宋 Song · 词 Ci lyric
玉楼春·春景
Jade Tower Spring: Spring Scene
东城渐觉风光好，縠皱波纹迎客棹。
绿杨烟外晓寒轻，红杏枝头春意闹。
浮生长恨欢娱少，肯爱千金轻一笑。
为君持酒劝斜阳，且向花间留晚照。
Beyond the green willows' mist the dawn chill is light; on the red apricot branches spring's spirit makes a stir.
In drifting life I always regret too little joy; how could I prize a thousand gold and slight a single smile?
For you I raise wine to beg the setting sun: stay a while in the flowers with your evening light.
Meaning
The lyric celebrates a joyful spring outing east of the city and urges seizing pleasure in the moment, famously bringing spring to life with a single word 'stir.'
城东渐渐觉出风光正好，绉纱般的波纹迎着游人的船棹。绿杨烟霭之外晓寒轻轻，红杏枝头春意喧闹。人生浮泛总恨欢乐太少，怎肯爱惜千金而轻视这一笑？为你执酒劝住那斜阳，且让晚照在花间多留一留。
Appreciation
The lyric captures the abandon of a spring outing east of the city on the Shangsi festival. The upper stanza paints lake light, willows, and red apricots in stir — the phrase 'spring's spirit makes a stir' brings spring's fervor alive with one word. The lower stanza turns from scene to reflection: 'in drifting life too little joy' leads to the idea of cherishing the moment, ending with the whimsical 'raise wine to beg the setting sun, stay in the flowers with evening light,' writing the love of spring as charmingly foolish. The word 'crepe' compares water waves to gauze; 'stir' is a synesthetic stroke, using sound to write visual abundance — a word for the ages; 'beg the sun' personifies, a natural whimsy. It expresses a cherishing of spring light and joy, advocating seizing the moment without decadence — bright and abandon, a rare 'lively' spring lyric in Song ci.
【白话串讲】 “东城渐觉风光好，縠皱波纹迎客棹”——宋祁写春景。“绿杨烟外晓寒轻，红杏枝头春意闹”——“闹”字用得出神入化，他也因此得名“红杏尚书”。“为君持酒劝斜阳，且向花间留晚照”——他劝夕阳慢点下山。 【意象与手法】 “縠皱”喻水波如纱；“闹”字通感，以听觉写视觉之繁盛，炼字千古；“劝斜阳”拟人，奇想天成。 【情感与主旨】 写对春光与欢娱的珍惜，主张及时行乐而不颓废，明朗酣畅，是宋词中少有的“热闹”春词。 【名句点睛】 “红杏枝头春意闹”——一个“闹”字写尽春之蓬勃，遂成宋词炼字的典范，宋祁由此得“红杏尚书”雅号。
Background
Song Qi was a Northern Song man of letters who rose to Minister of Works. This lyric was likely written at a spring banquet east of the city; its famous line 'spring's spirit makes a stir' made him known as the 'Red Apricot Minister.'
《玉楼春·春景》为宋代宋祁所作，是写春日风光、及时行乐之情的词。宋祁（998—1061），字子京，安陆人，宋代文学家。此词：东城渐觉风光好，縠皱波纹迎客棹。绿杨烟外晓寒轻，红杏枝头春意闹。浮生长恨欢娱少，肯爱千金轻一笑。为君持酒劝斜阳，且向花间留晚照。全词写春日风光、及时行乐之情，是宋祁词的名篇。
Art
The Jade Tower Spring is a double-tune lyric. The upper stanza paints spring scene (waves, willows, apricots); the lower expresses the feeling of cherishing the moment. The word 'stir' is a word for the ages; 'beg the sun' is a whimsical personification moving from scene to feeling, abandon and bright.
《玉楼春·春景》艺术上以春日风光的描摹与及时行乐的旷达见长。全词分两片：上片写春日风光——“东城渐觉风光好，縠皱波纹迎客棹”写东城风光好、縠皱波纹迎客棹，“绿杨烟外晓寒轻，红杏枝头春意闹”写绿杨烟外晓寒轻、红杏枝头春意闹；下片写及时行乐——“浮生长恨欢娱少，肯爱千金轻一笑”写浮生长恨欢娱少、肯爱千金轻一笑，“为君持酒劝斜阳，且向花间留晚照”写为君持酒劝斜阳、且向花间留晚照。全词以春日风光写及时行乐之情，正是宋祁词旷达的笔法。
Allusions
Crepe (huzhou) means crinkled gauze, comparing water waves; east city means the eastern suburbs for spring outing; setting sun and evening light mean the passing spring; 'how could prize' means how could one cherish; 'drifting life' means the briefness of human life.
《玉楼春·春景》用典在“縠皱波纹”“红杏枝头春意闹”“浮生”“千金一笑”。“縠皱波纹”写縠皱波纹（细微波纹）；“红杏枝头春意闹”写红杏枝头春意闹（名句）；“浮生”写浮生（《庄子》浮生）；“千金一笑”写千金买笑（周幽王褒姒之典）。全词以这些意象写春日风光、及时行乐之情，用典自然而旷达自见，正是宋祁词的笔法。
Commentary
Tiaoxi Yuyin Conghua records 'spring's spirit makes a stir' as a peerless line through the ages; Wang Guowei's Renjian Cihua praises the single word 'stir' for 'bringing the whole realm into being.'
《玉楼春·春景》是宋祁词的名篇，也是宋词中写春景的代表作。此词写春日风光、及时行乐之情，向为论者称道。论者多赏其春日风光的描摹与及时行乐的旷达——“东城渐觉风光好，縠皱波纹迎客棹”写东城风光好、縠皱波纹迎客棹，旷达之极；“绿杨烟外晓寒轻，红杏枝头春意闹”写绿杨烟外晓寒轻、红杏枝头春意闹，更见其妙；“浮生长恨欢娱少，肯爱千金轻一笑”用千金一笑之典写肯爱千金轻一笑，尤见其达；“为君持酒劝斜阳，且向花间留晚照”写为君持酒劝斜阳、且向花间留晚照，尤见其旷。宋祁因“红杏枝头春意闹”一“闹”字得名红杏尚书，此词正是其代表——以春日风光写及时行乐之情，正是其词风。
Prosody
Line by line
东城渐觉风光好，縠皱波纹迎客棹。
In the east city I gradually feel the fine scenery; ripple like crepe welcome the guests' boats.
东城渐觉风光好，縠皱波纹迎客棹。
East of the city the scenery grows lovely; gauze-soft ripples welcome my boat.
首写东城风光好、縠皱波纹迎客棹，是全词写春日风光的起点。“东城渐觉风光好”写东城渐觉风光好——“东城渐觉风光好”写东城渐渐觉得风光美好——东城渐觉风光好；“縠皱波纹迎客棹”用縠皱波纹之典写縠皱波纹迎客棹——“縠皱波纹迎客棹”用縠皱波纹写细微波纹迎客舟——縠皱波纹迎客棹。二句写东城风光好、縠皱波纹迎客棹：东城渐觉风光好，縠皱波纹迎客棹。以“东城渐觉风光好”写东城春色、渐觉风光之好，以“縠皱波纹迎客棹”用縠皱波纹之典写波纹如縠、迎客舟来，正是宋祁词写春日风光的起点——东城风光，縠皱迎棹。
The opening writes 'east of the city the scenery grows lovely; gauze ripples welcome the boat,' the starting point of the ci's spring scenery. 'East of the city the scenery grows lovely' writes the east-city spring and the deepening beauty. 'Gauze-soft ripples welcome my boat' uses the gauze-ripple allusion to write fine waves greeting the vessel. Two phrases: east-city scenery, gauze ripples welcoming the oar. 'The scenery grows lovely' writes the spring color and the deepening charm; 'gauze ripples welcome the boat' uses the allusion for waves like silk meeting the coming craft. This is precisely Song Qi's starting point of spring scenery — east-city beauty, gauze ripples greeting the oar.
绿杨烟外晓寒轻，红杏枝头春意闹。
Beyond the green willows' mist the dawn chill is light; on the red apricot branches spring's spirit makes a stir.
绿杨烟外晓寒轻，红杏枝头春意闹。
Beyond the green willows and mist, the dawn chill is light; on the red apricot boughs, spring is clamorous.
此二句写绿杨烟外晓寒轻、红杏枝头春意闹，是全词写春景之妙的名句。“绿杨烟外晓寒轻”写绿杨烟外晓寒轻——“绿杨烟外晓寒轻”写绿杨烟外、晓寒轻轻——绿杨烟外晓寒轻；“红杏枝头春意闹”写红杏枝头春意闹——“红杏枝头春意闹”写红杏枝头春意喧闹——红杏枝头春意闹。二句写绿杨烟外晓寒轻、红杏枝头春意闹：绿杨烟外晓寒轻，红杏枝头春意闹。以“绿杨烟外晓寒轻”写绿杨如烟、晓寒轻淡，以“红杏枝头春意闹”写红杏枝头、春意喧闹，正是宋祁词写春景之妙的名句——绿杨晓寒，红杏春闹。
These two write 'beyond green willows and mist the dawn chill light; on red apricot boughs spring clamorous,' the famous line of the ci's spring beauty. 'Beyond the green willows and mist, the dawn chill is light' writes willows like mist and faint morning cold. 'On the red apricot boughs, spring is clamorous' writes the apricot branches and the noisy stir of spring. Two phrases: green willows, dawn chill; red apricots, spring's uproar. 'Beyond green willows and mist, dawn chill light' writes willows veiled and cold faint; 'red apricot boughs, spring clamorous' writes branches alive with bustle. This is precisely Song Qi's famous line of spring scenery — green willows in morning chill, red apricots in spring's uproar.
浮生长恨欢娱少，肯爱千金轻一笑。
Floating life always grieves that joy is rare; how could I grudge a thousand pieces of gold for one light smile?
浮生长恨欢娱少，肯爱千金轻一笑。
Floating life always grieves that pleasure is so rare; who would grudge a thousand gold for one bright smile?
此二句用千金一笑之典写浮生长恨欢娱少、肯爱千金轻一笑，是全词写及时行乐之情的深化。“浮生长恨欢娱少”用浮生之典写浮生长恨欢娱少——“浮生长恨欢娱少”用《庄子》浮生之典写人生常恨欢娱太少——浮生长恨欢娱少；“肯爱千金轻一笑”用千金一笑之典写肯爱千金轻一笑——“肯爱千金轻一笑”用周幽王千金买笑之典写怎肯惜千金而轻一笑——肯爱千金轻一笑。二句写浮生长恨欢娱少、肯爱千金轻一笑：浮生长恨欢娱少，肯爱千金轻一笑。以“浮生长恨欢娱少”用浮生之典写人生苦短、欢娱恨少，以“肯爱千金轻一笑”用千金一笑之典写不惜千金、博取一笑，正是宋祁词写及时行乐之情的深化——浮生恨少，千金一笑。
These two use the allusion of a thousand pieces of gold for one smile to write 'floating life grieves joy's rarity; who grudges gold for a smile,' deepening the ci's carpe diem feeling. 'Floating life always grieves that joy is rare' uses the Zhuangzi allusion of floating life to write how short life is and how few its pleasures. 'Who would grudge a thousand gold for one bright smile' uses King You's allusion of buying a smile with a thousand pieces to write refusing to begrudge gold for one laugh. Two phrases: floating life grieves few joys, a thousand gold for one smile. 'Floating life grieves joy's rarity' uses the allusion for life's shortness; 'a thousand gold for a smile' uses the buying-smile allusion for spending freely. This is precisely the deepening of Song Qi's carpe diem — floating life grieves few joys, a thousand gold for one smile.
为君持酒劝斜阳，且向花间留晚照。
For you I raise wine to beg the setting sun: stay a while in the flowers with your evening light.
为君持酒劝斜阳，且向花间留晚照。
For your sake I hold up my cup to urge the setting sun: stay a while among the flowers with your evening light.
末写为君持酒劝斜阳、且向花间留晚照，是全词写及时行乐之情的归结。“为君持酒劝斜阳”写为君持酒劝斜阳——“为君持酒劝斜阳”写为你举酒劝那斜阳——为君持酒劝斜阳；“且向花间留晚照”写且向花间留晚照——“且向花间留晚照”写且向花间留住晚照——且向花间留晚照。二句写为君持酒劝斜阳、且向花间留晚照：为君持酒劝斜阳，且向花间留晚照。以“为君持酒劝斜阳”写举酒劝斜阳、欲留春光，以“且向花间留晚照”写向花间留晚照、且尽今朝，正是宋祁词写及时行乐之情的归结——劝酒留照，且尽春宵。
The closing writes 'for your sake I hold my cup to urge the setting sun; stay among the flowers with evening light,' the conclusion of the ci's carpe diem feeling. 'For your sake I hold up my cup to urge the setting sun' writes raising the cup to the sinking sun, wishing to keep the spring. 'Stay a while among the flowers with your evening light' writes delaying the glow among the blossoms and draining this hour. Two phrases: holding wine to urge the sun, staying evening light among the flowers. 'Hold the cup to urge the setting sun' writes wishing to retain spring; 'stay evening light among the flowers' writes making the most of this day. This is precisely the conclusion of Song Qi's carpe diem — urge the wine, keep the glow, drain the spring night.
Study
Word focus
Related Reading
Compare this related work with the poem above through theme, imagery, tone, and emotional movement.
宋祁《落花》写落花飘零、春去之叹，与本首同为宋祁作品。差异在体裁：玉楼春为词；落花为诗。一写“春”之乐，一写“花”之叹。两者并读，可见宋祁写春景的两种体裁。
春宵 Spring Night 苏轼 · 同为宋人写春夜行乐，一写红杏春闹一写春宵一刻，皆旷达 Related readingCompare this related work with the poem above through theme, imagery, tone, and emotional movement.
苏轼《春宵》“春宵一刻值千金”写春宵可贵、及时行乐，与本首同为宋人写春夜行乐。差异在体裁：玉楼春为词；春宵为七绝。一写“闹”之盛，一写“贵”之惜。两者并读，可见宋人写春夜行乐的两种体裁。
惠崇春江晚景 Evening View of the Spring River for Huichong 苏轼 · 同为宋诗写春景，一写红杏春闹一写春江晚景，皆清新 Related readingCompare this related work with the poem above through theme, imagery, tone, and emotional movement.
苏轼《惠崇春江晚景》“竹外桃花三两枝，春江水暖鸭先知”写春江晚景，与本首同为宋人写春景。差异在体裁：玉楼春为词；惠崇春江晚景为诗。一写“闹”之盛，一写“暖”之新。两者并读，可见宋人写春景的两种体裁。