing, it shows the Chinese homesick line. For today it opens his homesick lyrics and the classic of grave return - the feared stranger land still speaks.

此词历来被推为陆游思乡词的名篇，也是宋词写归乡凄凉的代表。历代论者对此词评价极高：清人评此词「以感慨写思乡，真挚沉痛」；近人更指出「重到故乡交旧少，凄凉，却恐他乡胜故乡」写归乡的凄凉，是此词的名句。在词史上，此词的特殊价值在于：它以两片的中调写尽归程的漫长与归乡的凄凉——那归梦，那寄吴樯，那水驿，那江程，那去路长，那想见，那芳洲，那初系缆，那斜阳，那烟树参差，那认武昌，那愁鬓，那点新霜，那曾是朝衣，那染御香，那重到故乡，那交旧少，那凄凉，那却恐，那他乡，那胜故乡，都写尽了陆游笔下的南乡子；那「却恐他乡胜故乡」更以反语写尽归乡的凄凉。此词与陆游《秋思》（「利欲驱人万火牛」）同为感慨名篇，一写「江湖浪迹一沙鸥」的秋思（秋思），一写「却恐他乡胜故乡」的归乡（南乡子）；又与《诗经·采薇》「昔我往矣」的思乡传统一脉相承，可见中国词写思乡的传统。对于今日读者，此词是理解陆游思乡词的窗口，也是宋词写归乡凄凉的经典——那恐胜故乡的他乡，穿越千年，仍在诉说着归乡的凄凉。

Prosody

Form Lyric - Song of the Southern Country (Nan Xiang Zi)词·南乡子

Rhyme Nan Xiang Zi, rhyming qiang/chang/yang/chang/shuang/xiang/liang/xiang (level tone), level rhyme throughout.南乡子，押「樯」「长」「阳」「昌」「霜」「香」「凉」「乡」韵（平声），平韵到底

Tone pattern A Nan Xiang Zi, level-tone rhyme throughout, weighed in sound, fitting the homesick gravity.此词为南乡子词调，押平声韵，一韵到底，音节沉郁，正合思乡的沉郁。

Reading note A Nan Xiang Zi, two parts: upper 'homeward dream... recognize Wuchang,' lower 'sorrow temples... fear the stranger land,' level rhyme (qiang/chang/yang/chang/shuang/xiang/liang/xiang) throughout, weighed in sound. Upper the long return, lower the homecoming desolation, ending on the feared stranger land - Lu You's 'weighed' manner. Read the return weighed, the close low with an echo - his homesick lyric model.此词为南乡子词调，两片——上片「归梦寄吴樯，水驿江程去路长。想见芳洲初系缆，斜阳，烟树参差认武昌」；下片「愁鬓点新霜，曾是朝衣染御香。重到故乡交旧少，凄凉，却恐他乡胜故乡」，押平韵（樯、长、阳、昌、霜、香、凉、乡），一韵到底，音节沉郁。全词以感慨写思乡：上片写归程的漫长（归梦寄吴樯、烟树参差认武昌），下片写归乡的凄凉（愁鬓点新霜、却恐他乡胜故乡）。两片短章，前写归程，后写凄凉，以「却恐他乡胜故乡」写尽归乡的凄凉，正见陆游「沉郁」的本色。诵读此词，宜以沉郁的语调读「烟树参差认武昌」的归程，以低回的语调读「却恐他乡胜故乡」的凄凉，结句要读得沉郁而有余韵，方能传达出陆游的真挚沉痛。陆游词以「沉郁」著称，此词正是其思乡词的典范。

Line by line

重到故乡交旧少，凄凉，却恐他乡胜故乡

Returning to my old home, few friends remain - desolate - yet I fear the stranger land surpasses the native one.

重到故乡交旧少，凄凉，却恐他乡胜故乡。

Returning to my hometown, old friends are few—desolate! I almost fear the stranger's land surpasses home.

此三句是全词写凄凉的核心，以重到故乡交旧少写交旧少，以却恐他乡胜故乡写胜故乡，写尽归乡的凄凉，是千古名句。「重到故乡交旧少」写重到故乡交旧少——那「重到故乡」写重到故乡，「交旧少」写交旧少，写尽故乡的交旧；「却恐他乡胜故乡」写却恐他乡胜故乡——那「却恐他乡」写却恐他乡，「胜故乡」写胜故乡，写尽他乡的胜乡。这句的深意在于：它以「重到故乡交旧少」的交旧少与「却恐他乡胜故乡」的胜故乡，写尽归乡的凄凉——重到故乡交旧少，那「重到故乡交旧少」写尽故乡的交旧——重到故乡，正是重归故里的写照，那「交旧少」写尽归乡的凄凉；却恐他乡胜故乡，那「却恐他乡胜故乡」写尽他乡的胜乡——却恐他乡，正是反恐他乡的写照，那「胜故乡」写尽归乡的凄凉；那「重到故乡交旧少」写尽故乡的交旧，那「却恐他乡胜故乡」写尽他乡的胜乡，一写故乡，一写他乡，写尽归乡的凄凉——故旧凋零而他乡胜乡，正是归乡的悲凉；此三句以故乡、他乡写尽归乡的凄凉，也让此三句成为全词写凄凉的核心与千古名句。若换作直说「回到故乡，老朋友没几个了，真凄凉，反倒怕他乡比故乡还好」，则失其深婉；唯以「重到故乡交旧少」写交旧少、「却恐他乡胜故乡」写胜故乡，写尽归乡的凄凉，也让此三句成为全词写凄凉的核心。

The return. Returning to my hometown, old friends are few—desolate! I almost fear the stranger's land surpasses home. The returning-old-few-desolate and the fear-stranger-surpasses-home are the lament. To have returned would be a returning; the returning-to-my-hometown-old-friends-are-few-desolate-i-almost-fear-the-stranger's-land-surpasses-home is the returning.

归梦寄吴樯，水驿江程去路长

My homeward dream entrusted to the Wu boat's mast; by waterpost and river road the way is long.

归梦寄吴樯，水驿江程去路长。

My homeward dream rides the Wu boat's mast; the water-posts, the river course, the road ahead is long.

此二句是全词写归程的核心，以归梦寄吴樯写寄吴樯，以水驿江程去路长写去路长，写尽归程的漫长，是千古名句。「归梦寄吴樯」写归梦寄吴樯——那「归梦寄」写归梦寄，「吴樯」写吴樯，写尽归梦的寄船；「水驿江程去路长」写水驿江程去路长——那「水驿江程」写水驿江程，「去路长」写去路长，写尽去路的漫长。这句的深意在于：它以「归梦寄吴樯」的寄吴樯与「水驿江程去路长」的去路长，写尽归程的漫长——归梦寄吴樯，那「归梦寄吴樯」写尽归梦的寄船——归梦寄吴樯，正是归梦托船的写照，那「寄吴樯」写尽归程的漫长；水驿江程去路长，那「水驿江程去路长」写尽去路的漫长——水驿江程，正是水程驿路的写照，那「去路长」写尽归程的漫长；那「归梦寄吴樯」写尽归梦的寄船，那「水驿江程去路长」写尽去路的漫长，一写归梦，一写江程，写尽归程的漫长——归梦托船而江程路长，正是归途的写照；此二句以归梦、江程写尽归程的漫长，也为下文的武昌作铺垫，也让此二句成为全词写归程的核心与千古名句。若换作直说「归心托付给吴地的船，水路漫长」，则失其蕴藉；唯以「归梦寄吴樯」写寄吴樯、「水驿江程去路长」写去路长，写尽归程的漫长，也让此二句成为全词写归程的核心。

The dream. My homeward dream rides the Wu boat's mast; the water-posts, the river course, the road ahead is long. The homeward-dream-Wu-mast and the water-posts-river-road-long are the journey. To have ridden the mast would be a riding; the my-homeward-dream-rides-the-wu-boat's-mast-the-water-posts-the-river-course-the-road-ahead-is-long is the riding.

Study

Word focus

寄 Entrust / lodge. In 'homeward dream entrusted to the Wu mast,' 'ji' means the dream is lodged on the boat - both the imagined return and the keenness of his homeward heart, answering the long river road. 「归梦寄吴樯」之「寄」字是写归程的关键词，一个「寄」字写尽归梦的寄船。寄者，寄托、托付也。陆游以「归梦寄吴樯」写归程，这个「寄」字至少有双重意味：其一，写梦之寄——那「归梦寄吴樯」写归梦寄吴樯，那「寄」字写尽归梦的寄船——寄吴樯，正是归梦托船的写照，那「寄」字写尽归程的漫长；其二，写情之切——那「寄」字更是写切——寄，正见归心似箭的深切，那「寄」字写尽陆游的思乡。以「寄」字写归程，正是陆游写思乡的枢纽——若换作「托」「付」等字，则或失其与「归梦」「吴樯」的配合，或失其写寄的意味；唯「寄」字，以归梦寄吴樯写尽归梦之托船与归心之深切，与「水驿江程去路长」的江程相合，写尽归程的漫长，也让「归梦寄吴樯」成为全词写归程的名句。

恐 Fear. In 'yet I fear the stranger land surpasses the native one,' 'kong' voices the dread that home's friends are gone, the stab of desolation, answering 'few friends remain.' 「却恐他乡胜故乡」之「恐」字是写凄凉的关键词，一个「恐」字写尽他乡的胜乡。恐者，恐怕、担心也。陆游以「却恐他乡胜故乡」写凄凉，这个「恐」字至少有双重意味：其一，写乡之恐——那「却恐他乡胜故乡」写却恐他乡胜故乡，那「恐」字写尽他乡的胜乡——却恐他乡，正是反恐他乡的写照，那「恐」字写尽归乡的凄凉；其二，写情之痛——那「恐」字更是写痛——恐，正见故旧凋零的痛楚，那「恐」字写尽陆游的沉郁。以「恐」字写凄凉，正是陆游写思乡的枢纽——若换作「怕」「虑」等字，则或失其与「却恐他乡」「胜故乡」的配合，或失其写恐的意味；唯「恐」字，以却恐他乡胜故乡写尽他乡之胜乡与故旧之凋零，与「重到故乡交旧少」的凄凉相合，写尽归乡的凄凉，也让「却恐他乡胜故乡」成为全词写凄凉的名句。