清 Qing · 诗 Poem
秋日登滕王阁
Climbing the Teng-Wang Pavilion on an Autumn Day
客路逢秋思易伤，江天烟景正苍凉。
依然极浦生秋水，终古寒潮送夕阳。
高士几回亭草绿，梅仙一去岭云荒。
临风不见南来雁，书札何由达豫章？
Still the far shore breeds autumn water; through all time the cold tide sees off the setting sun.
How many times the high gentleman's pavilion turns green with grass; the plum immortal gone, the ridge clouds are wild.
Facing the wind, no south-flying goose is seen; how can a letter reach Yu-Zhang?
Meaning
On a traveller's road, meeting autumn easily wounds the heart; the river sky and misty waters are just desolate. Still the far shore breeds autumn water; through all time the cold tide sees off the setting sun. How many times the high gentleman's pavilion has turned green with grass; the plum immortal gone, the ridge clouds are wild. Facing the wind, no south-flying goose is seen; by what means can a letter reach Yu-Zhang?
客游途中逢秋便易生伤感，江天烟水之景正是一片苍凉。依然是从远处水滨生起秋水，亘古以来寒潮送走夕阳。高士的亭畔几度草色转绿，梅仙一去岭上云烟荒杳。临风不见南飞的归雁，书信又凭什么通达豫章？
Appreciation
The first couplet, 'on a traveller's road, autumn thoughts' and 'river sky desolate', directly reveals the traveller's autumn sorrow and the open scene, setting a clear-desolate tone. The second couplet, 'still' and 'through all time', pulls open the dimension of past and present, transforming Wang Bo's 'Teng-Wang Pavilion Preface' yet forging new words; the scene holds a constant sigh. The third couplet mourns the past: the high gentleman's pavilion and the plum immortal, one green one wild, contrast in posture. The closing couplet, 'facing the wind, no south-flying goose', turns from scene to feeling and ends on a question, the homesickness far. The whole poem is apt in its allusion and blends scene and feeling.
【白话串讲】 彭孙遹秋日登滕王阁：“客路逢秋思易伤，江天烟景正苍凉”。“依然极浦生秋水，终古寒潮送夕阳”——当年的秋水、夕阳，还在。“临风不见南来雁，书札何由达豫章”——他想给谁寄信，却等不到南来的雁。 【意象与手法】 首联'客路逢秋''江天苍凉'直揭羁旅悲秋与空阔之景，定下清苍基调 【情感与主旨】 彭孙遹（1631—1700）清初官员、词人，与王士禛齐名，时号'彭王' 【名句点睛】 本诗为清初登临怀古名作。考点：一、颔联'依然极浦生秋水，终古寒潮送夕阳'化用王勃《滕王阁序》的手法与古今交织之妙
Background
Peng Sunyu (1631–1700) was an early-Qing official and lyricist, paired with Wang Shizhen as 'Peng and Wang'. This poem was written in his middle years when, as a traveller at Yu-Zhang (modern Nanchang, Jiangxi), he climbed the Teng-Wang Pavilion on an autumn day. The Teng-Wang Pavilion was built by Li Yuanying, the Tang Prince of Teng, and made famous by Wang Bo's 'Teng-Wang Pavilion Preface'. The poet, away from home in autumn, climbs the pavilion to view the famous riverside site and is moved to traveller's sorrow and nostalgia, and to thoughts of friends in the north — thus this regulated poem.
《秋日登滕王阁》为清代彭孙遹所作，是写秋日登滕王阁、怀古之感怀的诗。彭孙遹（1631—1700），字骏孙，号羡门，海盐人，清代诗人。此诗：客路逢秋思易伤，江天烟景正苍凉。依然极浦生秋水，终古寒潮送夕阳。高士几回亭草绿，梅仙一去岭云长。凭栏不尽登临意，聊赋新诗续旧章。全诗写秋日登滕王阁、怀古之感，是彭孙遹诗的名篇。
Art
The first couplet, 'on a traveller's road, autumn thoughts' and 'river sky desolate', directly reveals the traveller's autumn sorrow and the open scene, setting a clear-desolate tone. The second couplet, 'still' and 'through all time', pulls open the dimension of past and present, transforming Wang Bo's 'autumn water shares the same colour as the long sky' and 'the wild-geese startled by cold' yet forging new words; the scene holds a constant sigh. The third couplet mourns the past: Xu Zhi's high-gentleman pavilion and Mei Fu's immortal trace, one green one wild, contrast in posture. The closing couplet, 'facing the wind, no south-flying goose', turns from scene to feeling and ends on a question, the homesickness far. The whole poem aptly transforms its source and blends scene and feeling.
《秋日登滕王阁》艺术上以秋日登阁的描摹与怀古之感的深婉见长。全诗八句，层层写来：前二句写客路逢秋——“客路逢秋思易伤，江天烟景正苍凉”写客路逢秋、江天苍凉；中四句写极浦寒潮——“依然极浦生秋水，终古寒潮送夕阳”写极浦秋水、寒潮夕阳，“高士几回亭草绿，梅仙一去岭云长”写高士亭草、梅仙岭云；末二句写凭栏续旧章——“凭栏不尽登临意，聊赋新诗续旧章”写凭栏不尽、赋诗续旧章。全诗以秋日登阁写怀古之感，正是彭孙遹诗深婉的笔法。
Allusions
The allusions are apt and natural. 'Far shore' is from the 'Chu Ci · Xiang Jun' — 'I look to the far shore and wake longing'; Wang Bo's preface also has 'the wild-geese startled by cold, their cry cut off at Hengyang's shore', meaning a distant waterside. 'High gentleman' refers to the Eastern-Han Nanchang man Xu Zhi (Ru-Zi), for whom Chen Fan set a couch; the 'High Gentleman Pavilion' (Ru-Zi Pavilion) stands by the East Lake of Nanchang. 'Plum immortal' refers to the Han Mei Fu, who was Nanchang sheriff, then abandoned office at Wang Mang's usurpation and was said to become an immortal; 'ridge clouds wild' says his trace is desolate. 'Yu-Zhang' was a Han commandery governing Nanchang, standing for the northern friends and kin.
《秋日登滕王阁》用典在“高士”“梅仙”“续旧章”。“高士”写登阁之高士（豫章高士）；“梅仙”用梅福之典（梅福为南昌尉、隐于梅岭，后世称梅仙）；“续旧章”写续王勃《滕王阁序》之旧章。全诗以这些典故写登阁怀古，用典自然而深婉自见，正是彭孙遹诗的笔法。
Commentary
Peng Sunyu's poetry is neat and harmonious, best at five- and seven-character regulated verse, near Liu Changqing. This poem climbs the pavilion and mourns the past with a long, lingering tone; critics say it 'goes clear and desolate, gaining the Tang manner of climbing'. Paired with Wang Shizhen as 'Peng and Wang', his nostalgic works are known for being apt and natural; this piece transforms Wang Bo yet is able to be reborn from him, enough to show a glimpse of the early-Qing reverence for Tang poetry.
《秋日登滕王阁》是彭孙遹诗的名篇，也是清诗中写登阁怀古的代表作。此诗写秋日登滕王阁、怀古之感，向为论者称道。论者多赏其秋日登阁的描摹与怀古之感的深婉——“客路逢秋思易伤，江天烟景正苍凉”写客路逢秋、江天苍凉，深婉之极；“依然极浦生秋水，终古寒潮送夕阳”写极浦秋水、寒潮夕阳，更见其景；“高士几回亭草绿，梅仙一去岭云长”用梅仙之典写岭云，尤见其慨；“聊赋新诗续旧章”写续王勃旧章，尤见其寄。彭孙遹为清初诗人，其诗以深婉著称，此诗正是其代表——以秋日登阁写怀古之感，正是其诗风。
Prosody
Line by line
客路逢秋思易伤，江天烟景正苍凉。
On my traveler's road, meeting autumn, my thoughts turn easily to grief; the river and sky, veiled in mist, are utterly desolate.
客路逢秋思易伤，江天烟景正苍凉。
On the road of a traveler, autumn is a season for easy grief; the misty scene of river and sky is utterly desolate.
首写客路逢秋、江天苍凉，是全诗写秋日登阁的起点。“客路逢秋思易伤”写客路逢秋思易伤——“客路逢秋思易伤”写客路之上逢秋、思绪易伤——客路逢秋思易伤；“江天烟景正苍凉”写江天苍凉——“江天烟景正苍凉”写江天烟景正苍凉——江天烟景正苍凉。二句写客路逢秋、江天苍凉：客路逢秋思易伤，江天烟景正苍凉。以“客路逢秋思易伤”写客路逢秋、思绪易伤，以“江天烟景正苍凉”写江天烟景苍凉，正是彭孙遹诗写秋日登阁的起点——秋日客路，江天苍凉。
The opening writes meeting autumn on the traveler's road, the desolation of river and sky, the starting point of the autumn ascent of the Pavilion of Prince Teng. On my traveler's road, meeting autumn, my thoughts turn easily to grief writes meeting autumn on the road of travel, the thoughts turning readily to sorrow. The river and sky, veiled in mist, are utterly desolate writes the misty scene of river and sky, desolate to the utmost. Two lines: autumn met on the road, the thoughts turning to grief; the river-sky misty scene desolate. Writing the meeting of autumn and the grief of the thoughts, writing the desolation of river and sky, exactly the starting point of Peng Sunyu's autumn ascent — autumn on the traveler's road, river and sky desolate.
依然极浦生秋水，终古寒潮送夕阳。
As of old, the far banks give rise to autumn waters; through all time, the cold tide sees off the setting sun.
依然极浦生秋水，终古寒潮送夕阳。
Still, the distant shores give birth to autumn waters; for all ages, the cold tide escorts the setting sun.
此二句写极浦秋水、寒潮夕阳，是全诗写登阁所见之景的深化。“依然极浦生秋水”写极浦生秋水——“依然极浦生秋水”写依然极远之浦生秋水——依然极浦生秋水；“终古寒潮送夕阳”写终古寒潮送夕阳——“终古寒潮送夕阳”写终古寒潮送走夕阳——终古寒潮送夕阳。二句写极浦秋水、寒潮夕阳：依然极浦生秋水，终古寒潮送夕阳。以“依然极浦生秋水”写极浦依然秋水（王勃“秋水共长天一色”之意），以“终古寒潮送夕阳”写终古寒潮送夕阳之景，正是彭孙遹诗写登阁所见之景的深化——秋水犹然，寒潮送夕。
The two lines write the autumn waters by the far banks, the cold tide and the setting sun, the deepening of the view from the pavilion. As of old, the far banks give rise to autumn waters says the far-off banks still give rise to the autumn waters, carrying Wang Bo's autumn waters share one color with the boundless sky. Through all time, the cold tide sees off the setting sun says the cold tide through the ages, seeing off the setting sun. Two lines: the far banks still producing autumn waters, the cold tide through the ages sending off the sun. Writing the far banks' unchanged autumn waters, writing the cold tide seeing off the setting sun, exactly the deepening of the view — autumn waters as of old, the cold tide escorting sunset.
高士几回亭草绿，梅仙一去岭云长。
The lofty gentlemen — how many times has the pavilion grass grown green? The Plum Immortal once gone, the ridge clouds stretch on and on.
高士几回亭草绿，梅仙一去岭云长。
How many times have grasses grown green by the pavilion after the high-minded men? Once the Plum Immortal departed, the ridge clouds stretched endless.
此二句写高士亭草、梅仙岭云，是全诗写怀古之感的深化。“高士几回亭草绿”写高士亭草绿——“高士几回亭草绿”写高士几回、亭草又绿——高士几回亭草绿；“梅仙一去岭云长”用梅福之典写梅仙岭云长——“梅仙一去岭云长”用梅福梅仙之典写梅仙一去、岭云绵长——梅仙一去岭云长。二句写高士亭草、梅仙岭云：高士几回亭草绿，梅仙一去岭云长。以“高士几回亭草绿”写高士几度、亭草又绿之景，以“梅仙一去岭云长”用梅福之典写梅仙一去、岭云绵长之慨，正是彭孙遹诗写怀古之感的深化——高士已往，梅仙云长。
The two lines write the pavilion grass of the lofty gentlemen, the ridge clouds of the Plum Immortal, the deepening of the meditation on the past. The lofty gentlemen — how many times has the pavilion grass grown green? says the high-minded worthies of old, and the pavilion grass has turned green again, again. The Plum Immortal once gone, the ridge clouds stretch on and on uses the allusion to Mei Fu, the Plum Immortal, writes the Immortal's departure and the ridge clouds' endless stretch. Two lines: the worthies' pavilion grass green again and again, the Plum Immortal gone and the ridge clouds long. Writing the returning green of the pavilion grass after the worthies, writing through the Mei Fu allusion the Immortal's departure and the clouds' endless stretch, exactly the deepening of the antiquarian feeling — worthies gone, the ridge clouds long.
凭栏不尽登临意，聊赋新诗续旧章。
Leaning on the rail, the mount-climbing feeling is unexhausted; I compose this new poem to continue the old.
凭栏不尽登临意，聊赋新诗续旧章。
Leaning on the balustrade, my climbing feelings cannot be exhausted; I try a new poem to continue the old strains.
末写凭栏不尽、赋诗续旧章，是全诗写登临之意的归结。“凭栏不尽登临意”写凭栏不尽登临意——“凭栏不尽登临意”写凭栏而立、不尽登临之意——凭栏不尽登临意；“聊赋新诗续旧章”写赋诗续旧章——“聊赋新诗续旧章”写聊赋新诗、续王勃之旧章——聊赋新诗续旧章。二句写凭栏不尽、赋诗续旧章：凭栏不尽登临意，聊赋新诗续旧章。以“凭栏不尽登临意”写凭栏不尽之登临意，以“聊赋新诗续旧章”写聊赋新诗以续王勃旧章，正是彭孙遹诗写登临之意的归结——登阁续章，凭栏怀古。
The close writes the leaning on the rail, the composing to continue the old strains, the resolution of the climbing feeling. Leaning on the rail, the mount-climbing feeling is unexhausted says leaning on the balustrade, the feeling of the ascent unexhausted. I compose this new poem to continue the old says composing new verses to continue Wang Bo's old composition. Two lines: leaning on the rail, the climbing feeling unspent; trying a new poem to continue the old strains. Writing the unexhausted leaning feeling, writing the new poem to continue the old one, exactly the resolution of the climbing intent — ascending the pavilion to continue the strain, leaning on the rail and meditating the past.
Study
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Related Reading
Compare this related work with the poem above through theme, imagery, tone, and emotional movement.
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屈大均《秣陵》咏金陵故都，与本首同为清诗写怀古。差异在对象：秋日登滕王阁咏滕王阁；秣陵咏金陵故都。一写“阁”之怀，一写“都”之慨。两者并读，可见清诗写怀古的两种对象。
黄鹤楼 Yellow Crane Tower 崔颢 · 同为登楼怀古之诗，一登滕王阁一登黄鹤楼，皆深婉 Related readingCompare this related work with the poem above through theme, imagery, tone, and emotional movement.
崔颢《黄鹤楼》“昔人已乘黄鹤去，此地空余黄鹤楼”写登楼怀古，与本首同为登楼怀古。差异在情境：秋日登滕王阁写秋日登阁；黄鹤楼写登楼怀古。一写“阁”之怀，一写“楼”之慨。两者并读，可见登楼怀古之诗的两种情境。