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宋 Song · 诗 Poem

题西林壁

Written on the Wall of Xilin Temple

苏轼

Su Shi

哲理philosophical 写景scenery 理趣rational charm

横看成岭侧成峰，远近高低各不同。
不识庐山真面目，只缘身在此山中。

Viewed horizontally, a range; vertically, a peak;
From near, from far, from high, from low, it shows a different face.
I cannot tell the true shape of Mount Lu,
Because I am inside the mountain.

Listen

Meaning

The poem describes how the same mountain appears different from various perspectives, leading to the philosophical insight that we cannot grasp the full truth when we are too close to or immersed in a situation.

横着看是连绵的岭，侧着看却成陡峭的峰；远近视点、高低位置不同，景象便各各不同。之所以认不清庐山真正的面目，只因为自身正处在这座山中。

Appreciation

The first two lines vividly depict the changing appearance of Mount Lu, while the last two lines shift seamlessly to a philosophical reflection, explaining why we fail to see the true nature of things. The poem is a classic example of Song poetry's rational charm, blending scenery and reasoning naturally.

【白话串讲】 “不识庐山真面目，只缘身在此山中”——苏轼站在庐山里面看庐山，看来看去都看不全，忽然悟出一个道理：有时候离得太近，反而看不清。这首诗，成了中国最早的“当局者迷”。【意象与手法】景、理交融而无说教气。前两句纯写游山实感，观察细致；后两句以「不识」「只缘」因果勾连，由景及理，水到渠成【情感与主旨】元丰七年（1084），苏轼由黄州移汝州，途经庐山，留连十余日，遍游诸寺，写下多首庐山诗【名句点睛】常考：①借景说理、「当局者迷，旁观者清」的哲理；②观察角度与全面认识事物的关系；③宋诗理趣特色

Background

In 1084, Su Shi was traveling from Huangzhou to Ruzhou and spent over ten days visiting Mount Lu. Before leaving, he wrote this poem on the wall of Xilin Temple, summarizing his insights from the journey.

此诗作于宋神宗元丰七年（一〇八四年），苏轼由黄州（今湖北黄冈）移汝州（今河南临汝）团练副使途中，经庐山，留连十余日，遍游开先寺、西林寺、东林寺诸胜，写下《庐山二胜》及多首庐山诗，此首题于西林寺壁，因称《题西林壁》。西林寺为庐山古刹，晋僧慧永所建，苏轼游后题诗壁上，本为即兴纪游之作。其时苏轼已历乌台诗案贬黄州五年，虽量移汝州，政治处境仍艰，然阅历既丰、胸襟愈阔。庐山自晋宋以来即为文人释子盘桓之地，陶渊明、李白、白居易皆留名篇，庐山诗传统深厚。苏轼此诗不写庐山形胜之丽，而写游山所得的观物之理，是宋诗「以理入诗」「尚理趣」的典型代表。题壁诗本为唐以来文人题写寺壁、驿壁的风气（如崔颢题黄鹤楼），苏轼以理思题壁，将纪游小诗升格为含蕴哲理的理趣诗，在宋诗乃至中国哲理诗中占有重要地位。其「不识庐山真面目」更凝为家喻户晓的成语。

Art

The poem combines scenery and reasoning without being preachy. The first two lines are pure observation; the last two causally connect with 'cannot' and 'only because' to draw a philosophical conclusion. The language is simple yet profound, exemplifying the 'reasoning within scenery' style of Song poetry.

此诗看似平易，实则章法极严、由景及理水到渠成，是宋诗理趣美学的典范。前两句「横看成岭侧成峰，远近高低各不同」纯写游山实感：横看、侧看、远看、近看、高看、低看，同一庐山因视角不同而呈现岭、峰、各各不同的面貌，以白描铺陈观察之纷繁，毫无议论痕迹。后两句「不识庐山真面目，只缘身在此山中」以「不识」「只缘」因果勾连，由景陡入理：之所以看不清全貌，只因自身陷于山中、受制于局部立场。这种结构前叙后议、由具体到抽象，却不落说教，因为理从景中自然长出，读者由「看山」之经验自能会心「看事」之启示。艺术上，它妙在「不写之写」——全诗不描一峰一瀑之形，只写「看」的行为与局限，以虚驭实；对仗工稳（横看对侧看、远近对高低），语言如话家常而理趣盎然，体现苏轼「平淡中见深沉」的宋诗品格。前两句横看侧看远近高低纯写游山实感，以白描铺陈观察之纷繁，毫无议论痕迹；后两句不识只缘因果勾连，由景陡入理。结构前叙后议、由具体到抽象却不落说教，因理从景中自然长出。艺术上妙在不写之写，不描一峰一瀑之形只写看的行为与局限，对仗工稳，语言如话家常而理趣盎然，体现苏轼平淡中见深沉的宋诗品格。

Allusions

Xilin Temple is a famous temple on Mount Lu. The poem does not use direct literary allusions but relies on Mount Lu's cultural imagery as a symbol of seclusion and philosophical contemplation. The phrase 'true face of Mount Lu' later became a common idiom meaning the true nature of something.

诗中「西林」指庐山西林寺，需明其地脉。庐山自慧远结白莲社、陶渊明故里在侧，儒释隐逸文化沉积极厚，苏轼游庐山本就带着与古人对话的意识。「真面目」一语双关，既指庐山真实全貌，又暗用佛家「本来面目」之典——《坛经》载六祖慧能问「不思善不思恶，正与么时，那个是明上座本来面目」，禅宗以「本来面目」指清净本性、真实自性。苏轼以「不识庐山真面目」双关，既叹观物之限于立场，亦隐含对「执于局部而昧于全体」这一认知困境的禅机式点破。「只缘身在此山中」则近《庄子》「井蛙不可以语于海」「夏虫不可以语于冰」之囿于所处，亦与《管子·宙合》「山不辞土石」及俗语「当局者迷，旁观者清」同源异出。字词训诂上，「岭」指相连之山，「峰」指尖耸之山，「缘」因也，「真面目」本谓真实容貌，后成成语指事物全貌。用典融化无迹，理从景出，最见宋人「以才学为诗」而能浑成之妙。西林指庐山西林寺，庐山儒释隐逸文化沉积极厚。真面目双关，既指山真实全貌，又暗用佛家本来面目之典，坛经载六祖问那个是明上座本来面目，以双关点破执于局部而昧于全体的认知困境。只缘身在此山中近庄子井蛙不可以语于海之囿于所处，亦与俗语当局者迷旁观者清同源。缘因也，真面目后成成语指事物全貌。

Commentary

The Qing critic Wang Shihan praised it as having 'rational charm without falling into rational obstruction'. This poem is a model of integrating scenery, philosophy, and charm, widely quoted and cherished for its profound simplicity.

此诗自南宋以来即被推为宋诗理趣的巅峰之作，与王安石「不畏浮云遮望眼」、杨万里「正入万山圈子里」并列为宋人哲理诗名篇。南宋理学家朱熹论「格物」亦引山水之喻，此诗「身在此山」之囿恰与「格物致知须超越一隅」相通，遂为后世讲学常引。清人赵翼《瓯北诗话》论宋诗「言理」之长，每举苏此诗为例；近人钱钟书《宋诗选注》亦赏其「除去表面的多姿，抉出底里的片面」。「不识庐山真面目」一句早已凝为成语，泛指受人局限、难识事物真相，广泛用于日常与学术语境，传播之广罕有其匹。在文学批评史上，此诗是「宋诗以理取胜」最被津津乐道的标本——它证明哲理可以诗出而不堕枯涩。今中小学教材必选此诗，作为宋诗理趣与观察方法论（全面、客观、超越立场）的经典文本，其认知论价值历久弥新。此诗被推为宋诗理趣巅峰，与王安石不畏浮云遮望眼、杨万里正入万山圈子里并列为宋人哲理诗名篇。朱熹论格物亦引山水之喻，此诗身在此山之囿恰与格物致知须超越一隅相通。不识庐山真面目已凝为成语，泛指受人局限难识真相，传播之广罕有其匹。今教材必选，作为宋诗理趣与观察方法论的经典文本，其认知论价值历久弥新。

Prosody

Form Seven-character quatrain (oblique tone pattern, first line not rhyming)七言绝句（宋诗·理趣诗）

Rhyme Rhyme on level tone, first rhyme group: characters '同' and '中'此诗押平水韵上平一东韵（峰、同、中，古音同属冬钟东通押），一韵到底，韵脚平声从容，宜写闲适理思。

Tone pattern Oblique tone pattern, first line no rhyme; final two lines conclude with argument七言绝句，平起首句入韵，格律为「平平仄仄仄平平，仄仄平平仄仄平。仄仄平平平仄仄，仄平平仄仄平平」，句式整饬，对仗工稳（横看对侧看、远近对高低）。

Reading note Scenery leads to reasoning, reasoning lies within scenery.此诗虽为七绝短制，却以绝句的凝练承载理趣的厚度。用东韵平声，韵脚「峰、同、中」绵长舒缓，与游山闲眺、从容说理的情调相合。前两句以白描铺陈观察之纷繁，对仗自然（横看成岭侧成峰，远近高低各不同），于齐言中见变化；后两句以「不识」「只缘」因果勾连，由景及理，声情由叙转议而一气贯注。七绝本宜抒情写景，苏轼却以之写哲理，且能不枯不涩、理趣盎然，正是宋诗「以才学为诗、以理入诗」在短章中的成功实践。其声情之从容，恰与其「超然物外」的理思相表里。此诗虽七绝短制，却以绝句的凝练承载理趣厚度。用东韵平声，韵脚峰、同、中绵长舒缓，与游山闲眺、从容说理相合。前两句白描铺陈观察之纷繁，对仗自然，于齐言中见变化；后两句以不识只缘因果勾连，由景及理，声情由叙转议而一气贯注。七绝本宜抒情写景，苏轼却以之写哲理且理趣盎然，是宋诗以理入诗在短章中的成功实践，声情从容与其超然物外之思相表里。

Line by line

横看成岭侧成峰，远近高低各不同。

Viewed from the side, it is a range; from the end, a peak. From far, near, high, low, it looks different. This sets up the idea that perspective changes perception.

横着看是连绵的岭，侧着看却成陡峭的峰；远近视点、高低位置不同，景象便各各不同。

From the side it is a range, from the end a peak; far or near, high or low, the view is never the same.

起笔两句写游山之实感，却已暗藏全诗的理思内核。「横看」得岭之绵延，「侧看」得峰之峭拔，同一山而因视角殊异呈现两种面目；「远近高低」更将视角推至四维，结论是「各不同」——局部所见皆真却皆偏。这二句纯为白描，不著一理字，却把「立场决定认识」这一现象写得如在目前。它为后两句的飞跃铺设了坚实的经验基础：正因为横侧远近所见各别，才引出「为何总看不全」的追问。对仗工稳、叠词自然（成岭成峰、各不同），于平易中见观察之细，是宋诗「即物穷理」笔法的典型开场。

The opening two lines write the mountain-walking's real feeling, and yet already secretly storing the whole poem's reason-core. The sideways-view gets the range's stretch, the end-view gets the peak's steepness, the same mountain and yet the viewpoint's differing's presenting two faces; the far-near-high-low further pushing the viewpoint to four dimensions, the conclusion's each-different — the local seen all true and yet all partial. These two lines pure plain description, not landing one reason word, and yet writing the standpoint-determines-perception phenomenon's as-in-present-eye. It for the below two lines' leap's laying the solid experience foundation: precisely because the sideways-end-far-near seen's each-different, hence the why's-always-incomplete question's arising. The parallel craft firm and the doubled words natural (range-formed-and-peak-formed, each-different), within the plainness seeing the observation's fineness, the Song poem's thing-examined-and-reason-exhausted brush's typical opening.

不识庐山真面目，只缘身在此山中。

I cannot tell the true shape of Mount Lu, because I am inside the mountain. This shifts from observation to philosophical reflection, revealing the cognitive limitation of being inside a situation.

之所以认不清庐山真正的面目，只因为自身正处在这座山中。

I cannot know the true face of Mount Lu, only because I am within the mountain.

结拍两句由景入理，是全诗灵魂。「不识庐山真面目」一语双关，既叹看不全山的真实全貌，又暗指看不清事物本来面目这一普遍困境；「只缘身在此山中」以「只缘」点出因果——局限正来自观察者自身陷于其中、受制于局部立场。这一收束将具体的看山经验升华为认知论的箴言：人往往因身处局中、执于一隅而昧于全体，唯有跳脱立场方能得真。它近禅家「本来面目」之机锋，又合「当局者迷」之俗语，理从景出、不落说教。此句凝为成语流传千古，是其艺术与思想双重成功的明证。

The closing two lines from the scene to the reason, the whole poem's soul. The cannot-know-the-true-face-of-Mount-Lu's double meaning, at once sighing the mountain's true whole's incomplete view, and secretly referring to the thing's true-face's unseeable general predicament; only-because-I-am-within-the-mountain using the only-because for the cause-pointing — the limitation precisely from the observer's within-and-bound-by-the-local-standpoint. This close turning the concrete mountain-watching experience into the epistemological maxim: the person often because of the within-the-game and the one-corner's adherence's blindness to the whole, only by the standpoint's leaping-away able to get the truth. It near the Chan school's original-face's sword-point, and matching the insider's-dilemma proverb, the reason from the scene's arising and not landing the moralizing. This line's condensed into the through-the-ages idiom, its art-and-thought double success's proof.

Study

Word focus

缘 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. 「只缘身在此山中」之「缘」字，意为「因为、由于」，是全诗因果逻辑的枢纽。前句「不识真面目」是果，此字引出的「身在此山中」是根由，一字而完成由现象到原因的收束。它看似寻常虚词，却重量十足：认识的偏差不在外物之诡，而在主体之「在局中」——这一归因把责任拉回观察者自身，使哲理更具自反性力量。若易以「因」「为」虽义近而少蕴藉，「缘」字更见口语的天然与宋诗「尚易」之风，平淡中藏锋，是炼虚字以绾合全篇的范例。

真面目 true face - personification of the mountain 「不识庐山真面目」中「真面目」三字，是全诗由景转理的关键词，亦是最具文化张力的语汇。它本指山的真实全貌，却巧妙双关佛家「本来面目」（清净自性、真实本体），使一首纪游诗平添禅机深度。更因这句诗，「真面目」由具体词义固化为汉语成语，泛指事物的真实全貌或人的本性。一词而兼写山、写心、写理，由实入虚、由物及道，足见苏轼熔释理于景语的功力。它让此诗超越单纯的「看山」描写，成为关于认知局限的永恒隐喻。