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宋 Song · 词 Ci lyric

满江红·寄鄂州朱使君

Manjianghong: To Prefect Zhu of Ezhou

苏轼

Su Shi

赠别farewell 豪放heroic-abandon 苏轼Su Shi

江汉西来，高楼下、蒲萄深碧。
犹自带、岷峨雪浪，锦江春色。
君是南山遗爱守，我为剑外思归客。
对此间、风物岂无情，殷勤说。
江表传，君休读。
狂处士，真堪惜。
空洲对鹦鹉，苇花萧瑟。
不独笑书生争底事，曹公黄祖俱飘忽。
愿使君、还赋谪仙诗，追黄鹤。

The Jiang and Han come from the west; below the tall tower, the grape-deep green.
Still it brings the snow-waves of Min and Emei, the spring hues of the Brocade River.
You are the keeper of Southern Mountain's lingering love; I am the guest beyond the sword-pass longing to return.
Before these scenes, how could one be without feeling—earnestly I speak.
The 'Chronicle of the South'—cease to read it. The wild scholar—truly to be pitied.
An empty isle faces the Parrot Reef; the reed flowers desolate.
Do not merely laugh at what the scholar contended for; Cao Gong and Huang Zu have both vanished like mist.
May you, my lord, again compose the banished immortal's verse, and follow the Yellow Crane.

Listen

Meaning

Addressed to Prefect Zhu of Ezhou, the lyric praises his good rule, uses the fate of the wild scholar Mi Heng to advise him against factional strife, and voices the poet's own longing to return home—grand yet restrained.

长江汉水自西而来，高楼之下、葡萄般深碧的江水。还带着岷山峨眉的雪浪、锦江的春色。你是南郡遗爱的好官，我是剑外思归的客子。面对此间风物岂能无情，且殷勤相告。那《江表传》你休要再读。狂放的书生（祢衡），真堪痛惜。空对鹦鹉洲，苇花萧瑟。不要笑书生争些什么，曹公黄祖都早已飘忽逝去。愿使君还去续写谪仙的诗篇，追步黄鹤楼上的李白。

Appreciation

Upper part scene, lower part discourse, opening with river scenery and closing with historical argument. It uses the allusions of Mi Heng, Huang Zu, and Li Bai to turn a farewell into a lament over the fate of wild scholars and a counsel of detachment. Its famous lines 'do not merely laugh at what the scholar contended for; Cao Gong and Huang Zu have both vanished' dissolve present contention in historical emptiness—broad-minded and admonishing.

【白话串讲】苏轼在黄州寄给鄂州的朋友：“江汉西来，高楼下、蒲萄深碧”。“君是南山遗爱守，我为剑外思归客”——“空洲对鹦鹉，苇花萧瑟”——他想起被杀的祢衡。“愿使君、还赋谪仙诗，追黄鹤”——他想和李白一样写诗。【意象与手法】上景下议，以江景起、以史论收。用祢衡、黄祖、李白典故，将赠别引向对狂士命运的慨叹与超脱之劝。【情感与主旨】既赞友人治郡遗爱，又借祢衡之死劝其勿陷党争、保全身名，并自抒剑外思归。豪放中见蕴藉，是东坡赠人之作的典型。【名句点睛】不独笑书生争底事，曹公黄祖俱飘忽——以历史虚无消解当下争竞，旷达而警策。

Background

This lyric was written about the time Su Shi lived in exile at Huangzhou, sent to Zhu Shouchang (prefect, 'shijun') of Ezhou (today's Wuchang). Zhu had given up office to seek his mother, famed for filial piety; Su Shi sends this with that in mind, also counseling him to avoid misfortune.

苏轼字子瞻，号东坡居士，北宋眉州人，唐宋八大家之一，豪放词开山者。此词约作于元丰年间其贬居黄州之时，朱使君即朱寿昌——以弃官寻母之孝行闻于世，时知鄂州（治今武汉武昌），与邻境黄州的苏轼交好。鄂州地处江汉交汇，形胜雄阔，黄鹤楼、鹦鹉洲皆在其境，自古为文人登临之地。东坡以蜀人漂泊江湖，自谓「剑外思归客」，宦海沉浮、乌台诗案后的贬谪生涯使其思归之念日切；而朱寿昌治郡有「遗爱」之誉，故词中许以「南山遗爱守」。上片写鄂州江山之壮并及二人交契，下片借祢衡、黄祖故事劝友人勿陷党争、保全身名，兼以李白黄鹤之诗相勉。全词作于贬所而气不颓丧，正见东坡身处逆境而能超然的襟怀。此词约作于元丰年间东坡贬居黄州之时，朱寿昌以弃官寻母之孝行闻世，时知鄂州，与邻境黄州的苏轼交好。鄂州江汉交汇、形胜雄阔，黄鹤楼与鹦鹉洲皆在其境，自古为文人登临之地。东坡以蜀人漂泊江湖，自谓「剑外思归客」，乌台诗案后的贬谪生涯使其思归之念日切，而于逆境中仍能以此阔笔写赠友之诚，正见其超然襟怀。

Art

The upper part blends river scenery with personal fate; the lower part uses allusion to discuss history; it sets 'you' and 'I' in parallel, interweaving the gift-intent and self-portrait, with rising and falling tones between the long and short lines.

此词上片写景气势奔放，下片说理跌宕生姿，结构上景、情、议三者相生。发端「江汉西来，高楼下、蒲萄深碧」以大江奔涌之动势起笔，葡萄深碧之喻写江水之澄，气象阔大；「犹自带、岷峨雪浪，锦江春色」由眼前江汉遥接故乡蜀水，一笔双写地理与乡思。过片「江表传，君休读。狂处士，真堪惜」陡转史论，以短句急收，节奏顿挫；「空洲对鹦鹉，苇花萧瑟」以景衬史，空阔苍凉。结拍「愿使君、还赋谪仙诗，追黄鹤」由慨转勉，复归高远。全词以江景起、以史论承、以诗勉收，长短句错落，用典如盐著水，将赠别、劝诫、思归熔为一炉，豪中见婉，是东坡赠人之作的典型格局。上片写景气势奔放，下片说理跌宕生姿，景、情、议三者相生。发端以大江奔涌之动势起笔，葡萄深碧之喻写江水之澄；过片陡转史论，以短句急收，节奏顿挫；结拍由慨转勉，复归高远。全词以江景起、以史论承、以诗勉收，长短句错落，用典如盐著水，将赠别、劝诫、思归熔为一炉，豪中见婉，是东坡赠人之作的典型格局。

Allusions

'Southern Mountain's lingering love' (nanshan yi ai): the good governance of the Duke of Shao in the south, figurally Zhu's good rule; 'beyond the sword-pass' (jianwai): Shu region, Su's home Meishan; 'Mi Heng / Parrot Reef / Huang Zu': the wild scholar put to death; 'banished immortal' (zhexian): Li Bai once inscribed the Yellow Crane Tower.

词中故实层见，最要者三处。其一为「南山遗爱」，用召公奭「甘棠遗爱」典（见《诗经·甘棠》），谓朱寿昌治郡如召伯留爱于民，南山指其所治之地，颂其政声。其二为「狂处士」祢衡，东汉狂士，作《鹦鹉赋》，性刚傲物，为江夏太守黄祖所杀，葬于鹦鹉洲；「江表传」乃晋虞溥所撰记三国吴事之书，多载祢衡、黄祖事，故嘱「休读」以免徒增愤慨。其三为「曹公黄祖俱飘忽」，曹操、黄祖俱已化为云烟，暗喻权势争竞终归虚无；末以「谪仙」李白勉朱，太白曾于黄鹤楼赋诗，所谓「追黄鹤」即步武谪仙高咏。数典皆围绕鹦鹉洲、黄鹤楼之地望展开，以古人之际遇劝今人之全身，融化无痕。词中故实围绕鹦鹉洲、黄鹤楼之地望展开：「狂处士」祢衡作《鹦鹉赋》，性刚傲物，为黄祖所杀，葬鹦鹉洲；「江表传」记三国吴事，多载祢衡黄祖故事，故嘱「休读」以免徒增愤慨；「曹公黄祖俱飘忽」以曹操之雄、黄祖之悍终归逝水，证权名俱空；末以「谪仙」李白勉朱，太白曾于黄鹤楼赋诗，「追黄鹤」即步武其高咏。

Commentary

Read with 'Nian Nu Jiao: Red Cliff'—one meditates on history, one sends to a friend—both show the Master's breadth of taking history as mirror.

《满江红·寄鄂州朱使君》是东坡豪放词中别具温润之作。其异于《念奴娇·赤壁怀古》之苍凉吊古，而在以雄阔江景写赠友之诚，于奔放中藏劝诫之深。上片「岷峨雪浪，锦江春色」暗牵蜀客乡思，不着痕迹；下片借祢衡之死、黄祖之灭，将沉痛历史化为「俱飘忽」三字，既慰友亦自解，见东坡旷达之核——以天地悠久消解当下争竞。结以「追黄鹤」勉人立言不朽，收束高远。此词之妙，在以词体发书生之论而不堕理障，景、史、情三者如江流奔转，读之但觉浩气行于楮墨。论者多以之与《赤壁怀古》并观，谓东坡词「指出向上一路」，此作正其「以诗为词」、襟怀超旷的明证。《满江红·寄鄂州朱使君》是东坡豪放词中别具温润之作。其异于《念奴娇·赤壁怀古》之苍凉吊古，而在以雄阔江景写赠友之诚，于奔放中藏劝诫之深。下片借祢衡之死、黄祖之灭，将惨烈历史化为「俱飘忽」三字，既慰友亦自解，见东坡旷达之核。结以「追黄鹤」勉人立言不朽，收束高远，是「以诗为词」、襟怀超旷的明证，亦宋词豪放一脉的奇正相生。

Prosody

Form Manjianghong, double-tune, ninety-three characters词·满江红（双调九十三字）

Rhyme Rhyme not specified in the source.碧、色、客、说、惜、瑟、忽、鹤，皆入声仄韵（碧陌、色职、客陌、说屑、惜锡、瑟质、忽月、鹤铎），《满江红》例押仄韵，此词以入声激越之音协之

Tone pattern Tone not specified in the source.双调，上片四仄韵、下片五仄韵，句读参差错落，多用三字、四字短句与领字（如「犹自带」「对此间」「愿使君」），符合《满江红》词谱格律

Reading note A long-tune gift lyric: the upper part writes the Jiang-Han landscape and homesickness, the lower part uses the allusions of Mi Heng and Li Bai to counsel the prefect to a high mind—grand in opening, settled in close, among the Master's heroic-abandon lyrics with melancholy depth.《满江红》为双调九十三字之长调，例押仄韵，声情激越豪宕，最宜抒磊落不平与旷达之怀，此词正得此体之胜。上片起句「江汉西来，高楼下、蒲萄深碧」，以七字领起、四字短拍紧随，江流奔涌之势先立；「犹自带、岷峨雪浪，锦江春色」以领字「犹自带」提唱，句法跌宕。过片「江表传，君休读。狂处士，真堪惜」连用四、四、四、四短句，如骤雨打窗，节奏顿挫急迫，与上文江景之舒缓形成强烈对比，正见长调铺排之能事。全词押入声仄韵，碧、色、客、说、惜、瑟、忽、鹤皆短促急收之音，与「俱飘忽」「追黄鹤」的苍凉超旷之情相协，声文相生。结拍「愿使君、还赋谪仙诗，追黄鹤」以领字振起，于激越中归向高远，足证东坡长调行气如虹、不为格律所缚的豪放手笔。

Line by line

君是南山遗爱守，我为剑外思归客。

You are the keeper of Southern Mountain's lingering love; I am the guest beyond the sword-pass longing to return.

你是南郡遗爱的好官，我是剑外思归的客子

You are the governor whose goodness lingers at the southern hills; I am the traveler beyond the passes, longing to return.

此联为全词情感枢纽，以对仗写二人身份与心境之对照。「南山遗爱守」用召公甘棠之典，称许朱寿昌治郡仁厚、民怀其德，是对友人政声的由衷推许；「剑外思归客」则自道身份——东坡蜀人，剑外即巴蜀代称，贬居黄州而心念故乡，一「客」字写尽漂泊无依之慨。两句一扬一抑、一宾一主，友人之「守」与己身之「客」相形，既见交契之深，亦暗含自身不遇之叹。对仗工稳而情致流转，「遗爱」之暖与「思归」之凉并置，遂将寻常赠别升为知己相照的肺腑之言，并为下片劝友全身、自抒归意埋下伏笔，是东坡以常语写深交的典范之笔。

This couplet is the ci's emotional hinge, writing the two men's identity and mood in contrast. You are the governor whose goodness lingers at the southern hills uses the Duke of Shao's sweet pear tree allusion, praising Zhu Shouchang's benevolent rule and the people's cherishing of his virtue, the heartfelt esteem for the friend's governance; I am the traveler beyond the passes, longing to return states the self — Su Shi the Shu man, beyond the passes the byword for Bashu, exiled in Huangzhou and yet heart at home, the one word guest exhausting the drift's helplessness. Two lines, one rise one fall, one guest one host, the friend's governorship set against the self's guest-status, at once showing the deep accord and the hidden sigh of the unmet fortune. The parallelism steady and the feeling flowing, the lingering-love's warmth set against the return-longing's chill, hence the ordinary farewell raised to the heart-to-heart of kindred spirits, storing ground for the second stanza's urging the friend's self-preservation and the self's return longing, precisely Su Shi's model stroke of deep friendship in the ordinary words.

不独笑书生争底事，曹公黄祖俱飘忽。

Do not merely laugh at what the scholar contended for; Cao Gong and Huang Zu have both vanished like mist.

不要笑书生争些什么，曹公黄祖都早已飘忽逝去

Laugh not at the scholar's quarrel over nothing; Cao Cao and Huang Zu have both vanished like a breath.

此句为下片理趣之眼，集中体现东坡以历史虚无消解当下争竞的旷达哲学。「书生争底事」指祢衡辈恃才傲物、陷于党争意气之争，「不独笑」三字转出超越之见——不必嘲笑书生，因权势倾轧本无赢家。「曹公黄祖俱飘忽」以曹操之雄、黄祖之悍终归逝水，证权名俱空、争竞徒劳。此句将祢衡之死、黄祖之戮的惨烈历史，以轻淡的「俱飘忽」三字化尽，既劝朱使君勿蹈覆辙、保全身名，亦自写贬谪中看破得失的胸襟。由史论收归人生箴言，理不枯瘠、语带苍凉，是东坡「以议论为词」而能不堕理障的关键，豪宕中见旷远。

This line is the second stanza's reason-charm eye, concentrating Su Shi's detached philosophy of dissolving the present contention through historical nothingness. The scholar's quarrel over nothing refers to the Mi Heng sort of talent-flaunting, trapped in factional pride; the three words laugh not turn to the transcendent view — no need to mock the scholar, for the power struggle has no winners. Cao Cao and Huang Zu have both vanished like a breath proves through Cao Cao's might and Huang Zu's ferocity ending in the flowing water, the fame and the power both void, the contention vain. This line turns the cruel history of Mi Heng's death and Huang Zu's slaughter into the light both-vanished, at once urging the governor not to tread the old road and keep his name whole, and writing the exile's own mind that has seen through the gain and loss. From the history argument back to the life maxim, the reason not dry, the words carrying bleakness, precisely the key of Su Shi's argument-as-ci without falling into the reason's trap, the grand and yet the distant.

Study

Word focus

遗爱 'Yi ai' (lingering love) writes of his good governance's fame. 「遗爱」二字为此词称友之纲，典出《诗经·召南·甘棠》咏召公奭听讼甘棠之下、民思其德的故事，后泛指官吏去任后留于百姓的恩惠与思念。东坡以「南山遗爱守」许朱寿昌，既切其「使君」身份，又暗合朱氏以孝廉仁厚著称的为人，是极高的政声推许。此词不曰「良守」「能吏」而独标「遗爱」，正见东坡论政重德化、轻事功的价值取向；且「遗」字含时间之恒——爱留于民、久而不灭，与下片「俱飘忽」的权名须臾形成对照。一字之中寓褒贬、寄劝诫，使赠友之作超越应酬而具人格重量，是东坡用典铸词的深厚处。

谪仙 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. 「谪仙」是结拍勉友之眼，特指李白——贺知章见太白诗文，叹为「谪仙人」，后世遂以谪仙专称李白。东坡嘱朱使君「还赋谪仙诗，追黄鹤」，是勉其追踪李白当日于黄鹤楼的高咏，以立言不朽超越名利须臾。此词用「谪仙」极有层叠：一则黄鹤楼为太白登临赋诗之地，地望相合；二则李白之狂介与祢衡之狂士遥相呼应，由「狂处士」到「谪仙」完成由慨叹到追慕的转捩；三则东坡素崇太白，以谪仙相勉亦含自许。一词之中，祢衡之死、黄祖之灭、李白之不朽并陈，而「谪仙」为精神归趋，足见其炼词之有意象统摄力。