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宋 Song · 词 Ci lyric

江城子·乙卯正月二十日夜记梦

Riverside Town: Dreaming of My Wife on the Twentieth Night of the First Month

苏轼

Su Shi

悼亡Mourning the deceased 爱情Love 梦Dream

十年生死两茫茫，不思量，自难忘。
千里孤坟，无处话凄凉。
纵使相逢应不识，尘满面，鬓如霜。
夜来幽梦忽还乡，小轩窗，正梳妆。
相顾无言，惟有泪千行。
料得年年肠断处，明月夜，短松冈。

For ten years, the living and the dead are far apart;
Though I do not think of you, I can never forget.
Your lonely grave is a thousand miles away;
Nowhere can I pour out my sorrow.
Even if we met, you would not recognize me —
My face is covered with dust, my temples like frost.
Last night I dreamed I suddenly returned home;
By the small window, you were combing your hair.
We looked at each other without words,
Only a thousand lines of tears.
I expect that year after year, the heart-breaking place
Will be the moonlit night, the low pine-covered hill.

Listen

Meaning

Ten years after the death of his wife, the poet dreams of her and writes of the pain of separation, the loneliness of the grave, and the poignant reunion in a dream.

十年生死相隔，两处茫茫，即便不去刻意思量，也自然难以忘怀。千里之外那一抔孤坟，竟无处向我诉说心中的凄凉。纵使今日真能相逢，你大概也认不出我了——我已是满面风尘、两鬓如霜。夜里忽然做了一梦，恍惚回到故乡，你正坐在小窗前对镜梳妆。彼此凝望，一时无语，只有泪落千行。想来年年最教人断肠的地方，该是那明月当空、松枝低矮的短冈。

Appreciation

This is the first famous mourning poem in ci form. The poet expresses deep sorrow for his deceased wife, using plain language but profound emotion. The dream scene is vivid and touching.

【白话串讲】妻子去世十年后，苏轼在梦里又见到了她，还是当年对镜梳妆的样子，两人相对无言，只有泪流。“十年生死两茫茫”——这是中国悼亡词里最沉痛的一首。【意象与手法】全词打破「词为艳科」的传统，以词写悼亡，开辟一新境【情感与主旨】苏轼原配王弗于治平二年（1065）病逝，年仅二十七，葬于眉山【名句点睛】常考：①悼亡词之祖，中国文学史上第一首以词写悼亡的名作；②虚实结合（梦前、入梦、梦醒三层结构）

Background

Su Shi's first wife Wang Fu died in 1065 at age 27. Ten years later in 1075, while governing Mizhou, he dreamed of her and wrote this ci.

此词作于宋神宗熙宁八年（一〇七五年，乙卯年）正月二十日，时苏轼知密州（今山东诸城）。苏轼原配王弗，眉州青神人，贤而敏慧，治平二年（一〇六五年）病逝于汴京，年仅二十七，次年葬于眉山（今四川）。至乙卯年，王弗已逝整整十年，苏轼于千里之外的密州任上，夜梦亡妻，醒而赋此词，题为「记梦」，是中国文学史上第一首以词写悼亡的名作。北宋词坛此前「词为艳科」，多写相思欢爱，以词抒写对亡妻的深沉哀悼，苏轼实开风气之先。其时苏轼因与王安石新党政见不合，自请外任，辗转杭州、密州，政治失意与丧偶之痛交织。词中「千里孤坟」指远在眉山的王弗墓，与密州相隔千里，呼应身世飘零之感。乙卯正月梦亡妻一事，亦见苏轼《亡妻王氏墓志铭》所述夫妻情深之佐证。此词以真切之梦写不变之思，将个人悼亡升华为人类共通的生命之悲，背景中政治漂泊与情感创伤双重叠合。

Art

The poem breaks the tradition of ci as mere love poetry, using ci for mourning. Structure: before dream, dream, after dream. Language is simple but deeply sorrowful.

此词打破「词为艳科」传统，以词体写悼亡，在中国文学史上具有开创意义。全词依梦前、入梦、梦醒三层结构展开，脉络清晰而情致深婉。上片写梦前之思与生死之隔：「十年生死两茫茫」以「十年」点时长，「两茫茫」写阴阳两隔的虚无，起势沉痛；「不思量，自难忘」以浅语写深悲，不去思量而自然难忘，见情之不可禁；「千里孤坟」转 spatial 阻隔，「无处话凄凉」写孤苦无诉。下片写梦中之境与梦醒之痛：「夜来幽梦忽还乡」入梦，「小轩窗，正梳妆」以日常细节写亡妻如在生前，温馨而刺痛；「相顾无言，惟有泪千行」以无声胜有声，千言万语尽在泪中；结以「料得年年肠断处，明月夜，短松冈」推己及人，设想亡妻墓前之孤，由己之梦回转到彼之永寂。全词白描为主，不事雕琢，以虚实相生、今昔对照见长，语言如话家常而字字血泪，是苏轼「行云流水」「辞达而已」美学在抒情极境的体现。全词依梦前、入梦、梦醒三层结构展开，脉络清晰而情致深婉。上片写梦前之思与生死之隔，不思量自难忘以浅语写深悲；下片写梦中之境与梦醒之痛，小轩窗正梳妆以日常细节写如在生前，相顾无言惟有泪千行以无声胜有声，结以料得年年肠断处推己及人。白描为主，虚实相生，字字血泪。

Allusions

The title specifies the date. 'A thousand li lonely grave' refers to Wang Fu's grave in Meishan. 'Small window, combing hair' is a real memory. 'Short pine-covered hill' is where she is buried.

词中意象多承自古悼亡与生死书写传统。《诗经·唐风·葛生》「百岁之后，归于其居」已开悼亡之先；潘岳《悼亡诗》确立「悼亡」题材，江淹《恨赋》《别赋》写生死之憾。苏轼以词写悼亡，实为对「词为艳科」藩篱的突破，亦暗承韩愈《祭十二郎文》、欧阳修《泷冈阡表》以散文写至情之精神。「千里孤坟」化用唐人「千里孤坟」式的空间阻隔书写（如韦应物「千里孤坟，何处话凄凉」句法实启后学），「短松冈」指墓地，古以松柏植冢象征不朽与肃穆（古诗「遥望是君家，松柏冢累累」）。「尘满面，鬓如霜」则化用杜甫「苍颜白发」与古来「形容枯槁」之意，写自身贬谪漂泊之憔悴。字词训诂上，「乙卯」为干支纪年，「茫茫」状渺远难知，「轩窗」指有窗槛的长廊或小室，「料得」为推想之意。用典不着痕迹，皆融化于至情之中。悼亡传统自诗经葛生、潘岳悼亡诗、江淹恨赋一脉；苏轼以词写悼亡，实破词为艳科藩篱之举，亦承韩愈祭十二郎文以散文写至情之精神。千里孤坟化用唐人空间阻隔书写，短松冈指墓地，古以松柏植冢象征不朽。尘满面鬓如霜化用古来形容枯槁之意，写自身贬谪漂泊之憔悴，用典皆融化于至情之中。

Commentary

Critics praise its genuine emotion. It is considered the greatest mourning poem in ci history.

此词被公认为中国文学史上第一首以词写悼亡的杰作，自南宋以来即与潘岳《悼亡诗》、元稹《遣悲怀》并列为悼亡文学双璧（一词一诗）。清人陈廷焯《白雨斋词话》谓「东坡词寄慨无端，别有天地」，又赏其「情溢乎辞」。近人王国维虽主「隔」与不「隔」之辨，于此词之真切亦无可訾。其「不思量，自难忘」「相顾无言，惟有泪千行」等句，以极平淡语写极深哀，成为千古传诵的悼亡名句。在传播史上，此词确立了宋词亦可承载严肃生死之悲的文体地位，直接影响了贺铸《鹧鸪天·重过阊门万事非》、纳兰性德《蝶恋花·辛苦最怜天上月》等后世悼亡词。今中学与大学教材多选此词，作为苏轼词风多样（既可豪放亦可深婉）与宋词题材拓展的范例。其「记梦」结构与「以乐景写哀」（小轩窗梳妆之温馨反衬梦醒之痛）的手法，亦为文学批评常举的经典。此词被公认第一首以词写悼亡的杰作，与潘岳悼亡诗、元稹遣悲怀并列为悼亡文学双璧。清陈廷焯赏其情溢乎辞。其不思量自难忘、相顾无言惟有泪千行成为千古传诵的悼亡名句。今中学与大学教材多选，作为苏轼词风多样与宋词题材拓展的范例，其记梦结构与以乐景写哀的手法亦为批评常举。

Prosody

Form Ci (Jiangchengzi, double 70-character, level-tone rhyme)词·江城子（双调七十字）

Rhyme Level tone (下平七阳): 茫、忘、凉、霜、乡、妆、行、冈此词上片押阳韵（茫、忘、凉、霜），下片押阳韵（乡、妆、行、冈），上下片各五平韵，一韵到底，平声韵悠长哀婉，宜写深悲。

Tone pattern Double-stanza, 5 level rhymes per stanza; mixed 3,4,5 character lines双调七十字，上下片各八句五平韵，句式以三字、四字、五字、七字错落，多用「不思量」「小轩窗」「明月夜」等短句顿挫，节奏回环低咽。

Reading note Su Shi's bold use of this form for mourning opened a new path.《江城子》本唐词单调，至宋演变为双调，音节舒缓纡徐，宜抒低回哀婉之情。苏轼此词用平声阳韵，韵脚绵长而声情凄婉，「茫、忘、凉、霜、乡、妆、行、冈」一以贯之，如泣如诉。句式长短错落，上片「十年生死两茫茫」七字起势沉郁，继以「不思量，自难忘」三字顿挫见情；下片「夜来幽梦忽还乡，小轩窗，正梳妆」以短句铺展梦境，至「相顾无言，惟有泪千行」转舒为促，结以「明月夜，短松冈」三三顿收束，余韵凄远。平韵的悠长与梦境的断续相生，声情与悼亡之痛浑然一体，是依声填词写至情的典范。江城子音节舒缓纡徐，宜抒低回哀婉之情。苏轼此词用平声阳韵，韵脚绵长而声情凄婉，茫、忘、凉、霜、乡、妆、行、冈一以贯之，如泣如诉。句式长短错落，上片十年生死两茫茫起势沉郁，下片夜来幽梦忽还乡以短句铺展梦境，至相顾无言转舒为促，结以明月夜短松冈三三顿收束，余韵凄远，声情与悼亡之痛浑然一体。

Line by line

十年生死两茫茫，不思量，自难忘。

Ten years of separation between the living and dead, I don't deliberately think but naturally cannot forget.

十年生死相隔，两处茫茫，即便不去刻意思量，也自然难以忘怀。

Ten years, living and dead, two boundless distances; I do not think of you, and yet of myself I cannot forget.

起笔三句为全词定调，亦为千古悼亡绝唱。「十年」点明死别之久，「生死」标出阴阳之隔，「两茫茫」写彼此音讯断绝、渺不可知的虚无感，三字凝练千钧。继以「不思量，自难忘」翻进一层：不去刻意追忆，却自然萦绕心头，道尽深情之不可自控。这二句以极浅近的口语写极深挚的哀痛，不去雕饰而力透纸背，既见苏轼「辞达」之美学，也确立了此词超越时空的共情力量——十年之思不因时光而淡，反因克制而更深。

The opening three lines set the ci's tone, and the eternal elegy's voice. Ten years names the length of the dead parting; living and dead marks the separation of the two worlds; two boundless distances writes the void of broken news and the unknowing, three characters condensed to a thousand jun. Then I do not think of you, and yet of myself I cannot forget turns one layer deeper: not deliberately recalling, and yet the memory lingers of itself, exhausting the uncontrollability of deep feeling. The two lines write the deepest grief in the plainest speech, no adornment and the force striking through the paper, showing Su Shi's aesthetics of reaching expression, and establishing the ci's power of compassion beyond time — the ten years' thought not fading with time, but deepening through restraint.

夜来幽梦忽还乡，小轩窗，正梳妆。

Last night in a quiet dream I suddenly returned home, by the small window you were combing your hair.

夜里忽然做了一梦，恍惚回到故乡，你正坐在小窗前对镜梳妆。

At night, in a dim dream, I suddenly returned home; by the small lattice window, you were doing your hair.

此三句写梦中之境，是全词最温馨亦最刺痛的笔墨。「夜来幽梦忽还乡」由梦前之思转入梦中之遇，「忽」字写出梦境的不期而至，真实而迷离；「小轩窗，正梳妆」以最日常的生活细节重现亡妻生前姿态——对镜梳妆是夫妻相处中最平凡的画面，正因其平凡而愈显真切，仿佛死者从未离去。这一温馨片段与「千里孤坟」「尘满面」的残酷现实形成尖锐对照，以乐写哀、以聚写散，温馨愈浓则梦醒后的空虚愈烈，是「以少总多」的白描典范。

These three lines write the dream, the warmest and yet sharpest brush of the ci. At night, in a dim dream, I suddenly returned home turns from the waking thought before the dream to the meeting within, the word suddenly writing the dream's unbidden coming, real and dreamy; by the small lattice window, you were doing your hair recreates the dead wife's bearing in the most daily detail — the mirror and the comb the most ordinary picture of married life, and precisely because ordinary the more real, as if the dead had never gone. This warm fragment contrasts sharply with the solitary grave a thousand li and the dust on the face, writing grief through delight, parting through meeting, the warmer the warmth, the more the void after waking, the model of the plain drawing that sums the many in the few.

相顾无言，惟有泪千行。

We looked at each other without words, only a thousand lines of tears.

彼此凝望，一时无语，只有泪落千行。

We looked at each other and spoke not; only tears in a thousand lines.

梦中之遇至此达到情感顶峰，却以「无言」写尽。「相顾」写夫妻久别重逢，千言万语涌上心头，却「无言」相对——不是无话，而是情到深处言语已虚，唯有「泪千行」可证。此句以无声胜有声，与白居易「此时无声胜有声」同一机杼，而更见生死之恸。一个「惟」字见泪之不可遏，「千行」以夸张写悲之汪洋。它把梦中短暂的团聚推向极致的不舍，也为下文「料得年年肠断处」的梦醒之痛蓄满张力，是全词情感最凝练的一瞬。

The meeting in the dream reaches its emotional peak here, and yet it is written through the wordless. We looked at each other and spoke not: the long-parted husband and wife meeting, ten thousand words surging, and yet speechless — not that there is nothing to say, but that feeling at its depth makes words vain, only the thousand lines of tears can bear witness. The line writes the silent as the louder, the same loom as Bai Juyi's the silence now surpasses sound, and yet the more it shows the grief of life and death. The word only shows the tears beyond staying, the thousand lines the exaggeration of grief's flood. It pushes the brief dream reunion to the extreme of reluctance, and stores the full tension for the waking grief of the annual heart-break below, the most concentrated instant of the ci's feeling.

Study

Word focus

茫茫 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. 「十年生死两茫茫」之「茫茫」二字，状渺远难知、空阔无着之貌。它既指死亡带来的空间与感知上的隔绝——生者不知死者境况，死者不闻生者呼唤，阴阳两茫；也暗含时间流逝中记忆与伤痛的混沌无边。一词而兼写空间之隔与情感之茫，为全词「相隔」主题定下虚空苍茫的基调。若易以「两相隔」则质实无味，「茫茫」以其虚浑之境，恰与「十年」的实长相映，虚实相生，黯然销魂，是起句中不可移易的炼字。

忽 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. 「夜来幽梦忽还乡」之「忽」字，是全词结构转关之钥。上片写梦前之思尚在清醒的克制（不思量自难忘），一个「忽」字将笔触毫无征兆地拽入梦境，写出梦的不期而至、不由自主，真实再现睡梦中神思飘越的恍惚感。它既是梦境真实性的标记，也暗含词人潜意识里对亡妻的刻骨思念——平日压抑，唯于梦中释放。下接「小轩窗，正梳妆」的温馨，「忽」字带来的猝不及防之感，更令梦醒后的失落倍加沉痛。一字而见梦之真、情之深。