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先秦 Pre-Qin · 楚辞 Chu Ci

九歌·少司命

Nine Songs: The Lesser Lord of Fate

屈原

Qu Yuan

神话Mythology 祭祀Sacrifice

秋兰兮蘪芜，罗生兮堂下。
绿叶兮素华，芳菲菲兮袭予。
夫人自有兮美子，荪何以兮愁苦？
秋兰兮青青，绿叶兮紫茎。
满堂兮美人，忽独与余兮目成。
入不言兮出不辞，乘回风兮载云旗。
悲莫悲兮生别离，乐莫乐兮新相知。
荷衣兮蕙带，儵而来兮忽而逝。
夕宿兮帝郊，君谁须兮云之际？
与女沐兮咸池，晞女发兮阳之阿。
望美人兮未来，临风怳兮浩歌。
孔盖兮翠旍，登九天兮抚彗星。
竦长剑兮拥幼艾，荪独宜兮为民正。

Autumn orchids and asarum spread beneath the hall.
Green leaves and white flowers, their fragrance assails me.
Each person naturally has good children; why then do you, O God, feel sad?
Autumn orchids are lush green, with green leaves and purple stems.
The hall is full of beautiful women, yet suddenly you and I exchange meaningful glances.
You enter without speech and leave without farewell, riding the whirlwind with cloud banners.
Nothing is sadder than separation in life, nothing happier than a new acquaintance.
With lotus robe and angelica belt, you come swiftly and go suddenly.
At night you lodge at the imperial border; whom do you await among the clouds?
I wish to bathe with you in the Xian Pool, and dry your hair on the sunny bank.
I look for the beautiful one but she does not come; facing the wind I sing aloud with longing.
With peacock canopy and kingfisher banners, you ascend the nine heavens to grasp the comet.
Raising your long sword and embracing the young, you alone are fit to be the people's judge.

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Meaning

This poem depicts the ritual invocation and romantic interaction between a shaman and the Lesser Lord of Fate (goddess of fertility and destiny). It expresses human longing for love and divine protection, blending themes of affection, fleeting encounter, and reverence for the deity's power over life and fate.

秋兰与蘪芜，罗列生长于堂下；绿叶素花，芬芳袭人。人们自有美好的子女，你(少司命)又何苦忧愁？秋兰青葱，紫茎绿叶，满堂美人之中，你忽然与我眉目传情。你来时不言、去时不辞，乘着旋风高张云旗；悲莫悲于生别离，乐莫乐于新知遇。你荷衣蕙带，倏忽来去，夜宿天郊，究竟在云端等谁？愿与你同沐咸池、晒发阳阿，望美人未来，临风怅然高歌。你以孔雀为盖、翠羽为旗，登九天抚彗星，持长剑护幼艾——唯有你最宜为主持人间寿夭之神。

Appreciation

The poem begins with fragrant orchids and grasses, creating a pure, sacred setting. The shaman's affectionate address to the goddess ('Why are you sad?') soon gives way to a romantic focus: 'among a hall of beauties, you alone exchange glances with me.' The lines 'Nothing is sadder than parting in life, nothing happier than a new acquaintance' are universally acclaimed as the epitome of emotional extremes. The goddess's swift comings and goings, described in 'lotus robe and angelica belt,' evoke a mystical presence. The final section shifts to the goddess's cosmic duties—grasping a comet and protecting children—affirming her role as the people's righteous arbiter. The interplay of human devotion and divine majesty creates a haunting, lyrical masterpiece.

【白话串讲】 “满堂兮美人，忽独与余兮目成”——满屋子都是美人，只有她和我四目相对。屈原写神与神的爱恋，写出了“目成”这个最美的词：一眼，就是一生。【意象与手法】诗以香草起兴，秋兰、蘪芜、荷、蕙层叠铺染神界清芬，意象明丽【情感与主旨】《少司命》为屈原《九歌》之一。九歌乃屈原据楚地民间祭神乐歌改作，用于楚国民间与朝廷的祭祀巫舞【名句点睛】此诗为先秦屈原之作，精要赏析详见下方深度赏析。

Background

The Lesser Lord of Fate is one of the eleven songs in Qu Yuan's Nine Songs, adapted from Chu shamanistic folk hymns for sacrificial performances. This poem honors the deity who governs human destiny, children, and lifespan. In the ritual, a male shaman (or priest) impersonates the god while a female shaman welcomes him, expressing a romantic dialogue between human and divine. Qu Yuan transforms the primitive rite into refined lyrical verse, infusing it with his own reflections on love, fate, and the longing for recognition. The work dates to the Warring States period, around the reign of King Huai of Chu.

《少司命》是屈原《九歌》十一篇之一。《九歌》本是楚地民间的祭神乐歌，王逸《楚辞章句》谓「昔楚国南郢之邑，沅湘之间，其俗信鬼而好祠，其祠必作歌乐鼓舞以乐诸神」，屈原流放沅湘时据民间祭辞改作而成，用于楚国宫廷与民间的祭祀巫舞。少司命为主管子嗣、幼艾（幼儿）与人之寿夭的神，与主司人寿夭之大司命相对而称，二者皆为楚人所祠的司命之神。关于少司命的身份，旧注歧见纷出，或以为即灶神，或以为司子嗣之神，王夫之《楚辞通释》谓「少司命主缘，故凡无子者皆祀之」，近世闻一多《什么是九歌》考证《九歌》为人神恋爱的宗教歌舞剧，少司命与巫觋之间有「目成」之约，其说影响甚广。此篇写巫觋迎神、神人目成、神去而恋慕怅惘的过程，祭辞与恋歌相融，是《九歌》中情致最旖旎的一篇。「悲莫悲兮生别离，乐莫乐兮新相知」二句，道尽人间聚散悲欢的至情，尤为千古所传诵。少司命与《大司命》相对，主司人间子嗣与幼艾之命，王夫之《楚辞通释》谓「少司命主缘，故凡无子者皆祀之」，其神职在护佑幼儿、主掌生育。此篇写巫觋迎神、神降而「目成」、神去而怅惘的整个过程，祭歌之中融入了人神相悦的情事。关于「少司命」的性别，旧注或以为女神，以其司子嗣；或以为男神，以其「竦长剑」有武容，学界歧见纷出。闻一多《什么是九歌》论证《九歌》为人神恋爱的宗教歌舞剧，谓「目成」「新相知」乃巫神相悦之辞，其说为现代《九歌》研究开一新局。

Art

The poem opens with fragrant herbs (orchids, asarum) that establish a pure, otherworldly atmosphere. The dramatic conceit of a human-divine romance renders the abstract goddess a tangible beloved—'exchanging glances and singing aloud.' Structurally, it moves from invocation to love-at-first-sight, separation, yearning, and finally deification. The iconic couplet 'Nothing is sadder...' uses double negation and contrast to amplify emotion, achieving both simplicity and profundity. The language is rhythmic and varied, with the interjection 'xi' (兮) lending a melodic, soaring quality typical of Chu elegies.

《少司命》的艺术特色在于香草铺染、人神恋慕与哲理警句的交织。开篇「秋兰兮蘪芜，罗生兮堂下。绿叶兮素华，芳菲菲兮袭予」以香草起兴，秋兰、蘪芜层叠铺染神堂的清芬，绿叶素花、芬芳袭人，先以嗅觉写祭坛之洁、以衬神之将至，意象明丽。「夫人自有兮美子，荪何以兮愁苦」以人自有美子宽解神之愁苦，点出少司命司子嗣的神职。「满堂兮美人，忽独与余兮目成」写满堂美人中神独与巫者眉目传情，「目成」二字写尽两心相契于眉目之间的一瞬，是全篇最旖旎的一笔。「入不言兮出不辞，乘回风兮载云旗」写神之来去倏忽、超然绝尘，继以「悲莫悲兮生别离，乐莫乐兮新相知」的警句，把神人之别离升华为普世的人生哲理。「荷衣兮蕙带，儵而来兮忽而逝」「夕宿兮帝郊，君谁须兮云之际」写神之飘忽难留与巫者的追问。「与女沐兮咸池，晞女发兮阳之阿」写愿与神共浴同晒的痴想，「望美人兮未来，临风怳兮浩歌」写望而不至的怅惘。结以「孔盖兮翠旍，登九天兮抚彗星。竦长剑兮拥幼艾，荪独宜兮为民正」，写神登天抚星、拥剑护幼的威严，赞其宜为民之主。全篇由迎神而恋神、由恋神而送神，情致缠绵而不失庄重。全篇尤以「悲莫悲兮生别离，乐莫乐兮新相知」的警句为全篇之骨，一悲一乐、两相对举，遂使祭神的情事升华为普世的人生至理。

Allusions

The line 'Nothing is sadder than parting in life, nothing happier than a new acquaintance' is the most famous from the Nine Songs. It became a classic expression of separation and friendship, influencing later poets like Jiang Yan (whose 'Fu on Parting' echoes its sentiment). 'Exchange glances' (mucheng 目成) is a direct source for the idiom 'eyes that speak' and romantic visual communication. 'Xian Pool' and 'sunny bank' are mythological bathing and drying places, associated with the sun goddess. 'Comet grasping' reflects the shamanistic belief that the deity wields comets to sweep away evil and protect children.

《少司命》的意象与典故皆有源流。「秋兰」「蘪芜」（芎藭的苗叶）、「荷」「蕙」诸香草，皆楚辞「香草美人」体系之一环，以香草之芳洁衬神之清芬与人情之高洁，其比兴可上溯至《诗经》，如《诗经·郑风·溱洧》「士与女，方秉蕑兮」以香草赠情的风俗。「荪」本香草名，楚辞中常以之称神或指所爱之人，王逸注「荪，香草也，以喻君」，此处以「荪」称少司命，见其香洁。「咸池」为神话中日浴之所，《淮南子·天文训》「日出于旸谷，浴于咸池」，诗中「与女沐兮咸池，晞女发兮阳之阿」化用日神沐浴的神话，以写愿与神同浴共晒的亲密痴想。「彗星」即扫帚星，古人以之为除旧布新之星，少司命「登九天兮抚彗星」，喻其司掌寿夭、操人生死的大权。「幼艾」指幼儿，与「美子」同点少司命司子嗣的神职。全篇以香草、神话、天象织成神界的图景，而「悲莫悲兮生别离，乐莫乐兮新相知」的哲思，则把祭神的乐歌提升为对人间聚散的深沉咏叹。「秋兰」「蘪芜」「荷」「蕙」诸香草，皆楚辞「香草美人」体系之一环，以香草之芳洁衬神之清芬，其比兴上承《诗经》。《诗经·郑风·溱洧》「士与女，方秉蕑兮」以香草赠情的风俗，正是「搴汀洲兮杜若，将以遗兮远者」一类的先声。「咸池」为日浴之所，《淮南子·天文训》「日出于旸谷，浴于咸池」，诗中「与女沐兮咸池」化用日神沐浴的神话，以写愿与神共沐的痴想。「彗星」古人以为除旧布新之星，少司命「登九天兮抚彗星」，喻其司掌寿夭的大权。全篇以香草、神话、天象织成神界的图景，是《九歌》浪漫想象的代表。

Commentary

Wang Yi (2nd century AD) in his Chu Ci Commentary states: 'The Lesser Lord of Fate is a star god who oversees life and death, aids heaven's transformation, slays evil, and protects good.' He interprets the love language as allegorical political allegory. Zhu Xi (Song dynasty) writes: 'This poem shows the deity's benevolence and the people's unending yearning.' Modern scholars like Wen Yiduo identify 'exchange glances' as a peak moment of shamanic ecstasy. Critics have unanimously praised 'parting and acquaintance' as immortal lines of deep emotion, calling Nine Songs 'tender, graceful, eternally fresh.'

《少司命》在《九歌》中以情致旖旎、警句精警著称。「悲莫悲兮生别离，乐莫乐兮新相知」二句，被朱熹《楚辞集注》评为「古今情语之至」，历代诗话多举为写离愁别恨与新交之乐的极致。王夫之《楚辞通释》谓此篇「情致缠绵，意味深婉」。闻一多《什么是九歌》从人神恋爱的角度解读，谓「目成」「新相知」乃巫神相悦之辞，其说开现代《九歌》研究的新局。此篇「满堂兮美人，忽独与余兮目成」的「目成」一词，后世诗文屡见化用，如「目成心许」即源于此。「入不言兮出不辞」写神之来去无踪，亦为后世写仙人、高士飘忽之态的语源。此篇与《湘君》《湘夫人》《山鬼》同列《九歌》中最具文学性的篇章，被今人选入多种教材，是楚辞中既富神话色彩、又具人情味的代表作，其「悲莫悲」「乐莫乐」的对举，更成为中国文学中写聚散之情的经典范式。「悲莫悲兮生别离，乐莫乐兮新相知」二句，朱熹《楚辞集注》评为「古今情语之至」，历代诗话多举为写离愁与新交之乐的极致。此篇在《九歌》中以情致旖旎著称，与《湘君》《湘夫人》《山鬼》同列最具文学性的篇章。王夫之《楚辞通释》谓此篇「情致缠绵，意味深婉」。近世闻一多的「人神恋爱」说，使此篇的解读由「思君」转向「神人之恋」，成为现代《九歌》研究的重要转折。此篇「目成」一词，后世诗文屡见化用，「目成心许」遂成成语，可见其影响之深远。

Prosody

Form Chu Ci style (sao-体, with xi-particle lines)楚辞（骚体），《九歌》之一

Rhyme Lines 1-4: -a; lines 5-8: -eng; lines 9-12: -ei; lines 13-16: -ing (approximate rhymes in various regional dialects)全诗隔句押韵、频繁换韵，韵脚下、予、苦，茎、成，辞、旗、知，逝、际，阿、歌，星、正等，属上古音韵部（鱼、耕、之、月、歌、耕等部），依楚音相押

Tone pattern Irregular line lengths, predominantly 6-syllable lines with xi caesura; no strict tonal parallelism, focusing on lyric flow此篇以六言句式为主，「兮」字居句中的固定位置，前后各三字，如「秋兰兮蘪芜」「满堂兮美人」，形成「三三」节奏；间有五言句如「芳菲菲兮袭予」，「兮」字亦居中，读来轻盈摇曳，宜于巫舞时的载歌载舞。

Reading note A liturgical song from the Nine Songs cycle, performed for the deity of fate and childbirth, blending shamanistic courtship with divine praise.《少司命》的体式为《九歌》典型的骚体句式，以六言为主，「兮」字居句中的固定位置，如「秋兰兮蘪芜」为「秋兰」加「兮」加「蘪芜」，「满堂兮美人」为「满堂」加「兮」加「美人」，前后各三字，形成「三三」的匀称节奏；间有五言句如「芳菲菲兮袭予」「悲莫悲兮生别离」，前者「芳菲菲」三字加「兮」加「袭予」二字，后者「悲莫悲」三字加「兮」加「生别离」三字，皆为「兮」字居中的骚体常格。用韵方面，全诗隔句押韵而频繁换韵，如「下、予、苦」属鱼部，「茎、成」属耕部，「辞、旗、知」属之部（「知」为之部入声），「逝、际」属月部，「阿、歌」属歌部，「星、正」属耕部，皆上古音韵部，依楚地方音而押，读来音韵流转、声情摇曳。此篇无平仄之律，其音乐性全在「兮」字的顿宕与韵脚的变换，「悲莫悲兮生别离，乐莫乐兮新相知」二句，以「悲莫悲」「乐莫乐」的叠字回环与「生别离」「新相知」的对举，形成声情上的往复与顿挫，读来一唱三叹，正合其写尽人间悲欢的至情。楚辞骚体的这种句法与用韵，上承《诗经》、下启汉赋，是中国诗歌形式演变的重要环节。

Line by line

秋兰兮蘪芜，罗生兮堂下

Autumn orchids and melilotus, spreading in clusters below the hall.

秋兰与蘪芜，罗列生长于堂下。

Autumn orchids and melilotus grow in profusion below the ceremonial hall.

二句以香草起兴，写神堂前秋兰、蘪芜罗列丛生之景。「秋兰」「蘪芜」皆香草，丛生堂下，既写祭坛周遭的实景，又以香草之芳洁铺染神境的清芬，暗示所迎之神的高洁与将至。以「罗生」写香草之繁茂错落，见其生机盎然。二句先以香草之景定下全篇芳洁明丽的基调，是《九歌》祭神乐歌「香草迎神」的典型开篇，比兴之间，已把对神的敬仰与爱慕寓于草木的清芬之中，为下文「目成」的旖旎情事预设了香洁的氛围。

The two lines rise on fragrant herbs, painting the autumn orchids and melilotus clustered below the divine hall. Both are sacred herbs; growing thickly about the altar, they describe the actual surroundings while suffusing the sacred space with their purity, hinting at the noble deity who is about to arrive. The word 'clustering' shows their lush, ordered abundance, full of life. The stanza sets the fragrant, bright tone of the whole song; it is a typical opening of the Nine Songs' deity-welcoming hymns, where admiration and love for the god are already lodged in the scent of the plants, preparing the pure and fragrant atmosphere for the love-glance that follows.

满堂兮美人，忽独与余兮目成

The hall is filled with beautiful attendants, yet suddenly, only with me, your eyes speak our hearts.

满堂美人之中，你忽然与我眉目传情。

Among all the beauties filling the hall, you suddenly exchange a glance only with me, and hearts are understood.

二句写神人相悦的一瞬，是全篇最旖旎之笔。「满堂兮美人」写祭堂之上美人云集，众目睽睽；「忽独与余兮目成」写神独独与巫者眉目传情，两心相契于目光交会的一刹。「忽」字写这相悦来得突然而珍贵，「独」字写其在众中偏择一人的情有独钟，「目成」二字尤为精绝，以眉目之间不言的默契，写尽两情相悦于未言之时。此二句既写祭神巫舞中神降于巫的宗教体验，又写人间恋爱中一见倾心的至美瞬间，神人之恋与人间之情在此叠合无间。

The two lines describe the instant when god and devotee are drawn to each other, the most enchanting moment in the song. 'The hall is filled with beautiful attendants' sets a crowd of beautiful women before the shrine, watched by all; 'yet suddenly, only with me, your eyes speak our hearts' says the deity singles out the shamaness alone, and two hearts meet in the instant of exchanged gaze. The word 'suddenly' captures how swiftly and preciously this affection arrives; 'only' captures how, among the crowd, he chooses one; 'eyes speak' is the finest phrase, capturing a wordless understanding in a look, love kindled before a word is spoken. The lines render at once the religious experience of the god descending into the dancer, and the earthly beauty of love at first sight; divine and human love overlap without seam.

悲莫悲兮生别离，乐莫乐兮新相知

No grief greater than living separation; no joy greater than a newly found friend.

悲莫悲于生别离，乐莫乐于新知遇。

No sorrow exceeds the sorrow of living parting; no delight exceeds the delight of newly knowing a kindred spirit.

二句是全篇的哲理高峰，也是千古写情的警句。「悲莫悲兮生别离」写生离之悲为悲之至，「乐莫乐兮新相知」写新知之乐为乐之极，一悲一乐，对举而出，以两个「莫」字把别离与相知推到情感的极端。此二句承上「目成」而来——目成之乐既为至乐，则其后的神人相离、倏忽而逝便成为至悲，情感的落差在此达到顶点。它以最直白的语言道出最普世的人生体验，遂超越祭神的语境，成为中国人写聚散之情的经典表达，朱熹誉为「古今情语之至」，良有以也。

These two lines are the philosophical summit of the song and an age-old aphorism of love. 'No grief greater than living separation' places the sorrow of parting at the extreme of grief; 'no joy greater than a newly found friend' places the joy of new understanding at the extreme of joy; the two 'no' words push parting and knowing to the outer limits of feeling. Following the love-glance of the preceding lines, the joy of that glance is supreme joy, so the swift, sudden departure of god from human becomes supreme grief; the emotional gap reaches its peak. In the plainest language the lines utter the most universal human experience, transcending the ritual context to become the classic Chinese expression of parting and reunion; Zhu Xi praised them as the highest of all lines on feeling through the ages, and with reason.

竦长剑兮拥幼艾，荪独宜兮为民正

He holds aloft the long sword and shelters the young; you alone are fit to be the ruler over mortal lives.

持长剑护幼艾——唯有你最宜为主持人间寿夭之神。

Brandishing the long sword and protecting the young; you alone are worthy to preside as the god of mortal life and death.

结二句赞神之威严与神职，收束全篇。「竦长剑」写少司命仗剑而立的英武，「拥幼艾」写其怀抱幼儿、护佑幼小的仁爱，一剑一儿，威与慈并见，正合少司命司掌子嗣、护佑幼艾的神职。「荪独宜兮为民正」的「独」字，谓唯此神最宜作人间之主、司寿夭之正，是祭者（巫者）对神的颂赞与期许。以如此庄重的颂辞作结，把前文缠绵的人神恋情重新收束到祭神的正题之上，情与礼、恋与颂最终归一，见出《九歌》以恋写神、以颂成礼的完整结构。

The closing two lines praise the deity's majesty and office, gathering the song together. 'Holds aloft the long sword' shows the martial bearing of the Young Child-god, standing armed; 'shelters the young' shows his kindness, cradling infants and protecting the small: one sword, one child, awe and mercy together, exactly fitting his charge over children and the young. The word 'alone' in 'you alone are fit to be the ruler over mortal lives' declares that this deity is the rightful lord over mortal years, the offerer's praise and hope. The hymn closes in such solemn praise that the tender human-divine romance of the preceding lines is gathered back to the ritual center; feeling and rite, love and eulogy, finally become one, revealing the complete Nine Songs structure of writing the god through love and completing the rite through praise.

Study

Word focus

袭 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. 「袭」字见于「芳菲菲兮袭予」，写香草之芬芳扑面而来、沁人心脾。「袭」本为「及」「侵」之义，写香气不是静止地存在，而是主动地侵袭、裹挟而来，一个「袭」字，把无形的芬芳写得有动态、有力量，仿佛香气扑面而至、令人无法回避。以「袭」写香，比「闻」「扑」更见香气的浓烈与主动，也与祭者迎神时心神为之一振的体验相合。此字与「芳菲菲」的叠字相配，一写香之浓、一写香之来，嗅觉的体验被写得可触可感，是屈原状物炼字的精到之笔。

目成 to exchange glances as a sign of mutual affection; a moment of romantic eye contact. 「目成」二字是全篇最精绝的造语，写两心相悦于眉目交会之间，不待言说而情意已通。「目」而能「成」，把眼神的交流写成一种完成的契约——一眼之间，心意已然相许。此语妙在写情之含蓄而深挚，非言语所能尽者，全在目光的一触之中。它以最简省的二字，写出了恋爱中最微妙、最动人的瞬间，后世「目成心许」遂成为一见钟情的经典表达。屈原以「目成」写神人之恋，既见祭神巫舞中「神降于巫」的宗教体验，也见其对人间情感的深刻体察，一字而兼具神性与人情。

浩歌 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. 「浩歌」见于「临风怳兮浩歌」，写望神不至时临风放声长歌之态。「浩」状歌声之宏大、绵长、无所拘束，与「怳」（恍）的失神恍惚相对，写尽了从怅惘中迸发出的情感的激越。望美人而不来，本应黯然，词人却以「浩歌」排遣，歌声愈浩大，愈见其情之深而不可抑。以「浩歌」收束「与女沐兮咸池」的痴想，使缠绵的恋慕升华为一种悲慨的长歌，情感的宣泄与祭歌的节律在此合一，是《九歌》以歌写情、以情成歌的典型之笔。「浩歌」二字，遂使恋慕化为悲慨，是《九歌》以歌抒情的典型。