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先秦 Pre-Qin · 诗经 Classic of Poetry

溱洧

The Zhen and the Wei

诗经

Book of Songs

爱情/相思love and longing 写景/田园scene and pastoral

溱与洧，方涣涣兮。
士与女，方秉蕑兮。
女曰观乎？
士曰既且。
且往观乎！
洧之外，洵訏且乐。
维士与女，伊其相谑，赠之以勺药。
溱与洧，浏其清矣。
士与女，殷其盈矣。
女曰观乎？
士曰既且。
且往观乎！
洧之外，洵訏且乐。
维士与女，伊其将谑，赠之以勺药。

The Zhen and the Wei, now their waters swell and spread.
The men and the maids, now they hold the orchid in hand.
The maid says 'shall we go look?' The man says 'I have already been.'
'Then go look again!' Beyond the Wei, so wide and so gay.
The men and the maids, there they banter, and gift the peony.

The Zhen and the Wei, clear, their current bright.
The men and the maids, thronging, in delight.
The maid says 'shall we go look?' The man says 'I have already been.'
'Then go look again!' Beyond the Wei, so wide and so gay.
The men and the maids, soon they banter, and gift the peony.

Listen

Meaning

The Zhen and the Wei rivers, now the spring waves spread and swell. The men and the maids, now they hold the orchid in hand. The maid says 'shall we go look?' The man says 'I have already been.' 'Then go look again!' Beyond the Wei, truly wide and gay. The men and the maids, there they banter with each other, and gift the peony. The Zhen and the Wei, clear, their current bright. The men and the maids, thronging and full. The maid says 'shall we go look?' The man says 'I have already been.' 'Then go look again!' Beyond the Wei, truly wide and gay. The men and the maids, soon they banter, and gift the peony.

溱水与洧水，正春波荡漾。男男女女，正手持兰草。女子说“去看看？”男子说“已经去过了”。“再去看看吧！”洧水之外，实在宽广又欢乐。男男女女，彼此调笑，赠以芍药。溱水与洧水，清澈见底。男男女女，熙熙攘攘。女子说“去看看？”男子说“已经去过了”。“再去看看吧！”洧水之外，实在宽广又欢乐。男男女女，将要调笑，赠以芍药。

Appreciation

This is a masterpiece of the 'Shangsi Festival' from the 'Zheng Feng' section of the Book of Songs. The poem opens with the waters 'the Zhen and the Wei, now their waters swell and spread', laying the bright spring-stream mood. Then 'the men and the maids, now they hold the orchid' points the figures and the orchid, and the lens pushes into dialogue. 'The maid says shall we go look? The man says I have already been. Then go look again!' three lines of plain dialogue write the maiden's forward invitation and the man's feigned refusal yet compliance, lifelike. It closes with 'there they banter, and gift the peony', the returning stanzas changing words (swell/bright, banter/soon banter) progressing, like a custom-scroll slowly unrolling, full of drama and life.

【白话串讲】三月上巳节，溱河洧河边：“士与女，方秉蕑兮”。姑娘问：去看看吗？小伙子说：看过了。姑娘说：再看一遍！“维士与女，伊其相谑，赠之以勺药”——他们嬉笑着，互赠芍药。这是中国最早的相亲节。【意象与手法】诗以“溱与洧”起笔，先铺水势“涣涣”“浏其清”，渲染春水明媚的节令氛围【情感与主旨】《溱洧》为《诗经·郑风》中写“上巳节”的杰作【名句点睛】本诗为古诗鉴赏重点篇目，考点：一、风俗画卷——上巳节祓禊、游春、赠芍药，具民俗史价值

Background

'The Zhen and the Wei' is a masterpiece of the 'Shangsi Festival' from the 'Zheng Feng' of the Book of Songs. The Zheng custom: each third month, on the Shangsi day, men and women gathered by the Zhen and Wei rivers, held orchid to wash away ill fortune, then roamed the spring and bantered, gifting peonies to pledge love. The poem was produced around the Spring and Autumn in the Zheng capital area (modern Xinzheng, Henan), the earliest and most complete 'Shangsi lovers' day' custom-scroll surviving. The old reading takes it as 'a satire of disorder', yet the poem is bright and glad, a true record of pre-Qin free courtship.

《溱洧》为《诗经·郑风》中的一篇，是写三月上巳节男女春游互赠的诗。全诗两章：溱与洧，方涣涣兮；士与女，方秉蕑兮；女曰观乎？士曰既且；且往观乎！洧之外，洵訏且乐；维士与女，伊其相谑，赠之以勺药。溱与洧，浏其清矣；士与女，殷其盈矣；女曰观乎？士曰既且；且往观乎！洧之外，洵訏且乐；维士与女，伊其将谑，赠之以勺药。全诗写三月春游、士女相谑、赠芍药以定情，是《诗经》中写春游恋爱的名篇。

Art

The poem opens with 'the Zhen and the Wei', first laying the water 'swell and spread' 'clear, bright', rendering the bright spring-stream mood; then 'the men and the maids, now they hold the orchid' points the figures and the orchid, the lens pushing into dialogue. 'The maid says shall we go look? The man says I have already been. Then go look again!' three lines of plain dialogue write the maiden's forward invitation and the man's feigned refusal yet compliance, lifelike. It closes 'there they banter, and gift the peony', the returning stanzas changing words (swell/bright, banter/soon banter) progressing, like a custom-scroll slowly unrolling, full of drama and life.

《溱洧》艺术上以场景的生动与对话的传神见长。全诗两章，层层写来：首章写春游之盛——“溱与洧，方涣涣兮”写春水涣涣，“士与女，方秉蕑兮”写士女秉蕑，“女曰观乎？士曰既且”写对话，“且往观乎！洧之外，洵訏且乐”写观乎洧外，“维士与女，伊其相谑，赠之以勺药”写相谑赠药；次章写春游之盛更甚——“溱与洧，浏其清矣”写春水清冽，“士与女，殷其盈矣”写士女盈多，“维士与女，伊其将谑，赠之以勺药”写相谑赠药。全诗以场景写春游、以对话写传神，正是《诗经》叙事写景的手法。

Allusions

In the poem 'jian' (orchid) is the orchid, anciently thought to wash away ill fortune, the standard of the Shangsi 'bathing rite', traceable to the Rites of Zhou ('the woman shaman keeps the seasonal washing and sprinkling'). 'Peony' (shao yao) is not today's peony but a homophone for 'to part' (jiang li); the ancients gifted it at parting to pledge love, the Zheng commentary says 'at parting gift the peony, to bind the grace of love'. These two things form the ritual closure of 'wash away, pledge love', a living fossil of pre-Qin seasonal and courtship custom; later 'Shangsi' and 'winding stream' all flow from it.

《溱洧》用典在“秉蕑”“勺药”。“蕑”即兰草，古人三月上巳节以兰草祓除不祥；“勺药”即芍药，男女相赠以结情；“溱”“洧”为郑国二水名；“洵訏且乐”写实在广大快乐。全诗以这些意象写三月春游、赠芍药定情，不用深典而场景生动，正是《诗经》写民俗恋爱的笔法。

Commentary

The Mao preface: 'The Zhen and the Wei, a satire of disorder. War unceasing, men and women forsake each other, licentious ways prevail', a reading later ages mostly doubt. Zhu Xi's Commentary follows the old 'licentious elopement' judgment. Moderns, as Yuan Mei's Songs Translated says plainly 'this is a beautiful Shangsi love song'. Wen Yiduo's View of the Songs' Sexuality calls it 'writes to the full the frenzy of the ancient spring gathering'. Its folk-realistic value is cited also by Qian Zhongshu's Tube and Awl.

《溱洧》是《诗经·郑风》中的名篇，也是中国诗歌中写春游民俗、男女相会的源头。此诗写上巳节男女春游互赠芍药，向为论者称道。论者多赏其场景的生动——“溱与洧，方涣涣兮”写春水涣涣，春游之盛尽在景中；“女曰观乎？士曰既且”写对话传神，男女之情更见活泼；“赠之以勺药”写赠药定情，正是春游恋爱的高潮。此诗以场景写民俗、以对话写情爱，正是《诗经》风诗写恋爱欢会的代表作。

Prosody

Form Book of Songs, Zheng Feng (mostly four-character, with particles)四言诗（风诗）

Rhyme Stanza 1: spread, orchid, look, been, gay, banter, peony (yuan, yao groups interrhyming); stanza 2 shifts rhyme《溱洧》为《诗经·郑风》中的四言诗，两章，每章七句，押韵。此诗用韵：涣、蕑（元部）、且、乐（药部）、谑、药（药部），两章同韵，音节轻快。

Tone pattern Four-character, two-two beat; 'xi' particle slows《诗经》四言诗以音节短促、节奏鲜明见长。此诗两章复沓，以“溱与洧”起，以“赠之以勺药”收，音节轻快而欢畅。全诗以四言贯底，声调与春游恋爱的内容相合，是《诗经》风诗中写欢会的一路。

Reading note Returning stanzas, dialogue into poem, opening the later 'question-answer form'.《溱洧》为《诗经·郑风》中的四言诗，是写三月上巳节男女春游互赠的诗。全诗两章复沓：以“溱与洧，方涣涣兮”写春水之盛，以“士与女，方秉蕑兮”写上巳秉兰之俗，以“女曰观乎？士曰既且”写对话传神，以“赠之以勺药”写赠药定情。以场景写民俗、以对话写情爱，正是《诗经》写春游恋爱的代表作。

Line by line

溱与洧，方涣涣兮。士与女，方秉蕑兮。

The Zhen and the Wei rivers are brimming with spring floods; young men and women wander, each holding sprigs of orchid.

溱水与洧水，正水势涣涣。士人与女子，正手持兰草。

The Zhen and Wei rivers are in full spring flood; young men and women roam about, holding orchids in their hands.

首章前两句写春游之盛，是全诗场景的起点。“溱与洧，方涣涣兮”写春水涣涣——“溱与洧”写郑国二水，“方涣涣兮”写水势涣涣——溱水洧水，春水涣涣；“士与女，方秉蕑兮”写士女秉蕑——“士与女”写男男女女，“方秉蕑兮”写手持兰草——士女出游，手持兰草。两句写春游之盛：溱洧水涣涣，士女秉蕑出游。以“涣涣”写春水之盛，以“秉蕑”写上巳祓除之俗，正是《诗经》写春游民俗的笔法——春水涣涣，士女出游，正是三月上巳之盛景。

The first two lines open the spring outing, the starting point of the poem's scene. The Zhen and Wei are the two rivers of the state of Zheng; brimming writes the full spring flood. Young men and women wander, each holding sprigs of orchid. The brimming water gives the spring flood, the orchids the purification custom of the Shangsi festival on the third day of the third month: this is the Shijing way of writing the folk custom of spring outings, the swollen rivers and roaming lovers capturing the height of the Shangsi pageantry.

女曰观乎？士曰既且。且往观乎！洧之外，洵訏且乐。

The girl says: shall we go and see? The young man says: I have already been. She says: come, let us go again! Beyond the Wei, the place is truly wide and delightful.

女子说：去看看吗？男子说：已经去过了。再去看看吧！洧水之外，实在广大快乐。

The girl asks: shall we go and look? The young man answers: I have already been. She urges: come on, let us go again! Beyond the banks of the Wei, the place is truly spacious and joyful.

此数句写男女对话，是全诗传神的关键。“女曰观乎”写女子之邀——“观乎”写去看看吗；“士曰既且”写男子之答——“既且”写已经去过；“且往观乎”写女子再邀——“且往观乎”写再去看看吧；“洧之外，洵訏且乐”写洧外之乐——“洧之外”写洧水之外，“洵訏且乐”写实在广大快乐。四句写男女对话：女邀观游，男曰已去；女再邀之，洧外洵乐。以对话写男女之情，以“且往观乎”写女子之主动，正是《诗经》叙事写人、以对话传神的笔法——一问一答，情致宛然。

The lines write the dialogue between man and woman, the very pulse of the poem. The girl asks: shall we go and see? The young man answers: I have already been. She presses: come, let us go again! Beyond the Wei, the place is truly wide and delightful. Four lines of dialogue: she invites, he says already gone; she urges again, and the banks of the Wei are indeed delightful. Writing the feeling between man and woman through dialogue, and the girl's initiative in let us go again, is the Shijing art of narrative and character, where question and answer make the feeling live.

维士与女，伊其相谑，赠之以勺药。

The men and the maids, there they banter, and gift the peony.

那些士人与女子，互相戏谑，以芍药相赠。

Those young men and women banter and tease one another, exchanging sprigs of peony as love tokens.

此数句写相谑赠药，是全诗春游恋爱的高潮。“维士与女”写那些士女——“维”为发语，“士与女”写男男女女；“伊其相谑”写互相戏谑——“伊其”为语助，“相谑”写互相调笑；“赠之以勺药”写赠药定情——“勺药”写芍药——互相戏谑，以芍药相赠。三句写相谑赠药：士女相谑，赠之以芍药。以“相谑”写男女之调笑，以“赠之以勺药”写赠药定情，正是《诗经》写春游恋爱高潮的笔法——相谑之后，赠药以定情。

The lines write the banter and the gift, the climax of the spring-outing love. Those young men and women: wei opens the clause, and men and women are the crowds. They banter and tease: yi-qi is a particle, xiangxue means playful raillery. They give one another peony. Three lines: the young folk tease, and seal it with peony. Xiangxue writes the lovers' raillery, the gift of peony writes the sealing of love; this is the Shijing way of writing the climax of spring-outing love, after the banter, the peony to pledge it.

Study

Word focus

涣涣 The look of water abundant; writes the spring stream swelling, hinting the stir of feeling. “方涣涣兮”之“涣涣”，写春水涣涣、水势盛大，是全诗写春景的关键词。“涣涣”写水流盛大——溱洧之水，方涣涣兮。这一词写春水之盛：不是枯浅之水，而是涣涣；不是寂静之流，而是盛大之波。以“涣涣”写春水，正是《诗经》以水写春游之盛的笔法——春水涣涣，正见上巳之景。

秉蕑 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. “方秉蕑兮”之“秉蕑”，写手持兰草，是全诗写上巳民俗的关键词。“秉”写手持，“蕑”写兰草——士女手持兰草。这一词写三月上巳祓除之俗：不是空手出游，而是秉蕑；不是寻常之游，而是上巳祓除。以“秉蕑”写上巳之俗，正是《诗经》写民俗的笔法——秉蕑出游，正是春游祓除之俗。

既且 'Ju' is a variant for 'cu', 'already gone'. The man feigns 'already been', setting off the maiden's eager invitation. “士曰既且”之“既且”，写已经去过，是全诗对话传神的关键词。“既”写已经，“且”（通徂）写去——男子说已经去过。这一词写男子之答：不是不去，而是已去；不是拒绝，而是推托。以“既且”写男子之答，正是《诗经》以对话写传神的笔法——女邀而男推，情致宛然。

勺药 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. “赠之以勺药”之“勺药”，写以芍药相赠，是全诗恋爱定情的关键词。“勺药”即芍药，古时男女相赠以结情——互相戏谑，以芍药相赠。这一词写赠药定情：不是寻常之赠，而是芍药；不是泛泛之交，而是结情之赠。以“勺药”写赠物定情，正是《诗经》写恋爱的高潮——三月春游，赠药定情。

溱洧