All poems

宋 Song · 词 Ci lyric

清平乐·村居

Pure Serene Music · Village Life

辛弃疾

Xin Qiji

田园pastoral 生活life 闲适leisure

茅檐低小，溪上青青草。
醉里吴音相媚好，白发谁家翁媪？
大儿锄豆溪东，中儿正织鸡笼。
最喜小儿亡赖，溪头卧剥莲蓬。

Thatched eaves low and small,
Green grass by the stream tall.
Drunk with Wu words, so soft and sweet,
Whose white-haired couple do we greet?
The eldest son hoes beans east of the brook,
The second son weaves a chicken coop hook.
Most delightful is the youngest, naughty and wild,
Lying by the stream, peeling lotus pods with a smile.

Listen

Meaning

The thatched roof is low and small, and green grass grows by the stream. A white-haired old couple, drunk, speak to each other in soft Wu dialect. The eldest son is hoeing beans east of the stream, the second son is weaving a chicken coop. The most beloved is the mischievous youngest son, lying by the stream and peeling lotus seeds.

茅草屋檐低矮狭小，小溪边长满青青的草。带着醉意用柔媚的吴地方言互相逗趣的，是哪家的白头发老翁老妇？大儿子在溪东豆田里锄草，二儿子正忙着编织鸡笼。最惹人喜爱的是那顽皮的小儿子，趴在溪边剥着莲蓬。

Appreciation

This poem uses plain sketches to depict a Jiangnan farmhouse: low eaves, green grass by the stream, a white-haired couple chatting drunkenly in Wu dialect; three sons each busy with their tasks. The poem celebrates family warmth and the joy of simple life, with the youngest son's playful pose as the highlight.

【白话串讲】辛弃疾写农村的一家人：老两口用吴语闲聊，大儿子锄豆，二儿子织鸡笼，最可爱的是小儿子，趴在溪边剥莲蓬。英雄退居乡下，把日子过成了这幅画。【意象与手法】全词白描见长，不事渲染而神情毕现，有陶渊明田园之趣。“茅檐低小，溪上青青草”两句铺境【情感与主旨】此词约作于辛弃疾闲居上饶带湖时期（1182年后）。他遭谗落职，退居江西农村，于躬耕隐居间观察田园风物【名句点睛】常考白描手法与画面层次（景—人—事）；“亡赖”古义（顽皮可爱）；“醉里吴音”的人物刻画与方言运用

Background

This poem was written around the time Xin Qiji lived in seclusion at Daihu in Shangrao (after 1182). After being slandered and removed from office, he retired to the Jiangxi countryside and observed rural life. Amid the frustration of unfulfilled ambition, the peaceful village life became a solace, and through the scene of peaceful labor, he subtly expressed detachment from the chaotic world.

辛弃疾《清平乐·村居》约作于其闲居上饶带湖时期。淳熙八年（1181），辛弃疾遭台臣弹劾落职，退居江西上饶带湖，此后近二十年间，除短暂出仕外，长期躬耕隐居。带湖一带有其亲营的稼轩庄园，辛弃疾于此「却将万字平戎策，换得东家种树书」，由抗金志士转为田舍翁。此词即写其于村居中所见的一幅农家生活图景：茅檐低小，溪水潺潺，白发翁媪以吴音相媚，三子各司其事——锄豆、织笼、剥莲蓬。辛弃疾一生志在恢复，却被迫投闲置散，此词表面是田园风物的白描，实则暗含其对宁静田园生活的某种皈依与排遣。上饶旧属江南东路信州，方言近吴音，故词中「吴音」既指江南柔媚方音，亦是实写。此词与辛弃疾大量慷慨悲歌之作判然有别，是其词中少见的「闲适」一格，然其白描之工、生活气息之浓，向为论者所称，亦是辛词题材多样性的明证。带湖闲居，是辛弃疾一生中第一个长期的赋闲期。淳熙八年落职后，他于上饶城北营建带湖新居，取「人生在勤，当以力田为先」之意，号稼轩居士，自此以耕读自遣。此词写村居，或即其带湖庄园附近的农家实景。值得注意的是，辛弃疾写田园，并非纯然的闲适——一个「了却君王天下事」的志士，被迫「听取蛙声一片」，其间的落寞与不甘，皆隐于这看似和乐的村居图之后。故读此词，于其清新之外，还须体味那「闲居」二字背后的无奈。

Art

The entire poem excels in plain description, revealing spirit without embellishment, evoking the pastoral charm of Tao Yuanming. The first two lines set the scene; 'Drunk with Wu dialect' captures voices and affection, showing the elderly couple endearingly; the three lines about the sons use parallelism to depict different actions, showing artistry in the ordinary. Simple words carry deep flavor.

此词通篇白描，不事渲染而神情毕现，有陶渊明田园诗之趣。上片写景兼写人：「茅檐低小，溪上青青草」，以极淡的两句铺出村居环境——低矮的茅屋、青青的溪草，朴素而清新。「醉里吴音相媚好，白发谁家翁媪」，以设问引出人物：醉意中，一对白发老夫妇用柔媚的吴音互相逗趣。「相媚好」三字，写尽了老夫妻间的亲昵与温情。下片写三子：「大儿锄豆溪东，中儿正织鸡笼」，以工整的对句写长子、次子各安其业，锄豆、织笼，皆是农家日常。「最喜小儿亡赖，溪头卧剥莲蓬」，转写幼子，「亡赖」即「无赖」，此处为顽皮可爱之意，「卧剥」二字，活画出一个无忧无虑、憨态可掬的幼童。全词的妙处，在于「画面层次」的营构：由景及人，由翁媪及三子，由劳作的安分到幼子的顽皮，五个人物、一幅图景，层次井然，而各具情态。此词全不用典、不事雕饰，纯以口语化的白描取胜，在辛词中别开生面，是「以平淡写至味」的典范。此词的「画面层次」，又不仅在于景—人—事的递进，更在于「声」「色」「态」的交织：茅檐低小是形，溪草青青是色，吴音媚好是声，锄豆、织笼、卧剥是态。形、色、声、态四者交织，遂使一幅静态的村居图，有了声音的流动与情态的鲜活。而全词以「溪」字贯穿——溪上草、锄豆溪东、溪头卧剥——一条清溪，串起了茅檐、豆田、莲蓬，使散落的人事，统摄于这「溪」的流转之中，章法之密，正于不经意处见之。

Allusions

'Wulai' (亡赖) is a variant of 'wulai' (无赖), but here it does not mean 'rascal' in a negative sense; rather, it describes a child as mischievous and cute. The term originates from the Records of the Grand Historian: 'My father often called me worthless.' Here it is used affectionately. 'Wu dialect' refers to the speech of Jiangsu and Zhejiang, indicating the Jiangnan region and adding a soft, lively local flavor.

此词表面不用典，然其意象与笔法皆有所本。「茅檐」「溪草」「锄豆」「鸡笼」「莲蓬」诸物，构成一幅典型的江南农家图，其源可溯至陶渊明的田园诗——陶潜《归园田居》「方宅十余亩，草屋八九间」「狗吠深巷中，鸡鸣桑树颠」，已是此类村居白描的先声；辛弃疾此词「茅檐低小，溪上青青草」的平淡笔致，与陶诗「采菊东篱下，悠然见南山」的冲淡一脉相承。「吴音」指江南方言，其「柔媚」之致，古已有之，南朝民歌（吴声歌曲）即以软糯柔美著称，「相媚好」之态，正是江南水乡的风土人情。「亡赖」即「无赖」，其「顽皮可爱」之古义，可溯至汉魏，徐陵《玉台新咏》及《世说新语》中「无赖」已有「可爱」之引申义，辛弃疾以「亡赖」写小儿，正是活用古义、以俗为雅。此词的田园意象传统，从《诗经·七月》的农事描写，经陶渊明的田园诗，到范成大《四时田园杂兴》的村居组诗，一脉相承，而辛弃疾以一个抗金志士的闲居视角写之，遂在田园诗的谱系中注入了别样的沧桑底色。此词的田园意象，还可上溯《诗经·七月》的农事描写——「昼尔于茅，宵尔索绹」的勤劳，「八月剥枣，十月获稻」的时序，皆是田园诗的最初源头。而「卧剥莲蓬」的幼童形象，则在汉乐府《江南》「鱼戏莲叶间」的活泼之外，更添了一份「人戏莲间」的天真。辛弃疾以一个闲居者的目光，将《诗经》的农事、《江南》的莲趣、陶潜的冲淡，一并熔铸于一首小令，遂使这五十六字，成了一部浓缩的田园文学史。

Commentary

This poem is hailed as a fresh pastoral work. Critics note that Xin Qiji's poetry is not only 'tragic and heroic' but also 'clear and beautiful'. Liu Xizai in his 'Art Overview' praised his 'grand brushwork and abundant wisdom'. This poem uses everyday language to depict farmhouse joy, balancing strength and softness, intensity and lightness, showcasing the master's skill and the poet's gentle side.

《清平乐·村居》是辛弃疾闲适词中流传最广的一首，其接受史以「清新自然」为主线。历代选本多录此词，明代杨慎《词品》赏其「天然之趣」，谓其写田家父子之情，「不假雕琢，而情景如画」。清代词论家对此词亦多好评：陈廷焯《白雨斋词话》虽以辛词之悲壮为宗，然亦承认其闲适之作「清丽芊绵，别是一副笔墨」；刘熙载《艺概》论稼轩词，谓其「于豪迈中见妩媚」，此词之妩媚，正是其例。近代胡适在《词选》中盛赞此词「是白话词的绝好例子」，认为其以口语入词、明白如话，正合白话文学的旨趣。今人对此词的解读，多聚焦于其「白描」与「画面层次」：以景—人—事的递进结构，勾勒出一幅完整的江南村居图，其中「亡赖」古义（顽皮可爱）的辨析，更成为中学语文教学中的经典考点。此词的意义，还在于它呈现了辛弃疾人格的另一面——一个「壮岁旌旗拥万夫」的抗金英雄，在被迫投闲置散后，竟能以如此温柔的目光注视农家的琐细日常，其词境的丰富与心灵的博大，正于此可见。此词的价值，还在于它纠正了一种对辛弃疾的刻板印象——辛词并非只有「金戈铁马」的壮与「可怜白发生」的悲，它同样有「溪头卧剥莲蓬」的柔与「醉里吴音」的暖。这种「能刚能柔」的丰富性，正是辛弃疾高于一般词人之处。后世论辛词者，或以「豪放」概之，实则辛词中此类清新闲适之作甚多，如《西江月·夜行黄沙道中》「稻花香里说丰年」，与《清平乐》「小儿卧剥」皆是，合而观之，方见稼轩词境的完整与阔大。

Prosody

Form Ci form 'Pure Serene Music', double stanza, 46 characters, first stanza 4 lines with 4 oblique rhymes, second stanza 4 lines with 3 level rhymes.词（清平乐，小令）

Rhyme First stanza oblique rhymes: xiao, cao, hao, ao (Xiao/Hao rhyme group); second stanza level rhymes: long, peng, dong (Dong group).上片押仄声韵，属词林正韵第八部（皓韵），韵脚为小、草、好、媪；下片换平声韵，属词林正韵第一部（东韵），韵脚为东、笼、蓬。

Tone pattern First stanza ends with oblique tones, second stanza shifts to level tones, slowing down, from scene to feeling, rhythm light and bright.小令依谱填词，此词上片仄韵、下片平韵，声调先抑后扬，与词情由清寒入温煦的变化相合。上片「茅檐低小」仄收，见村居之朴拙；下片「溪东」「鸡笼」「莲蓬」平声韵，音色圆润，见田园之和乐。

Reading note Plain description of five family members, from setting to old couple to three sons, well-layered, the character 'wo' (lying) is the finishing touch, showing the tender side of Xin's pastoral poetry.《清平乐》为小令，双调四十六字，上片四仄韵，下片三平韵，上下片换韵，是此调特有的格律。辛弃疾此词上片押第八部皓韵（小、草、好、媪），皆上声，音色婉转而略含清苦，与「茅檐低小」的朴拙、「白发翁媪」的苍老相配；下片换押第一部东韵（东、笼、蓬），皆平声，音色洪亮而圆润，与「锄豆」「织笼」「剥莲蓬」的劳作之乐、田园之趣相应。这种「上仄下平」的声调安排，恰与全词「由清入温、由静入动」的情感脉络暗合：上片写村居的清贫与翁媪的白发，声情低回；下片写三子的安业与顽皮，声情朗畅。以换韵传情，是此词声韵上最见匠心之处。小令贵在「韵短而味长」，此词以仄起平收的声调流转，配合全篇的白描，读来如闻吴音相媚、如见小儿卧剥，声情与画意浑然一体。又上片「小、草、好、媪」四韵皆上声皓韵，音色婉转，如闻吴音之柔媚；下片「东、笼、蓬」三韵皆平声东韵，音色圆亮，如见农家之和乐，上仄下平，声情由抑入扬。

Line by line

茅檐低小，溪上青青草

The thatched eaves are low and small; by the stream, the grass grows green.

茅草屋檐低矮狭小，小溪边长满青青的草

The thatched eaves are low and small; by the stream, green grass grows thick.

起二句以极淡之笔，铺出村居的环境底色。「茅檐低小」写屋之简陋——茅草的屋檐，低矮而狭小，全无富贵气象；「溪上青青草」写景之清新——溪水边青草离离，绿意盎然。一「低小」一「青青」，一朴拙一鲜嫩，两相对照，既写出了农家的清贫，也写出了田园的生机。这二句不着一字议论，纯以白描，而一种安然自足的生活气息，已从「青青草」三字中透出。辛弃疾以抗金名将之身，写此「低小茅檐」，其间的落差，正暗示了其由壮怀激烈转向田园闲适的心境。此二句如画的起笔，也为下文人物的出场，铺就了一个清朗而温暖的舞台。

The opening two lines in the palest brush, laying the village home's environmental base. The thatched eaves are low and small writes the house's simplicity — the thatched eaves, low and small, no splendor; by the stream, the grass grows green writes the scene's freshness — the stream's bank the green grass lush, the greenness abundant. One low-small one green, one rustic one tender, the two set against, at once writing the farm's poverty, and the countryside's life. These two lines not one word of argument, pure plain drawing, and an ease-and-self-sufficiency life atmosphere already seeping from the three words green grass. Xin Qiji, the anti-Jin general, writing this low-small thatched eaves, the fall within, precisely hinting the heart's turn from the fierce will to the rural ease. These two lines' pictorial opening, also laying a clear warm stage for the below's person appearance.

醉里吴音相媚好，白发谁家翁媪

Tipsy, in the soft Wu dialect, they tease each other — whose white-haired old couple is this?

带着醉意用柔媚的吴地方言互相逗趣的，是哪家的白头发老翁老妇

Tipsy, teasing each other in the soft Wu dialect — whose old white-haired couple is this?

此二句以设问引出人物，是全词最富温情的一笔。「醉里」写翁媪略带醉意，「吴音相媚好」写他们用柔媚的江南方言互相逗趣、打趣，「相媚好」三字，把一对白发夫妻间的亲昵与恩爱，写得活灵活现。「白发谁家翁媪」，则以「谁家」设问，故作不知，反添一种亲切的陌生感——这样一对相亲相爱的老夫妻，究竟是哪家的呢？一问之中，词人的旁观视角与欣羡之情尽出。翁媪之「白发」与「相媚好」的童趣并置，尤见其晚年生活的和美。此二句以「声」写「情」，以「问」写「羡」，是全词从写景转入写人的关键，也是画面由冷清转入温情的转折。

These two lines leading the person with the question, the ci's warmest stroke. The tipsy writes the old couple's slight drunkenness, the soft Wu dialect's mutual teasing writes their gentle Jiangnan dialect's banter, the three words mutual-teasing writing a white-haired couple's fondness and conjugal love vividly. Whose white-haired old couple is this? uses the whose question, the pretended not-knowing, the added friendly strangeness — such a loving old couple, whose household is it after all? Within one question, the poet's onlooking view and admiring feeling all out. The old couple's white hair and mutual-teasing childishness set together, the more showing the late years' harmonious life. These two lines writing feeling through sound, writing admiration through the question, the ci's key of turning from scene to person, and the picture's turn from the coldness to the warmth.

大儿锄豆溪东，中儿正织鸡笼

The eldest son weeds the beans east of the stream; the second son is weaving a chicken cage.

大儿子在溪东豆田里锄草，二儿子正忙着编织鸡笼

The eldest son weeds the bean field east of the stream; the middle son is busy weaving a chicken cage.

此二句写翁媪的两个成年儿子，各安其业。「大儿锄豆溪东」，写长子于溪东豆田中锄草，是田间劳作；「中儿正织鸡笼」，写次子在家编织鸡笼，是手工活计。两句对仗工整，「锄豆」对「织鸡笼」，「溪东」对（家中），一外一内，一动一静，勾勒出农家子弟勤恳本分的形象。值得注意的是，这二句全无「辛苦」之类的字眼，只以「锄」「织」两个动词的白描，便写出了各司其职的安宁——这正是一个「男耕女织」式的理想农家图景。辛弃疾以赞许的笔调写此，既有对农家勤勉的欣赏，也隐含着对自己「闲居无事」的某种对照与自嘲。

These two lines write the old couple's two grown sons, each settled in his work. The eldest son weeds the beans east of the stream writes the eldest's bean-field weeding east of the stream, the field labor; the middle son is weaving a chicken cage writes the second's home chicken-cage weaving, the handcraft. Two lines in steady parallelism, the bean-weeding against the cage-weaving, the east-of-stream against the (home), one outer one inner, one motion one still, drawing the farm sons' diligent, dutiful portrait. Noteworthy, these two lines not one word of hardship, only the weeding and weaving two verbs' plain drawing, hence writing the each-at-one's-post peace — precisely a men-farm-and-women-weaving ideal farm picture. Xin Qiji writing this in the approving tone, at once the appreciation of the farm's diligence, and secretly the certain contrast and self-mockery at his own the idle-with-nothing-to-do.

最喜小儿亡赖，溪头卧剥莲蓬

The naughtiest little boy is the dearest: at the stream's edge he lies, peeling the lotus pods.

最惹人喜爱的是那顽皮的小儿子，趴在溪边剥着莲蓬

Most beloved is the mischievous youngest son, lying at the stream's edge, peeling the lotus pods.

结二句写幼子，是全词的「趣」之所在。「最喜」二字，直抒词人的偏爱——在三个儿子中，最惹人喜爱的，是这个「亡赖」的小儿。「亡赖」即「无赖」，此处为顽皮、可爱之意，是活用古义。而最见神采的是「卧剥」二字——「卧」写其姿态，趴伏于溪头，全无正形；「剥」写其动作，专心致志地剥食莲蓬。「溪头卧剥莲蓬」五字，一个憨态可掬、无忧无虑的顽童，跃然纸上。此二句与前文「锄豆」「织笼」的勤恳形成对照——大儿、中儿皆在劳作，唯小儿得此「卧剥」的自在，正因其年幼，方有此特权。这一「卧」字，遂使全词在农家的安分之中，透出一丝天真的情趣，余味无穷。

The closing two lines write the youngest son, the ci's charm's place. The two words most beloved, directly uttering the poet's favor — among the three sons, the most endearing, this rascally youngest. The word rascal i.e. the scamp, here the naughty, lovely meaning, the flexible old-usage. And the most spirit-showing in the two words lying-peeling: the lying writing the pose, prone at the stream's edge, no proper form; the peeling writing the action, the whole-hearted peeling of the lotus pods. The five words at the stream's edge he lies, peeling the lotus pods, one dear carefree urchin before the eyes. These two lines set against the above's weeding and cage-weaving diligence — the eldest and middle both at labor, and only the youngest with this lying-peeling ease, precisely because of the youth, hence this privilege. This one word lying, hence the whole ci within the farm's order, seeping one thread of the childlike charm, the aftertone infinite.

Study

Word focus

媚好 Sweet and charming. Describes the old couple flirting drunkenly, vulgar yet elegant, very vivid. 「相媚好」的「媚好」二字，是写翁媪情态的神来之笔。媚者，柔媚、亲昵也；好者，和美、相得也。「相媚好」，谓翁媪互相以柔媚之态、亲昵之语逗趣取乐，其间的恩爱与温情，全在此二字中透出。以「媚」字写老夫妻，尤见匠心——「媚」本多用于形容少女或娇态，辛弃疾移以写白发翁媪，遂生出一种「老夫老妻、其乐融融」的反差之美，白头而犹能「相媚」，正是「白头偕老」最动人的注脚。此二字又以「吴音」相配，软糯方音加亲昵情态，江南水乡的人情之美，遂被写得声态并作。

亡赖 Naughty (archaic sense of 'wulai'). Here it means mischievously cute, using opposite meaning to create charm, fully expressing childishness. 「亡赖」即「无赖」，此词古今异义，是解读此词的关键。「无赖」本义为「无所依赖」，引申为「无聊」，又引申出「顽皮、可爱」之义。辛弃疾此处用「亡赖」写小儿，取其「顽皮可爱」的古义，是褒义的昵称——那小儿顽皮淘气、不拘礼法，却正因此显得天真可爱。若以今义「无赖」（耍赖、放刁）解之，则大谬。此字之用，既见辛弃疾以俗语入词、活用古义的本领，也正因「亡赖」与「卧剥莲蓬」的憨态相配，遂把一个顽童的形象写得可亲可爱。古汉语中「无赖」之「可爱」义，唐宋诗词中多有（如徐凝「天下三分明月夜，二分无赖是扬州」），辛弃疾移以状小儿，尤为传神。

卧 Lying. The character 'wo' depicts the child's lazy and naive posture; one character enlivens the whole poem. 「溪头卧剥莲蓬」的「卧」字，是全词画龙点睛之笔。卧者，趴伏、躺卧也。大儿锄豆、中儿织笼，皆是劳作之姿；唯小儿「卧」于溪头，全无正形，一副懒散而自在的模样。「卧」字写出了幼童的无拘无束、天真烂漫——他不像兄长那样勤恳，却也无需勤恳，正因其年幼，方有这份「卧」的自在。以「卧」字状小儿之剥莲蓬，一动一静相映（卧是静，剥是动），憨态可掬，如在目前。此字与「锄」「织」形成鲜明对照，把农家的劳作之勤与童稚之趣，一并收于笔底，是全词「趣」的集中体现。