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宋 Song · 词 Ci lyric

怨王孙·湖上风来波浩渺

Tune: Yuan Wang Sun — On the Lake the Wind Comes, Waves Vast and Dim

李清照

Li Qingzhao

秋景Autumn Scene 闺情Boudoir Feeling

湖上风来波浩渺。
秋已暮、红稀香少。
水光山色与人亲,说不尽、无穷好。
莲子已成荷叶老。
青露洗、苹花汀草。
眠沙鸥鹭不回头,似也恨、人归早。

On the lake the wind comes, waves vast and dim.
Autumn is late; reds are sparse, fragrance few.
The water's light and the hills' hue are intimate with me — beyond telling, endless good.
The lotus seeds are formed, the lotus leaves old.
Green dew washes the duckweed blossoms and islet grass.
The gulls and egrets sleeping on the sand do not turn back, as if they too resent that one goes home early.
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Meaning

On the lake the wind stirs vast, dim waves; autumn is late, the reds sparse and the fragrance faint. Yet the water-light and hill-colors are intimate with her, good beyond all telling. The lotus seeds are set, the leaves grown old; green dew washes the duckweed and islet grass. The gulls and egrets sleeping on the sand do not turn their heads, as if they too resent that she goes home so early. It is a lyric of scene-writing-the-attachment — the deep, quiet love for an autumn lake.

湖上风来波浩渺。秋已暮、红稀香少。水光山色与人亲,说不尽、无穷好。莲子已成荷叶老。青露洗、苹花汀草。眠沙鸥鹭不回头,似也恨、人归早。

Appreciation

A famous lyric by Li Qingzhao on an autumn lake, written in the married years (after c.1107, at Qingzhou or Bianjing). The upper stanza paints the lake — vast waves, late autumn, sparse reds, and the intimate water and hills; the lower turns to attachment — lotus gone to seed, dew-washed grass, and gulls that seem to resent her early leaving. 'The water's light and hills' hue are intimate with me' and 'the gulls and egrets… as if they too resent that one goes home early' are lines for the ages, showing her gift of writing attachment through scene.

【白话串讲】 李清照写《怨王孙·湖上风来波浩渺》:“湖上风来波浩渺。秋已暮、红稀香少”——“水光山色与人亲,说不尽、无穷好”——“莲子已成荷叶老”——“眠沙鸥鹭不回头,似也恨、人归早”——她写秋日湖景。 【意象与手法】 此词是李清照写秋湖景色的名篇,写秋暮湖上的水光山色与眠沙鸥鹭,是李清照词中「以景写恋」的名篇。上片写湖景:「湖上风来波浩渺,秋已暮、红稀香少」写秋暮的湖波与红稀香少;「水光山色与人亲,说不尽、无穷好」写水光山色的可亲,是千古名句。下片写恋景:「莲子已成荷叶老,青露洗、苹花汀草」写莲老荷残与苹花汀草;「眠沙鸥鹭不回头,似也恨、人归早」写眠沙鸥鹭不回头、似恨人归早,是千古名句。全词以秋湖的萧瑟写恋景的深情,那「水光山色与人亲」「似也恨、人归早」写尽对秋湖的留恋,是李清照「以景写恋」的名篇。 【情感与主旨】 此词约作于李清照婚后(约 1107 年后,居青州或汴京期间)的深秋,写秋暮湖上的景色与留恋。李清照婚后与赵明诚居青州(或汴京),常游湖赏景。此词即写其深秋游湖、恋景忘归。词中「湖上风来波浩渺,秋已暮、红稀香少」写秋暮的湖波——湖上风来波浩渺,秋已暮、红稀香少,写尽秋湖的浩渺与萧瑟(花红稀疏、香气渐少);「水光山色与人亲,说不尽、无穷好」写水光山色的可亲——水光山色与人亲,说不尽无穷好,那「与人亲」写尽湖景的可亲(水光山色如与人亲近),写尽对秋湖的喜爱;下片「莲子已成荷叶老,青露洗、苹花汀草」写莲老荷残与苹花汀草——莲子已成荷叶老,青露洗苹花汀草,写尽秋湖的景物(莲子已成、荷叶已老、苹花汀草被青露洗过);「眠沙鸥鹭不回头,似也恨、人归早」写眠沙鸥鹭似恨人归早——眠沙鸥鹭不回头,似也恨人归早,那「似也恨、人归早」写尽鸥鹭似恨人归早的拟人(连鸥鹭都似在怪人归得太早),写尽对秋湖的留恋。全词以秋湖的萧瑟写恋景的深情,那「水光山色与人亲」「似也恨、人归早」写尽对秋湖的留恋,是李清照「以景写恋」的名篇。 【名句点睛】 常考“水光山色与人亲,说不尽、无穷好”写水光山色的可亲;“眠沙鸥鹭不回头,似也恨、人归早”写似恨人归早,是千古名句。

Background

Written in deep autumn of her married years (after c.1107, at Qingzhou or Bianjing), a lyric on the autumn lake. After marrying Zhao Mingcheng, the couple lived at Qingzhou, enjoying antiquities and outings; this poem captures a late-autumn lakeside visit where she lingers reluctant to leave. 'On the lake the wind comes, waves vast and dim; autumn is late, reds sparse, fragrance few' sets the vast, bleak autumn lake; 'the water's light and hills' hue are intimate with me, beyond telling, endless good' the lovable scene; 'lotus seeds formed, leaves old; green dew washes duckweed and islet grass' the mature, fresh details; 'gulls and egrets sleeping on sand do not turn back, as if they too resent that one goes home early' the personified birds that seem to blame her early departure — all expressing her attachment to the lake. It is a key work for understanding her married-life mood and scene-writing-attachment craft.

此词约作于李清照婚后(约 1107 年后,居青州或汴京期间)的深秋,是李清照写秋湖景色的词。李清照(1084-约1155)号易安居士,十八岁嫁赵明诚,婚后夫妻恩爱。约大观元年(1107)后,赵明诚屏居青州(今山东青州),李清照随居,夫妻共同金石书画、游赏山水。此词即写其深秋游湖、恋景忘归。词中「湖上风来波浩渺,秋已暮、红稀香少」写秋暮的湖波——「湖上风来波浩渺」写湖上风来,波光浩渺(那秋风吹过湖面,波光浩渺),「秋已暮、红稀香少」写秋已暮、红稀香少(秋已将尽,红花稀疏、香气渐少),那「波浩渺」写尽秋湖的浩渺、「红稀香少」写尽秋暮的萧瑟;「水光山色与人亲,说不尽、无穷好」写水光山色的可亲——「水光山色与人亲」写水光山色与人亲(那水光山色,如与人亲近),「说不尽、无穷好」写说不尽无穷好(那秋湖的美好,说不尽),那「与人亲」写尽湖景的可亲(水光山色如与人亲近)、「说不尽无穷好」写尽对秋湖的喜爱;下片「莲子已成荷叶老,青露洗、苹花汀草」写莲老荷残与苹花汀草——「莲子已成荷叶老」写莲子已成、荷叶已老(那莲子结成了,荷叶已老),「青露洗、苹花汀草」写青露洗苹花汀草(那青露洗过苹花与汀草),那「莲子已成荷叶老」写尽秋湖的成熟与萧瑟、「青露洗苹花汀草」写尽秋湖的清新;「眠沙鸥鹭不回头,似也恨、人归早」写眠沙鸥鹭似恨人归早——「眠沙鸥鹭不回头」写眠沙鸥鹭不回头(那眠在沙滩上的鸥鹭,不回头),「似也恨、人归早」写似也恨人归早(那鸥鹭似也在恨人归得太早),那「眠沙鸥鹭不回头」写尽鸥鹭的拟人(不回头,如不舍)、「似也恨、人归早」写尽鸥鹭似恨人归早的拟人,写尽对秋湖的留恋。此词是李清照「以景写恋」的名篇,那「水光山色与人亲」「似也恨、人归早」写尽对秋湖的留恋,是理解其「婚后生活心境」的关键作品。

Art

Four levels: First, the conception of writing attachment through scene — the intimate water-hills and the 'as if they resent' gulls embody her reluctance to leave, blending scene and feeling. Second, personification — 'intimate with me' gives the landscape a human closeness; 'as if they too resent' gives the birds feeling, both personifications of attachment. Third, writing late autumn through 'reds sparse, fragrance few' and 'lotus seeds formed, leaves old' — the bleak yet ripe details form the ground of the intimate scene. Fourth, closing with 'as if they too resent that one goes home early' — the personified birds, with a long aftertaste, condense the reluctant leave-taking. These make it a classic of scene-writing-attachment.

此词的艺术特色可从四个层面解析。其一,以景写恋的构思。全词以秋湖的景色写恋景的深情——那「水光山色与人亲」写湖景的可亲,「似也恨、人归早」写鸥鹭似恨人归早,那「与人亲」「似也恨」写尽对秋湖的留恋,以景写恋、情景交融。其二,以拟人写湖景。「水光山色与人亲」「眠沙鸥鹭不回头,似也恨、人归早」以「与人亲」写水光山色的拟人(那湖景如与人亲近),以「似也恨」写鸥鹭的拟人(那鸥鹭似也在恨人归早),那「与人亲」「似也恨」写尽湖景与鸥鹭的拟人,写尽对秋湖的留恋。其三,以「红稀香少」「莲子已成荷叶老」写秋暮。「秋已暮、红稀香少」「莲子已成荷叶老」以「红稀香少」「莲子已成荷叶老」写秋暮的萧瑟——那红花稀疏、香气渐少、莲子已成、荷叶已老,写尽秋暮的景物,正是「水光山色与人亲」的底色(秋虽萧瑟,湖景可亲)。其四,以「似也恨、人归早」写收束。「眠沙鸥鹭不回头,似也恨、人归早」以「不回头」「似也恨」写鸥鹭的拟人,以「人归早」写恋景的不舍——那鸥鹭似在怪人归得太早,写尽对秋湖的留恋,以拟人收束、余味悠长。四重手法层层推进,使此词成为李清照词中「以景写恋」的名篇。

Allusions

The imagery is rooted in the traditions of scene-painting and attachment. 'Waves vast and dim' evokes Meng Haoran's lake poetry; 'autumn is late' the late-autumn tradition (Du Fu); 'reds sparse, fragrance few' echoes her own 'green fat, red thin' and 'red gone, fragrance spent.' 'Water's light and hills' hue' echoes Su Shi's 'the water shimmering bright, hills veiled in mist'; 'intimate with me' echoes Xin Qiji's 'I see the green hills so charming, surely they see me too' — a state of self and thing intimate. 'Lotus seeds formed, leaves old' echoes Li Shangyin's 'keep the withered lotus to hear the rain' and the 'lotus leaves so lush' of Yuefu. 'Green dew washes' echoes the dew imagery and her own 'clear dew flows at dawn.' 'Gulls and egrets sleeping on sand' evokes Fan Zhongyan's 'sand gulls gather, scale-fish swim' and Du Fu's 'a lone gull between heaven and earth'; 'as if they too resent' the personifying tradition. Drawing on Su Shi, Du Fu, Tao Yuanming, Xin Qiji and her own Ru Meng Ling, she writes attachment through scene and personification.

此词的意象与用语深植于写景与恋景传统。「湖上风来波浩渺,秋已暮、红稀香少」写秋暮的湖波——「湖上风来波浩渺」写湖上风来、波光浩渺(「浩渺」写水波浩大渺远,令人想到「烟波浩渺」的意象与「气蒸云梦泽,波撼岳阳城」(孟浩然《望洞庭湖赠张丞相》)的湖波意象),「秋已暮」写秋已将尽(令人想到「暮秋」的意象与「无边落木萧萧下,不尽长江滚滚来」(杜甫《登高》)的秋暮意象),「红稀香少」写红花稀疏、香气渐少(令人想到「绿肥红瘦」(李清照《如梦令》)的红稀意象与「红消香断」(林黛玉《葬花吟》)的香少意象),那「红稀香少」写尽秋暮的萧瑟。「水光山色与人亲,说不尽、无穷好」写水光山色的可亲——「水光山色」写水光与山色(令人想到「水光潋滟晴方好,山色空蒙雨亦奇」(苏轼《饮湖上初晴后雨》)的水光山色意象),「与人亲」写与人亲(那「与人亲」令人想到「我见青山多妩媚,料青山见我应如是」(辛弃疾《贺新郎》)的山人相亲意象——那水光山色与人亲,正是「物我相亲」的境界),「说不尽、无穷好」写说不尽无穷好(令人想到「此中有真意,欲辨已忘言」(陶渊明《饮酒》)的说不尽意象),那「水光山色与人亲」写尽湖景的可亲。「莲子已成荷叶老,青露洗、苹花汀草」写莲老荷残与苹花汀草——「莲子已成荷叶老」写莲子已成、荷叶已老(那「莲子已成」写秋的成熟、「荷叶老」写秋的萧瑟,令人想到「留得残荷听雨声」(李商隐《宿骆氏亭寄怀崔雍崔衮》)的残荷意象与「莲叶何田田」的荷意象),「青露洗、苹花汀草」写青露洗过苹花汀草(那「青露洗」写青露洗涤,令人想到「露似真珠月似弓」的露意象与「清露晨流,新桐初引」的青露意象,「苹花汀草」写水中的苹花与汀上的草,令人想到「汀洲」的意象),那「莲子已成荷叶老」写尽秋湖的成熟与萧瑟、「青露洗苹花汀草」写尽秋湖的清新。「眠沙鸥鹭不回头,似也恨、人归早」写眠沙鸥鹭似恨人归早——「眠沙鸥鹭」写眠在沙滩上的鸥鹭(令人想到「沙鸥翔集,锦鳞游泳」(范仲淹《岳阳楼记》)的沙鸥意象与「飘飘何所似,天地一沙鸥」(杜甫《旅夜书怀》)的沙鸥意象),「不回头」写不回头(那鸥鹭不回头,如不舍,令人想到「回也不改其乐」的反用与「不回头」的拟人),「似也恨、人归早」写似也恨人归早(那「似也恨」写鸥鹭的拟人,令人想到「花若离枝」的拟人传统与「恨人归早」的恋景意象——那鸥鹭似恨人归早,正如「落花犹似坠楼人」的物亦有情),那「眠沙鸥鹭不回头,似也恨、人归早」写尽鸥鹭似恨人归早的拟人,写尽对秋湖的留恋。全词化用苏轼、杜甫、陶渊明、辛弃疾(及李清照自己的《如梦令》)的意象与传统,以景写恋、以拟人写景,正是李清照「以景写恋」的本领。

Commentary

Long esteemed as Li Qingzhao's masterpiece of scene-writing-attachment, source of 'the water's light and hills' hue are intimate with me, beyond telling, endless good' and 'the gulls and egrets sleeping on sand do not turn back, as if they too resent that one goes home early.' Critics note it uses the autumn lake to write deep attachment — the intimate scene and the personified gulls. Its special value: the vast, bleak autumn lake against the intimate, endless good of water and hills, and above all the closing line where the gulls seem to resent her early leaving — even the birds are loath for her to go, the very height of attachment. 'Water's light and hills' hue intimate with me' is a famous line of lovable scene; 'gulls and egrets… as if they too resent' a famous line of personified attachment. Alongside Ru Meng Ling (remember the creek pavilion at dusk), it is a lake-lyric — one the intoxication of youth, this the lingering of a married woman.

此词历来被推为李清照「以景写恋」的名篇,也是「水光山色与人亲,说不尽、无穷好」「眠沙鸥鹭不回头,似也恨、人归早」等名句的出处。历代论者对此词评价较高:论者多指出此词以秋湖的景色写恋景的深情,以「水光山色与人亲」写湖景的可亲,以「似也恨、人归早」写鸥鹭似恨人归早,是李清照写景词中的佳作。在文学史上,此词的特殊价值在于:它以秋湖写出了恋景的深情——那「湖上风来波浩渺,秋已暮、红稀香少」写尽了秋湖的浩渺与萧瑟(波光浩渺、红稀香少),那「水光山色与人亲,说不尽、无穷好」写尽了湖景的可亲(那水光山色,如与人亲近,说不尽的好),那「莲子已成荷叶老,青露洗、苹花汀草」写尽了秋湖的景物(莲子已成、荷叶已老、苹花汀草被青露洗过);而那「眠沙鸥鹭不回头,似也恨、人归早」更是千古名句——那眠在沙滩上的鸥鹭,不回头,似也在恨人归得太早,那「似也恨」的拟人,写尽了连鸥鹭都不舍人归、正是对秋湖的留恋——那秋湖的美,好到连鸥鹭都似在怪人归早,写尽恋景的深情。词中「水光山色与人亲,说不尽、无穷好」写湖景可亲,是千古名句;「眠沙鸥鹭不回头,似也恨、人归早」写鸥鹭似恨人归早,更是千古名句。此词与李清照的《如梦令》(「常记溪亭日暮,沉醉不知归路」)一样,都是写游湖的名篇,一写「溪亭日暮」的沉醉,一写「湖上风来」的恋景;一写少女的沉醉,一写少妇的留恋。对于今日读者,此词是理解李清照「婚后生活心境」与「以景写恋」手法的窗口,也是感受中国词「物我相亲」传统的典范——那浩渺的湖波、可亲的水光山色、似恨人归早的鸥鹭,穿越千年,仍在诉说着一个词人对秋湖的留恋。

Prosody

Form Lyric (Tune: Yuan Wang Sun; double mode, fifty-four characters)词(怨王孙,双调五十四字)
Rhyme The upper stanza rhymes with the oblique-tone xiao/hao rhymes (dim, few, good); the lower with the oblique-tone xiao/hao rhymes (old, grass, early). The rhymes are oblique, short and bright, suiting the scene-and-attachment style.上片押仄声筱皓韵(渺、少、好),下片押仄声筱皓韵(老、草、早),韵脚皆属仄声,韵音短促明快,正合其写景恋景的风格。
Tone pattern The tune Yuan Wang Sun, double mode of fifty-four characters, three oblique rhymes per stanza, its uneven lines serving the emotion. Two stanzas: upper on the lake scene; lower on attachment. The uneven long-short lines — the unfolding 'On the lake the wind comes, waves vast and dim' against the compact 'beyond telling, endless good' — trace the scene's rise; the oblique rhymes, short and bright, suit the style.此词为「怨王孙」词牌,双调五十四字,上下片各三仄韵,以长短句的错落为抒情服务。全词按内容可分为两片:上片写湖景(湖上风来波浩渺、秋已暮红稀香少、水光山色与人亲、说不尽无穷好);下片写恋景(莲子已成荷叶老、青露洗苹花汀草、眠沙鸥鹭不回头、似也恨人归早)。声调上,全词以长短句的错落(「湖上风来波浩渺」的舒展与「说不尽、无穷好」的紧凑)写湖景的起伏,韵脚皆属仄声,韵音短促明快,正合其写景恋景的风格。
Reading note A Yuan Wang Sun short lyric using uneven lines to write autumn lake and attached feeling — Li Qingzhao's gift of scene through the lyric. Two stanzas: upper lake scene, lower attachment. Oblique-tone rhymes, short and bright, matching the intimate 'water's light and hills' hue' and the reluctant 'as if they too resent.' Read the upper brightly, the lower with deep, playful feeling — especially the closing gulls line, playful yet deep, to convey her scene-writing-attachment.此词是「怨王孙」双调小令,以长短句的错落写秋湖景色与恋景深情,正是李清照「以词写景」的本领。全词两片:上片写湖景(湖上风来波浩渺、红稀香少、水光山色与人亲、说不尽无穷好),下片写恋景(莲子已成荷叶老、青露洗苹花汀草、眠沙鸥鹭不回头、似也恨人归早)。声调上,全词以仄声韵为韵脚,韵音短促明快,配合「水光山色与人亲」的可亲与「似也恨、人归早」的不舍,全篇音节明快而不失深情。诵读此词,宜以明快的语调读上片的湖景(水光山色与人亲),以深情而俏皮的语调读下片的恋景(似也恨、人归早),尤其「眠沙鸥鹭不回头,似也恨、人归早」两句,要读得俏皮而深情,方能传达出李清照「以景写恋」的深意。李清照词以「婉约」著称,此词正是其「以景写恋」的经典。

Line by line

水光山色与人亲,说不尽、无穷好。

The water's light and the hills' hue are intimate with me — beyond all telling, endless good. (A famous line: 'intimate with me' personifies the landscape as a beloved companion, a state of self and thing intimate; 'beyond telling, endless good' conveys a love that words cannot exhaust. Set against the bleak 'reds sparse, fragrance few,' the intimate scene shows her peculiar affection for the autumn lake.)

水光山色与人亲近,说不尽那无穷的好。

Water light and mountain hue are friendly to man; their endless beauty cannot be told in words.

这两句是写湖景可亲的名句,也是千古名句,以「与人亲」写水光山色的拟人,以「说不尽、无穷好」写对秋湖的喜爱,清新而深情。「水光山色与人亲」写水光山色的可亲——那水光山色,如与人亲近,「水光山色」写湖光山色(那「水光山色」令人想到「水光潋滟晴方好,山色空蒙雨亦奇」),「与人亲」写与人亲(那水光山色,如与人亲近——不是疏远的景,而是可亲的景),那「水光山色与人亲」写尽湖景的可亲(那秋湖的水光山色,如一位可亲的友人);「说不尽、无穷好」写说不尽无穷好——那秋湖的好,说不尽、无穷,「说不尽」写说不尽(那美好无法说尽),「无穷好」写无穷的好(那美好无穷无尽),那「说不尽、无穷好」写尽对秋湖的喜爱。这两句的深意在于:它以「与人亲」写出了湖景的可亲——那「水光山色与人亲」的「与人亲」,正是「物我相亲」的境界(水光山色如与人亲近,正如「我见青山多妩媚,料青山见我应如是」),写尽秋湖的可亲;而那「说不尽、无穷好」更写尽对秋湖的喜爱——那秋湖的美好,说不尽、无穷,正是「此中有真意,欲辨已忘言」的喜爱;而这两句与「秋已暮、红稀香少」对照——那秋虽萧瑟(红稀香少),水光山色却与人亲(湖景可亲),正是「秋暮」中的「无穷好」,写尽李清照对秋湖的独特喜爱(不因秋暮而减其好)。以「与人亲」写可亲、以「说不尽、无穷好」写喜爱,正是李清照「以拟人写景」的本领,也让这两句成为千古名句。

These two lines are a famous description of the lovableness of lake scenery, personifying water and hills as 'friendly to man' and 'endless beauty beyond words,' fresh and deeply felt. 'Water light and mountain hue are friendly to man' refuses to keep the scenery at a distance: it is not alien landscape but scenery drawn near, a friend — recalling Su Shi's 'water bright on a sunny day, misty hills in rain.' It reaches the state of 'thing and self drawn close,' echoing 'I see the green hills so charming, and fancy they see me so too.' 'Endless beauty beyond words' exhausts the love for the autumn lake: its goodness cannot be told, is without end, like 'there is a true meaning here, but I wished to tell it and forgot the words.' Set against 'autumn's late hour, red sparse and scent fading,' the point is that, though autumn is bleak, the water and hills are still friendly — an 'endless beauty' within late autumn, showing Li Qingzhao's peculiar love for the autumn lake, undiminished by the season's decline. Personifying scenery through 'friendly to man' and voicing love through 'beauty beyond words' is her signature craft, and these lines have become famous across the ages.

眠沙鸥鹭不回头,似也恨、人归早。

The gulls and egrets sleeping on the sand do not turn back, as if they too resent that one goes home early. (The poem's finishing line: the birds 'do not turn back' as if reluctant, 'as if they too resent' personifies them — even the gulls seem to blame her for leaving too soon, which only mirrors her own attachment. The 'as if' keeps it tender and implicit, the extreme of self and thing intimate.)

眠在沙滩上的鸥鹭不回头,似也在恨人归得太早。

Gulls and egrets sleeping on the sand do not turn their heads; they seem to resent that man goes home too soon.

这两句是全词的点睛之笔,也是千古名句,以「不回头」「似也恨」写鸥鹭的拟人,以「人归早」写恋景的不舍,含蓄而深情。「眠沙鸥鹭不回头」写鸥鹭不回头——那眠在沙滩上的鸥鹭,不回头,「眠沙鸥鹭」写眠在沙滩上的鸥鹭(那鸥鹭眠在沙滩上,正是湖边的景致),「不回头」写不回头(那鸥鹭不回头,如不舍——不是视而不见,而是如不舍人归),那「眠沙鸥鹭不回头」写尽鸥鹭的不舍;「似也恨、人归早」写鸥鹭似恨人归早——那鸥鹭似也在恨人归得太早,「似也恨」写似也在恨(那「似也恨」写鸥鹭的拟人——鸥鹭似也在恨),「人归早」写人归得太早(那人归得太早),那「似也恨、人归早」写尽鸥鹭似恨人归早的拟人——连鸥鹭都似在怪人归得太早,写尽对秋湖的留恋。这两句的深意在于:它以「不回头」「似也恨」写出了鸥鹭的拟人与恋景的不舍——那「眠沙鸥鹭不回头」的「不回头」,如鸥鹭不舍人归(不回头,正是舍不得回头);那「似也恨、人归早」的「似也恨」,更写尽鸥鹭的拟人(连鸥鹭都似在怪人归得太早)——那鸥鹭尚知恋景,何况人呢?写尽对秋湖的留恋;而更深一层,那「似也恨、人归早」以鸥鹭的「恨」写人的「恋」——不是人直接说「不愿归」,而是借鸥鹭「似也恨人归早」来说「人更恋景」,那「似也恨」的拟人,写尽恋景的深情——那秋湖的美,好到连鸥鹭都似在怪人归早,正是「物我相亲」的极致;那「不回头」的鸥鹭、「似也恨」的拟人,写尽李清照对秋湖的留恋与不舍。以「不回头」写不舍、以「似也恨」写拟人、以「人归早」写留恋,正是李清照「以拟人写恋景」的本领,也让这两句成为千古名句。

These two lines are the illuminating stroke of the ci, personifying the gulls and egrets through 'do not turn their heads' and 'seem to resent,' voicing reluctance to leave through 'man goes home too soon,' restrained and deep. 'Gulls and egrets sleeping on the sand do not turn their heads' — the birds roosting on the lakeshore refuse to look back, as if unwilling rather than unseeing. 'They seem to resent that man goes home too soon' — even the birds seem to complain that the traveler leaves too early. The depth lies in the personification and the reluctance: the 'do not turn back' is the birds' unwillingness to see him go; the 'seem to resent' carries it further — if the egrets know how to love the scene, how much more the man. More subtly, the birds' 'resentment' stands for the man's 'longing': he does not say 'I do not wish to return' directly but lends the birds' seeming resentment to say that he loves the scene still more. The lake's beauty is so great that even the gulls seem to grudge his early leave — the height of 'thing and self drawn close.' Writing reluctance through 'do not turn back,' personification through 'seem to resent,' and longing through 'home too soon' is Li Qingzhao's art of voicing attachment through personified birds, and makes these lines famous.

Study

Word focus

亲 Intimate / close. The word that makes the scene lovable: 'the water's light and hills' hue are intimate with me' — 'intimate' gives the landscape a human nearness, a state of self and thing intimate (as in Xin Qiji's 'I see the green hills charming, they see me too'). It fuses the scene's approachability with the speaker's attachment. 'Near' or 'dear' would lose the mutual, personifying quality; only 'intimate' carries both the closeness and the self-thing union. 「亲」字是写湖景可亲的关键字,一个「亲」字写尽水光山色的拟人与可亲,清新而深情。亲者,亲近、亲切也。李清照以「水光山色与人亲」写湖景,一个「亲」字,至少有双重意味:其一,写湖景之可亲——「与人亲」写水光山色与人亲近,「亲」写亲近——那水光山色,如与人亲近(不是疏远的景,而是可亲的景),那「亲」字写尽湖景的可亲——那秋湖的水光山色,如一位可亲的友人,令人亲近;其二,写物我之相亲——「亲」暗写物我相亲——那「水光山色与人亲」的「亲」,正是「物我相亲」的境界(水光山色如与人亲近,正如「我见青山多妩媚,料青山见我应如是」),那「亲」字写尽物我相亲的深意——不是人单方面喜爱湖景,而是湖景也与人亲近,那「亲」字写尽「物我一体」的境界。以「亲」写湖景,正是李清照炼字的本领:一个「亲」字,既是写湖景的可亲(水光山色如与人亲近),也是写物我相亲(湖景与人相亲),更是写恋景的深情(正因为可亲,才说不尽无穷好、才似恨人归早)——那「亲」字,把湖景的可亲与恋景的深情融为一体。若换作「近」「好」等字,则或失其「亲近」的拟人,或失其「物我相亲」的深意;唯「亲」字,以一字写尽湖景的可亲与物我相亲的境界,也让「水光山色与人亲」成为千古名句。
似也恨 As if they too resent. Three words of personification: 'the gulls and egrets sleeping on sand do not turn back, as if they too resent that one goes home early' — 'as if they too resent' attributes human feeling to the birds; the 'as if' keeps it a tender surmise (not literal), and the 'too' aligns the birds with the speaker's own reluctance. It writes attachment through the birds' supposed resentment, the extreme of self and thing intimate. 「似也恨」三字是写鸥鹭拟人的关键,以「似也恨」写鸥鹭似恨人归早的拟人,含蓄而深情。似也恨,似也在恨也。李清照以「眠沙鸥鹭不回头,似也恨、人归早」写鸥鹭,一个「似也恨」,至少有双重意味:其一,写鸥鹭之拟人——「似也恨、人归早」写鸥鹭似也在恨人归早,「似也恨」写似也在恨——那「似也恨」以「似」写揣测(那鸥鹭「似」在恨,是人的揣测),以「也」写也(那鸥鹭也「在恨」,与人一样),那「似也恨」写尽鸥鹭的拟人——那眠沙的鸥鹭,似也在恨人归得太早,正是「物亦有情」的拟人;其二,写恋景之深情——「似也恨」暗写恋景的深情——那「似也恨人归早」的「恨」,不是鸥鹭的恨,而是人的恋(借鸥鹭之「恨」写人之「恋」),那「似也恨」写尽恋景的深情——那秋湖的美,好到连鸥鹭都似在怪人归早,正是「物我相亲」的极致。以「似也恨」写鸥鹭,正是李清照炼字的本领:那「似也恨」三字,既是写鸥鹭的拟人(似在恨人归早),也是写恋景的深情(借鸥鹭之恨写人之恋),更是写「物我相亲」的境界(连鸥鹭都知恋景)——那「似也恨」的「似」,写尽揣测的含蓄(不是鸥鹭真恨,而是似恨,正是「我」的留恋所寄),写尽恋景的深情。若换作「也怪」「却恨」等词,则或失其「似」的含蓄,或失其「揣测」的深情;唯「似也恨」三字,以三字写尽鸥鹭的拟人与恋景的深情,也让「似也恨、人归早」成为千古名句。

Related Reading

如梦令·常记溪亭日暮 Tune: Ru Meng Ling — I Often Recall the Creek Pavilion at Dusk 李清照 · 同词人写游湖恋景,一写溪亭一写秋湖 Same poet on lake-lingering — one creek pavilion, one autumn lake

Ru Meng Ling, 'I often recall the creek pavilion at dusk, so drunk I lost the way home' and 'rowing back, I strayed deep into the lotus thicket,' writes the creek-pavilion intoxication, a famous early lake lyric. This Yuan Wang Sun writes the autumn lake's 'water's light and hills' hue intimate with me' and 'as if they too resent that one goes home early,' a married-life lake-lingering lyric. Both on lake-lingering: one the 'drunk, lost the way' of youth, this the 'as if they resent' of a married woman; one the joy of 'strayed into lotus,' this the deep feeling of 'gulls resent early leaving.'

《如梦令·常记溪亭日暮》「常记溪亭日暮,沉醉不知归路」「兴尽晚回舟,误入藕花深处」写溪亭日暮的沉醉,是李清照早年写游湖的名篇。此词《怨王孙·湖上风来波浩渺》则「水光山色与人亲,说不尽、无穷好」「似也恨、人归早」,写秋湖的恋景,是李清照写游湖的名篇。同为写游湖恋景,一写「沉醉不知归路」的少女沉醉(如梦令),一写「似也恨、人归早」的少妇留恋(怨王孙);一写「误入藕花深处」的欢愉,一写「眠沙鸥鹭不回头」的深情。两词对读,可见李清照写游湖的两种心境——少女的沉醉与少妇的留恋。

饮湖上初晴后雨 Drinking on the Lake, First Clear then Rain 苏轼 · 同为写水光山色,一诗一词 Both on water-light and hill-hue — one poem, one lyric

Su Shi's Drinking on the Lake, 'The water shimmering bright is fine when the sun shines; the hills veiled in mist are wondrous too in rain. If we would compare West Lake to the beauty Xi Zi, light makeup or heavy, always fitting,' writes West Lake's water-light and hill-hue, a famous lake poem. Li Qingzhao's Yuan Wang Sun writes 'the water's light and hills' hue are intimate with me,' an autumn lake's water-light and hill-hue, a famous lake lyric. Both on water-light and hill-hue: Su Shi compares West Lake to Xi Zi (light or heavy makeup always fitting), Li Qingzhao makes the autumn lake 'intimate with me' — one metaphor, this personification.

苏轼《饮湖上初晴后雨》「水光潋滟晴方好,山色空蒙雨亦奇。欲把西湖比西子,淡妆浓抹总相宜」写西湖的水光山色,是咏西湖的名篇。李清照《怨王孙·湖上风来波浩渺》则「水光山色与人亲,说不尽、无穷好」,写秋湖的水光山色,是咏湖的名篇。同为写水光山色,苏轼以「西子」比西湖(淡妆浓抹总相宜),李清照以「与人亲」写秋湖(水光山色与人亲);一写西湖的晴雨之美,一写秋湖的可亲。诗与词对读,可见「水光山色」意象的两种笔法——苏轼的比喻与李清照的拟人。

贺新郎·甚矣吾衰矣 Tune: He Xin Lang — Alas, How I Have Declined 辛弃疾 · 同为写物我相亲,一写青山一写水光 Both on self and thing intimate — one green hills, one water-light

Xin Qiji's He Xin Lang, 'I see the green hills so charming, surely they see me too,' writes the intimacy of man and green hills, a famous Song line on self and thing intimate. Li Qingzhao's Yuan Wang Sun writes 'the water's light and hills' hue are intimate with me,' the intimacy of lake-scene and person, a famous Song line on self and thing intimate. Both on self and thing intimate: Xin Qiji 'I see the hills charming, they see me too' (I see hills, hills see me), Li Qingzhao 'water-light and hill-hue intimate with me' (scene intimate with me); one the mutual gazing of man and hills, this the closeness of lake and person.

辛弃疾《贺新郎·甚矣吾衰矣》「我见青山多妩媚,料青山见我应如是」写人与青山的相亲,是宋词中写「物我相亲」的名句。李清照《怨王孙·湖上风来波浩渺》则「水光山色与人亲,说不尽、无穷好」,写水光山色与人的相亲,是宋词中写「物我相亲」的名句。同为写物我相亲,辛弃疾「我见青山多妩媚,料青山见我应如是」(我见青山、青山见我),李清照「水光山色与人亲」(水光山色与人亲);一写人与青山的相看,一写湖景与人的相亲。两词对读,可见「物我相亲」传统的两种表达——辛弃疾的相看与李清照的相亲。