宋 Song · 词 Ci lyric
黄庭坚·清平乐·春归何处
Pure Serene Music · Where Has Spring Gone?
清平乐春归何处?
寂寞无行路。
若有人知春去处,唤取归来同住。
春无踪迹谁知?
除非问取黄鹂。
百啭无人能解,因风飞过蔷薇。
Lonely, no path is known.
If someone knows where spring has fled,
Call it back to live with me instead.
Who knows the trace of spring?
Unless you ask the oriole sing.
Its warbling none can understand,
Borne by wind, it flies over roses and land.
Meaning
The poet asks where spring has gone, feeling lonely and longing to bring it back. He then turns to the oriole for an answer, but its song is unintelligible, and it flies away over the roses, signaling the end of spring.
春天回到了哪里?只留下一片寂寞,寻不见它的去路。若有人知道春天归去的去向,请把她唤回来同我住在一起。春天的踪迹有谁知晓?除非去问那黄鹂。它千百遍地婉转啼鸣却无人能解其意,趁着风飞过了蔷薇花去。
Appreciation
This poem uses a series of questions to express the poet's longing for spring and his sorrow over its passing. The personification of spring and the oriole, along with the innocent tone, create a whimsical yet poignant mood. The final line subtly hints at the transition to summer with the image of the oriole flying over roses.
【白话串讲】 “春归何处?寂寞无行路”——黄庭坚问:春天去哪了?没人知道。他想问黄鹂,黄鹂叫了一阵,飞过蔷薇去了。这首词,是中国文学里最可爱的“找春天”。 【意象与手法】 全词以四个问句结构:「春归何处」「若有人知」「春无踪迹谁知」「百啭无人能解」,层层追问,如孩童寻春,天真中见痴绝。拟人化春与黄鹂,赋予自然以性情;「唤取归来同住」设想奇绝;结句「因风飞过蔷薇」以鸟去花现暗写春逝夏临,不着悲字而惘然自见,清空宕逸。 【情感与主旨】 黄庭坚(山谷)诗开江西派,词则兼豪放与婉约。此《清平乐》约作于其晚年闲居或贬所,时值春归,触景生情。词借「惜春」「寻春」的童趣式追问,寄寓对时光流转的怅惘与世无知音的孤独,然出以清空明快,不落衰飒。 【名句点睛】 中高考常考:①构思特点——通篇设问(四处问句)推进,层次清晰而奇趣;②拟人手法——春可「唤取同住」、黄鹂能「解」意;③结句「因风飞过蔷薇」以景结情、含蓄写春逝之妙。
Background
Huang Tingjian, founder of the Jiangxi School of poetry, wrote this lyric in his later years during a period of reclusion or exile. It borrows the theme of cherishing spring to convey his feelings about the passage of time and the loneliness of being misunderstood.
黄庭坚(1045—1105),字鲁直,号山谷道人,又号涪翁,洪州分宁(今江西修水)人,为「苏门四学士」之首,诗开江西诗派,与苏轼并称「苏黄」;其词则兼豪放与婉约,小令清丽,长调疏宕。此《清平乐·春归何处》约作于其晚年,时山谷屡遭贬谪,辗转于黔州、戎州等贬所,垂老飘零,境遇困顿。暮春时节,词人见春归去,触景生情,遂以「寻春」之痴语发为问句,层层追问春之去处。词中「春归何处」的怅惘,既有对美好时光一去不返的叹惋,亦暗含词人老境飘零、怀抱不遇的孤寂——「无人能解」的黄鹂之音,正是世无知音的自况。然山谷以哲人的旷达与诗人的天真出之,问得痴绝,答得空灵,全词清空明快,不着衰飒之气,正是「以俗为雅、以故为新」山谷词风的体现。山谷晚年远谪黔州、戎州,身处蛮荒瘴疠之地,然其胸襟旷达,不以迁谪为意,于贬所授徒讲学、啸咏自得,其词亦于此时臻于成熟。此词写春归之怅惘,看似惜春闲愁,实则寓其老境飘零之慨:词人垂老投荒,故国之思、故人之念,皆借寻春之痴语出之;而『无人能解』的黄鹂之音,正是世无知音的自况。山谷以佛老之学自遣,故能将深沉的悲慨化于清空明快的笔调之中,不着一悲字而怅惘自见,这种以旷达写沉痛的手法,正是其晚年文学成熟的重要标志。
Art
The poem is structured around four questions, each deepening the search for spring. Personification gives spring and the oriole human qualities. The final line 'flies over roses' subtly indicates the change from spring to summer, ending with a poignant silence that avoids direct expression of sadness.
全词最见匠心处,在以四个问句结构全篇:起句「春归何处」开门见山,一问;「若有人知春去处」再问,且设下「唤取归来同住」的奇想;过片「春无踪迹谁知」三问,把寻春逼入绝境;「除非问取黄鹂」四问,把最后的希望寄托于鸣禽。层层追问,如孩童寻春,天真中见痴绝,一问紧似一问,把惜春之情推向极致。拟人手法贯穿全词:春被写得有去路、可唤回、可同住,黄鹂被写得能知晓春踪、能啼鸣作答,万物皆有性情,正见词人视物如友的赤子之心。结句「因风飞过蔷薇」不再问而答之以景:黄鹂飞去,蔷薇开遍,正是春去夏临之象——不着一「惜」字、不着一「悲」字,而惘然自失之情尽在景中,以景结情,清空宕逸,是宋人小令「以问起、以景结」的典范。此词在语言上还有一个显著特点,即大量使用口语虚词:『何处』『谁知』『除非』『问取』『因风』等皆浅近如话,却于天真中见锤炼之功,正是山谷以俗为雅的实践。全词四问四转,问得痴、答得巧、结得空灵:前三问层层逼近,把寻春逼入绝境;结句不再问而答之以景,以黄鹂飞过蔷薇的画面轻轻收住,如禅家之不答而答,余韵自远,是宋人小令中以问句结构全篇、以景语收束情思的经典范式。
Allusions
There are no specific allusions in this poem. The images of the oriole and roses are natural and direct, reflecting Huang's style of using plain language to create elegant and fresh imagery.
本词几乎不用典,纯以白描与口语成篇,这恰是山谷「以俗为雅」的另一面。全词中可寻绎的只是意象传统:「黄鹂」为古典诗词常见禽鸟,如杜甫「两个黄鹂鸣翠柳」、韦应物「上有黄鹂深树鸣」,皆以黄鹂写春日生机,此处只取鸣禽本位,借其婉转之音设问,非用事典;「蔷薇」点出暮春初夏的节候,杜牧「蔷薇花谢即归来」亦以蔷薇记时,此处属即目写景。「问取」「百啭」「因风」皆浅近口语,正是山谷「点铁成金」「以故为新」主张的反向实践——不用故实,只以浅语构境,而韵味天成。全篇无一僻典而句句有诗味,足见山谷融俗为雅、化熟为新的功力,也说明好词不必用典,贵在情真意切。『春归何处』的追问,在古典诗词中渊源有自:南朝乐府已有惜春之咏,唐人戴叔伦《苏溪亭》『燕子不归春事晚』亦写春归之怅;而山谷此词将惜春写为一场寻春的痴问,则是对传统惜春主题的创造性转化。又蔷薇意象,唐宋诗词多以之写暮春初夏之交,如杜牧『蔷薇花谢即归来』,山谷取『飞过蔷薇』暗点节候,以花代时,不着痕迹,正是其化俗为雅、以故为新的例证,也是宋词意象运用的精妙所在。
Commentary
Critics have praised this poem for its novel structure and genuine emotion. Kuang Zhouyi of the Qing dynasty called it 'full of deep feeling'. Modern anthologies often include it as an example of a short lyric that uses questions to structure the poem and a scene to conclude.
此词向被推为惜春小令的代表作。况周颐《蕙风词话》称其「一往情深」,谓其以痴语写深情,故能感人;近人论山谷词,多谓其「俚俗处见真趣」,此词正以「唤取归来同住」的痴语、「除非问取黄鹂」的奇想见真趣,于天真烂漫中寄深沉之慨。现代选本多以此词入选,誉其为宋人小令「以问起、以景结」的范例:四问推进,层次清晰而奇趣横生;结句写景,含蓄不尽而惘然自见。与晏殊、秦观诸家惜春词相比,山谷此作不写「无可奈何花落去」的感伤,而以寻春的痴态出之,化悲为趣、化痛为痴,正是其胸襟旷达、不落俗套之处,也是理解宋人惜春词多元面貌的一把钥匙。今人选宋词,多以此词为山谷婉约词的代表,与晏殊、欧阳修的惜春词并读:晏殊写『无可奈何花落去』,是无可奈何的怅惘;山谷写『唤取归来同住』,是天真的痴想;一雅一俗、一叹一问,正可见宋人惜春词的多样面目。清人论山谷词『俚俗处见真趣』,此词足为其证:它把惜春这一古老的母题写得童心宛然,化悲为趣,非深于情者不能,亦非旷达者不能,正是山谷融情、理、趣于一体的独特词风。
Prosody
Line by line
春归何处?寂寞无行路
Where has spring gone? Opening question, personifying spring.
春天回到了哪里?只留下一片寂寞,寻不见它的去路。
Where has spring gone? Silence everywhere; not a road to show the way it left.
起句开门见山,一问定调。「春归何处」以问句发端,把春天当作有知觉、可寻觅的存在,一起笔便见痴态;「寂寞无行路」作答:春天归去,只留下满目寂寞,连它离去的路径都寻不见。「寂寞」二字移情于物,写春去后的世界一片空寂,实则是词人心境的投影——春去令人寂寞,寂寞更使人思春;「无行路」写寻春无从下手,把惜春之情逼入绝境。此句一问一答,先立寻春之痴态,为全词设下悬念:春既不知归处,则下文「若有人知」「问取黄鹂」的层层追问,便都从这一问中自然生出,起笔的「问」正是全词章法的总纲。
The opening states the theme at once, one question fixing the tone. Where has spring gone? opens in the question, treating spring as a sentient being to be sought, the doting posture at the first stroke; Silence everywhere; not a road to show the way it left answers: spring gone, leaving only the desolation, not even the road of its going to be found. The word silence endows the world after spring's departure with emptiness, in truth the projection of the poet's mind — spring's going makes the world silent, and the silence makes the world think of spring; no road writes the seeking's nowhere to begin, driving the spring-regret to the extremity. One question one answer, first setting up the doting posture of seeking spring, planting the ci's suspense: since spring's return is unknown, the following if someone knows and ask the oriole all grow from this question, the opening's question the general outline of the ci's structure.
若有人知春去处,唤取归来同住
Lonely, no path is seen. Expresses desolation.
若有人知道春天归去的去向,请把她唤回来同我住在一起。
If anyone knows where spring has gone, call her back to live with me.
此句是词中最痴绝的奇想。「若有人知春去处」以假设设问,把寻春的希望交给「有人」——只要有人知道春的去处;「唤取归来同住」更进一层,不仅要找回春天,还要把春天唤回来与自己同住。「唤取」二字以口语呼春,如唤友、如呼伴,把春天当作可以相邀同居的至亲;「同住」的愿望天真烂漫,痴得可爱,也痴得可怜——明知春去不可回,偏要如此痴想,正见词人对春光爱之极、惜之深。此句拟人化春天,设想奇绝,是「无理而妙」的典型;它既深化了上句的寻春之痴,又为下片「春无踪迹谁知」的追问蓄势,是全词由痴入更深之痴的推进。
This is the ci's most doting fantasy. If anyone knows where spring has gone sets the hope of seeking spring in the someone — if only someone knows spring's abode; call her back to live with me goes further, not only finding spring, but calling spring back to live with oneself. The word call uses the colloquial to call spring, like calling a friend, like summoning a companion, treating spring as the closest kin to be invited to live together; the wish to live together is naive and bright, doting and lovable, doting and pitiable — knowing full well spring cannot return, and yet still doting like this, showing how deeply the poet loves and cherishes the spring light. The line personifies spring, the invention strange to the extreme, the model of the unreasonable-yet-beautiful; it deepens the seeking-spring doting above, and stores force for the second stanza's spring has no trace, who knows it?, the advance of the ci from doting to deeper doting.
春无踪迹谁知?除非问取黄鹂
Spring has no trace; who knows it? Unless I ask the oriole.
春天的踪迹有谁知晓?除非去问那黄鹂。
Spring leaves no trace; who knows where? Unless I go and ask the oriole.
过片再问,把寻春推向无计可施的绝境。「春无踪迹谁知」以反问作答:春天来去无踪,谁能知道它的去处?言外之意是无人知晓,寻春的希望几近断绝;「除非问取黄鹂」却于绝望中辟出一线生机——除非去问那黄鹂。为什么问黄鹂?因为黄鹂是春天的常客,暮春时节犹在枝头啼鸣,它或曾追随春的踪迹,或曾听见春的叮咛,是唯一可能知晓春踪的见证者。此句由人问转向鸟问,想象愈奇,痴态愈深;「除非」二字写出这是最后的一线希望,把惜春之情推向顶点,也为结句黄鹂飞去的空无预设了伏笔。
The turning asks again, pushing the seeking of spring to the last extremity. Spring leaves no trace; who knows it? answers in the rhetorical question: spring comes and goes without a trace, who can know its abode? The unspoken meaning is that no one knows, the hope of seeking spring all but gone; unless I go and ask the oriole opens a thread of hope in the despair — unless I ask the oriole. Why ask the oriole? Because the oriole is spring's constant guest, in the late spring still singing on the boughs; it perhaps followed spring's traces, perhaps heard spring's parting words, the only possible witness to spring's trail. The line turns from the human question to the bird's question, the imagination stranger, the doting deeper; the word unless writes this as the last thread of hope, pushing the spring-regret to its peak, and planting the foreshadowing for the closing oriole's flight into the void.
百啭无人能解,因风飞过蔷薇
If someone knows where spring has gone.
它千百遍地婉转啼鸣却无人能解其意,趁着风飞过了蔷薇花去。
Its hundred trills no one can understand; riding the wind, it flies past the roses.
结句以景结情,是全词最含蓄深婉处。「百啭无人能解」写黄鹂千百遍地婉转啼鸣,却没有人能听懂它的话——黄鹂或许正在回答春的去处,而词人竟无法领会,寻春的最后一线希望也落空了;「无人能解」四字,既是说人听不懂鸟语,更暗含世无知音、怀抱难诉的孤独。「因风飞过蔷薇」不再追问,只以景作结:黄鹂趁风飞过盛开的蔷薇而去——蔷薇花开,正是春去夏临的节候标志,黄鹂飞走,春天终是寻不回了。全词至此戛然而止,不着一「悲」字而惘然自失,景语即情语,含蓄不尽,把惜春的怅惘与知音难觅的孤寂,都化入鸟飞花开的空灵画面里。
The closing ends emotion in scene, the ci's most restrained, deep place. Its hundred trills no one can understand writes the oriole's thousand trills, and yet no one can understand its words — the oriole perhaps answering spring's abode, and the poet unable to comprehend, the last thread of hope for spring's finding snapped; the four words no one can understand at once say that men cannot understand bird speech, and secretly carry the loneliness of no soulmate, the feeling beyond telling. Riding the wind, it flies past the roses: no more questions, only the scene for the close — the oriole rides the wind and flies past the blooming roses — the roses' blooming is the sign of spring's going and summer's coming, the oriole flies off, and spring is at last beyond recall. The ci ends abruptly here, not one word of grief and yet the loss of itself, the scenic words are the feeling words, restrained and unending, the wistfulness for spring and the loneliness of no soulmate all dissolved into the empty picture of the bird flown and the flowers blooming.
Study
Word focus
Related Reading
Same tune and theme of spring sorrow and longing; Yan Shu's style is graceful and elegant, while Huang's is more innocent and questioning.
晏殊《清平乐·红笺小字》与黄庭坚此词同用《清平乐》词牌,同写春愁相思,而面目迥异:晏词「红笺小字,说尽平生意」以书信写相思,「人面不知何处,绿波依旧东流」以绿波依旧反衬人面已非,含蓄温润,是富贵闲人的雅愁;黄词「春归何处」「唤取归来同住」以问句寻春,痴态可掬,是哲人词客的奇趣。同是《清平乐》,晏殊以情语胜,含蓄蕴藉;黄庭坚以痴语胜,空灵宕逸。比较二词,正可看出同一词牌在不同词人笔下的多元风格,以及北宋婉约词由「雅」到「俗」、由「情」到「趣」的演变轨迹。
黄庭坚·水调歌头·瑶草一何碧 Huang Tingjian · Prelude to Water Melody · How Green the Jade Grass 黄庭坚 · 同作者,可见山谷词清旷与俚趣两面 sameSame author; the other poem is about wandering immortals, showing Huang's lofty and free-spirited side, while this one is about cherishing spring with innocent questions.
《水调歌头·瑶草一何碧》「瑶草一何碧,春入武陵溪」写词人神游桃花源的仙家境界,「我欲穿花寻路,直入白云深处」,境界高华超逸,是山谷词清旷豪放的一面;《清平乐·春归何处》则写寻春的痴问,以口语入词,天真烂漫,是山谷词俚俗见趣的一面。二词同出山谷之手而风格迥异:前者游仙超脱,思致奇丽;后者惜春痴问,情味天真。合读二词,正可看出黄庭坚词兼豪放与婉约、兼奇丽与俚俗的多面性,以及其「以俗为雅、以故为新」诗学主张在词体中的实践,是全面认识山谷词风的绝佳对读材料。
杨万里·宿新市徐公店 Yang Wanli · Lodging at New City Xu's Inn 杨万里 · 异体比较,同具童真笔调而诗词各异 differentBoth have a childlike perspective (Yang's poem about a child chasing a butterfly). One is a poem, the other a lyric; they share a sense of innocent observation of nature.
杨万里《宿新市徐公店》「儿童急走追黄蝶,飞入菜花无处寻」写儿童追蝶的天真趣事,黄庭坚此词写寻春问鸟的痴态,二者同具童真的目光:都以儿童的眼光看世界,都把自然当作可亲可玩的伙伴,都于天真中见情趣。不同的是,杨诗以「无处寻」写儿童追蝶之趣,是即景的、外向的,纯然一幅天真烂漫的农村小景;黄词以「春归何处」写寻春之痴,是抒情言志的、内向的,于童趣中寄寓时光流逝的怅惘。一诗一词,同是宋人「活法」精神的体现,而一趣一痴、一浅一深,比较正可看出诗与词在抒情方式上的差异,以及宋人「以童真观物」的审美趣味。