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宋 Song · 诗 Poem

示子遹

Shown to My Son Ziyu

陆游

Lu You

论诗On Poetry 教子Instructing My Son

我初学诗日，但欲工藻绘。
中年始少悟，渐若窥宏大。
怪奇亦间出，如石漱湍濑。
数仞李杜墙，常恨欠领会。
元白才倚门，温李真自郐。
正令笔扛鼎，亦未造三昧。
诗为六艺一，岂用资狡狯？
汝果欲学诗，工夫在诗外。

When I first studied poetry,
I only wished to be skilled in ornament.
In middle age I began to gain some insight,
and gradually glimpsed what is vast and grand.
The strange and marvelous also appeared at times,
like stones scoured by rushing rapids.
Several ren high stands the wall of Li and Du;
I have always regretted never fully grasping it.
Yuan and Bai have talent that barely leans on the door;
Wen and Li are truly 'Kuai and below.'
Even if my pen could lift a tripod,
I have not reached the threefold mystery.
Poetry is one of the Six Arts —
how could it serve for clever tricks?
If you truly wish to learn poetry,
the effort lies beyond poetry.

Listen

Meaning

Summing up a lifetime of writing poetry, Lu You recounts his own path from youthful ornament, through middle-age glimpses of grandeur, to humility before the mastery of Li Bai and Du Fu. Poetry, he insists, is one of the Six Arts — not a game of clever tricks. His closing advice to his son is the poem's enduring maxim: if you truly wish to learn poetry, the effort lies beyond poetry itself.

我初学诗日，但欲工藻绘。中年始少悟，渐若窥宏大。怪奇亦间出，如石漱湍濑。数仞李杜墙，常恨欠领会。元白才倚门，温李真自郐。正令笔扛鼎，亦未造三昧。诗为六艺一，岂用资狡狯？汝果欲学诗，工夫在诗外。

Appreciation

[Plain Paraphrase] When Lu You first studied poetry he sought only ornament; in middle age he began to glimpse grandeur; the strange and marvelous came at times like stones in rushing rapids. Yet the wall of Li Bai and Du Fu stands several ren high and he never fully grasped it. Yuan Zhen and Bai Juyi barely reach the door, Wen Tingyun and Li Shangyin fall below even that; even a pen that could lift a tripod has not reached the threefold mystery. Poetry is one of the Six Arts, not a game of clever tricks. So if his son truly wishes to learn poetry, the effort lies beyond poetry. [Structure] Sixteen lines in one stanza: the first twelve narrate the poet's own apprenticeship and his judgments of other masters, the last four turn to instruction. The poem is at once autobiography, criticism, and paternal advice. [Feeling] The candor is striking: a master confesses his limits before Li and Du, then crowns a lifetime's experience with the maxim that mastery lives beyond craft — in life itself.

【白话串讲】陆游写《示子遹》：“我初学诗日，但欲工藻绘”——“中年始少悟，渐若窥宏大”——“数仞李杜墙，常恨欠领会”——“诗为六艺一，岂用资狡狯”——“汝果欲学诗，工夫在诗外”——他教儿子作诗——工夫在诗外。【意象与手法】此诗写论诗，以教子写论诗，是陆游的名篇。前八句写学诗：「我初学诗日，但欲工藻绘。中年始少悟，渐若窥宏大。怪奇亦间出，如石漱湍濑。数仞李杜墙，常恨欠领会」写我初学诗日、但欲工藻绘——写尽学诗的经历；后四句写教子：「汝果欲学诗，工夫在诗外」写汝果欲学诗、工夫在诗外——写尽诗外的工夫。全诗以教子写论诗，写尽学诗的经历与诗外的工夫，是陆游的代表作。【情感与主旨】此诗写论诗，以教子写论诗，是陆游的名篇。此诗为陆游晚年示子遹（陆游幼子）之作，总结一生学诗心得，指出学诗工夫在诗外。陆游晚年将数十年作诗经验倾囊相授，谆谆教诲幼子。此诗写我初学诗日，但欲工藻绘；中年始少悟，渐若窥宏大；怪奇亦间出，如石漱湍濑；数仞李杜墙，常恨欠领会；元白才倚门，温李真自郐；正令笔扛鼎，亦未造三昧；诗为六艺一，岂用资狡狯；汝果欲学诗，工夫在诗外。此诗写学诗：我初学诗日，但欲工藻绘——写我初学诗日、但欲工藻绘，写尽学诗的经历；中年始少悟，渐若窥宏大——写中年始少悟、渐若窥宏大，写尽中年的少悟；怪奇亦间出，如石漱湍濑——写怪奇亦间出、如石漱湍濑，写尽怪奇的间出；数仞李杜墙，常恨欠领会——写数仞李杜墙、常恨欠领会，写尽李杜的墙仞；元白才倚门，温李真自郐——写元白才倚门、温李真自郐，写尽元白的倚门；正令笔扛鼎，亦未造三昧——写正令笔扛鼎、亦未造三昧，写尽扛鼎的三昧；诗为六艺一，岂用资狡狯——写诗为六艺一、岂用资狡狯，写尽六艺的诗；汝果欲学诗，工夫在诗外——写汝果欲学诗、工夫在诗外，写尽诗外的工夫。全诗以教子写论诗——那「如石漱湍濑」写尽石漱的湍濑，「工夫在诗外」写尽诗外的工夫，写尽学诗的经历与诗外的工夫，是理解陆游论诗诗的重要篇章。【名句点睛】常考「我初学诗日，但欲工藻绘」写学诗的经历；「汝果欲学诗，工夫在诗外」写诗外的工夫；以及全诗以教子写论诗、以用典写学诗的手法。

Background

Lu You (1125–1210) wrote this in extreme old age to his youngest son Ziyu, summing up a lifetime of writing. The closing maxim — 'the effort lies beyond poetry' — became one of the most quoted sentences in Chinese poetics, and it rhymes in spirit with his own 'what is learned on paper is shallow after all; to truly know a thing, one must practice it' from his 'Winter Night, Reading, Written for My Son Ziyu'.

此诗写论诗，以教子写论诗，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。此诗为陆游晚年示子遹（陆游幼子）之作，总结一生学诗心得，指出学诗工夫在诗外。陆游晚年将数十年作诗经验倾囊相授，谆谆教诲幼子。此诗写我初学诗日，但欲工藻绘；中年始少悟，渐若窥宏大；怪奇亦间出，如石漱湍濑；数仞李杜墙，常恨欠领会；元白才倚门，温李真自郐；正令笔扛鼎，亦未造三昧；诗为六艺一，岂用资狡狯；汝果欲学诗，工夫在诗外。此诗写学诗：「我初学诗日，但欲工藻绘」写我初学诗日、但欲工藻绘——写尽学诗的经历（我初学诗日，但欲工藻绘）；「中年始少悟，渐若窥宏大」写中年始少悟、渐若窥宏大——写尽中年的少悟（中年始少悟，渐若窥宏大）；「怪奇亦间出，如石漱湍濑」写怪奇亦间出、如石漱湍濑——写尽怪奇的间出（怪奇亦间出，如石漱湍濑）；「数仞李杜墙，常恨欠领会」写数仞李杜墙、常恨欠领会——写尽李杜的墙仞（数仞李杜墙，常恨欠领会）；「元白才倚门，温李真自郐」写元白才倚门、温李真自郐——写尽元白的倚门（元白才倚门，温李真自郐）；「正令笔扛鼎，亦未造三昧」写正令笔扛鼎、亦未造三昧——写尽扛鼎的三昧（正令笔扛鼎，亦未造三昧）；「诗为六艺一，岂用资狡狯」写诗为六艺一、岂用资狡狯——写尽六艺的诗（诗为六艺一，岂用资狡狯）；「汝果欲学诗，工夫在诗外」写汝果欲学诗、工夫在诗外——写尽诗外的工夫（汝果欲学诗，工夫在诗外）。全诗以教子写论诗，写尽学诗的经历与诗外的工夫，是理解陆游论诗诗的重要篇章。

Art

The poem teaches through narration. Its first technique is self-disclosure: the poet grades his own apprenticeship with unusual candor. Second, metaphor: the strange and marvelous is 'like stones scoured by rushing rapids' — freshness and force in one image. Third, allusive judgment: the 'wall of Li and Du several ren high' borrows the image of the Master's wall that one cannot enter without finding the door, while 'leaning on the door' and 'Kuai and below' rank the Yuan-Bai and Wen-Li schools. Fourth, aphorism: the closing 'the effort lies beyond poetry' compresses a lifetime into one maxim, its plain words the source of its force.

此诗的艺术特色可从四个方面解析。其一，以自叙写学诗。「我初学诗日」以自叙写学诗——那「但欲工藻绘」写尽工藻的初学，以自叙写尽学诗的经历。其二，以比喻写领悟。「如石漱湍濑」以比喻写领悟——那「石漱湍濑」写尽石漱的湍濑，以比喻写尽怪奇的间出。其三，以用典写宗尚。「数仞李杜墙」以用典写宗尚——那「李杜」用杜甫「文章千古事」典写李杜，以用典写尽李杜的墙仞。其四，以警策写教子。「工夫在诗外」以警策写教子——那「诗外」写尽诗外的工夫，以警策写尽诗外的工夫。此外，此诗前八句写学诗的经历，后四句写诗外的工夫，由学及教，正是论诗诗「以教写诗」的写法。四重手法，使此诗以教子写论诗，写尽学诗的经历与诗外的工夫，是陆游的代表作。此诗还善于以「中年始少悟」的「始」「少」写学诗之渐悟——那「中年始少悟」写尽中年的少悟，正是以渐写悟，以「始少」写尽中年的少悟。又善以「元白才倚门，温李真自郐」的「倚门」「自郐」写诗家之品第——元白才倚门而温李真自郐，正见品第高下的论诗，以「倚门」写尽元白的倚门。

Allusions

The allusions are all critical terms. 'The wall several ren high' echoes the Analects: Zigong says the Master's wall is several ren high, and without finding the door one cannot see the splendor within — Lu You applies it to Li Bai and Du Fu as unentered greatness. 'Leaning on the door' means talent that reaches only the threshold. 'Kuai and below' comes from the saying 'from the ballad of Kuai downward', all downhill — Kuai was a small state whose music was deemed not worth hearing. 'Pen lifting a tripod' means force beyond the ordinary. 'The threefold mystery' is a Buddhist term for ineffable mastery, borrowed by poetics. Poetry as 'one of the Six Arts' places it in the classical curriculum at the heart of education.

此诗的用语深植于论诗与教子传统。「藻绘」令人想到「藻绘」写辞藻文采的意象——也令人想到「雕章琢句」的意象；「宏大」令人想到「宏大」写宏大的意象——也令人想到「气象万千」的意象；「湍濑」令人想到「湍濑」写急流的意象——也令人想到「石漱湍濑」的意象；「李杜」令人想到「李杜」写李白杜甫的意象——也令人想到「李杜文章在」（韩愈）的意象；「元白」令人想到「元白」写元稹白居易的意象——也令人想到「元白诗派」的意象；「六艺」令人想到「六艺」写六经的意象——《诗》为六艺之一，也令人想到「六艺经传」（韩愈）的意象；「三昧」令人想到「三昧」写诀要的意象——佛教语，也令人想到「诗家三昧」的意象。全诗化用藻绘、宏大、湍濑、李杜、元白、六艺、三昧的意象典故，以教子写论诗，正是陆游「沉郁」而善用典、承论诗传统写心得之本领。「李杜」令人想到「李杜」写李白杜甫的意象——也令人想到「李杜文章在，光焰万丈长」（韩愈）的意象；「六艺」令人想到「六艺」写六经的意象——也令人想到「六艺皆通」的意象，以六艺写诗道。

Commentary

The poem has been prized since the Qing as 'instructing a son through poetry, earnest and skillful in guidance'. Its closing line, 'the effort lies beyond poetry', is among the most quoted maxims in Chinese letters, read alongside Du Fu's 'Playfully Written Six Quatrains' and Yan Yu's 'Canglang Shihua' as a pillar of Chinese poetics. Together with Lu You's 'Winter Night, Reading, Written for My Son Ziyu' ('what is learned on paper is shallow after all'), it forms the elder poet's final testament to his son — and to Chinese poetry.

此诗历来被推为陆游论诗诗的名篇，也是宋诗写诗学心得代表。历代论者对此诗评价极高：清人评此诗「以教子写论诗，谆谆善诱」；近人更指出「汝果欲学诗，工夫在诗外」写诗外的工夫，是此诗的名句。在诗歌史上，此诗的特殊价值在于：它以十六句的五古写尽学诗的经历与诗外的工夫——那我初学诗日，那但欲工藻绘，那中年始少悟，那渐若窥宏大，那怪奇亦间出，那如石漱湍濑，那数仞李杜墙，那常恨欠领会，那元白才倚门，那温李真自郐，那正令笔扛鼎，那亦未造三昧，那诗为六艺一，那岂用资狡狯，那汝果欲学诗，那工夫在诗外，都写尽了陆游笔下的示子遹；那「工夫在诗外」更以警策写尽诗外的工夫。此诗与杜甫《戏为六绝句》「不薄今人爱古人」的论诗传统一脉相承，可见中国诗写诗学心得的传统。对于今日读者，此诗是理解陆游论诗诗的窗口，也是宋诗写诗学心得的经典——那诗外的工夫，穿越千年，仍在诉说着学诗的至理。

Prosody

Form Five-character ancient-style verse (wugu)诗·五言古诗

Rhyme Rhymes on hui, da, lai, hui, kuai, mei, kuai, and wai — a mixture of falling and entering tones; no level-tone rhyme is used.五古，押「绘」「大」「濑」「会」「郐」「昧」「狯」「外」韵（去声/入声通押），不押平韵

Tone pattern An ancient-style poem rhyming on oblique tones, with entering-tone endings, its plain, unhurried cadence suited to a father's earnest discourse on poetry.此诗为五言古诗，仄韵通押，音节疏朗，正合论诗的疏朗。

Reading note Sixteen lines in one stanza: the first eight narrate the poet's own apprenticeship, the last four turn to instruction. The oblique rhymes give a discursive, essay-like plainness. Read the recollection lines with candor and the closing maxim with earnest, admonishing weight, letting the final 'beyond poetry' end the poem like a verdict.此诗为五言古诗，十六句——「我初学诗日，但欲工藻绘。中年始少悟，渐若窥宏大。怪奇亦间出，如石漱湍濑。数仞李杜墙，常恨欠领会。元白才倚门，温李真自郐。正令笔扛鼎，亦未造三昧。诗为六艺一，岂用资狡狯？汝果欲学诗，工夫在诗外」，仄韵通押（绘、大、濑、会、郐、昧、狯、外），音节疏朗。全诗以教子写论诗：前八句写学诗的经历（我初学诗日、数仞李杜墙），后四句写诗外的工夫（诗为六艺一、工夫在诗外）。十六句短章，前写学诗，后写教子，以「工夫在诗外」写尽诗外的工夫，正见陆游「沉郁」的本色。诵读此诗，宜以恳切的语调读「常恨欠领会」的学诗，以警策的语调读「工夫在诗外」的诗外，结句要读得恳切而有余韵，方能传达出陆游的谆谆善诱。陆游古诗以「沉郁」著称，此诗正是其论诗诗的典范。

Line by line

汝果欲学诗，工夫在诗外

If you truly wish to learn poetry, the effort lies beyond poetry.

汝果欲学诗，工夫在诗外。

If you truly would learn to write poetry, the craft lies beyond the poem.

此二句是全诗写教子核心，以汝果欲学诗写学诗，以工夫在诗外写诗外，写尽诗外的工夫，是千古名句。「汝果欲学诗」写汝果欲学诗——那「汝果欲」写汝果欲，「学诗」写学诗，写尽学诗的汝子；「工夫在诗外」写工夫在诗外——那「工夫在」写工夫在，「诗外」写诗外，写尽诗外的工夫。这句的深意在于：它以「汝果欲学诗」的学诗与「工夫在诗外」的诗外，写尽诗外的工夫——汝果欲学诗，那「汝果欲学诗」写尽学诗的汝子——汝果欲学诗，正是你果真学诗的写照，那「学诗」写尽诗外的工夫；工夫在诗外，那「工夫在诗外」写尽诗外的工夫——工夫在诗外，正是工夫在诗外的写照，那「诗外」写尽诗外的工夫；那「汝果欲学诗」写尽学诗的汝子，那「工夫在诗外」写尽诗外的工夫，一写学诗，一写诗外，写尽诗外的工夫——学诗之要而在诗外，正是论诗的至理；此二句以学诗、诗外写尽诗外的工夫，也让此二句成为全诗写教子核心与千古名句。若换作直说「你如果真的想学诗，工夫在作诗之外」，则失其警策；唯以「汝果欲学诗」写学诗、「工夫在诗外」写诗外，写尽诗外的工夫，也让此二句成为全诗写教子核心。

The two lines are the core of the poem's teaching his son, writing the learning through if you truly would learn to write poetry and the beyond-poem through the craft lies beyond the poem, exhausting the craft beyond the poem, an immortal line. If you truly would learn to write poetry is precisely the address to the son; the craft lies beyond the poem precisely the famous proposition. One writes the learning, one the beyond, exhausting the principle that the craft of poetry lies outside the verse. Were it said plainly if you really want to learn poetry, the work lies beyond the writing of it, the edge would be softened; only through the if and the beyond is the principle exhausted, making the lines the core of the poem.

我初学诗日，但欲工藻绘

When I first studied poetry, I only wished to be skilled in ornament.

我初学诗日，但欲工藻绘。

In the days when I first began to learn poetry, I sought only to polish the ornament.

此二句是全诗写学诗的核心，以我初学诗日写初学诗，以但欲工藻绘写工藻绘，写尽学诗的经历，是千古名句。「我初学诗日」写我初学诗日——那「我初学」写我初学，「诗日」写诗日，写尽初学的诗日；「但欲工藻绘」写但欲工藻绘——那「但欲工」写但欲工，「藻绘」写藻绘，写尽工藻的藻绘。这句的深意在于：它以「我初学诗日」的初学与「但欲工藻绘」的藻绘，写尽学诗的经历——我初学诗日，那「我初学诗日」写尽初学的诗日——我初学诗日，正是我初学时的写照，那「诗日」写尽学诗的经历；但欲工藻绘，那「但欲工藻绘」写尽工藻的藻绘——但欲工藻绘，正是只求辞藻的写照，那「藻绘」写尽学诗的经历；那「我初学诗日」写尽初学的诗日，那「但欲工藻绘」写尽工藻的藻绘，一写初学，一写藻绘，写尽学诗的经历——初学之时而只求辞藻，正是学诗必经的写照；此二句以初学、藻绘写尽学诗的经历，也为下文的少悟作铺垫，也让此二句成为全诗写学诗的核心与千古名句。若换作直说「我刚学诗的时候，只想把辞藻弄得华丽」，则失其自省；唯以「我初学诗日」写初学诗、「但欲工藻绘」写工藻绘，写尽学诗的经历，也让此二句成为全诗写学诗的核心。

The two lines are the core of the poem's own learning, writing the first days through in the days when I first began to learn poetry and the ornament through I sought only to polish the ornament, exhausting the course of learning, an immortal line. In the days when I first began to learn poetry is precisely the picture of the beginning; I sought only to polish the ornament precisely the picture of the pursuit of diction. One writes the beginning, one the ornament, exhausting the course. Were it said plainly when I first began to learn poetry, I only wanted to make the diction ornate, the self-examination would be softened; only through the first days and the ornament is the course exhausted, preparing the later early awakening and making the lines the core of the poem.

Study

Word focus

果 'Truly, indeed': the adverb lends earnest weight to the closing instruction — 'if you truly wish to learn poetry' — a father's serious condition for the advice that follows. 「汝果欲学诗」之「果」字是写教子核心的关键词，一个「果」字写尽果真的学诗。果者，果真、果然也。陆游以「汝果欲学诗」写教子，这个「果」字至少有双重意味：其一，写欲之果——那「汝果欲学诗」写汝果欲学诗，那「果」字写尽果真的学诗——汝果欲学诗，正是你果真学诗的写照，那「果」字写尽诗外的工夫；其二，写教之切——那「果」字更是写切——果，正见谆谆教诲的恳切，那「果」字写尽陆游的教子。以「果」字写教子，正是陆游写论诗的枢纽——若换作「真」「若」等字，则或失其与「汝欲」「学诗」的配合，或失其写果的意味；唯「果」字，以汝果欲学诗写尽学诗之果真与教子之恳切，与「工夫在诗外」的诗外相合，写尽诗外的工夫，也让「汝果欲学诗」成为全诗写教子名句。

外 'Beyond, outside': the preposition is the poem's whole point — mastery of poetry is not won within the craft itself but in life, experience, and moral substance outside it. 「工夫在诗外」之「外」字是写教子的关键词，一个「外」字写尽诗外的工夫。外者，之外、以外也。陆游以「工夫在诗外」写教子，这个「外」字至少有双重意味：其一，写诗之外——那「工夫在诗外」写工夫在诗外，那「外」字写尽诗外的工夫——在诗外，正是诗作之外的写照，那「外」字写尽诗外的工夫；其二，写悟之深——那「外」字更是写深——外，正见诗外见工的深悟，那「外」字写尽陆游的论诗。以「外」字写教子，正是陆游写论诗的枢纽——若换作「中」「内」等字，则或失其与「工夫在」「诗」的配合，或失其写外的意味；唯「外」字，以工夫在诗外写尽诗作之外与诗外见工之深悟，与「汝果欲学诗」的学诗相合，写尽诗外的工夫，也让「工夫在诗外」成为全诗写教子的名句。

示子遹