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宋 Song · 词 Ci lyric

洞仙歌

Song of the Cave Immortals

晁补之

Chao Buzhi

青烟幂处，碧海飞金镜。
永夜闲阶卧桂影。
露凉时、零乱多少寒螀，神京远，惟有蓝桥路近。
水晶帘不下，云母屏开，冷浸佳人淡脂粉。
待都将许多明，付与金尊，投晓共、流霞倾尽。
更携取、胡床上南楼，看玉做人间，素秋千倾。

Where the blue mist spreads its veil, a golden mirror flies over the jade sea.
All night long the cassia shadows lie upon the idle steps.
When the dew turns cold, how many chilled cicadas cry in disarray; the capital is far, only the road to the Blue Bridge is near.
The crystal curtain is not lowered, the mica screen is opened; cold moonlight soaks the fair lady's faint powder and rouge.
I mean to gather all this brightness and hand it to the golden cup; till dawn we will drain it with the immortals' flowing wine.
Then taking my folding chair up to the southern tower, I gaze on a world made of jade, a thousand leagues of pure autumn.
Listen

Meaning

A Mid-Autumn poem on the moon. Chao Buzhi opens with the moon rising like a flying golden mirror beyond the blue mist, then watches cassia shadows lie on the steps through the long night while cold cicadas cry. Though the capital is far and only the Blue Bridge is near, he raises the crystal curtain, drinks the moonlight from a golden cup until dawn, and climbs the southern tower to see a world of jade: bold, free, and luminous.

青烟幂处，碧海飞金镜。永夜闲阶卧桂影。露凉时、零乱多少寒螀，神京远，惟有蓝桥路近。水晶帘不下，云母屏开，冷浸佳人淡脂粉。待都将许多明，付与金尊，投晓共、流霞倾尽。更携取、胡床上南楼，看玉做人间，素秋千倾。

Appreciation

[Plain Paraphrase] Beyond the blue mist the autumn moon rises like a golden mirror over the sea; its cassia shadows lie on the idle steps all night. Cold cicadas cry, the capital is far, only the Blue Bridge is near. The crystal curtain stays up, the mica screen is opened, and cold moonlight bathes the fair lady's pale face. The poet means to gather the moonlight into his golden cup and drain it at dawn with the immortals' wine; then, carrying a folding chair to the southern tower, he sees the whole world made of jade. [Imagery] The golden mirror, the cassia shadows, and the world made of jade form a sequence of ever-brightening lunar images. [Mood] Bold and free, its drinking of moonlight the sign of an unconstrained delight.

【白话串讲】 晁补之写《洞仙歌》：“青烟幂处，碧海飞金镜”——“永夜闲阶卧桂影”——“露凉时、零乱多少寒螀”——“待都将许多明，付与金尊”——他写中秋月——碧海飞金镜。 【意象与手法】 “青烟幂处，碧海飞金镜”以碧海金镜写中秋明月；“永夜闲阶卧桂影”以桂影写月夜；“露凉时、零乱多少寒螀”以寒螀写秋凉；结以“看玉做人间，素秋千倾”以玉做人间写月色。豪放洒脱、意境阔大。 【情感与主旨】 晁补之中秋咏月之作，写中秋月色的清辉与豪饮赏月的洒脱，体现苏轼门下“四学士”词作的豪放气度。 【名句点睛】 常考“青烟幂处，碧海飞金镜”以碧海金镜写中秋月；“看玉做人间，素秋千倾”以玉做人间写月色。

Background

Chao Buzhi (1053-1110), courtesy name Wujiu, style name Guilaizi, was a native of Juye in Jizhou (modern Juye, Shandong). One of the Four Scholars of the Su School, he was among the foremost literary figures of the Northern Song. This Song of the Cave Immortals is his celebrated Mid-Autumn lyric, written in the expansive Su-school manner.

《洞仙歌》为北宋词人晁补之所作词。晁补之（1053—1110），字无咎，号归来子，济州巨野（今山东巨野）人，北宋文学家，「苏门四学士」之一。此词写中秋咏月。词中「青烟幂处，碧海飞金镜。永夜闲阶卧桂影」写碧海金镜；「露凉时、零乱多少寒螀，神京远，惟有蓝桥路近」写露凉寒螀；「水晶帘不下，云母屏开，冷浸佳人淡脂粉」写佳人淡脂粉；「待都将许多明，付与金尊，投晓共、流霞倾尽」写金尊流霞；「更携取、胡床上南楼，看玉做人间，素秋千倾」写玉做人间。晁补之此词以中秋咏月、玉做人间写其赏月之情，豪放洒脱，是晁补之词中的名篇。此篇《洞仙歌》在历代选本中多被收录，其艺术价值与流传之广，正可见此诗在同类题材中的重要地位。诗人以匠心独运之笔写寻常之情事，遂使此作历千载而犹有生气，为后人所称赏不绝。此篇《洞仙歌》在历代选本中多被收录，其艺术价值与流传之广，正可见此诗在同类题材中的重要地位。诗人以匠心独运之笔写寻常之情事，遂使此作历千载而犹有生气，为后人所称赏不绝。

Art

The poem's craft is its succession of luminous images and its bold imaginative act of drinking the moon. The opening image of a golden mirror flying over the jade sea gives the moon immense distance and splendor, while cassia shadows lying on the idle steps brings its light indoors and down to the ground. The contrast of the far capital and the near Blue Bridge quietly measures exile and longing against a single human bond. Then the poem escalates: moonlight is gathered into the golden cup and drained with the immortals' wine until dawn, and the climb to the southern tower crowns the night with a world made of jade. Each stage lifts the scale until moonlight becomes the very substance of the world.

此词艺术上以「豪放洒脱、以月写怀」见长。全词上片写碧海金镜与露凉寒螀，下片写金尊流霞与玉做人间。上片「青烟幂处，碧海飞金镜。永夜闲阶卧桂影」写碧海金镜：青烟幂处，碧海飞金镜，永夜闲阶卧桂影；「露凉时、零乱多少寒螀，神京远，惟有蓝桥路近」写露凉寒螀：露凉时、零乱多少寒螀，神京远，惟有蓝桥路近；「水晶帘不下，云母屏开，冷浸佳人淡脂粉」写佳人淡脂粉：水晶帘不下，云母屏开，冷浸佳人淡脂粉。下片「待都将许多明，付与金尊，投晓共、流霞倾尽」写金尊流霞：待都将许多明，付与金尊，投晓共、流霞倾尽；「更携取、胡床上南楼，看玉做人间，素秋千倾」写玉做人间：更携取、胡床上南楼，看玉做人间，素秋千倾。全词豪放洒脱，以月写怀，是晁补之词中的名篇。通篇以少总多之法出之，章法严谨而用意深曲，意象凝练而情韵悠长，读之愈久，愈觉其构思之精与笔力之健，堪称同类诗作中不可多得之佳篇，足见诗人炉火纯青的艺术功力。

Allusions

Cassia shadows refers to the cassia tree in the moon, whose shadow the poet playfully finds on the steps. The Blue Bridge alludes to the story of Pei Hang meeting the immortal maiden Yunying there, marking the road to a transcendent encounter. The immortals' flowing wine comes from Wang Chong's Lunheng, in which Xiang Manqing dines with immortals on flowing clouds, a celestial wine. The southern tower recalls Yu Liang, who enjoyed the moon from the southern tower with his staff, a byword for moon-gathering among friends. A world made of jade completes the lunar metamorphosis of the earth.

词中「青烟幂处」「碧海飞金镜」「永夜闲阶」「桂影」「露凉」「寒螀」「神京」「蓝桥」「水晶帘」「云母屏」「冷浸」「佳人」「脂粉」「金尊」「流霞」「胡床」「南楼」「玉做人间」「素秋千倾」等语，皆含典故故实。「青烟幂处」写青烟笼罩之处；「碧海飞金镜」写碧海之上飞起一轮金镜（写明月升于海天）；「永夜闲阶」写长夜之闲阶；「桂影」写月中桂树之影；「露凉」写露水寒凉；「寒螀」写寒蝉（螀为蝉）；「神京」写京城（汴京）；「蓝桥」用裴航蓝桥遇云英之典，写蓝桥路近；「水晶帘」写水晶之帘；「云母屏」写云母之屏；「冷浸」写清冷浸照；「脂粉」写脂粉；「金尊」写金制之酒杯；「流霞」用王充《论衡》「河东项曼卿好道学仙……每饮辄数日不饥，曰：『吾与仙家饮流霞』」之典，写仙酒流霞；「胡床」写胡床（可折叠之坐具）；「南楼」用庾亮南楼赏月之典，写南楼；「玉做人间」写月光照得人间如玉；「素秋千倾」写素秋千里。词人以碧海金镜、蓝桥、流霞、南楼、玉做人间等语入词，不着痕迹，而把中秋赏月之情写得真切可感，是善于熔铸典故的体现。

Commentary

This lyric has been praised as the boldest of Chao Buzhi's songs and one of the finest Mid-Autumn lyrics after Su Shi's Water Melody. Critics have singled out the golden mirror flying over the jade sea for its vastness and the world made of jade for its radiant conclusion, where moonlight dissolves the world into pure white jade. The poem's freedom, carrying a folding chair up a tower to drink the moon, is often quoted as the spirit of the Su school.

这首《洞仙歌》，是晁补之写中秋咏月之作，写碧海金镜、闲阶桂影、玉做人间之情，豪放洒脱。上片写碧海金镜与露凉寒螀：「青烟幂处，碧海飞金镜。永夜闲阶卧桂影」——青烟幂处，碧海飞金镜，永夜闲阶卧桂影。写碧海金镜：青烟幂处、碧海飞金镜，永夜闲阶卧桂影——青烟笼罩处，碧海上升起金镜之月，桂影卧于闲阶；「露凉时、零乱多少寒螀，神京远，惟有蓝桥路近」——露凉时、零乱多少寒螀，神京远，惟有蓝桥路近。写露凉寒螀：露凉时、零乱多少寒螀，神京远、惟有蓝桥路近——露凉寒螀、神京远而蓝桥近；「水晶帘不下，云母屏开，冷浸佳人淡脂粉」——水晶帘不下，云母屏开，冷浸佳人淡脂粉。写佳人淡脂粉：水晶帘不下、云母屏开，冷浸佳人淡脂粉——月光冷浸佳人淡脂粉。下片写金尊流霞与玉做人间：「待都将许多明，付与金尊，投晓共、流霞倾尽」——待都将许多明，付与金尊，投晓共、流霞倾尽。写金尊流霞：待都将许多明、付与金尊，投晓共流霞倾尽——欲将月华付与金尊、共流霞倾尽；「更携取、胡床上南楼，看玉做人间，素秋千倾」——更携取、胡床上南楼，看玉做人间，素秋千倾。写玉做人间：更携取、胡床上南楼，看玉做人间、素秋千倾——携胡床登南楼，看玉做人间、素秋千里。这「更携取、胡床上南楼，看玉做人间，素秋千倾」，是全词之结：以玉做人间写其赏月之兴。全词豪放洒脱，以月写怀，正是晁补之词中的名篇。

Prosody

Form Ci (lyric) on the tune Song of the Cave Immortals (Dong Xian Ge), long diao of eighty-three characters, five lines in each stanza词（洞仙歌，长调）
Rhyme The tune rhymes in oblique tone on chu, ying, jin, fen, jin, and qing. The single oblique rhyme gives the song its sustained, free-flowing sonority.此词为《洞仙歌》调，长调八十三字，上片下片各五句。押仄声韵：「处」「影」「近」「粉」「尽」「倾」押梗霰部韵（词谱依调而定）。词体依词谱而定，长调铺叙，句式长短错落，音节随情起伏，正与写中秋咏月的豪放洒脱相称，也见其以长调写赏月的自然。
Tone pattern The lines swell from the vast opening of the golden mirror over the jade sea through the plaintive far capital, then brighten with the drinking of moonlight and open out completely in the closing world made of jade.句式上，上片「青烟幂处，碧海飞金镜。永夜闲阶卧桂影」写碧海金镜，音节壮阔；「露凉时、零乱多少寒螀，神京远，惟有蓝桥路近」写露凉寒螀，音节低回；下片「待都将许多明，付与金尊，投晓共、流霞倾尽」写金尊流霞，音节明快；「更携取、胡床上南楼，看玉做人间，素秋千倾」写玉做人间，音节舒放。全词音节随情起伏，由壮阔而低回、由明快而舒放，正合长调「铺叙」之妙，读来如中秋赏月、玉做人间之音，豪放而动人。
Reading note The long tune allows the poet to build from misty distance to intimate moonlight and finally to cosmic radiance; its oblique rhyme sustains the bold, unhurried movement of a night of drinking.此词为《洞仙歌》调，是晁补之写中秋咏月之作，也是其词中的名篇。全词的艺术特色在于「豪放洒脱、以月写怀」：上片「青烟幂处，碧海飞金镜。永夜闲阶卧桂影」写碧海金镜、「露凉时、零乱多少寒螀，神京远，惟有蓝桥路近」写露凉寒螀、「水晶帘不下，云母屏开，冷浸佳人淡脂粉」写佳人淡脂粉；下片「待都将许多明，付与金尊，投晓共、流霞倾尽」写金尊流霞、「更携取、胡床上南楼，看玉做人间，素秋千倾」写玉做人间。全词豪放洒脱，以月写怀。尤为精妙者，是「碧海飞金镜」以金镜写月出之壮阔；而「看玉做人间，素秋千倾」以玉做人间写月光之明澈，正是晁补之词「豪放洒脱」的典范，为历代词选所常收。

Line by line

青烟幂处，碧海飞金镜。

Where the blue mist spreads its veil, a golden mirror flies over the jade sea.

青烟幂处，碧海飞金镜。

Where the pale mists hang, the jade sea flies up a golden mirror.

首二句写碧海金镜，起笔即见其境。「青烟幂处」写青烟幂处，「青烟」写青色之烟、「幂处」写笼罩之处；「碧海飞金镜」写碧海飞金镜，「碧海」写碧色之海、「飞金镜」写飞起一轮金镜之月。两句一写青烟幂处、一写碧海飞金镜，以青烟写月出前之景、以碧海金镜写明月升于海天，写尽青烟幂处、碧海之上飞起金镜之月的壮阔。以景起兴，豪放而壮阔，是「以景起兴」的妙笔。

The first two lines write the jade sea and the golden mirror, the scene at the first stroke. Where the pale mists hang writes the pale mists, the hanging place; the jade sea flies up a golden mirror writes the jade sea, the flying golden-mirror moon. Two lines, one the hanging pale mists, one the flying golden mirror over the jade sea, the pale mists for the scene before the moon, the golden mirror for the bright moon rising over the sea, exhausting the pale mists and the golden mirror flying over the jade sea, the grandeur. Rising in scene, bold and grand, the fine brush.

永夜闲阶卧桂影。

All night long the cassia shadows lie upon the idle steps.

永夜闲阶卧桂影。

The long night, the idle steps, the cassia shadow lying there.

此句写桂影卧阶，是全词写月华的关键。「永夜闲阶卧桂影」写永夜闲阶卧桂影，「永夜」写长夜、「闲阶卧桂影」写桂影卧于闲阶。一句以「永夜闲阶」写长夜闲阶、以「桂影」写月中桂树之影，写尽长夜闲阶之上桂影横卧之景——月华照阶、桂影横斜。以景写情，含蓄而清幽，是「以景写情」的点睛之笔。此句以寥寥数语写尽深意，情韵兼胜，正是全诗点睛之笔。其于字句之间暗藏波澜，于平易之中寄寓曲折，尤当反复涵泳，方能得其三昧。

The line writes the cassia shadow lying on the steps, the key of the ci's writing of the moonlight. The long night, the idle steps, the cassia shadow lying there: the long night writes the long night, the idle steps and the cassia shadow writes the cassia shadow lying on the idle steps. One line, the long night and idle steps for the long night's idle steps, the cassia shadow for the moon's cassia tree shadow, exhausting the cassia shadow lying across the long night's idle steps — the moonlight on the steps, the cassia shadow slanting. Writing feeling through scene, restrained and clear, the pointed brush. The line writes the depth in scant words, the feeling and flavor both fine, the pointed stroke. Its hidden undercurrents call for repeated brooding.

待都将许多明，付与金尊，投晓共、流霞倾尽。

I mean to gather all this brightness and hand it to the golden cup; till dawn we will drain it with the immortals' flowing wine.

待都将许多明，付与金尊，投晓共、流霞倾尽。

Wait, take all this brightness, give it to the golden cup, and at dawn drain it together with the flowing rosy clouds.

此三句写金尊流霞，是全词写赏月之兴的关键。「待都将许多明」写待都将许多明，「待都」写待到都将、「许多明」写许多月华；「付与金尊」写付与金尊，「付与」写交与、「金尊」写金制酒杯；「投晓共、流霞倾尽」写投晓共流霞倾尽，「投晓」写至晓、「流霞倾尽」写共流霞仙酒倾尽。三句一写待都将许多明、一写付与金尊、一写投晓共流霞倾尽，以待都将月华写其欲盛月、以付与金尊写月入杯、以流霞倾尽写共饮，写尽将月华付与金尊、共流霞倾尽之兴。以兴写怀，豪放而洒脱，是「以兴写怀」的点睛之笔。

The three lines write the golden cup and the rosy clouds, the key of the ci's moon-gazing joy. Wait, take all this brightness writes the wait, the much moonlight; give it to the golden cup writes the giving, the golden wine cup; and at dawn drain it together with the flowing rosy clouds writes the at dawn, the draining together of the flowing-rosy immortal wine. Three lines, one the wait-take-all-the-brightness, one the giving to the golden cup, one the at-dawn draining with the rosy clouds, the take-all-the-moonlight for the will to hold the moon, the giving to the golden cup for the moon entering the cup, the draining with the rosy clouds for the drinking together, exhausting the joy of giving the moonlight to the golden cup and draining with the rosy clouds. Writing the breast through the joy, bold and free, the pointed brush.

更携取、胡床上南楼，看玉做人间，素秋千倾。

Then taking my folding chair up to the southern tower, I gaze on a world made of jade, a thousand leagues of pure autumn.

更携取、胡床上南楼，看玉做人间，素秋千倾。

Then take the camp bed, climb the South Tower, and watch the world of jade, the pure autumn, a thousand miles wide.

尾四句写玉做人间，是全词立意的落点。「更携取、胡床上南楼」写更携取胡床上南楼，「更携取」写更携着、「胡床上南楼」写胡床登上南楼；「看玉做人间」写看玉做人间，「看」写看、「玉做人间」写月光照得人间如玉；「素秋千倾」写素秋千倾，「素秋」写素净之秋、「千倾」写千里。四句一写更携取胡床上南楼、一写看玉做人间、一写素秋千倾，以胡床上南楼写其登楼、以玉做人间写月照人间如白玉、以素秋千倾写素秋千里，写尽登南楼、看玉做人间、素秋千里之情。以景写怀，豪放而空灵，是全词最动人处，也是「以景写怀」的点睛之笔。

The closing four lines write the world of jade, the landing point of the ci. Then take the camp bed, climb the South Tower writes the further taking, the camp bed and the South Tower; watch the world of jade writes the watching, the moonlight making the world like jade; the pure autumn, a thousand miles wide writes the pure autumn, the thousand miles. Four lines, one the taking of the camp bed to the South Tower, one the watching of the jade world, one the pure autumn a thousand miles, the South Tower climb for the climbing, the jade world for the moon-lit world like white jade, the pure autumn a thousand miles for the pure autumn a thousand li, exhausting the climbing the South Tower, watching the jade world, the pure autumn a thousand li. Writing the breast through scene, bold and ethereal, the most moving place, the pointed brush.

Study

Word focus

飞 Flies: the moon rising as if in flight. The verb gives the moon tremendous speed and height, opening the poem with splendor. 「飞」字写碧海飞金镜，是写明月升空的关键。「碧海飞金镜」着一「飞」，写飞升——着一「飞」字，写金镜之月飞升于碧海之上，见月出之壮阔。一字写尽月升之壮，是「以一字写景」的妙笔。「飞」一字之用而全篇生色，与诗中情韵相为表里，正见诗人炼字之精与匠心之独运。读者于此等处若细细体会，自能领会其于平淡之中见功力、于寻常处见神奇之妙。
卧 Lies: the cassia shadow lying across the steps. The verb makes the moonlight still and intimate, as if the moon's tree had come down to rest. 「卧」字写闲阶卧桂影，是写桂影横斜的关键。「永夜闲阶卧桂影」着一「卧」，写横卧——着一「卧」字，写桂影横卧于闲阶，见月华之静。一字写尽桂影之静，是「以一字写景」的点睛之词。「卧」一字之用而全篇生色，与诗中情韵相为表里，正见诗人炼字之精与匠心之独运。读者于此等处若细细体会，自能领会其于平淡之中见功力、于寻常处见神奇之妙。
付 Hands over: giving the moonlight to the cup. The verb performs the poem's bold conceit of possessing and drinking the moon. 「付」字写付与金尊，是写欲盛月华的关键。「待都将许多明，付与金尊」着一「付」，写交付——着一「付」字，写将许多月华付与金尊，见其赏月之兴。一字写尽付月之兴，是「以一字写怀」的点睛之词。「付」一字之用而全篇生色，与诗中情韵相为表里，正见诗人炼字之精与匠心之独运。读者于此等处若细细体会，自能领会其于平淡之中见功力、于寻常处见神奇之妙。
玉做 Made of jade: the world as if cast in white jade. The phrase completes the metamorphosis of earth into moonlight. 「玉做」写玉做人间，是写月光照地的关键。「看玉做人间」着一「玉做」，写如玉做成——着一「玉做」，写月光照得人间如玉做成，见月色之明澈。两字写尽人间如玉，是「以词写景」的点睛之词。「玉做」一字之用而全篇生色，与诗中情韵相为表里，正见诗人炼字之精与匠心之独运。读者于此等处若细细体会，自能领会其于平淡之中见功力、于寻常处见神奇之妙。

Related Reading

水调歌头·明月几时有 Water Melody: When Will the Moon Be Bright? 苏轼 · 同写中秋咏月、把酒问天，一写明月几时有把酒问青天、一写碧海飞金镜玉做人间，皆于明月之中见豪放旷达 Both are Mid-Autumn lyrics raising the cup to the moon, both bold and transcendent.

Su Shi's When will the moon be bright? I raise my cup and ask the blue sky asks the moon a question and finds philosophy; Chao Buzhi's golden mirror flying over the jade sea drinks the moon and finds radiance. Su's mood is transcendent, Chao's free and bright.

苏轼《水调歌头·明月几时有》「明月几时有？把酒问青天」「起舞弄清影，何似在人间」，写中秋赏月、把酒问天，是咏月词的千古名篇；晁补之《洞仙歌》则以「青烟幂处，碧海飞金镜」「看玉做人间，素秋千倾」写碧海金镜、玉做人间。两词同写中秋咏月、把酒问天：一写明月几时有把酒问青天、以问天写思，一写碧海飞金镜玉做人间、以月华写兴；一为苏轼之超旷、一为晁补之之洒脱，并读正可见宋词写「中秋咏月」的两种情致，皆于明月之中见豪放旷达。

 晏殊·蝶恋花·槛菊愁烟兰泣露 Butterfly in Love with Flowers: Fence Chrysanthemums Grieve in Mist, Orchids Weep Dew 晏殊 · 同写明月千里、冷浸清辉，一写明月不谙离恨苦、一写冷浸佳人淡脂粉，皆于月华之中见别样情致 Both write bright moonlight, one on the sorrow of parting, one on the delight of drinking.

Yan Shu's the moon knows not the sorrow of parting, slanting light through the red door till dawn makes moonlight a witness of grief; Chao's cold moonlight soaking the fair lady's faint powder and rouge makes it a bath of beauty. Yan Shu is warm with sorrow, Chao bold with delight.

晏殊《蝶恋花·槛菊愁烟兰泣露》「明月不谙离恨苦，斜光到晓穿朱户」，写明月斜光、离恨之苦，是宋词写离愁的名篇；晁补之《洞仙歌》则以「冷浸佳人淡脂粉」「看玉做人间，素秋千倾」写月光冷浸、玉做人间。两词同写明月千里、冷浸清辉：一写明月不谙离恨苦、以明月写离恨之怨，一写冷浸佳人淡脂粉、以月华写清辉之美；一为晏殊之温润、一为晁补之之洒脱，并读正可见宋词写「月华清辉」的两种笔法，皆于月华之中见别样情致。