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清 Qing · 诗 Poem

狱中题壁

Written on the Prison Wall

谭嗣同

Tan Sitong

爱国Patriotic 绝命Deathbed Poem 壮烈Heroic

望门投止思张俭，忍死须臾待杜根。
我自横刀向天笑，去留肝胆两昆仑。

When I think of Zhang Jian, I seek shelter at every door.
Enduring death for a moment, I await Du Gen once more.
I laugh at the sky as I face the sword—
Whether going or staying, our loyal hearts are two Mount Kunlun.

Listen

Meaning

While imprisoned, the poet uses historical allusions to express solidarity with his fellow reformers and declares his fearless resolve to die for the cause, likening their unwavering loyalty to the towering Mount Kunlun.

望见人家便去投宿，我思念那亡命而受人敬重的张俭；暂且忍死片刻，等待那终得昭雪的杜根。而我自横握钢刀仰天大笑，无论去者留者，忠肝义胆都如两座昆仑般巍峨。

Appreciation

The first two lines employ allusions to Zhang Jian and Du Gen to hint at the flight and endurance of the reformers. The final two lines shift to a direct, bold declaration: the image of laughing at the sky while facing the sword conveys contempt for death, and the metaphor of Mount Kunlun elevates the martyrs' spirit to monumental grandeur.

【白话串讲】谭嗣同被捕，在狱中写下：“我自横刀向天笑，去留肝胆两昆仑”——他拒绝逃走，笑着赴死，要用自己的血唤醒国人。戊戌六君子，他是最壮烈的一个。【意象与手法】诗仅四句，却极具张力。前二句用典叙事，以张俭、杜根暗指逃亡与忍死的维新同志，含蓄而沉稳；后二句由叙转抒，「我自横刀向天笑」以特写式的动作神态写就义之从容傲岸，「笑」字千钧；「去留肝胆两昆仑」以昆仑喻气节，将个人生死升华为同志间共有的壮烈。【情感与主旨】谭嗣同（1865—1898），维新派志士，「戊戌六君子」之一。光绪二十四年（1898）戊戌变法失败，谭嗣同本可出走，却毅然留守，以死殉变法。被捕入狱，题此诗于壁，旋即就义，年仅三十三。【名句点睛】重点考查「去留肝胆两昆仑」中「去」「留」所指及「昆仑」的比喻义；考查「我自横刀向天笑」所体现的从容就义精神。

Background

Tan Sitong (1865–1898) was a leading reformer in the Hundred Days' Reform and one of the 'Six Gentlemen of Wuxu.' When the reform failed in 1898, Kang Youwei and Liang Qichao fled, but Tan chose to remain, saying, 'Reforms in all countries succeed only through bloodshed. China has not yet had bloodshed for reform—let it begin with me.' He was arrested, wrote this poem on the prison wall, and was executed at age 33. The poem is his immortal farewell.

谭嗣同（1865—1898），字复生，号壮飞，湖南浏阳人，近代维新派志士，「戊戌六君子」之一，著有《仁学》。光绪二十四年（1898）六月，光绪帝颁行新政，谭嗣同奉召入京，参与变法。九月二十一日，慈禧太后发动政变，戊戌变法失败，光绪帝被囚，康有为、梁启超等仓皇出逃。谭嗣同本可随同出走，却毅然留守，慷慨陈言：各国变法无不从流血而成，今中国未闻有因变法而流血者，此国之所以不昌也，有之，请自嗣同始。他劝梁启超东渡避难，自己则静待捕者。九月二十四日被捕入狱，于狱壁题此诗，同月二十八日与杨深秀、杨锐、林旭、刘光第、康广仁一同就义于北京菜市口，年仅三十三岁。此诗即是其赴死前写下的不朽绝笔，字字血泪，光照千古。谭嗣同出身浏阳官宦之家，少时博览群书、任侠好义，曾遍游大江南北，体察民瘼，著《仁学》抨击封建纲常，鼓吹民权、平等、自由，思想之激进为维新派之最。其诗多写壮志豪情，而此诗以绝笔之体写就义之志，肝胆照人，正是其「我自横刀」人格的最终完成。

Art

The poem, though only four lines, is extremely powerful. The first two lines use allusion to narrate, subtly referring to the fleeing and enduring reformers. The last two lines shift to direct lyricism: 'I laugh at the sky as I face the sword' is a close-up of his defiant posture, the word 'laugh' carrying immense weight; 'our loyal hearts are two Mount Kunlun' uses the mountain as a metaphor for integrity, elevating individual death to a shared heroic grandeur. The progression from allusion to emotion, from restraint to release, is vigorous and tragic, commanding the heavens.

诗仅四句，却极具张力，章法上由典入情、由抑转扬。前二句用典叙事：「望门投止思张俭」以东汉张俭亡命之事暗指康有为、梁启超等逃亡海外的同志，「忍死须臾待杜根」以杜根隐忍待昭雪之事暗指仍在狱中、忍死待变的志士，含蓄而沉稳，于不动声色中寄寓关切与期许。后二句由叙转抒：「我自横刀向天笑」以特写式的动作神态，写就义之时的从容傲岸——「横刀」是就义的姿态，「向天笑」是视死如归的气魄，一「笑」字千钧，把死亡写成了壮烈的高歌；「去留肝胆两昆仑」以昆仑大山喻气节之高，把个人的生死升华为逃亡者与就义者共有的肝胆照人。全诗由典故的沉稳转入直抒的激烈，抑扬之间，浩然之气扑面而来，刚健悲壮，气吞山河，是绝命诗中气格最高者之一。诗以短章写大节，四句二十八字而吞吐千年：前两句如史笔，沉静地叙写同志之去留；后两句如壮歌，激越地高唱一己之生死。由叙转抒、由抑转扬之间，无一句悲戚之语，而悲壮之气自足，正是「向天笑」三字所体现的从容赴死的大勇。

Allusions

Zhang Jian was a famous scholar-official during the Eastern Han Dynasty who was persecuted by eunuchs and forced to flee. People admired his integrity and risked their homes to shelter him (Book of Later Han). Tan uses this to allude to the fleeing reformists who were protected by the people. Du Gen was a court official who was nearly executed for petitioning the empress dowager to return power; he feigned death and survived to be later rehabilitated. This signifies the reformers enduring hardship awaiting vindication. 'Facing the sword' depicts the posture of execution; 'two Mount Kunlun' uses the majestic mountain to compare both those who fled (Kang, Liang) and those who stayed (Tan) as equally loyal and lofty.

前二句连用两个东汉典故。「张俭」见《后汉书·党锢列传》：东汉末年，张俭因弹劾权宦侯览而遭党锢之祸，被迫亡命天涯，天下人敬其名节，皆冒险破家相容。谭嗣同以张俭暗喻康有为等逃亡同志，寄望民众如东汉百姓般庇护他们。「杜根」亦见《后汉书》：东汉郎中杜根因上书请邓太后还政于帝，遭太后令人缢杀，行刑者敬其忠直，手下留情，杜根诈死三日，隐姓埋名十五年，终得昭雪。谭嗣同以杜根自喻兼喻狱中同志，坚信终有昭雪之日。「横刀」状就义之态，语带武侠豪气；「肝胆两昆仑」以昆仑之高峻喻气节之巍峨——「去」指康有为等逃亡者，「留」指自己等留守就义者，去留虽异，肝胆相同，皆如昆仑般顶天立地。用典贴切，气象宏阔，把近代志士的生死抉择安放在两千年节义传统之中。「肝胆」一词本出《庄子·德充符》「肝瞻之论」，后引申为忠义之心；「昆仑」则自《山海经》起即为中国文化中最高最尊的山，两词连用，以山的永恒喻志士气节的永恒，意象雄浑，正见作者以古典文化资源熔铸现代精神的气魄，使这首绝命诗兼具历史纵深与时代新声。

Commentary

Liang Qichao recorded in 'A Record of the Wuxu Coup' that Tan said before execution: 'I have the heart to kill the traitors but lack the power to save the empire. I die as I should—how joyful, how joyful!' This echoes the poem. Zhang Taiyan called him 'an extraordinary talent who shed blood to awaken the people.' Compare this poem with Xia Wanchun's 'Farewell to the Clouds,' both last words of young martyrs, their heroic spirit eternal.

此诗是近代爱国志士用生命写就的绝唱。梁启超《戊戌政变记》记谭嗣同就义前大呼「有心杀贼，无力回天，死得其所，快哉快哉」，与此诗「我自横刀向天笑」同一肝胆，可见其从容赴死绝非一时意气，而是深思熟虑后的自觉选择。近人章太炎称其「旷代逸才，流血以伸民气」，梁启超誉其为「中国为国流血第一烈士」。此诗与明末少年英雄夏完淳《别云间》「毅魄归来日，灵旗空际看」并读，皆少年烈士之绝笔，浩气亘古；又与文天祥「人生自古谁无死，留取丹心照汗青」一脉相承，把个人的牺牲纳入民族复兴的历史洪流。一百余年来，「我自横刀向天笑，去留肝胆两昆仑」激励无数仁人志士前仆后继，其精神价值早已超越诗歌本身，成为中华民族不屈脊梁的象征。诗成之后，狱吏传抄，遂广传于世；百年间，每当国难当头，志士仁人辄引此诗自励，「横刀」「向天笑」遂成中国近代史上最壮烈的精神图景。谭嗣同之死，使「变法流血」的预言成为现实，而其诗所昭示的牺牲精神，则化为民族复兴路上永不熄灭的灯火。

Prosody

Form Seven-character quatrain七言绝句（首句不入韵，第二、四句押韵）

Rhyme Even tone in the Yuan rhyme category (root, kun; jian is neighboring rhyme, allowable in ancient style)押平声上平十三元韵，韵脚：根、昆；首句「俭」为仄声（上声俭韵）不入韵

Tone pattern The first two lines use paired allusions (Zhang Jian vs. Du Gen); the last two shift to direct expression, vigorous and tragic.前两句用典对仗（张俭对杜根），后两句直抒胸臆；「我自横刀向天笑」七字平仄拗峭，以拗句写壮烈之情，声情激越。

Reading note Tan Sitong wrote this poem in prison after the failure of the Hundred Days' Reform in 1898. It is his final testament, showing the martyr's readiness to sacrifice his life for reform, with indomitable spirit and pure loyalty.此诗为七言绝句，首句不入韵，押平声十三元韵，韵脚「根、昆」皆为平声，韵调沉雄开阔，正与全诗壮烈悲慨的基调相谐。首句「望门投止思张俭」末字「俭」为仄声（上声俭韵），不入韵而收束短促，与二、四句的平声韵形成顿挫；前两句「思张俭」对「待杜根」，人名相对、事义相联，形成工稳的暗对，典故的沉稳节奏与后两句直抒的激越形成鲜明对比。「我自横刀向天笑」一句，「我自」二字平仄拗峭，「横刀」「向天」以平仄交替制造铿锵的节奏，末字「笑」为仄声去声，高亢响亮，正见仰天大笑的声情；结句「去留肝胆两昆仑」以平声收束，余音绵长。全诗以拗峭之句写壮烈之情，声随情转，是近代绝句中以声律配合情感的典范。谭嗣同戊戌变法失败被捕，狱中题壁绝笔，「我自横刀向天笑」尽显维新烈士舍生取义、肝胆照人之气概，其声情之激越，一百余年犹在耳畔。

Line by line

望门投止思张俭

Thinking of Zhang Jian who sought shelter at every door; an allusion to the persecuted reformers forced to flee.

望门投宿让人想起东汉张俭。

Seeking any gate to shelter him, I think of Zhang Jian.

用张俭因党锢之祸亡命、天下人皆冒险收留之典，暗喻逃亡海外的维新志士。张俭亡命时「望门投止」，见门便投宿，而天下人敬其名节，甘愿破家相容；谭嗣同以此寄望康有为、梁启超等同志逃亡途中亦得国人庇护。「望门投止」四字写尽亡命之狼狈与天下同情之热烈，一「思」字则点出狱中诗人对同志安危的牵挂。用典而不泥于典，张俭之亡命与维新志士之出亡，其事相类而其义愈大，含蓄深沉，正是绝命诗中罕见的从容笔法。

Using the allusion to Zhang Jian, who fled the Proscription and whom all under heaven risked their homes to shelter, the line secretly figures the reform comrades fled overseas. When Zhang Jian fled, he sought any gate to rest, seeing a gate he entered; and all under heaven, honoring his name and integrity, were willing to break their homes to take him in. Tan Sitong thus sends his hopes that Kang Youwei, Liang Qichao and the other comrades, fleeing, will also find shelter among the Chinese people. The four words seeking any gate to shelter him exhaust the plight of the fugitive and the warmth of the world's sympathy; the single word think points out the imprisoned poet's anxiety for the comrades' safety. Using the allusion without being bound by it: Zhang Jian's flight and the reformers' exile are alike in their matter and greater in their meaning, restrained and deep, precisely the rare composure of a death poem.

忍死须臾待杜根

Enduring death for a moment to await Du Gen; an allusion to the reformers enduring hardship until vindication.

暂忍死难片刻，等待如杜根般终得昭雪。

Clutching life a moment longer, I wait for a Du Gen.

用杜根劝谏太后归政、遭缢诈死、隐忍终得昭雪之典，写维新志士忍死待变、后继有人。杜根因直谏而险遭缢杀，诈死逃生，十五年后终得昭雪；谭嗣同以此自况兼励同志：忍死须臾，必有昭雪之日。「忍死」二字沉重，「须臾」极言时间之短促——不是苟且偷生，而是相信公道终将到来。此句与上句一思逃亡者、一待昭雪者，皆以古人之事写今人之志，把个人生死放在历史公道的天平上，沉静而坚定，毫无惧色，正是志士风骨。

Using the allusion to Du Gen, who remonstrated with the empress dowager to return the government, was almost strangled, feigned death to escape, and after fifteen years was at last vindicated, the line writes the reformers' clutching at life and waiting for change, successors to come. Du Gen, for his straight remonstrance, barely escaped the cord, feigned death to flee, and fifteen years later was at last vindicated; Tan Sitong uses this for himself and to encourage his comrades: clutch at life a moment longer, and a day of vindication must come. The two words clutch at life are heavy, and a moment presses the shortness of time — not clinging to life, but believing that justice must arrive. The line and the above: one thinking of the fugitives, one waiting for the vindicated, both writing the will of today's men through the deeds of the ancients, setting personal life and death on the scales of historical justice, calm and firm, no trace of fear, precisely the integrity of the patriot.

我自横刀向天笑

I laugh at the sky as I face the sword; a depiction of fearless defiance in the face of execution.

我自横握钢刀仰天大笑。

I, my sword across, laugh up at heaven.

全诗最激昂处，特写式动作神态写尽临刑从容。「横刀」状就义之态——不是引颈受戮的悲戚，而是横刀以待的傲岸；「向天笑」更是视死如归的极致——对天而笑，笑对死亡，笑对屠刀，笑对不公的世道。「我自」二字独立不移，写出主体意志的绝对自觉：死生由人，而笑与不笑，由我！一个「笑」字千钧，把死亡写成了壮烈的宣言。此句与陆游「死去元知万事空」的平静、文天祥「留取丹心照汗青」的郑重皆异其趣，而以狂放之姿写从容赴死，浩然之气凌然纸上，为千古绝命诗中最豪迈的一笔。

The most impassioned point of the poem, the close-up action and bearing writing the composure at the execution ground. My sword across figures the bearing of martyrdom — not the sorrow of baring the neck to the blow, but the pride of standing with the sword ready. Laugh up at heaven is the extreme of facing death as home: laughing at heaven, laughing at death, laughing at the butcher's knife, laughing at the unjust age. The two words I, myself stand alone and unshaken, writing the absolute awareness of the subject's will: life and death are another's, yet to laugh or not to laugh is mine! The single laugh weighs a thousand jun, turning death into a solemn declaration. The line differs from Lu You's calm of in death I knew all is void, and Wen Tianxiang's gravity of keeping a loyal heart to shine in history, meeting death calmly through a wild, unbridled bearing, the vast spirit on the paper, the boldest stroke among the death poems of the ages.

去留肝胆两昆仑

Whether going or staying, our loyal hearts are two Mount Kunlun; a metaphor for the equal heroism of those who fled and those who stayed.

无论去者留者，肝胆相照皆如两座昆仑。

Whether leaving or staying, our gall is two Kunlun mountains.

结句以昆仑喻气节，收束全篇而气象顿开。「去」指康有为等逃亡海外者，「留」指自己等留守就义者，去留异途而肝胆相同，皆如昆仑大山般巍峨高峻、顶天立地。此句把个人的生死升华为同志间共有的壮烈：逃亡不是怯懦，就义不是牺牲，皆是变法图强的两种方式，其肝胆相照、光耀千秋则一。「两昆仑」以山之高峻写人格之高，意象雄奇，气魄宏大，一扫绝命诗的悲戚，而代之以顶天立地的浩然之气，正见维新志士超越生死的精神境界。

The closing uses Kunlun for integrity, ending the piece and opening the atmosphere. Leaving means the fugitives like Kang Youwei gone overseas; staying means himself and others remaining to face martyrdom; leaving and staying are different roads, yet the gall is the same, each as towering as the great Kunlun, standing between heaven and earth. The line raises personal life and death to the shared glory of the comrades: flight is not cowardice, martyrdom not sacrifice, both ways of reforming and strengthening the nation, and their shining gall, bright through the ages, one. Two Kunlun writes the height of character through the height of mountains, the imagery strange and the spirit vast, sweeping away the sorrow of the death poem and replacing it with the vast spirit that stands between heaven and earth, precisely the spiritual realm of the reformers beyond life and death.

Study

Word focus

横刀 The phrase 'facing the sword' captures the poet's defiant posture before execution, embodying the heroic contempt for death. 「我自横刀向天笑」之「横刀」，写临刑傲然之姿，见英雄视死如归的胆魄。「横」字本有横陈、横亘之意，此处写刀在身前横握，不是被动受戮的引颈，而是主动面对的傲岸——刀虽在侧，我自横之；死之将至，我自笑之。「横刀」一词兼有武者的英豪与志士的决绝，与「向天笑」连读，更见其蔑视屠刀、笑对死亡的气概。若易为「提刀」「持刀」，便失之平庸，唯「横」字能写出那分横亘天地、无所畏惧的凛然之气。

笑 The word 'laugh' in 'laugh at the sky' conveys scorn for death and a generous, heroic spirit, blending tragedy with unyielding resolve. 「向天笑」之「笑」字，以狂笑写蔑视死亡、慷慨赴义，悲壮中见洒脱。死生之际，人之常情当哭，诗人偏笑——此笑有三重意味：一笑死亡之不足惧，二笑当局之屠戮枉然，三笑变法流血终将唤醒国人。「向天笑」更把笑的对象指向苍天，仿佛质问天道而自得其乐，狂放至极。一个「笑」字，把就义写得举重若轻，与文天祥「留取丹心照汗青」的凝重迥异其趣，而气概之豪迈过之。此字是全诗的诗眼，也是谭嗣同人格的绝唱。

昆仑 In the closing line, 'two Mount Kunlun' uses the mighty mountain range as a metaphor for the sublime character of both the fleeing and the martyred reformers, creating a majestic and powerful image. 结句「去留肝胆两昆仑」之「昆仑」，以昆仑大山喻去留志士的伟岸品格，气象磅礴，收束雄健。昆仑为万山之祖、黄河之源，自古象征崇高与不朽，以之比拟志士肝胆，则其高可知、其坚可知、其不朽可知。「两昆仑」之「两」，既分指去者与留者，又暗含双峰并峙之意：一在海外奔走呼号，一在刑场从容就义，如两座昆仑遥遥相望，共同撑起变法图强的天空。以山喻人，古已有之，而以此巍峨之山喻此壮烈之事，恰是谭嗣同独有的气象，一字千钧，余响不绝。