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思远人·红叶黄花秋意晚

Longing for the Distant One: The Red Leaves, the Yellow Blossoms, the Autumn Feeling Late

晏几道

Yan Jidao

红叶黄花秋景宽，醉吟朝夕在樊川。
却嫌今日登山俗，且共高僧对榻眠。
别画长怀吴寺壁，宜茶偏赏霅溪泉。
归来童穉争相笑，何事无人与酒船。

The red leaves, the yellow blossoms, the autumn scene wide —
Drunk and chanting, at dawn and at dusk, at Fanchuan.
Yet I disdain the common climbing of the hills today,
And share the couch of the lofty monk for sleep.
Parted from the paintings, I long remember the walls of the Wu temple,
For the tea, I prefer the spring of the Zha Creek.
Returning, the children vie to laugh at me —
Why is there no one to share my wine boat?

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Meaning

A poem of the autumn clarity and the lofty ease, written by Yan Jidao. The red leaves, the yellow blossoms, the autumn scene wide — drunk and chanting, at dawn and at dusk, at Fanchuan — the wide autumn scene and the poet drunk and chanting in his place. Yet I disdain the common climbing of the hills today, and share the couch of the lofty monk for sleep — the disdain of the common and the company of the lofty monk. Parted from the paintings, I long remember the walls of the Wu temple; for the tea, I prefer the spring of the Zha Creek — the remembered paintings and the preferred spring of the refined taste. Returning, the children vie to laugh at me — why is there no one to share my wine boat — the return to the children's laughter and the loneliness of the wine boat. The poem is the autumn ease of the poet: the wide scene, the monk's couch, the remembered paintings, and the wine boat without a companion.

红叶黄花，秋景宽远；醉吟朝夕，在樊川。却嫌今日登山之俗，且共高僧对榻而眠。别画长怀吴寺之壁，宜茶偏赏霅溪之泉。归来童稚争相笑问，为何无人与我共酒船。

Appreciation

[Plain Paraphrase] The red leaves, the yellow blossoms, the autumn scene wide — drunk and chanting, at dawn and at dusk, at Fanchuan. Yet I disdain the common climbing of the hills today, and share the couch of the lofty monk for sleep. Parted from the paintings, I long remember the walls of the Wu temple; for the tea, I prefer the spring of the Zha Creek. Returning, the children vie to laugh at me — why is there no one to share my wine boat? [Structure and Thought] The poem moves from the wide autumn scene and the drunk chanting, through the disdain of the common and the company of the monk, and the remembered paintings and the preferred spring, to the return and the close's lonely question: why is there no one to share my wine boat. [Key Technique] The poem's art is the ease against the loneliness: the lofty company and the refined tastes gathered into the close's wine boat without a companion — the clarity of the autumn ease, with the loneliness beneath. [Emotional Tone] Clear, lofty, and quietly lonely: the poem is the autumn ease of the poet, the wide scene and the monk's couch, and the close's lonely wine boat.

【白话串讲】晏几道写《思远人·红叶黄花秋意晚》：“红叶黄花秋意晚，千里念行客”——“飞云过尽，归鸿无信，何处寄书得”——“泪弹不尽临窗滴。就砚旋研墨”——“渐写到别来，此情深处，红笺为无色”——他写思远人——红笺为无色。【意象与手法】 “红叶黄花秋意晚，千里念行客”以红叶黄花写秋意；“飞云过尽，归鸿无信，何处寄书得”以归鸿无信写音书难寄；“泪弹不尽临窗滴。就砚旋研墨”以泪研墨写泪与墨俱；“渐写到别来，此情深处，红笺为无色”以红笺褪色写情之深。以泪研墨、含蓄深婉。【情感与主旨】晏几道写秋日思远寄书之作，写对远行客的思念与书信难寄之苦，以“红笺为无色”写深情之至，是晏几道词中深婉的代表。【名句点睛】常考“泪弹不尽临窗滴。就砚旋研墨”以泪研墨写思念；“渐写到别来，此情深处，红笺为无色”以红笺无色写情深。

Background

Yan Jidao (c. 1038–1110), the 'Xiaoshan' of the lyrics, wrote this poem of the autumn ease at Fanchuan — his dwelling. The red leaves and the yellow blossoms of the wide autumn scene, the disdain of the common climbing and the sharing of the lofty monk's couch, the remembered walls of the Wu temple and the preferred spring of the Zha Creek — the poem gathers the refined ease of the poet; and the close — the children's laughter and the wine boat without a companion — carries the quiet loneliness beneath the ease. The poem is one of the clear, lofty works of the lyric master.

《思远人·红叶黄花秋意晚》为北宋词人晏几道所作词。晏几道（1038—1110），字叔原，号小山，临川（今江西抚州）人，晏殊之子，北宋词人，词风婉约，多写离情别恨，与其父晏殊并称「二晏」。此词写秋日寄怀。词中「红叶黄花秋景宽，醉吟朝夕在樊川」写秋景之宽；「却嫌今日登山俗，且共高僧对榻眠」写与高僧对榻；「别画长怀吴寺壁，宜茶偏赏霅溪泉」写忆吴寺霅溪；「归来童穉争相笑，何事无人与酒船」写归来无人共酒之况。晏几道多写离情，此词却写秋日清旷之怀，与高僧对榻、忆吴寺霅溪，是其词中的别调，清旷放达，是其「婉约深婉」之外的另一种风貌。此篇《思远人·红叶黄花秋意晚》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。此篇《思远人·红叶黄花秋意晚》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 poem's art is the art of the ease with the loneliness beneath. The wide autumn opens: the red leaves, the yellow blossoms, the autumn scene wide — drunk and chanting, at dawn and at dusk, at Fanchuan — the wide scene and the drunk chanting, the autumn ease. The lofty choice follows: yet I disdain the common climbing of the hills today, and share the couch of the lofty monk for sleep — the disdain of the common, the company of the lofty. The refined tastes: parted from the paintings, I long remember the walls of the Wu temple; for the tea, I prefer the spring of the Zha Creek — the remembered paintings and the preferred spring. And the close turns the ease to the quiet loneliness: returning, the children vie to laugh at me — why is there no one to share my wine boat — the children's laughter and the wine boat without a companion, the loneliness beneath the ease, the close of the poem.

此词艺术上以「写景清旷、由景入禅」见长。全词八句，前二句写秋景之宽，中四句写与高僧对榻、忆吴寺霅溪，后二句写归来无人共酒之况。首二句「红叶黄花秋景宽，醉吟朝夕在樊川」写秋景之宽：红叶黄花，秋景宽远；醉吟朝夕，在樊川。中四句「却嫌今日登山俗，且共高僧对榻眠」写与高僧对榻：却嫌今日登山之俗，且共高僧对榻而眠；「别画长怀吴寺壁，宜茶偏赏霅溪泉」写忆吴寺霅溪：别画长怀吴寺之壁，宜茶偏赏霅溪之泉。后二句「归来童穉争相笑，何事无人与酒船」写归来无人共酒之况：归来童稚争相笑问，为何无人与我共酒船。全词写景清旷，由景入禅，是晏几道词中的别调。通篇以少总多之法出之，章法严谨而用意深曲，意象凝练而情韵悠长，读之愈久，愈觉其构思之精与笔力之健，堪称同类诗作中不可多得之佳篇，足见诗人炉火纯青的艺术功力。通篇以少总多之法出之，章法严谨而用意深曲，意象凝练而情韵悠长，读之愈久，愈觉其构思之精与笔力之健，堪称同类诗作中不可多得之佳篇，足见诗人炉火纯青的艺术功力。

Allusions

'Fanchuan' (Fanchuan) is the place of the poet's dwelling — the region of the poem; 'the walls of the Wu temple' (Wu si bi) are the walls of the temple of the region, remembered in the parting; 'the spring of the Zha Creek' (Zha xi quan) is the spring of the Zha Creek, the water preferred for the tea. 'The lofty monk' (gao seng) is the monk of the temple — the company of the poem; 'the wine boat' (jiu chuan) is the boat of the wine — the close's lonely image.

词中「樊川」「登山」「高僧对榻」「吴寺壁」「霅溪泉」「酒船」等语，皆含典故故实。「樊川」为长安城南之地，杜牧曾居樊川，以樊川写秋日游赏之地；「登山」用谢灵运登山屐之典，暗含谢灵运之登山游赏，而「却嫌今日登山俗」反写其嫌登山之俗；「高僧对榻」写与高僧同榻论道；「吴寺壁」写吴中寺壁之画，暗含顾恺之等画壁之典；「霅溪」为浙江湖州之溪（霅溪水宜烹茶），「宜茶偏赏霅溪泉」写霅溪之泉宜茶；「酒船」写载酒之船。词人以樊川、登山、高僧对榻、吴寺壁、霅溪泉等典入词，不着痕迹，而把秋日清旷之怀写得真切可感，是善于熔铸典故的体现。此等用典之法，熔铸古今而不着痕迹，既不炫博以示学，亦不拘泥于旧解，正见诗人学养之深与运思之巧。读者于此等处尤当细心玩味，方能领会其言外之旨与味外之味。此等用典之法，熔铸古今而不着痕迹，既不炫博以示学，亦不拘泥于旧解，正见诗人学养之深与运思之巧。读者于此等处尤当细心玩味，方能领会其言外之旨与味外之味。

Commentary

This poem is one of the clear, lofty works of Yan Jidao, quoted for the quiet depth of its close. The wide autumn scene and the lofty monk's couch, and the wine boat without a companion, are among the admired passages of his verse. Critics praise the poem's depth: the ease of the autumn with the loneliness beneath, the wine boat of the close.

这首《思远人·红叶黄花秋意晚》，是晏几道写秋日寄怀之作，写秋景与高僧对榻、忆吴寺霅溪之情，清旷放达，是其词中的别调。首二句写秋景之宽：「红叶黄花秋景宽，醉吟朝夕在樊川」——红叶黄花，秋景宽远；醉吟朝夕，在樊川。写秋景之宽：红叶黄花，秋景宽远，醉吟朝夕于樊川——这一片红叶黄花的宽远秋景，正是其醉吟之地；中四句写与高僧对榻、忆吴寺霅溪：「却嫌今日登山俗，且共高僧对榻眠」——却嫌今日登山之俗，且共高僧对榻而眠。写与高僧对榻：嫌登山之俗，宁与高僧对榻而眠——这「嫌登山俗、共高僧对榻」，正是其清旷超俗之怀；「别画长怀吴寺壁，宜茶偏赏霅溪泉」——别画长怀吴寺之壁，宜茶偏赏霅溪之泉。写忆吴寺霅溪：长怀吴寺之壁画，偏赏霅溪之泉宜茶——这吴寺壁、霅溪泉，正是其素所向往之雅致；后二句写归来无人共酒之况：「归来童穉争相笑，何事无人与酒船」——归来童稚争相笑问，为何无人与我共酒船。写归来无人共酒之况：归来时童稚争相笑问，为何无人与我共酒船——这童稚笑问，正见其孤独，也见其放达。全词写景清旷，由景入禅，与高僧对榻、忆吴寺霅溪，正是晏几道「婉约深婉」之外的别调，清旷放达，也是其词中难得的清旷之作。

Prosody

Form Heptasyllabic regulated verse (qiyan lüshi)词（思远人，双调，此词为七言句式）

Rhyme The poem rhymes on the level-tone chuan, mian, quan and chuan of the group — the even, level rhyme that carries the autumn ease.此词题为《思远人》，句式全用七言，八句四联。押平声韵：「川」「眠」「泉」「船」押先部韵。词体句式整齐，音节流丽，正与写秋日清旷之怀的明快放达相称，也见其以整饬之体写清旷之趣的自然。

Tone pattern The cadence is that of the ease: the level opening with the wide autumn, the rising with the lofty choice and the refined tastes, and the close's fall with the lonely question of the wine boat.句式上，首二句「红叶黄花秋景宽，醉吟朝夕在樊川」写秋景之宽，音节开阔；「却嫌今日登山俗，且共高僧对榻眠」写与高僧对榻，音节清逸；「别画长怀吴寺壁，宜茶偏赏霅溪泉」写忆吴寺霅溪，音节雅致；「归来童穉争相笑，何事无人与酒船」写归来之况，音节轻快。全词音节由开阔而清逸、由雅致而轻快，句式整饬、音韵流丽，读来如秋日清旷、放达吟咏之音，明快而动人。

Reading note The poem's sound matches its ease: the level rhymes carry the even cadence of the autumn, and the close — 'gui lai tong zhi zheng xiang xiao, he shi wu ren yu jiu chuan' — falls with the lonely question, the sound of the wine boat without a companion.此词题为《思远人》，句式全用七言，是晏几道词中的别调，也是其清旷放达之作。全词的艺术特色在于「写景清旷、由景入禅」：首二句「红叶黄花秋景宽，醉吟朝夕在樊川」写秋景之宽；中四句「却嫌今日登山俗，且共高僧对榻眠」写与高僧对榻、「别画长怀吴寺壁，宜茶偏赏霅溪泉」写忆吴寺霅溪；后二句「归来童穉争相笑，何事无人与酒船」写归来无人共酒之况。全词写景清旷，由景入禅。尤为精妙者，是「却嫌今日登山俗，且共高僧对榻眠」以嫌登山俗、共高僧对榻写其超俗之怀，与晏几道一贯的婉约词风迥异；而「别画长怀吴寺壁，宜茶偏赏霅溪泉」以吴寺壁、霅溪泉写其雅致，正是晏几道「婉约深婉」之外的清旷别调，为历代词选所偶收。

Line by line

红叶黄花秋景宽，醉吟朝夕在樊川。

The red leaves, the yellow blossoms, the autumn scene wide — drunk and chanting, at dawn and at dusk, at Fanchuan.

红叶黄花，秋景宽远；醉吟朝夕，在樊川。

Red leaves, yellow chrysanthemums, the autumn view wide; drunk and chanting, dawn to dusk by the Fan Stream.

首二句写秋景之宽，起笔即见其景。「红叶黄花秋景宽」写红叶黄花、秋景宽远，「红叶黄花」写秋之色（枫红菊黄），「秋景宽」写秋景之宽远开阔；「醉吟朝夕在樊川」写醉吟朝夕在樊川，「醉吟」写其醉中吟咏，「朝夕」写其朝夕如此，「樊川」写其所居之地。两句一写秋景之宽、一写醉吟之地，写尽秋日醉吟于樊川之景，起笔便是一片宽远清旷之境，为全词写其清旷之怀作铺垫，是「以景起兴」的妙笔。

The opening two lines write the autumn view's width, the first stroke at once seeing the scene. The red-leaves-yellow-chrysanthemums-the-autumn-view-wide writing the red leaves and yellow blooms and the autumn's broad expanse, the red-leaves-yellow-blooms writing the autumn color (maple red, chrysanthemum gold), the autumn-view-wide writing the autumn's far openness; the drunk-and-chanting-dawn-to-dusk-by-the-Fan-Stream writing the Fan Stream dwelling, the drunk-and-chanting writing the drunk chanting, the dawn-to-dusk writing its daily-ness, the Fan Stream writing its dwelling place. Two lines one writing the autumn view's breadth, one the drunk-chanting place, exhausting the autumn-day's Fan-Stream drunk-chanting scene, the opening at once a broad clear expanse, preparing the whole ci's clear-open feeling, the scene-uprising wondrous brush.

却嫌今日登山俗，且共高僧对榻眠。

Yet I disdain the common climbing of the hills today, and share the couch of the lofty monk for sleep.

却嫌今日登山之俗，且共高僧对榻而眠。

Yet I found today's mountain-climbing vulgar; I would rather share a couch and sleep with the eminent monk.

此二句写与高僧对榻，是全词写其超俗之怀的关键。「却嫌今日登山俗」写却嫌今日登山之俗，「却嫌」写其嫌弃，「登山俗」写登山为俗事；「且共高僧对榻眠」写且共高僧对榻而眠，「且共」写其宁与高僧，「对榻眠」写其对榻而卧。两句一写嫌登山之俗、一写共高僧对榻，以「嫌俗」与「共高僧对榻」相对，写其厌弃尘俗、向往禅寂之怀——登山犹嫌其俗，宁与高僧对榻而眠。以对比写怀，含蓄而有力，是「以对比写怀」的点睛之笔。

These two lines write the couch-sharing with the eminent monk, the whole ci's transcendent-mind key. The yet-I-found-today's-mountain-climbing-vulgar writing the mountain-climbing's vulgarity, the yet-I-found word writing the disdain, the mountain-climbing-vulgar writing climbing as a commonplace; the I-would-rather-share-a-couch-and-sleep-with-the-eminent-monk writing the monk couch-sharing, the I-would-rather word writing the preference, the couch-and-sleep writing the lying opposite. Two lines one writing the disdain-for-vulgarity, one the monk-couch-sharing, using the vulgar-dislike and the monk-couch-sharing's opposition, writing the worldly-rejecting and Zen-silence longing — the mountain climbing's still found vulgar, rather the couch-sharing with the eminent monk. Using the contrast for the mind-writing, reserved and forceful, the contrast-writes-feeling telling stroke.

别画长怀吴寺壁，宜茶偏赏霅溪泉。

Parted from the paintings, I long remember the walls of the Wu temple, for the tea, I prefer the spring of the Zha Creek.

别画长怀吴寺之壁，宜茶偏赏霅溪之泉。

Longing for the painting left on the Wu temple wall, and fit for tea, I prize the Zhazhi Stream's spring.

此二句写忆吴寺霅溪，是全词写其雅致的关键。「别画长怀吴寺壁」写别画长怀吴寺壁，「别画」写寺壁之画，「长怀」写其长久怀念，「吴寺壁」写吴中寺壁；「宜茶偏赏霅溪泉」写宜茶偏赏霅溪泉，「宜茶」写其宜于烹茶，「偏赏」写其独赏，「霅溪泉」写霅溪之泉。两句一写长怀吴寺壁画、一写偏赏霅溪泉，以「长怀」「偏赏」写其素所向往之雅致——长怀吴寺之壁画，偏赏霅溪之泉宜茶。以怀写雅，含蓄而清雅，是「以怀写雅」的妙笔。

These two lines write the memory of the Wu temple and Zhazhi Stream, the whole ci's elegance key. The longing-for-the-painting-left-on-the-Wu-temple-wall writing the temple-wall painting, the long-longing writing the lasting remembrance, the Wu-temple-wall meaning the Wu-region temple wall; and-fit-for-tea-I-prize-the-Zhazhi-Stream's-spring writing the tea-fitness, the prize writing the singular appreciation, the Zhazhi-Stream-spring meaning the Zhazhi Stream's spring. Two lines one writing the long-missed Wu temple wall painting, one the prized Zhazhi spring, using the long-longing and prize for the long-coveted elegance — the long-missed Wu temple wall painting, the prized tea-fitting Zhazhi spring. Using the longing for the elegance-writing, reserved and clear, the longing-writes-elegance wondrous brush.

归来童穉争相笑，何事无人与酒船。

Returning, the children vie to laugh at me — why is there no one to share my wine boat?

归来童稚争相笑问，为何无人与我共酒船。

On return the children vie in laughing; why is there no one to share the wine boat with me?

尾二句写归来无人共酒之况，是全词立意的落点。「归来童穉争相笑」写归来童稚争相笑问，「归来」写其归来，「童穉争相笑」写童稚争着笑问；「何事无人与酒船」写何事无人与酒船，「何事」写为何，「无人与酒船」写无人与共酒船。两句一写童稚争相笑问、一写无人共酒船，以「童穉争相笑」写归来的热闹与童趣、以「无人与酒船」写其无友共饮之况，写尽归来时既见童稚笑问、又叹无人共酒之况。以问作结，含蓄而放达，是「以问写况」的点睛之笔。

The closing two lines write the return's no-wine-companion condition, the whole ci's intention landing. The on-return-the-children-vie-in-laughing writing the return, the children-vie-in-laughing meaning the children's eager questioning with laughter; the why-is-there-no-one-to-share-the-wine-boat-with-me writing the why, the no-one-to-share-the-wine-boat meaning no companion for the wine boat. Two lines one writing the children's laughing question, one the no-wine-companion, using the children-vie-in-laughing for the return's liveliness and child charm, the no-one-to-share-the-wine-boat for the friendless-drinking condition, exhausting the return's at-once seeing the children's laughing and sighing the no-wine-companion. Closing on the question, reserved and free, the question-writes-condition telling stroke.

Study

Word focus

宽 'Wide' — the wide, open autumn scene; the red leaves and the yellow blossoms in the breadth of the autumn. 「宽」字写秋景宽远，是写秋景之关键。「秋景宽」着一「宽」，写秋景之宽远开阔——着一「宽」字，以宽写秋景之开阔无垠，红叶黄花间一片宽远之境。一字写尽秋景之开阔，是「以一字写景」的妙笔。「宽」一字之用而全篇生色，与诗中情韵相为表里，正见诗人炼字之精与匠心之独运。读者于此等处若细细体会，自能领会其于平淡之中见功力、于寻常处见神奇之妙。

嫌 'To disdain' — the disdain of the common climbing, the poet's lofty choice. 「嫌」字写却嫌登山俗，是写其超俗之怀的关键。「却嫌今日登山俗」着一「嫌」，写其嫌弃——着一「嫌」字，写其嫌登山为俗，见其厌尘俗、慕禅寂之怀。一字写尽其超俗之怀，是「以一字写怀」的点睛之词。「嫌」一字之用而全篇生色，与诗中情韵相为表里，正见诗人炼字之精与匠心之独运。读者于此等处若细细体会，自能领会其于平淡之中见功力、于寻常处见神奇之妙。

长怀 'To long remember' — the long remembrance of the Wu temple's walls, the refined memory. 「长怀」写长久怀念吴寺壁，是写其雅致的关键。「别画长怀吴寺壁」着一「长怀」，写其长久怀念——着一「长怀」，写其对吴寺壁画之长久怀念，见其雅好之深。两字写尽其对雅致的向往，是「以怀写雅」的点睛之词。「长怀」一字之用而全篇生色，与诗中情韵相为表里，正见诗人炼字之精与匠心之独运。读者于此等处若细细体会，自能领会其于平淡之中见功力、于寻常处见神奇之妙。

何事 'Why' — the lonely question of the close, why there is no one to share the wine boat. 「何事」写为何无人共酒船，是写归来之况的关键。「何事无人与酒船」着一「何事」，写为何——着一「何事」，以问写其归来无友共饮之况，含蓄地见其孤独。两字以问写况，是「以问写况」的点睛之词。「何事」一字之用而全篇生色，与诗中情韵相为表里，正见诗人炼字之精与匠心之独运。读者于此等处若细细体会，自能领会其于平淡之中见功力、于寻常处见神奇之妙。