宋 Song · 诗 Poem
蚕妇
The Silkworm Woman
昨日入城市，归来泪满巾。
遍身罗绮者，不是养蚕人。
And returned with her kerchief soaked in tears.
Those clad head to foot in silk and brocade—
Are not the ones who raise the silkworms.
Meaning
Through a silkworm woman's simple observation, the poem exposes the cruel injustice that those who produce wealth do not enjoy it.
昨天进城里去，回来时泪水沾满了手巾。那些浑身穿着丝绸衣裳的人，竟没有一个是养蚕的人。
Appreciation
In four bare lines the poem stages a small epiphany: a countrywoman enters the city and returns weeping. The contrast between 'kerchief soaked in tears' and 'clad head to foot in silk' needs no commentary—the facts accuse themselves. The final line's plain statement lands like a verdict, all the more powerful for its flatness. It stands with 'hoeing at noon' as a classic plea for the toiling poor.
【白话串讲】 “昨日入城市，归来泪满巾”——张俞写蚕妇：昨天进城，回来哭湿了手巾。“遍身罗绮者，不是养蚕人”——穿绫罗绸缎的，都不是养蚕的人。最朴素的控诉。 【意象与手法】以“泪满巾”与“遍身罗绮”的对比，直揭社会不公，白描而力重。 【情感与主旨】通过蚕妇的见闻，揭露劳动者不得食其果的残酷现实，寄予深切同情。 【名句点睛】“遍身罗绮者，不是养蚕人”——以鲜明对照道尽世道不公，千古警句。
Background
Zhang Yu was a Northern Song poet. This poem, in the silkworm woman's own voice, exposes social injustice.
《蚕妇》为宋代张俞所作，是写蚕妇入城、遍身罗绮者的诗。张俞（生卒年不详），字少愚，益州郫县人，北宋诗人。此诗：昨日入城市，归来泪满巾。遍身罗绮者，不是养蚕人。全诗写蚕妇入城、遍身罗绮者，是张俞诗的名篇。
Art
Strong contrast (the silkworm raiser vs. the silk wearer); plain sketching that strikes directly.
《蚕妇》艺术上以蚕妇入城的描摹与遍身罗绮者的讽喻见长。全诗四句：首写入城市——“昨日入城市，归来泪满巾”写昨日入城市、归来泪满巾；末写罗绮者——“遍身罗绮者，不是养蚕人”写遍身罗绮者、不是养蚕人。全诗以蚕妇入城写遍身罗绮者，正是张俞诗讽喻的笔法。
Allusions
Allusions in 'The Silkworm Woman' run through 'entering the town market,' 'tears filling her kerchief,' 'those in silk and brocade,' and 'the one who raises silkworms.' 'Entering the town market' simply names the woman's trip to town; each phrase is what it says. The poem tells of the silkworm woman who weeps in the city where the richly dressed are everywhere -- its allusions natural and its satire self-evident -- the manner of Zhang Yu's verse.
《蚕妇》用典在“入城市”“泪满巾”“罗绮者”“养蚕人”。“入城市”写入城市（进城入市）；“泪满巾”写泪满巾；“罗绮者”写罗绮者（穿罗绮的人）；“养蚕人”写养蚕人。全诗以这些意象写蚕妇入城、遍身罗绮者，用典自然而讽喻自见，正是张俞诗的笔法。
Commentary
Ranked with 'hoeing at noon' as a perennial plea for the toiling poor.
《蚕妇》是张俞诗的名篇，也是宋诗中写民生疾苦的代表作。此诗写蚕妇入城、遍身罗绮者，向为论者称道。论者多赏其蚕妇入城的描摹与遍身罗绮者的讽喻——“昨日入城市，归来泪满巾”写昨日入城市、归来泪满巾，讽喻之极；“遍身罗绮者，不是养蚕人”写遍身罗绮者、不是养蚕人，更见其慨。张俞此诗以蚕妇之泪写剥削之痛，正是其代表——以蚕妇入城写遍身罗绮者，正是其诗风。
Prosody
Line by line
昨日入城市，归来泪满巾。
Yesterday I went into the market town; returning, tears wet my kerchief.
昨日入城市，归来泪满巾。
Yesterday I went into the town; when I came back, my kerchief was wet with tears.
首写昨日入城市、归来泪满巾，是全诗写蚕妇入城的起点。“昨日入城市”写昨日入城市——“昨日入城市”写昨天进城入市——昨日入城市；“归来泪满巾”写归来泪满巾——“归来泪满巾”写归来泪湿满巾——归来泪满巾。二句写昨日入城市、归来泪满巾：昨日入城市，归来泪满巾。以“昨日入城市”写昨日进城、入市之往，以“归来泪满巾”写归来泪满、心中之痛，正是张俞诗写蚕妇入城的起点——昨日入市，归来泪满。
The opening writes 'yesterday I went into the town; returning, tears wet my kerchief,' the starting point of the poem's picture of the silkworm woman entering the city. 'Yesterday I went into the town' writes the going into market. 'Returning, tears wet my kerchief' writes the return with tears soaking the cloth. Two phrases: yesterday's market visit, the return with tears. 'Yesterday I went into the town' writes the going into the market; 'returning, tears wet my kerchief' writes the tears and the pain in her heart. This is precisely the starting point of Zhang Yu's picture of the silkworm woman — went to market yesterday, returned with tears.
遍身罗绮者，不是养蚕人。
Those clothed head to foot in silk are not the women who raise silkworms.
遍身罗绮者，不是养蚕人。
The ones dressed all in damask and silk are not the women who tend the silkworms.
末写遍身罗绮者、不是养蚕人，是全诗写遍身罗绮者的归结。“遍身罗绮者”写遍身罗绮者——“遍身罗绮者”写遍身穿着罗绮的人——遍身罗绮者；“不是养蚕人”写不是养蚕人——“不是养蚕人”写并不是养蚕之人——不是养蚕人。二句写遍身罗绮者、不是养蚕人：遍身罗绮者，不是养蚕人。以“遍身罗绮者”写遍身罗绮、锦衣之人，以“不是养蚕人”写不是养蚕、劳作之人，正是张俞诗写遍身罗绮者的归结——罗绮者众，养蚕人哀。
The closing writes 'those clothed head to foot in silk are not the women who raise silkworms,' the conclusion of the poem's picture of the silk-clad. 'Those clothed head to foot in silk' writes the person draped in damask. 'Are not the women who raise silkworms' writes that they are not the silkworm tenders. Two phrases: the silk-clad, not the silkworm raiser. 'Clothed head to foot in silk' writes the rich in fine raiment; 'not the silkworm tender' writes they who do not labor at rearing. This is precisely the conclusion of Zhang Yu's picture — many are the silk-clad, grieving is the silkworm woman.
Study
Word focus
Related Reading
Compare this related work with the poem above through theme, imagery, tone, and emotional movement.
李绅《悯农·其二》写谁知盘中餐、粒粒皆辛苦，与本首同为唐诗写民生疾苦。差异在情境：蚕妇写养蚕之哀；悯农写盘中之苦。一写“织”之痛，一写“食”之艰。两者并读，可见诗写民生疾苦的两种情境。
陶者 The Potter 梅尧臣 · 同为宋诗写劳者被剥，一写养蚕人哀一写陶者无瓦，皆讽喻 Related readingCompare this related work with the poem above through theme, imagery, tone, and emotional movement.
梅尧臣《陶者》写陶尽门前土、屋上无片瓦，与本首同为宋诗写劳者被剥。差异在情境：蚕妇写织者之哀；陶者写陶者之苦。一写“织”之痛，一写“陶”之劳。两者并读，可见宋诗写劳者被剥的两种情境。
悯农·其一 Compassion for the Farmers, No. 1 李绅 · 同为悯农之作，一写养蚕人哀一写锄禾日当午，皆同情 Related readingCompare this related work with the poem above through theme, imagery, tone, and emotional movement.
李绅《悯农·其一》写锄禾日当午、汗滴禾下土，与本首同为悯农之作。差异在情境：蚕妇写蚕妇入城之泪；悯农写农夫锄禾之劳。一写“织”之泪，一写“耕”之汗。两者并读，可见悯农之作的两种情境。