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宋 Song · 词 Ci lyric

满江红·点火樱桃

Man Jiang Hong · Lit Cherries

辛弃疾

Xin Qiji

伤春Lamenting Spring 悲愤Grief and Indignation

点火樱桃,照一架、荼蘼如雪。
春正好,见龙孙穿破,紫苔苍壁。
乳燕引雏飞力弱,流莺唤友娇声怯。
问春归、不肯带愁归,肠千结。
层楼望,春山叠。
家何在,烟波隔。
把古今遗恨,向他谁说。
蝴蝶不传千里梦,子规叫断三更月。
听声声、枕上劝人归,归难得。

Lighted cherries, lighting up a frame of snow-white bramble-flowers.
Spring is at its best; I see dragon-sons pierce through the purple moss and grey wall.
Nursing swallows lead their young, weak in flight; wandering orioles call friends in a timid, tender voice.
I ask spring returning, yet it won't take my sorrow away—my heart ties in a thousand knots.
From the tower I gaze; spring hills layer upon layer.
Where is my home, cut off by misty waves.
I take my ancient and modern regrets—to whom can I speak them?
Butterflies bear no news of dreams a thousand li away; the cuckoo cries through the third-watch moon.
I hear its ceaseless cry upon my pillow urging me home—but home is hard to reach.
Listen

Meaning

Late-spring cherries blaze like fire against snow-white bramble-flowers, while bamboo shoots pierce the moss and young swallows and orioles voice the season's tenderness. The speaker asks departing spring to carry away his sorrow, but it refuses, and his heart knots. From a tower he seeks his northern home across misty waves, his regrets unspeakable; butterflies bring no dream, the cuckoo cries through the night, and on his pillow its call urges a home he cannot reach.

点火樱桃,照一架、荼蘼如雪。春正好,见龙孙穿破,紫苔苍壁。乳燕引雏飞力弱,流莺唤友娇声怯。问春归、不肯带愁归,肠千结。层楼望,春山叠。家何在,烟波隔。把古今遗恨,向他谁说。蝴蝶不传千里梦,子规叫断三更月。听声声、枕上劝人归,归难得。

Appreciation

This is a famous Xin Qiji lyric that turns spring-lament into homesickness. The upper part paints late-spring brightness—lit cherries, bramble snow, tender swallows—then pivots with 'I ask spring returning, yet it won't take my sorrow away.' The lower part turns to exile longing: layered hills, misty waves, the cuckoo's third-watch cry, and the final 'home is hard to reach.' Brightness and fragility, personification and allusion, all serve a deep patriotic nostalgia.

【白话串讲】 辛弃疾写《满江红·点火樱桃》:“点火樱桃,照一架、荼蘼如雪”——樱桃如点火。“春正好,见龙孙穿破,紫苔苍壁”——“问春归、不肯带愁归,肠千结”——“层楼望,春山叠。家何在,烟波隔”——他写春景与乡愁。 【意象与手法】 此词是辛弃疾写春愁思乡的名篇,写春末的樱桃荼蘼与春归的愁绪,是辛弃疾词中「以伤春写思乡」的名篇。上片写春景与春愁:「点火樱桃,照一架、荼蘼如雪」写樱桃如点火、荼蘼如雪;「春正好,见龙孙穿破,紫苔苍壁」写龙孙穿破紫苔苍壁;「乳燕引雏飞力弱,流莺唤友娇声怯」写乳燕流莺的娇弱;「问春归、不肯带愁归,肠千结」写问春归不带愁归,是千古名句。下片写思乡:「层楼望,春山叠,家何在,烟波隔」写层楼望家、烟波相隔;「把古今遗恨,向他谁说」写遗恨无人可说;「蝴蝶不传千里梦,子规叫断三更月」写蝴蝶不传梦、子规叫断月,是千古名句;「听声声、枕上劝人归,归难得」写子规劝归、归家难得。全词以春愁写思乡,以「问春归、不肯带愁归」「子规叫断三更月」写春归人未归的愁绪,是辛弃疾「以伤春写思乡」的名篇。 【情感与主旨】 此词约作于宋孝宗淳熙年间(1181 年后)辛弃疾罢官闲居上饶期间,写其春末的愁绪与思乡。辛弃疾是山东人,南渡归宋后长期不能北归(故乡在沦陷区),思乡之情(特别是对中原故土的思念)是其词中常见的主题。此词即写其春末所见与春归的愁绪。词中「点火樱桃,照一架、荼蘼如雪」写春末的樱桃荼蘼——那樱桃红如点火,照着一架荼蘼白如雪,写尽春末的红白相映;「春正好,见龙孙穿破,紫苔苍壁」写春笋穿破——春正好,见龙孙(竹笋)穿破紫苔苍壁,写尽春笋的生机;「乳燕引雏飞力弱,流莺唤友娇声怯」写乳燕流莺的娇弱——乳燕引雏飞力弱,流莺唤友娇声怯,写尽春末的娇弱;「问春归、不肯带愁归,肠千结」写问春归不带愁归——问那春归,不肯带愁归,肠千结,那「问春归、不肯带愁归」写尽春归人不归的愁绪;下片「层楼望,春山叠,家何在,烟波隔」写层楼望家——层楼望,春山叠,家何在,烟波隔,写尽望家不见的惆怅;「把古今遗恨,向他谁说」写遗恨无人可说——把古今遗恨,向他谁说,写尽遗恨无人倾诉;「蝴蝶不传千里梦,子规叫断三更月」写蝴蝶子规——蝴蝶不传千里梦(蝴蝶不能传千里之梦),子规叫断三更月(子规啼断三更之月),那「子规叫断三更月」写尽子规啼归的凄切;「听声声、枕上劝人归,归难得」写子规劝归——听那声声(子规啼「不如归去」)、枕上劝人归,归难得,那「归难得」写尽归家不得的无奈。全词以春愁写思乡,那「问春归、不肯带愁归」「子规叫断三更月」「归难得」写尽春归人未归的愁绪,是辛弃疾「以伤春写思乡」的名篇。 【名句点睛】 常考“点火樱桃,照一架、荼蘼如雪”写春末之景的明丽;“问春归、不肯带愁归,肠千结”写春归不肯带愁归,是千古名句。

Background

The lyric was likely written during Xin Qiji's idle retirement at Shangrao after 1181, following his dismissal. A native of Jinan, Shandong, he crossed south in 1162 and, because his homeland remained under Jin rule, could never return north—homesickness for the Central Plains is a constant in his work. 'Lit cherries… snow-white bramble' captures late spring's red-and-white splendor; 'dragon-sons' are bamboo shoots breaking the mossy wall; 'nursing swallows… wandering orioles' voice the season's frailty. 'I ask spring returning' laments that spring leaves but will not take his grief; the lower part's tower-gaze, misty waves, unspeakable regrets, the dreamless butterfly and crying cuckoo, and the final 'home is hard to reach' all crystallize a southerner's unreachable home—key to understanding his patriotic, exiled voice.

此词约作于宋孝宗淳熙年间(1181 年后),是辛弃疾写春愁思乡的词。淳熙八年(1181),辛弃疾罢官闲居上饶带湖,此后长期闲居(除短暂出任外)。辛弃疾是山东济南人,绍兴三十二年(1162)南渡归宋,此后长期不能北归(故乡在沦陷区),思乡之情(特别是对中原故土的思念)是其词中常见的主题。此词即写其闲居上饶时春末所见与春归的愁绪。词中「点火樱桃,照一架、荼蘼如雪」写春末的樱桃荼蘼——「点火樱桃」写樱桃红如点火(那红樱桃如点火般红艳),「照一架、荼蘼如雪」写照着一架荼蘼白如雪(荼蘼是春末开的花,白如雪),那「点火」的红与「如雪」的白相映,写尽春末的红白相映;「春正好,见龙孙穿破,紫苔苍壁」写春笋穿破——「春正好」写春正美好,「见龙孙穿破,紫苔苍壁」写见龙孙(竹笋,龙孙是竹的别称)穿破紫苔苍壁(穿破紫苔与苍壁),写尽春笋的生机;「乳燕引雏飞力弱,流莺唤友娇声怯」写乳燕流莺的娇弱——「乳燕引雏飞力弱」写乳燕(雏燕)引雏(带着雏燕)飞力弱(飞得无力),「流莺唤友娇声怯」写流莺(黄莺)唤友娇声怯(娇声怯弱),那「飞力弱」「娇声怯」写尽春末的娇弱(乳燕流莺都娇弱无力,正是春末的景象);「问春归、不肯带愁归,肠千结」写问春归不带愁归——「问春归、不肯带愁归」写问那春归,不肯带愁归(春归去了,却不把我的愁带走),「肠千结」写愁肠千结(愁肠如结千千),那「问春归、不肯带愁归」写尽春归人不归的愁绪;下片「层楼望,春山叠,家何在,烟波隔」写层楼望家——「层楼望」写登上层楼眺望,「春山叠」写春山重迭(那春山层叠,遮住视线),「家何在」写家在哪里,「烟波隔」写烟波相隔(故乡在烟波之外),那「层楼望,春山叠,家何在,烟波隔」写尽望家不见的惆怅;「把古今遗恨,向他谁说」写遗恨无人可说——「把古今遗恨」写把古今的遗恨,「向他谁说」写向他谁说(向谁说),那「古今遗恨」写尽家国之恨(思乡与忧国),「向他谁说」写尽无人倾诉;「蝴蝶不传千里梦,子规叫断三更月」写蝴蝶子规——「蝴蝶不传千里梦」写蝴蝶不能传千里之梦(《庄子》梦蝶之典,写梦的渺茫;也暗用「蝴蝶梦」的传统),「子规叫断三更月」写子规啼断三更之月(子规即杜鹃,啼声如「不如归去」),那「子规叫断三更月」写尽子规啼归的凄切;「听声声、枕上劝人归,归难得」写子规劝归——「听声声、枕上劝人归」写听那声声(子规啼「不如归去」)、枕上劝人归,「归难得」写归家难得(想归而不得),那「归难得」写尽归家不得的无奈。此词是辛弃疾「以伤春写思乡」的名篇,那「问春归、不肯带愁归」「子规叫断三更月」「归难得」写尽春归人未归的愁绪,是理解其思乡之情与爱国词风的关键作品。

Art

Its art works on four levels. First, the design of lamenting spring to voice homesickness: bright late-spring sights lead to spring-sorrow, then to exile-longing, feeling and scene fused. Second, luminous color against frailty—'lit' red and 'snow' white, 'weak flight' and 'timid voice' paint late spring exactly. Third, personification of spring: 'I ask spring returning, yet it won't take my sorrow away' makes spring a refusing friend. Fourth, the cuckoo closes the piece—'butterflies bear no news… the cuckoo cries through the third-watch moon' and 'home is hard to reach' leave a long aftertaste of helpless longing. The four layers advance to make this a model of Xin's 'spring-lament as homesickness.'

此词的艺术特色可从四个层面解析。其一,以伤春写思乡的构思。全词以春末的樱桃荼蘼、春笋、乳燕流莺写春景,以「问春归、不肯带愁归」写春愁,以「层楼望,春山叠,家何在」写思乡,由伤春转入思乡、由春愁转入乡愁,以伤春写思乡、情景交融。其二,色彩的明丽与娇弱。「点火樱桃,照一架、荼蘼如雪」以「点火」的红与「如雪」的白写春末的红白相映,「乳燕引雏飞力弱,流莺唤友娇声怯」以「飞力弱」「娇声怯」写春末的娇弱,那明丽的色彩与娇弱的声音,写尽春末的景象。其三,以拟人写春愁。「问春归、不肯带愁归」以「问春归」写对春的拟人(问那春归),以「不肯带愁归」写春不肯带走愁,那「问春归」的拟人写尽春归人不归的愁绪。其四,以子规写思乡的收束。「蝴蝶不传千里梦,子规叫断三更月」「听声声、枕上劝人归,归难得」以蝴蝶不传梦、子规啼断月写思乡,以「听声声、枕上劝人归,归难得」写子规劝归、归家难得,那「归难得」以子规收束,写尽归家不得的无奈,余味悠长。四重手法层层推进,使此词成为辛弃疾词中「以伤春写思乡」的名篇。

Allusions

The imagery is rooted in the traditions of spring-lament and homesickness. 'Lit cherries' evokes the cherry image and Jiang Jie's 'cherries redden, banana greens'; 'bramble like snow' invokes Wang Qi's 'when bramble blooms, spring's affairs are done,' hinting that spring is ending. 'Dragon-sons' are bamboo shoots; 'purple moss, grey wall' recalls 'moss marks green upon the steps.' 'Nursing swallows' and 'wandering orioles' echo Bai Juyi and Du Fu's bird lines. 'I ask spring returning' inherits Huang Tingjian's 'where has spring gone?' and Zhang Xian's 'heart like a double silk net with a thousand thousand knots.' 'From the tower I gaze' recalls Yan Shu's 'ascend the high tower, see the road's end'; 'spring hills' Ouyang Xiu's 'level meadow ends at the spring hills'; 'misty waves' Cui Hao's 'where is my home village, misty waves on the river bring grief.' 'Ancient and modern regrets' echoes Yue Fei's 'few understand my heart.' 'Butterflies bear no news of dreams' uses Zhuangzi's butterfly dream and Lu You's iron-horse dreams; 'cuckoo cries through the third-watch moon' uses the cuckoo (whose cry sounds like 'go home') and Li Bai's 'again I hear the cuckoo cry in the night moon.' The whole lyric melts Zhuangzi, Li Bai, Du Fu, Cui Hao, and Yue Fei into one—Xin's power of writing homesickness through spring-sorrow.

此词的意象与典故深植于伤春与思乡传统。「点火樱桃,照一架、荼蘼如雪」写春末的樱桃荼蘼——「点火樱桃」写樱桃红如点火(令人想到「樱桃小口」的樱桃意象与「红了樱桃,绿了芭蕉」(蒋捷《一剪梅》)的樱桃意象),「荼蘼如雪」写荼蘼白如雪(荼蘼是春末的花,令人想到「开到荼蘼花事了」(王淇《春暮游小园》)的荼蘼意象——荼蘼花开,春事已了,那「荼蘼如雪」暗含春尽的意味),那「点火」的红与「如雪」的白相映,写尽春末的红白相映。「春正好,见龙孙穿破,紫苔苍壁」写春笋穿破——「龙孙」写竹笋(龙孙是竹的别称,令人想到「龙孙」的竹意象与「新笋」的春意),「紫苔苍壁」写紫苔与苍壁(令人想到「苔痕上阶绿」的苔意象),那「龙孙穿破紫苔苍壁」写尽春笋的生机。「乳燕引雏飞力弱,流莺唤友娇声怯」写乳燕流莺的娇弱——「乳燕引雏」写雏燕带雏(令人想到「几处早莺争暖树,谁家新燕啄春泥」(白居易《钱塘湖春行》)的燕意象),「流莺唤友」写黄莺唤友(令人想到「自在娇莺恰恰啼」(杜甫《江畔独步寻花》)的莺意象),那「飞力弱」「娇声怯」写尽春末的娇弱。「问春归、不肯带愁归,肠千结」写问春归不带愁归——「问春归」写问那春归(令人想到「春归何处?寂寞无行路」(黄庭坚《清平乐》)的问春传统),「不肯带愁归」写春不肯带愁归,「肠千结」写愁肠千结(令人想到「心似双丝网,中有千千结」(张先《千秋岁》)的千结意象),那「问春归、不肯带愁归」写尽春归人不归的愁绪。「层楼望,春山叠,家何在,烟波隔」写层楼望家——「层楼望」写登楼远望(令人想到「独上高楼,望尽天涯路」(晏殊《蝶恋花》)的登楼意象),「春山叠」写春山重迭(令人想到「平芜尽处是春山」(欧阳修《踏莎行》)的春山意象),「烟波隔」写烟波相隔(令人想到「日暮乡关何处是,烟波江上使人愁」(崔颢《黄鹤楼》)的烟波意象),那「层楼望,春山叠,家何在,烟波隔」写尽望家不见的惆怅。「把古今遗恨,向他谁说」写遗恨无人可说——「古今遗恨」写古今的遗恨(令人想到「遗恨失吞吴」的遗恨意象与「遗恨」的家国之情),「向他谁说」写无人倾诉(令人想到「欲将心事付瑶琴,知音少,弦断有谁听」(岳飞《小重山》)的知音意象)。「蝴蝶不传千里梦,子规叫断三更月」写蝴蝶子规——「蝴蝶不传千里梦」写蝴蝶不能传千里之梦(《庄子》梦蝶之典与「庄生晓梦迷蝴蝶」(李商隐《锦瑟》)的梦蝶意象,「千里梦」令人想到「夜阑卧听风吹雨,铁马冰河入梦来」(陆游《十一月四日风雨大作》)的梦传统),「子规叫断三更月」写子规啼断三更月(子规即杜鹃,啼声如「不如归去」,令人想到「又闻子规啼夜月,愁空山」(李白《蜀道难》)的子规意象与「杜鹃啼血」的典故),那「蝴蝶不传千里梦,子规叫断三更月」写尽梦的渺茫与归的凄切;「听声声、枕上劝人归,归难得」写子规劝归——「听声声、枕上劝人归」写听那声声劝人归(子规啼「不如归去」),「归难得」写归家难得(想归而不得),那「归难得」写尽归家不得的无奈。全词化用《庄子》、李白、杜甫、崔颢、岳飞的意象与典故,以伤春写思乡,正是辛弃疾「以春愁写乡愁」的本领。

Commentary

This lyric is consistently ranked among Xin Qiji's finest 'spring-lament as homesickness' pieces and the source of famous lines like 'lit cherries' and 'my heart ties in a thousand knots.' Its special value lies in voicing deep homesickness through spring sorrow: the bright cherries and bramble, the frail swallows and orioles, and above all 'I ask spring returning, yet it won't take my sorrow away' (spring leaves but the man cannot) and 'home is hard to reach' (a Shandong native barred from the north) fuse personal and national grief. With 'Bu Sa Man · Written on the Wall at Zaokou' it stands among his patriotic masterworks. For today's readers it is a window onto Xin's 'south-crossing homesickness' and the 'Central Plains' complex, and a model of the Chinese lyric's 'spring-lament as homesickness' tradition.

此词历来被推为辛弃疾「以伤春写思乡」的名篇,也是「点火樱桃」「问春归、不肯带愁归,肠千结」「蝴蝶不传千里梦,子规叫断三更月」等名句的出处。历代论者对此词评价较高:论者多指出此词以春末的樱桃荼蘼写春景,以「问春归、不肯带愁归」写春愁,以「子规叫断三更月」「归难得」写思乡,是辛弃疾思乡词中的佳作。在文学史上,此词的特殊价值在于:它以春愁写出了思乡的深沉——那「点火樱桃,照一架、荼蘼如雪」的春景,写尽了春末的红白相映(樱桃红、荼蘼白);那「乳燕引雏飞力弱,流莺唤友娇声怯」的娇弱,写尽了春末的景象;而那「问春归、不肯带愁归,肠千结」更是千古名句——春归去了,却不把我的愁带走,正是春归人不归的愁绪;那「层楼望,春山叠,家何在,烟波隔」的望家不见、「蝴蝶不传千里梦,子规叫断三更月」的梦断啼归、「听声声、枕上劝人归,归难得」的归家难得,更写尽了思乡的深沉——一个山东人南渡后长期不能北归,故乡(也是中原故土)在烟波之外,子规声声劝归而「归难得」,正是思乡与忧国的双重愁绪。词中「问春归、不肯带愁归,肠千结」写春归人不归,是千古名句;「蝴蝶不传千里梦,子规叫断三更月」写梦断啼归,更是千古名句。此词与辛弃疾的《菩萨蛮·书江西造口壁》(「郁孤台下清江水,中间多少行人泪」)一样,都是写思乡与忧国的名篇。对于今日读者,此词是理解辛弃疾「南渡思乡」与「中原故土」情结的窗口,也是感受中国词「以伤春写思乡」传统的典范——那点火的樱桃、如雪的荼蘼、叫断三更月的子规、枕上劝人归的声声,穿越千年,仍在诉说着一个南渡词人「归难得」的乡愁。

Prosody

Form Lyric (ci), the 'Man Jiang Hong' tune, double-mode ninety-three characters词(满江红,双调九十三字)
Rhyme The upper part rhymes with the oblique-tone xie/ye group (雪, 壁, 怯, 结); the lower part with the same group (叠, 隔, 说, 月, 得). All rhymes are oblique-toned, short and choking, fitting the style of spring-lament and homesickness.上片押仄声屑叶韵(雪、壁、怯、结),下片押仄声屑叶韵(叠、隔、说、月、得),韵脚皆属仄声,韵音短促幽咽,正合其伤春思乡的风格。
Tone pattern The 'Man Jiang Hong' tune, double-mode ninety-three characters, has four oblique rhymes per part; its mix of long and short lines serves the emotion. The upper part writes spring scene and spring-sorrow; the lower part writes homesickness. The varying line lengths—compact in 'lit cherries…' and expansive in 'butterflies bear no news…'—trace the rise and fall of grief, all in oblique rhyme, short and choking, suiting the theme.此词为「满江红」词牌,双调九十三字,上下片各四仄韵,以长短句的错落为抒情服务。全词按内容可分为两片:上片写春景与春愁(点火樱桃、照一架荼蘼如雪、春正好、龙孙穿破、乳燕引雏、流莺唤友、问春归不肯带愁归、肠千结);下片写思乡(层楼望春山叠、家何在烟波隔、把古今遗恨、蝴蝶不传千里梦、子规叫断三更月、听声声枕上劝人归、归难得)。声调上,全词以长短句的错落(「点火樱桃,照一架、荼蘼如雪」的紧凑与「蝴蝶不传千里梦,子规叫断三更月」的舒展)写春愁的起伏,韵脚皆属仄声,韵音短促幽咽,正合其伤春思乡的风格。
Reading note This is a double-mode long lyric whose long-short mix writes spring-sorrow and homesickness—Xin's gift of 'writing his breast in lyric.' Two parts: upper on spring scene and sorrow, lower on homesickness. The oblique rhymes are short and choking; paired with the brightness of 'lit cherries' above and the helplessness of 'home is hard to reach' below, the whole stays tense yet deep. Read the upper spring sights in a bright tone, the lower homesickness ('cuckoo cries through the third-watch moon,' 'home is hard to reach') in a low, lingering one—especially the butterfly and cuckoo couplet, which needs a plaintive, profound delivery to convey Xin's spring-lament-as-homesickness. Famous for 'heroic and tragic' power, this piece is his classic of that mode.此词是「满江红」双调长调,以长短句的错落写春愁与思乡,正是辛弃疾「以词写怀」的本领。全词两片:上片写春景与春愁(点火樱桃、荼蘼如雪、乳燕流莺、问春归不肯带愁归),下片写思乡(层楼望家、蝴蝶不传梦、子规叫断月、归难得)。声调上,全词以仄声韵为韵脚,韵音短促幽咽,配合「点火樱桃」的明丽与「归难得」的无奈,全篇音节短促而不失深沉。诵读此词,宜以明丽的语调读上片的春景(点火樱桃、荼蘼如雪),以低回的语调读下片的思乡(子规叫断三更月、归难得),尤其「蝴蝶不传千里梦,子规叫断三更月」两句,要读得凄婉而深沉,方能传达出辛弃疾「以伤春写思乡」的深意。辛弃疾词以「豪放悲壮」著称,此词正是其「以伤春写思乡」的经典。

Line by line

问春归、不肯带愁归,肠千结。

I ask spring returning, yet it won't take my sorrow away—my heart ties in a thousand knots. (Personifies spring as a friend who refuses to carry off the speaker's grief; 'a thousand knots' condenses spring-sorrow, homesickness, and national regret into one unrelenting tangle—a famous line on parting spring and an unreachable home.)

问那春归,不肯把我的愁带走,愁肠千结。

I ask spring as it leaves, yet it will not take my grief away; my bowels are knotted a thousand times.

这三句是写春愁的名句,也是千古名句,以「问春归、不肯带愁归」写春归人不归的愁绪,以「肠千结」写愁肠之深。「问春归、不肯带愁归」写问春不带愁——问那春归(春已归去),不肯带愁归(不肯把我的愁带走),「问春归」写对春的拟人(问那春归,如问一位将行的友人),「不肯带愁归」写春不肯带走愁——那春归去了,却不肯把我的愁一并带走,那「不肯带愁归」写尽春归人不归的愁绪——春可以归,人却不能归(归乡);春可以带走春愁,却带不走人的乡愁,那「不肯带愁归」写尽愁的顽固;「肠千结」写愁肠千结——愁肠如结千千,「肠千结」写尽愁之深(化用「心似双丝网,中有千千结」),那「肠千结」以「千结」写尽愁肠百结。这三句的深意在于:它以「问春归、不肯带愁归」写出了春归人不归的愁绪——那「问春归」的拟人,把春写得可问(如友人);那「不肯带愁归」的固执,把愁写得顽固(春归不带愁,愁随人留);而那「肠千结」更写尽愁肠之深——那春愁、乡愁、家国之愁,都结在肠中,千结难解;而更深一层,那「问春归、不肯带愁归」也暗含辛弃疾的乡愁——春能归,人不能归(故乡在沦陷区),那「不肯带愁归」的春,正是「归难得」的反衬。以「问春归」写拟人、以「不肯带愁归」写愁绪、以「肠千结」写愁深,正是辛弃疾「以伤春写思乡」的本领,也让这三句成为千古名句。

These three lines are a famous verse of spring grief, writing the grief of spring's return and the man's non-return, and the deep bowels. I ask spring as it leaves, yet it will not take my grief away writes the personification of spring — asking the departing spring as if it were a departing friend; the spring's refusal to take the grief writes the stubbornness of the grief: spring may return, and the man cannot (to his homeland); spring may take the spring grief, and cannot take the homesick grief, exhausting the grief's stubbornness; my bowels are knotted a thousand times writes the bowels knotted a thousand times (borrowing the heart like the double silk net, with a thousand knots within), the thousand knots exhausting the bowels' tangle. The deep meaning lies in: the asking of the departing spring writes the grief of the spring's return and the man's non-return — the personification making spring askable; the refusal to take the grief writing the grief's stubbornness (spring leaves without the grief, the grief stays with the man); and the thousand knots exhausting the grief's depth — the spring grief, the homesick grief, the national grief, all knotted in the bowels, the thousand knots hard to untie; and the deeper layer, the asking of the departing spring secretly carries Xin Qiji's homesickness — spring can return, and the man cannot (the homeland in the occupied zone), the refusing spring precisely the foil of the return's difficulty. Writing personification through the asking, grief through the refusal, depth through the knots, precisely Xin Qiji's craft of writing homesickness through spring grief, making these three lines a famous verse through the ages.

蝴蝶不传千里梦,子规叫断三更月。

Butterflies bear no news of dreams a thousand li away; the cuckoo cries through the third-watch moon. (The butterfly (Zhuangzi's dream) cannot deliver the far-off dream of home; the cuckoo (whose cry means 'go home') cries the third-watch moon to shreds—dreams unbridgeable, home unreachable, the very essence of exiled longing.)

蝴蝶不能传千里之梦,子规啼断三更之月。

The butterfly cannot carry the dream across a thousand li; the cuckoo's cry breaks beneath the third-watch moon.

这两句是写思乡的名句,也是千古名句,以「蝴蝶不传千里梦」写梦的渺茫,以「子规叫断三更月」写归的凄切,凄婉而深沉。「蝴蝶不传千里梦」写梦的渺茫——那蝴蝶(梦蝶)不能传千里之梦,「蝴蝶」用《庄子》梦蝶之典(也令人想到「庄生晓梦迷蝴蝶」),「不传千里梦」写不能传千里之梦——那蝴蝶不能把千里之外的梦(故乡的梦)传来,写尽梦的渺茫——思乡之梦,远隔千里,连梦都传不来;「子规叫断三更月」写子规啼归——那子规(杜鹃)啼断三更之月,「子规」写杜鹃(啼声如「不如归去」),「叫断三更月」写啼断三更之月(那子规在三更月下啼叫,啼声凄切),那「子规叫断三更月」写尽归的凄切——子规声声啼「不如归去」,啼得三更月都断了(啼得人心都碎了)。这两句的深意在于:它以「蝴蝶不传千里梦」与「子规叫断三更月」写尽了思乡的渺茫与凄切——那「蝴蝶不传千里梦」是梦也传不来(连梦中的归乡都渺茫),那「子规叫断三更月」是啼也啼不尽(子规啼归,声声凄切);蝴蝶不能传梦、子规只知啼归,正是「归难得」的写照——想归而不得,只能在三更月下听子规啼归;而这两句的深意更在于:那「子规叫断三更月」的「叫断」,写尽子规啼声的凄切与月下的孤寂——一个南渡的词人,在异乡的三更月下,听子规啼「不如归去」,正是「归难得」的乡愁。以「蝴蝶不传梦」写渺茫、以「子规叫断月」写凄切,正是辛弃疾「以意象写乡愁」的本领,也让这两句成为千古名句。

These two lines are a famous homesickness verse, writing the dream's blur and the return's pathos, plaintive and deep. The butterfly cannot carry the dream across a thousand li writes the dream's blur — the butterfly (the dream butterfly) cannot carry the thousand-li dream, the butterfly using Zhuangzi's dream-butterfly allusion (also calling to mind Zhuang Zhou in his dawn dream, bewildered by the butterfly), cannot carry the thousand-li dream, exhausting the dream's blur — the homesick dream, a thousand li away, not even the dream arrives; the cuckoo's cry breaks beneath the third-watch moon writes the cuckoo's crying of return — the cuckoo (the cuckoo bird, the cry like better to return) crying beneath the third-watch moon, the cry breaking the third-watch moon (the cuckoo crying beneath the third-watch moon, the cry plaintive). The deep meaning lies in: the butterfly cannot carry the dream and the cuckoo's cry breaking the moon exhaust the homesickness's blur and pathos — the butterfly cannot carry the dream (even the dream of returning is blurred), the cuckoo's cry endless (the cuckoo crying return, sound after sound plaintive); the butterfly cannot carry the dream, the cuckoo only knows the cry of return, precisely the portrait of the return's difficulty — wishing to return and unable, only listening to the cuckoo's cry beneath the third-watch moon; and the deeper layer, the cuckoo's cry breaking the moon's breaking exhausting the cuckoo cry's pathos and the moonlit solitude — a south-fleeing ci poet, in the stranger's third-watch moon, hearing the cuckoo's better-to-return, precisely the homesickness of the return's difficulty. Writing the blur through the butterfly's non-carrying, the pathos through the cuckoo's broken cry, precisely Xin Qiji's craft of writing homesickness through imagery, making these two lines a famous verse through the ages.

Study

Word focus

点火 Lit / set alight. ('Lit cherries' writes the cherries' fiery red as if kindled; the word gives both the fruit's blazing color and the last splendor of late spring, contrasting with the 'snow' bramble to capture red-and-white brilliance on the verge of vanishing.) 「点火」二字是写樱桃的关键字,以「点火」写樱桃红艳如火焰,生动而传神。点火,点起的火焰也。辛弃疾以「点火樱桃」写樱桃,一个「点火」,至少有双重意味:其一,写樱桃之红艳——「点火樱桃」写那樱桃红如点火,「点火」写樱桃红得如点起的火焰——那红樱桃,红得发亮,如一点火焰在枝头,写尽樱桃的红艳与夺目;其二,写春末之热烈——「点火」写樱桃的夺目,那「点火樱桃」与「荼蘼如雪」对照(樱桃红如点火,荼蘼白如雪),写尽春末的红白相映——那点火的红、如雪的白,正是春末最后的绚烂,那「点火」写尽春末的热烈与即将消逝的绚烂。以「点火」写樱桃,正是辛弃疾炼字的本领:一个「点火」,既是写樱桃的红艳(红如点火),也是写春末的夺目(与荼蘼如雪相映),更是写春末的热烈(那点火的红,正是春将尽时的绚烂)——那「点火」二字,把樱桃写得如在眼前燃烧,也暗含春末的热烈与惆怅。若换作「如火」「红似」等词,则或失其「点火」的动感,或失其与「荼蘼如雪」的对照;唯「点火」二字,以两字写尽樱桃的红艳如火焰,也让「点火樱桃」成为写春末的名句。
归难得 Home is hard to reach. (Closes the lyric: not unwilling to return but unable—his homeland lies in enemy territory. The three words condense the helplessness of exile and the unsolvable ache of homesickness, deeper than ordinary nostalgia because it is the grief of a patriot barred from his native soil.) 「归难得」三字是写思乡的点睛,以「归难得」写归家难得,收束全词,写尽归家不得的无奈。归难得,归家难得、想归而不得也。辛弃疾以「听声声、枕上劝人归,归难得」写子规劝归,一个「归难得」,至少有双重意味:其一,写归家之难得——「归难得」写归家难得(想归而不得),那「归难得」写尽思乡的无奈——不是不想归,而是归难得(故乡在沦陷区,归家不得),那「归难得」三字写尽归家不得的无奈;其二,写乡愁之无解——「归难得」写尽乡愁的无解——那子规声声劝人归,枕上听之,却「归难得」,那「归难得」写尽乡愁的沉重——劝归而不得,正是乡愁的无解;那「归难得」三字,把前面的「蝴蝶不传千里梦,子规叫断三更月」的梦断啼归,收束为「归难得」的无奈。以「归难得」写思乡,正是辛弃疾炼字的本领:那「归难得」三字,既是写归家之难得(想归而不得),也是写乡愁之无解(劝归而不得),更是写南渡词人的特殊处境(故乡在沦陷区,归家难得)——那「归难得」写尽辛弃疾「有家难归」的特殊乡愁,比一般的思乡更深一层(不是宦游的思乡,而是故土沦陷的思归)。若换作「归不得」「归无计」等词,则或失其「难得」的无奈,或失其与「劝人归」的对照;唯「归难得」三字,以三字写尽归家不得的无奈与乡愁的无解,也让「听声声、枕上劝人归,归难得」成为写思乡的千古名句——那「归难得」,正是南渡词人「有家难归」的绝唱。

Related Reading

菩萨蛮·书江西造口壁 Bu Sa Man · Written on the Wall at Zaokou, Jiangxi 辛弃疾 · 同词人写思乡忧国,一写春愁一写行泪 Same poet on homesickness and patriotism—one river-tears, one spring-night homing

'Bu Sa Man · Written on the Wall at Zaokou' ('below Yugu Terrace the clear river water—how much of it is travelers' tears' / 'gazing northwest to Chang'an, alas countless mountains') writes clear-river tears and concern for the lost capital. This 'Man Jiang Hong · Lit Cherries' writes late-spring homesickness and the difficulty of returning home. Both voice homesickness and patriotism—one the 'clear-river traveler's tears,' one the 'tower and layered spring hills'; one writes 'alas countless mountains' not seeing Chang'an, the other 'the cuckoo cries through the third-watch moon' at home unreachable. Read together they show Xin's two modes of homesick patriotism—river tears and spring-night homing.

《菩萨蛮·书江西造口壁》「郁孤台下清江水,中间多少行人泪」「西北望长安,可怜无数山」写郁孤台的清江行泪与望长安的忧国,是辛弃疾写思乡忧国的名篇。此词《满江红·点火樱桃》则「层楼望,春山叠,家何在,烟波隔」「子规叫断三更月」,写春末的思乡与归家难得,是辛弃疾写思乡忧国的名篇。同为写思乡忧国,一写「清江行人泪」(菩萨蛮),一写「层楼春山叠」(满江红);一以「可怜无数山」写望不见长安,一以「子规叫断三更月」写归家难得。两词对读,可见辛弃疾思乡忧国的两种笔法——江水的行泪与春夜的啼归。

一剪梅·舟过吴江 一剪梅·舟过吴江 蒋捷 · 同为写春末思乡,一写樱桃一写蕉绿 Related reading

Compare this related work with the poem above through theme, imagery, tone, and emotional movement.

蒋捷《一剪梅·舟过吴江》「流光容易把人抛,红了樱桃,绿了芭蕉」以樱桃红、芭蕉绿写时光的流逝,是宋人写春末的名篇。辛弃疾《满江红·点火樱桃》则「点火樱桃,照一架、荼蘼如雪」,以樱桃红、荼蘼白写春末的景象,是宋人写春末的名篇。同为写春末的樱桃,蒋捷写「红了樱桃,绿了芭蕉」(时光流逝),辛弃疾写「点火樱桃,照一架、荼蘼如雪」(春景明丽);一写流光抛人的感慨,一写春归人不归的乡愁。两词对读,可见「樱桃」意象在宋词中的两种写法——蒋捷的流光与辛弃疾的春愁。

卜算子·咏梅 Bu Suan Zi · Ode to the Plum 陆游 · 同为写春愁咏物,一写梅一写春 Both write spring sorrow through object-chant—one plum, one spring

Lu You's 'Bu Suan Zi · Ode to the Plum' ('beyond the broken bridge at the post-station, lonely blooming with no master' / 'falls into mud and is ground to dust, yet its fragrance remains as before') uses the plum to write lone, noble character. Xin Qiji's 'Man Jiang Hong · Lit Cherries' uses cherries and bramble to write late-spring scene. Both write spring sorrow: Lu You uses the plum for lone nobility, Xin uses spring for homesickness; one writes 'fragrance remains as before' perseverance, the other 'home is hard to reach' helplessness. Read together they show two modes of Southern Song spring-sorrow—Lu You's self-keeping nobility and Xin's homesick helplessness.

陆游《卜算子·咏梅》「驿外断桥边,寂寞开无主」「零落成泥碾作尘,只有香如故」以梅花写孤芳的品格,是宋人咏物的名篇。辛弃疾《满江红·点火樱桃》则「点火樱桃,照一架、荼蘼如雪」,以樱桃荼蘼写春末的景象,是宋人写春的名篇。同为写春愁,陆游以梅写孤芳(咏梅),辛弃疾以春写乡愁(点火樱桃);一写「只有香如故」的坚守,一写「归难得」的无奈。两词对读,可见南宋词人写春愁的两种笔法——陆游的孤芳自守与辛弃疾的乡愁无奈。