宋 Song · 词 Ci lyric
水龙吟
Water Dragon's Chant
谪仙狂客何如，看来毕竟归田好。
玉堂无比，三山海上，虚无飘缈。
读罢离骚，酒香犹在，觉人间小。
任菜花葵麦，刘郎去后，桃开处、春多少。
一夜雪迷兰棹。
傍寒溪、欲寻安道。
而今纵有，新诗冰柱，有知音否。
想见鸾飞，如椽健笔，檄书亲草。
算平生、白傅风流，未可向、香山老。
It seems, after all, that the return to the fields is good.
Having read through the Lisao,
The fragrance of the wine still remains,
And I feel the world of men is small.
Beside the cold stream, I wish to seek Andao.
The bamboo stalks of the shaman's mountain are few,
The crane shadow of the sea is faint and far —
I can hardly bear the whirling.
I calculate, in my whole life, the elegance of the White Old Man,
Yet I may not grow old at the Fragrant Mountain.
Meaning
A lyric of the return to the fields and the memory of the friendship, written by Liu Guo, the bold poet of the Southern Song. The banished immortal — Li Bai — and the mad guest, how are they? It seems, after all, that the return to the fields is good. Having read through the Lisao — the poem of Qu Yuan — the fragrance of the wine still remains, and he feels the world of men is small. One night, the snow bewilders the orchid oar; beside the cold stream, he wishes to seek Andao — the friend of the snow, the story of the visit in the snow. The bamboo stalks of the shaman's mountain are few, the crane shadow of the sea is faint and far — he can hardly bear the whirling. And the close: he calculates, in his whole life, the elegance of the White Old Man — Bai Juyi — yet he may not grow old at the Fragrant Mountain. The lyric is the return and the friendship: the fields good, the Lisao read, the friend sought in the snow, and the elegance of the White Old Man.
谪仙狂客何如，看来毕竟归田好。玉堂无比，三山海上，虚无飘缈。读罢离骚，酒香犹在，觉人间小。任菜花葵麦，刘郎去后，桃开处、春多少。一夜雪迷兰棹。傍寒溪、欲寻安道。而今纵有，新诗冰柱，有知音否。想见鸾飞，如椽健笔，檄书亲草。算平生、白傅风流，未可向、香山老。
Appreciation
[Plain Paraphrase] The banished immortal, the mad guest — how are they? It seems, after all, that the return to the fields is good. Having read through the Lisao, the fragrance of the wine still remains, and I feel the world of men is small. One night, the snow bewilders the orchid oar. Beside the cold stream, I wish to seek Andao. The bamboo stalks of the shaman's mountain are few, the crane shadow of the sea is faint and far — I can hardly bear the whirling. I calculate, in my whole life, the elegance of the White Old Man, yet I may not grow old at the Fragrant Mountain. [Structure and Thought] The lyric moves from the return to the fields and the reading of the Lisao, through the night's snow and the seeking of the friend, to the close's calculation of the White Old Man's elegance and the Fragrant Mountain. [Key Technique] The poem's art is the layering of the allusions of the return: the banished immortal Li Bai, the Lisao of Qu Yuan, the friend Andao of the snow, and the White Old Man Bai Juyi of the Fragrant Mountain — the return's tradition carried through the allusions. [Emotional Tone] Bold, free, and allusive: the lyric is the return and the friendship, the fields good and the friend sought in the snow, the elegance of the White Old Man.
【白话串讲】 刘过写《水龙吟》：“谪仙狂客何如，看来毕竟归田好”——“玉堂无比，三山海上，虚无飘缈”——“读罢离骚，酒香犹在，觉人间小”——“任菜花葵麦，刘郎去后，桃开处、春多少”——他写归田——读罢离骚。 【意象与手法】 “谪仙狂客何如，看来毕竟归田好”以谪仙写归田之好；“玉堂无比，三山海上，虚无飘缈”写玉堂三山；“读罢离骚，酒香犹在，觉人间小”以离骚写胸怀；“任菜花葵麦，刘郎去后，桃开处、春多少”写任春光；结以“算平生、白傅风流，未可向、香山老”写未可香山老。慷慨激昂。 【情感与主旨】 刘过写酬赠感怀之作，写归田之想与读离骚的胸怀，以“未可向香山老”写不愿终老林泉的用世之心，体现刘过词慷慨激昂的风格。 【名句点睛】 常考“谪仙狂客何如，看来毕竟归田好”以谪仙写归田之好；“读罢离骚，酒香犹在，觉人间小”以离骚写胸怀。
Background
Liu Guo (1154–1206) was one of the bold poets of the Southern Song. This 'Water Dragon's Chant' is a lyric of the return to the fields, layered with the allusions of the return: the banished immortal Li Bai, who was called to the court and banished; the Lisao of Qu Yuan, read with the wine; Andao — the friend of the story of the visit in the snow — sought beside the cold stream; and the White Old Man, Bai Juyi, who grew old at the Fragrant Mountain. The lyric is one of the boldest of Liu Guo's works, the return and the friendship carried through the allusions.
《水龙吟》为南宋词人刘过所作词。刘过（1154—1206），字改之，号龙洲道人，吉州太和（今江西泰和）人，南宋词人，词风豪放，与辛弃疾交厚。此词写酬赠感怀，为寄辛弃疾之作。词中「谪仙狂客何如，看来毕竟归田好」写归田好；「玉堂无比，三山海上，虚无飘缈」写三山海上；「读罢离骚，酒香犹在，觉人间小」写读罢离骚；「任菜花葵麦，刘郎去后，桃开处、春多少」写刘郎去后；「一夜雪迷兰棹。傍寒溪、欲寻安道」写欲寻安道；「而今纵有，新诗冰柱，有知音否」写有知音否；「想见鸾飞，如椽健笔，檄书亲草」写如椽健笔；「算平生、白傅风流，未可向、香山老」写未可向香山老。刘过此词以酬赠感怀、未可向香山老写其感怀之情，慷慨激昂，是刘过词中的名篇。此篇《水龙吟》在历代选本中多被收录，其艺术价值与流传之广，正可见此诗在同类题材中的重要地位。诗人以匠心独运之笔写寻常之情事，遂使此作历千载而犹有生气，为后人所称赏不绝。
Art
The lyric's art is the art of the allusive return. The question opens: the banished immortal, the mad guest — how are they? It seems, after all, that the return to the fields is good — the judgment of the return against the fame. The reading follows: having read through the Lisao, the fragrance of the wine still remains, and he feels the world of men is small — the Lisao and the wine, the smallness of the world against the poem. The snow and the friend: one night, the snow bewilders the orchid oar; beside the cold stream, he wishes to seek Andao — the friend of the snow, sought in the night. The faintness: the bamboo stalks of the shaman's mountain are few, the crane shadow of the sea is faint and far — he can hardly bear the whirling. And the close calculates the return's end: in his whole life, the elegance of the White Old Man, yet he may not grow old at the Fragrant Mountain — the wish of the return, and its impossibility.
此词艺术上以「慷慨激昂、以典抒怀」见长。全词上片写归田好与读罢离骚，下片写欲寻安道与未可向香山老。上片「谪仙狂客何如，看来毕竟归田好」写归田好：谪仙狂客何如，看来毕竟归田好；「玉堂无比，三山海上，虚无飘缈」写三山海上：玉堂无比，三山海上，虚无飘缈；「读罢离骚，酒香犹在，觉人间小」写读罢离骚：读罢离骚，酒香犹在，觉人间小；「任菜花葵麦，刘郎去后，桃开处、春多少」写刘郎去后：任菜花葵麦，刘郎去后，桃开处、春多少。下片「一夜雪迷兰棹。傍寒溪、欲寻安道」写欲寻安道：一夜雪迷兰棹，傍寒溪、欲寻安道；「而今纵有，新诗冰柱，有知音否」写有知音否：而今纵有，新诗冰柱，有知音否；「想见鸾飞，如椽健笔，檄书亲草」写如椽健笔：想见鸾飞，如椽健笔，檄书亲草；「算平生、白傅风流，未可向、香山老」写未可向香山老：算平生、白傅风流，未可向、香山老。全词慷慨激昂，以典抒怀，是刘过词中的名篇。
Allusions
'The banished immortal' (zhe xian) is Li Bai, called the banished immortal — the poet banished from the court; 'the mad guest' (kuang ke) is the wild guest, also of the poet's name. 'The Lisao' (Lisao) is the great poem of Qu Yuan, the poem of the loyal exile. 'Andao' is the courtesy name of Wang Huizhi's friend Dai Kui — the story of the visit to the friend in the snow, the classic visit of the friendship; 'the orchid oar' (lan zhao) is the boat of the friend. 'The White Old Man' (Bai Fu) is Bai Juyi, who called himself the White Old Man and grew old at the Fragrant Mountain — the return's end, the wish of the old age.
词中「谪仙狂客何如看来毕竟归田好」「玉堂无比三山海上虚无飘缈」「读罢离骚酒香犹在觉人间小」「任菜花葵麦刘郎去后桃开处春多少」「一夜雪迷兰棹傍寒溪欲寻安道」「而今纵有新诗冰柱有知音否」「想见鸾飞如椽健笔檄书亲草」「算平生白傅风流未可向香山老」等语，皆含典故故实。「谪仙狂客何如」写谪仙狂客何如（谪仙用李白之典）；「看来毕竟归田好」写看来毕竟归田好；「玉堂无比三山海上虚无飘缈」用三山之典（三山为海上仙山），写玉堂无比三山海上虚无飘缈；「读罢离骚酒香犹在觉人间小」写读罢离骚酒香犹在觉人间小（读骚用屈原离骚之典）；「任菜花葵麦刘郎去后桃开处春多少」用刘郎桃花之典（刘禹锡玄都观桃花），写任菜花葵麦刘郎去后桃开处春多少；「一夜雪迷兰棹傍寒溪欲寻安道」用访戴之典（王徽之雪夜访戴安道），写一夜雪迷兰棹傍寒溪欲寻安道；「而今纵有新诗冰柱有知音否」写而今纵有新诗冰柱有知音否；「想见鸾飞如椽健笔檄书亲草」用如椽大笔之典，写想见鸾飞如椽健笔檄书亲草；「算平生白傅风流未可向香山老」用白居易之典（白傅为白居易、香山为白居易号），写算平生白傅风流未可向香山老。词人以李白谪仙、雪夜访戴、白居易香山等典入词，不着痕迹，而把酬赠感怀之情写得慷慨淋漓，是善于熔铸典故的体现。
Commentary
This lyric is one of Liu Guo's boldest works, quoted for its allusive freedom. The return to the fields, the Lisao read with the wine, the friend sought in the snow, and the White Old Man's Fragrant Mountain are among the most admired passages of the bold lyric. Critics praise the lyric's freedom: the return's tradition carried through the allusions, and the wish of the Fragrant Mountain.
这首《水龙吟》，是刘过写酬赠感怀之作，写归田好、读罢离骚、未可向香山老之情，慷慨激昂。上片写归田好与读罢离骚：「谪仙狂客何如，看来毕竟归田好」——谪仙狂客何如（用李白谪仙之典），看来毕竟归田好。写归田好：谪仙狂客何如、看来毕竟归田好——谪仙狂客、毕竟归田好；「玉堂无比，三山海上，虚无飘缈」——玉堂无比，三山海上（用三山之典），虚无飘缈。写三山海上：玉堂无比、三山海上，虚无飘缈——玉堂无比、三山飘缈；「读罢离骚，酒香犹在，觉人间小」——读罢离骚（用读骚之典），酒香犹在，觉人间小。写读罢离骚：读罢离骚、酒香犹在，觉人间小——读罢离骚、酒香犹在、觉人间小；「任菜花葵麦，刘郎去后，桃开处、春多少」——任菜花葵麦，刘郎去后（用刘郎桃花之典），桃开处、春多少。写刘郎去后：任菜花葵麦、刘郎去后，桃开处春多少——菜花葵麦、刘郎去后、桃开处春多少。下片写欲寻安道与未可向香山老：「一夜雪迷兰棹。傍寒溪、欲寻安道」——一夜雪迷兰棹，傍寒溪、欲寻安道（用雪夜访戴之典）。写欲寻安道：一夜雪迷兰棹、傍寒溪欲寻安道——雪迷兰棹、寒溪欲寻安道；「而今纵有，新诗冰柱，有知音否」——而今纵有，新诗冰柱，有知音否。写有知音否：而今纵有新诗冰柱、有知音否——新诗冰柱、有知音否；「想见鸾飞，如椽健笔，檄书亲草」——想见鸾飞，如椽健笔（用如椽大笔之典），檄书亲草。写如椽健笔：想见鸾飞、如椽健笔，檄书亲草——鸾飞如椽笔、檄书亲草；「算平生、白傅风流，未可向、香山老」——算平生、白傅风流（用白居易白傅香山之典），未可向、香山老。写未可向香山老：算平生白傅风流、未可向香山老——白傅风流、未可向香山老。这「算平生、白傅风流，未可向、香山老」，是全词之结：以未可向香山老写其感怀。全词慷慨激昂，以典抒怀，正是刘过词中的名篇。
Prosody
Line by line
谪仙狂客何如，看来毕竟归田好。
The banished immortal, the mad guest — how are they? It seems, after all, that the return to the fields is good.
谪仙狂客何如，看来毕竟归田好。
What of the banished immortal, the wild guest? It seems, after all, that returning to the fields is best.
首二句写归田好，起笔即见其怀。「谪仙狂客何如」写谪仙狂客何如，用李白谪仙之典写谪仙狂客何如；「看来毕竟归田好」写看来毕竟归田好，「看来」写看来、「毕竟归田好」写毕竟归田好。两句一写谪仙狂客何如、一写看来毕竟归田好，以谪仙狂客写李白狂客、以毕竟归田好写归田之好，写尽谪仙狂客何如、看来毕竟归田好之情。以典起兴，慷慨而明快，是「以典起兴」的妙笔。
The opening two lines writing the returning-to-fields'-best, the longing present at the first stroke. What-of-the-banished-immortal-the-wild-guest uses Li Bai's banished-immortal allusion for the banished-immortal wild-guest's how; it-seems-after-all-that-returning-to-the-fields-is-best writes the it-seems and the after-all's return-to-fields-best. Two lines, Li Bai's wild-guest through the banished-immortal wild-guest, the return-to-fields'-goodness through the after-all's fields-return, exhausting the banished-immortal's how and the after-all's return-to-fields-best. Rising on allusion, the impassioned and yet bright, a wondrous brush of rising-on-allusion.
读罢离骚，酒香犹在，觉人间小。
Having read through the Lisao, the fragrance of the wine still remains, and I feel the world of men is small.
读罢离骚，酒香犹在，觉人间小。
Having read the Li Sao, the wine's fragrance still on me, I feel the human world is small.
此三句写读罢离骚，是全词以骚写志的关键。「读罢离骚」写读罢离骚，用屈原离骚之典写读罢离骚；「酒香犹在」写酒香犹在，「酒香」写酒香、「犹在」写还在；「觉人间小」写觉人间小，「觉」写觉得、「人间小」写人间小。三句一写读罢离骚、一写酒香犹在、一写觉人间小，以读罢离骚写读骚、以酒香犹在写酒香、以觉人间小写觉人间小，写尽读罢离骚、酒香犹在、觉人间小之情。以骚写志，慷慨而豪迈，是「以骚写志」的点睛之笔。
These three lines writing the finished-Li-Sao, the ci's Li-Sao-writes-will key. Having-read-the-Li-Sao uses Qu Yuan's Li Sao allusion for the finished reading; the-wine's-fragrance-still-on-me writes the wine fragrance and the still-there; I-feel-the-human-world-is-small writes the feeling and the human-world's smallness. Three lines, the Sao-reading through the finished Li Sao, the wine fragrance through the still-on-me, the human-world-small through the feeling-small, exhausting the finished Li Sao, the lingering wine fragrance, and the felt small world. Writing will through the Sao, the impassioned and yet bold, a telling stroke of will-through-Sao.
一夜雪迷兰棹。
One night, the snow bewilders the orchid oar.
一夜雪迷兰棹。
Overnight, the snow has hidden the orchid-prowed boat.
此句写一夜雪迷兰棹，是全词写雪夜之景的关键。「一夜雪迷兰棹」写一夜雪迷兰棹，「一夜」写一夜、「雪迷兰棹」写雪迷兰棹。一句以「一夜」写整夜、「雪迷兰棹」写雪迷兰舟，写尽一夜雪迷兰棹之情——一夜雪迷兰舟。以雪写景，含蓄而清冷，是「以雪写景」的点睛之笔。此句以寥寥数语写尽深意，情韵兼胜，正是全诗点睛之笔。其于字句之间暗藏波澜，于平易之中寄寓曲折，尤当反复涵泳，方能得其三昧。
This line writing the overnight-snow's-hiding-the-orchid-boat, the ci's snow-night-scene key. Overnight-the-snow-has-hidden-the-orchid-prowed-boat writes the one night and the snow's hiding of the orchid boat. One line, the whole-night through the one night, the snow-hidden orchid boat through the snow-hidden boat, exhausting the overnight snow's hiding the orchid boat. Writing scene through snow, restrained and cold, a telling stroke of scene-through-snow. This line in the few words exhausts the deep meaning, feeling and charm both supreme; its hidden waves between the words, the turns within the plainness, require the repeated savouring to grasp its heart.
傍寒溪、欲寻安道。
Beside the cold stream, I wish to seek Andao.
傍寒溪、欲寻安道。
By the cold stream, I would seek Andao.
此句写欲寻安道，是全词以典写情的关键。「傍寒溪、欲寻安道」写傍寒溪欲寻安道，用雪夜访戴之典写欲寻安道。一句以「傍寒溪」写傍着寒溪、「欲寻安道」写想寻戴安道，写尽傍寒溪、欲寻安道之情——寒溪之畔欲寻安道。以典写情，慷慨而深挚，是「以典写情」的点睛之笔。此句以寥寥数语写尽深意，情韵兼胜，正是全诗点睛之笔。其于字句之间暗藏波澜，于平易之中寄寓曲折，尤当反复涵泳，方能得其三昧。
This line writing the would-seek-Andao, the ci's allusion-writes-feeling key. By-the-cold-stream-I-would-seek-Andao uses the snow-night's-visit-to-Dai allusion for the would-seek-Andao. One line, the by-the-cold-stream writing the cold-stream's side, the would-seek-Andao writing the wanting-to-find-Dai-Andao, exhausting the cold-stream side's seeking of Andao. Writing feeling through allusion, the impassioned and yet deep, a telling stroke of feeling-through-allusion. This line in the few words exhausts the deep meaning, feeling and charm both supreme; its hidden waves between the words, the turns within the plainness, require the repeated savouring to grasp its heart.
算平生、白傅风流，未可向、香山老。
I calculate, in my whole life, the elegance of the White Old Man, yet I may not grow old at the Fragrant Mountain.
算平生、白傅风流，未可向、香山老。
Counting my life: Lord Bai's grace — I cannot end my years at Xiangshan.
尾三句写未可向香山老，是全词立意的落点。「算平生、白傅风流」写算平生白傅风流，用白居易之典写算平生白傅风流；「未可向、香山老」写未可向香山老，「未可向」写不可向、「香山老」写香山终老。三句一写算平生白傅风流、一写未可向香山老，以白傅风流写白傅之流风、以未可向香山老写不可终老香山，写尽算平生白傅风流、未可向香山老之情。以典写志，慷慨而激昂，是全词最动人处，也是「以典写志」的点睛之笔。
The closing three lines writing the cannot-end-years-at-Xiangshan, the landing of the ci's theme. Counting-my-life-Lord-Bai's-grace uses Bai Juyi's allusion for the whole-life's Lord Bai grace; I-cannot-end-my-years-at-Xiangshan writes the cannot-face-toward and the Xiangshan's old-ending. Three lines, Lord Bai's graceful style through the Lord Bai grace, the Xiangshan's no-old-ending through the cannot-end-at-Xiangshan, exhausting the counted life's Lord Bai grace and the unending at Xiangshan. Writing will through allusion, the impassioned and yet stirring, the ci's most moving place.
Study
Word focus
Related Reading
Su Shi's 'Prelude to Water Melody' — 'I want to ride the wind and return' — is the transcendence of the moon; Liu Guo's lyric is the return of the fields — the Lisao read with the wine, the world of men felt small — the same long lyric feeling of the world shown in the two returns.
苏轼《水调歌头·明月几时有》「我欲乘风归去，又恐琼楼玉宇，高处不胜寒」，写中秋怀人、旷达超然，是宋词长调的名篇；刘过《水龙吟》则以「玉堂无比，三山海上，虚无飘缈」「读罢离骚，酒香犹在，觉人间小」写三山海上、读罢离骚。两词同写长调感怀、借月抒怀：一写我欲乘风归去、以乘风写超然，一写玉堂无比三山海上虚无飘缈、以三山写飘渺；一为苏轼之超然、一为刘过之豪迈，并读正可见宋词写「长调感怀」的两种笔法，皆于长调之中见感怀。
定风波·莫听穿林打叶声 Calming the Wind and the Waves: Do Not Listen to the Rain Beating Through the Forest 苏轼 · 同写旷达之怀、归田之想，一写也无风雨也无晴、一写看来毕竟归田好，皆于旷达之中见归田之想 Both are the lyrics of the ease of the return — Su Shi's calm in the rain, Liu Guo's seeking of the friend in the snow.Su Shi's 'Calming the Wind and the Waves' — 'do not listen to the rain beating through the forest' — is the philosophical ease of the return in the rain; Liu Guo's lyric is the allusive return — the friend sought in the snow, the elegance of the White Old Man, the same ease shown in the two elements.
苏轼《定风波·莫听穿林打叶声》「回首向来萧瑟处，归去，也无风雨也无晴」，写旷达超然，是宋词写旷达的名篇；刘过《水龙吟》则以「谪仙狂客何如，看来毕竟归田好」「算平生、白傅风流，未可向、香山老」写归田好、未可向香山老。两词同写旷达之怀、归田之想：一写也无风雨也无晴、以风雨写旷达，一写看来毕竟归田好、以归田写旷达；一为苏轼之超然、一为刘过之豪迈，并读正可见宋词写「旷达归田」的两种笔法，皆于旷达之中见归田之想。