宋 Song · 诗 Poem
送张宽
Seeing Zhang Kuan Off
得丧竟谁尸，人谋不可移。
独看屠钓叟，达迺帝王师。
大观齐诸物，雄图彼一时。
君思塞上说，孰可预端蓍。
Look but to the old man who butchered and angled—once eminent, a king's teacher he became.
A great view makes all things equal; a grand design was but its own hour.
You muse on the frontier's plans—who could foreknow with the milfoil stalk?
Meaning
The poet tells his friend Zhang Kuan not to brood over present obscurity, for gain and loss lie beyond human planning. He points to Jiang Taigong, who butchered and fished in low estate yet became a king's mentor, arguing that a broad view equalizes all things and that grand designs are but momentary. He closes by urging Zhang, as he goes to plan the frontier, to rely on his own counsel rather than omens.
得失究竟由谁做主，人的谋划并不能改变。且看那屠牛垂钓的老叟，一旦显达便成了帝王之师。以宏大之观齐同万物，雄图伟业不过彼时一时。你且思量那塞上的方略，谁又能预先用蓍草占定吉凶。
Appreciation
The poem opens with a philosophical question on fate, answers with the allusion to Lü Shang, then transcends with the Zhuangzi 'equalizing things' idea, and closes with practical advice—a tightly woven five-character quatrain of 'poetry as argument.' Its core image is Lü Shang's butchering-and-angling, turning the common 'rags to riches' saying into elegant allusion. Thematic focus: comfort the friend that hidden talent will meet its lord, view loss broadly, and act pragmatically.
【白话串讲】 张方平送张宽：“得丧竟谁尸，人谋不可移”。“独看屠钓叟，达迺帝王师”——“君思塞上说，孰可预端蓍”——他写姜太公钓鱼的故事，劝朋友放宽心。 【意象与手法】全诗以议论起、以典实承、以理悟转，吕尚屠钓一典为骨，齐物、雄图、蓍占诸语为辅，是典型的宋人「以理为诗」的短章，五言格局小而意蕴宏。 【情感与主旨】劝慰张宽不以一时得失为念，相信潜隐终有遇合，并以通达之观齐物、以务实之策立功，充满对友人的旷达期许。 【名句点睛】「独看屠钓叟，达迺帝王师」以吕尚翻案，最见宋人「潜隐可期」的达观；「君思塞上说，孰可预端蓍」收以反问，理趣悠然。
Background
This farewell to Zhang Kuan is a short five-character piece yet broad in intent. Zhang Kuan is now hard to identify; from 'Look but to the old man who butchered and angled—once eminent, a king's teacher' he was likely a scholar then in low station whom Zhang Fangping expected to rise. Northern Song scholars greatly valued the 'hidden-then-favored' narrative: Lü Shang (Jiang Taigong) butchered at Zhaoge and fished at the Wei bank, met King Wen at eighty, aided King Wu, becoming the archetype of 'humble-yet-finally-noble.' Zhang invokes this to tell Zhang Kuan: your present withdrawal is like Lü Shang's butchering; meet your lord and you become a king's teacher—why brood over present gain and loss? The background also touches the Northern Song 'recommendation' culture: many scholars stuck in low posts rose only through a minister's or elder's praise, and Zhang, a high official, often implied 'I will make your name known' in his farewells. 'The frontier's plans' may mean Zhang was going to a border post to plan defense, so the close urges pragmatic measure, not empty omens. Overall this is Zhang Fangping's 'dispelling feeling with reason, encouraging the present with the past' in miniature—forty words covering fate, equalizing, meeting, and pragmatism. On Zhang Kuan: no standard biography, but the title and lines suggest a long-stuck junior scholar, this parting perhaps a posting, exam, or venture. 'Frontier's plans' is telling—perhaps Zhang's trip concerned border deliberation, so Zhang urges him to be pragmatic. Northern Song frontier facing Western Xia west and Liao north made border-talk a fashion; Zhang himself 'spoke knowingly of war and the world's affairs,' so 'frontier's plans' fits both friend and self. The poem begins with 'fate' and ends with 'affair,' pivoting on Lü Shang, equalizing, and milfoil—making a farewell into a maxim on a scholar's withdrawal and meeting.
此诗送张宽，五言短章，而命意弘阔。张宽其人今已难详，从「独看屠钓叟，达迺帝王师」看，当是一位暂处卑位、张方平期待其终将大用的士人。北宋士大夫极重「潜隐—遇合」的叙事，吕尚（姜太公）屠牛朝歌、垂钓渭滨而遇文王、佐武王灭纣，成为「卑贱终贵」的原型典范。张方平引此，意在告诉张宽：你今日之沉潜，正如吕尚之屠钓，他日遇主，便成帝王之师，何须以眼前得失萦怀？此诗背景，还牵系北宋「荐拔」文化——许多士人久淹选调，靠执政、前辈的推荐方得显用，张方平身为朝中重臣，其送别诗往往暗含「我当为你扬名」的潜台词。诗中「塞上说」或指张宽将赴边任、筹度边防，故尾联劝其务实量力，莫空占吉凶。整体看，此诗是张方平「以理遣情、以古励今」路数的浓缩版，短短四十言，把命定、齐物、遇合、务实四层意思都说尽了。关于张宽其人，正史无传，然从诗题与诗句可略窥其处境：方平以「屠钓叟」相许，可见张宽当为久淹下僚、尚未显达的士子，此别或系其赴任、赴试或远行谋事。又「塞上说」三字颇可玩味，或指张宽此行与边防筹议相关，故方平以「孰可预端蓍」劝其务实量力。北宋边防，西北对西夏、北面对辽，士人谈兵论塞蔚为风气，方平本人即「慷慨知兵、善谈天下事」，故以「塞上说」入诗，非泛泛应景，而是切合友人之行与己之所长。全诗以「命」起、以「事」终，中间以吕尚、齐物、蓍占三者作枢纽，把一次送别写成一则关于士人出处与遇合的箴铭，四十言中见老臣之识度。
Art
Though only a five-character quatrain, its structure is complete, read as a small essay. It opens 'Who in the end is master of gain and loss? human counsel cannot move it'—a couplet-like question breaking the topic: where is the master of gain and loss? not movable by human counsel. Two lines first set the base of 'fate,' philosophical yet not dry. Next 'Look but to the old man who butchered and angled—once eminent, a king's teacher' answers with Lü Shang's allusion—since counsel cannot move it, look to that old man who reached eminence without planning; once eminent he was a king's teacher. From reason to event, light yet weighty. 'A great view makes all things equal; a grand design was but its own hour' turns another layer: from the great view equalizing all things, even grand designs are but a moment's trace, not to be clung to. Close 'You muse on the frontier's plans—who could foreknow with the milfoil stalk?' lands on concrete advice: as you plan the border, can milfoil foretell fortune? be pragmatic. The whole moves from 'fate' to 'person' to 'things' to 'affair,' contracting layer by layer, argument, allusion, and rhetoric interwoven, small yet able to be large—a model of Song five-character 'intent-first.' Its 'shortness' is its 'difficulty': forty words must exhaust four layers, none replaceable. The four couplets are actually 'thesis—example—transcendence—application': first sets 'fate' as thesis; second proves 'unplanned eminence' via Lü Shang, reason to event; third transcends via equalizing, event to Dao; fourth returns to 'frontier's plans' as application, Dao back to event. Between them reason, event, Dao, event link like a ring. Its antitheses show craft: though a quatrain, the middle two couplets seek neatness—'butchering old man' against 'king's teacher,' low against high, hidden against manifest, expectation in contrast; 'great view' against 'grand design,' inner against outer, still against moving, openness in parallel. Forty words with four layers and two antitheses—the Song extreme of 'governing the complex with simplicity.'
此诗虽仅五言四句，章法却极完整，可作一篇小论读。起手「得丧竟谁尸，人谋不可移」，以对仗式的设问破题：得失之主何在？非人谋可移。两句先立「命定」之基，语带哲理而不枯。次联「独看屠钓叟，达迺帝王师」，以吕尚典作答——既然人谋难移，那便看那不谋而达的屠钓老叟，一旦显达便是帝王之师。由理入事，举重若轻。颈联「大观齐诸物，雄图彼一时」，再翻一层：以宏大之观齐同万物，则雄图霸业亦不过一时之迹，不必执泥。尾联「君思塞上说，孰可预端蓍」，落到对友人的具体叮咛：你去筹边，吉凶岂是蓍草能预占？务实而已。全诗由「命」到「人」到「物」到「事」，层层收束，议论、用典、反问交织，小而能大，是宋人五绝「以意为主」的范本。其「短」恰是其「难」：四十言要说尽四层理，字字不可易。细按此诗章法，四联实为「立论—举例—超越—落实」的严密推演：首联立「命定」之论，是全文的总纲；次联以吕尚为例，证明「不谋而达」的可能，是由理入事；颈联以大观齐物翻进一层，谓雄图霸业亦不过一时，是由事入道、超脱得失；尾联落到「塞上说」的实务，是以道返事、由虚归实。四联之间，理、事、道、事相扣，如环无端。其对仗亦颇见匠心，虽为五绝，中二联仍求工稳：以「屠钓叟」对「帝王师」，一卑一尊、一隐一显，反差中见期待；以「大观」对「雄图」，一内一外、一静一动，并举中见旷达。四十言而具四层理、两组对，是宋人以简驭繁的极则。
Allusions
The poem uses three allusions/echoes, all on 'meeting' and 'equalizing.' One, the butchering old man: Lü Shang (Jiang Taigong). Before favor he butchered at Zhaoge and fished at the Wei bank, met King Wen at eighty, titled Taigong Wang, aided King Wu against Shang, enfeoffed marquis of Qi; 'once eminent, a king's teacher' is this. Two, great view and equalizing things: transforms Zhuangzi's 'On Equalizing Things' ('heaven and earth born with me, all things and I are one') and the term 'great view' (e.g., Zhuangzi 'great view in the dark'), writing a transcendent eye equalizing all things, erasing gain and loss. Three, milfoil stalk: uses the Zhouyi milfoil divination; 'who could foreknow with the milfoil stalk' means fortune cannot be preset by divination, hinting weight on human effort over technique. The three move from 'person (Lü Shang)' to 'Dao (equalizing)' to 'technique (milfoil),' forming a complete philosophy of conduct: trust meeting, equalize loss, slight presage. Zhang Fangping's use of allusion is dense yet not showy, each tied to 'do not brood over gain and loss.' Also, 'butchering and angling' echoes 'Han Shi Wai Zhuan' ('Taigong butchered at Zhaoge, fished at the Wei bank'), 'king's teacher' from 'Records of the Grand Historian: Hereditary House of Liu Hou' ('teacher to the emperor'); Fangping fuses two allusions, giving Lü Shang both recluse and mentor meaning—showing his finesse.
诗中用典与化用凡三处，皆关「遇合」「齐物」。一、屠钓叟：用吕尚（姜太公）事。吕尚未遇时屠牛于朝歌、垂钓于渭滨，年八十遇周文王，号太公望，佐武王灭商，封齐侯，诗中「达迺帝王师」即此。二、大观齐物：化用《庄子·齐物论》「天地与我并生，万物与我为一」，及「大观」一词（如《庄子》「大观于冥冥」），写以超越之眼齐同万物、泯灭得失。三、端蓍：用《周易》蓍草占卜事，「孰可预端蓍」谓吉凶非占筮所能预定，暗含重人事、轻术数的态度。三处由「人（吕尚）」到「道（齐物）」到「术（蓍占）」，构成一套完整的处世哲学：信遇合、齐得失、轻预占。张方平使事，密而不炫，每处皆扣「不必以得失萦怀」的主旨，布局精严如老吏断案。三处用典之间，实有一条贯穿的逻辑线，不可孤立看。吕尚之典，重在「时命」：屠钓之卑、帝王之尊，其转捩不在人力而在遇合，故可慰张宽之沉潜；齐物之典，重在「心境」：既知雄图一时、万物齐一，则眼前得失不足挂齿，故可解张宽之焦虑；蓍占之典，重在「人事」：吉凶非占筮可预，边事成败系于筹谋，故可劝张宽之务实。三者由「信命」到「齐物」再到「重事」，层层递进，构成一套完整的出处哲学。又，「屠钓」二字暗合《韩诗外传》「太公望屠牛朝歌、钓于渭滨」的记载，「帝王师」则出《史记·留侯世家》「为帝者师」，方平合两典为一，使吕尚之形象兼备隐沦与辅弼的双重意味，尤见使事之精。
Commentary
Zhang Fangping's five-character poems are few extant; this one may be read with Tao Yuanming and Wang Wei's quatrains yet has its own reasoned flavor. The Qing critic Shen Deqian said 'Song five-character often touches reason's path'—this is an example, yet its reason rests on Lü Shang's allusion and the equalizing theme, not empty preaching. Modern scholars say Song poetry 'excels in sinew and reasoned thought'; this little piece is 'small yet seeing the large': forty words hold fate, meeting, equalizing, and pragmatism—only a deep reasoner could. As for 'Look but to the old man who butchered and angled—once eminent, a king's teacher,' it turns the folk 'morning a cottage lad, evening ascends the emperor's hall' into elegant allusion; unlike Xin Qiji's 'drunk, trimming the lamp, gazing at the sword,' it shares the expectation of 'a hidden dragon in the deep.' In sum, this poem writes the length of reasoned flavor in a quatrain's shortness—representative of Zhang Fangping's 'plain yet able to be gentle, simple yet able to be complete' style, and a rare Song farewell that persuades by reason. Though short, it stands alone among Song quatrains: Tang quatrains prize feeling and charm, writing farewell in willow-breaking and cups; Song quatrains prize reasoned flavor, writing farewell in argument and allusion with bearing. Fangping's piece is typical Song-tune quatrain, beginning with the philosophy of 'gain and loss, human counsel' and closing with the pragmatism of 'frontier's plans,' no Tang immediate sorrow. Later critics say Song poetry 'excels in sinew and reasoned thought'—this poem is the smallest specimen. Yet its reason is not dry, for it has Lü Shang's vivid image and the rhetoric of 'who could foreknow' as flesh, so reason and flavor coexist. Also comparable with Fangping's other farewells, showing his consistent 'dispelling feeling with reason': not writing parting sorrow but fate's law, not tears but a maxim—the unique brush of a three-court elder consoling a junior with experience, and the expression of Song-type scholar-officials' 'taking Dao as self-charge' in the farewell form.
张方平五言诗传世不多，此首可与陶渊明、王维五绝并观而别具理趣。清人沈德潜《说诗晬语》谓「宋人五言多涉理路」，此诗正是其例，然其理依托吕尚之典与齐物之旨，并非空头说教。近人论宋诗「以筋骨思理见胜」，张方平此篇即小中见大者：四十言中，命定、遇合、齐物、务实四义俱备，非深于理者不能。至若「独看屠钓叟，达迺帝王师」一联，翻「朝为田舍郎，暮登天子堂」的俗谚为雅训之典，与辛弃疾「醉里挑灯看剑」虽异调，而同写「潜龙在渊」的期待。要之，此诗以五绝之短，写理趣之长，是张方平「质而能婉、简而能该」诗风的代表，亦宋人送别短章中不可多得的以理服人之作。此诗虽短，在宋人五绝中却自成一格：唐绝尚情韵，写送别多在折柳、杯酒间见缠绵；宋绝尚理趣，写送别每于议论、典故中见襟抱，方平此篇即宋调五绝之典型，以「得丧」「人谋」的哲理起，以「塞上说」的实务收，全无唐人的即景伤情。后人论宋诗「以筋骨思理见胜」，此诗正是一块最小的标本。然其理并不枯槁，因有吕尚「屠钓」的生动形象与「孰可预端蓍」的反诘作血肉，故能理趣兼至。又，此诗可与方平其他送别诸作并观，见其「以理遣情」的一贯底色：不写离愁而写命理，不作沾巾而作箴铭，这正是三朝老臣以阅历熨帖后进的独特笔调，亦是宋型士大夫「以道自任」精神在送别一体中的流露。
Prosody
Line by line
得丧竟谁尸，人谋不可移。
Who in the end is master of gain and loss? human counsel cannot move it. — The opening couplet is a two-line philosophical thesis setting the tone. 'Who is master of gain and loss' asks abruptly: who is the ultimate master? 'shi' means master. This suspends the usual parting sorrow and asks the deeper fatal question. 'Human counsel cannot move it' answers: human planning cannot change that silent master. One question, one answer, crisp, no lingering. Zhang Fangping does not write 'cherish' but 'who is master, cannot move'—typical Song 'dispelling feeling with reason': settle emotion in philosophy first. Crucially, these two lines plant the seed for Lü Shang's 'unplanned eminence': since counsel cannot move it, Lü's eminence was not planned but fate—logic consistent.
得失究竟由谁做主，人的谋划并不能改变。
Gain and loss - who is their master after all? Man's planning cannot move it.
起联是两句哲理论纲，为全篇定调。「得丧竟谁尸」以设问破空：得失的终极主宰者是谁？尸者，主也。这一问，把送别通常的离愁直接悬置，转而追问更根本的命定问题。「人谋不可移」随即作答：人的谋划无法改变那冥冥之主。两句一问一答，语气斩截，毫无缠绵。张方平不写「惜别」「珍重」，而写「谁尸」「不可移」，是宋人「以理遣情」的典型开篇——先把情绪安顿在哲理里，再谈其他。尤为关键的是，这两句为后文「屠钓叟」的「不谋而达」埋下伏笔：既然人谋难移，那吕尚之达便非谋来，而是时命使然，逻辑一以贯之。
The opening couplet states the outline in two philosophical lines, fixing the key of the whole. Gain and loss - who is their master after all? opens with a rhetorical question: who is the ultimate master of gain and loss? This question suspends the usual parting grief and turns to the more fundamental question of fate. Man's planning cannot move it answers at once: human planning cannot change that unseen master. The two lines, one question one answer, the tone decisive, no lingering. Fangping writes not farewell or take care but who is the master and cannot move, the typical Song opening of dismissing feeling through reason - first settling emotion in philosophy, then speaking of other things. Crucially, these two lines plant the thread for the later butcher-and-fisher old man's reaching without planning: since human planning cannot move it, Lü Shang's rise was not planned but the way of the times, the logic consistent throughout.
独看屠钓叟，达迺帝王师。
Look but to the old man who butchered and angled—once eminent, a king's teacher he became. — This couplet is the poem's backbone, turning 'gain and loss are fated' via Lü Shang. The word 'alone' (du) strikes a posture: while the world scrambles to plan, the poet tells you to 'look alone' at that unplanning old butcher-angler—a detached guidance. 'Once eminent' (nai) writes the leap from low to high: the butchering old man, once eminent, became a king's teacher. Lü Shang met King Wen at eighty, aided Zhou against Shang—the ultimate 'hidden yet finally noble.' Zhang comforts Zhang Kuan: your present withdrawal is like Lü's butchering; meet your lord and you become a mentor—why brood over present loss? One allusion brings both comfort and expectation, Song finesse of using allusion.
且看那屠牛垂钓的老叟，一旦显达便成了帝王之师。
Look alone at the old butcher and fisher: once he rose, he became the teacher of kings.
这一联是全诗的骨力所在，以吕尚翻案「得失有命」。「独看屠钓叟」的「独」字极有姿态：当世人汲汲于谋，诗人却让你「独看」那位不谋的屠钓老者——一种超然的指引。「达迺帝王师」的「迺」（乃）字，写尽由卑到尊的跃迁：屠钓之叟，一旦显达，竟成帝王之师。吕尚未遇时屠牛朝歌、垂钓渭滨，年八十遇文王，佐周灭商，正是「潜隐终贵」的终极范例。张方平引此慰张宽：你今日之沉潜，正如吕尚之屠钓，他日遇主便成师佐，何须以眼前得失自苦？一典而兼慰藉与期许，是宋人使事之妙。
This couplet is the poem's backbone, using Lü Shang to reverse the saying that gain and loss are fated. The word alone in look alone at the old butcher and fisher has great bearing: when the age scrambles to plan, the poet bids you look alone at the old butcher-and-fisher who did not plan - a detached guidance. The word indeed in once he rose, he became the teacher of kings writes the leap from low to high: the butcher and fisher, once risen, turned out the teacher of kings. Lü Shang, before meeting his lord, butchered cattle in Zhaoge and fished on the Wei; at eighty he met King Wen, aided Zhou and destroyed Shang, the ultimate example of hidden retirement ending in honor. Fangping brings this to comfort Zhang Kuan: your present submersion is like Lü Shang's butchering and fishing; another day, meeting your lord, you will become teacher and aide - why grieve over present gain and loss? One allusion carrying both comfort and expectation, the Song art of turning allusions to the hair.
君思塞上说，孰可预端蓍。
You muse on the frontier's plans—who could foreknow with the milfoil stalk? — The close lands from grand reason to concrete advice, most considerate. 'You muse on the frontier's plans' points that Zhang Kuan may go to the border to plan defense, giving the philosophy a foothold—not empty talk of fate but facing real affairs. 'Who could foreknow with the milfoil stalk' closes as rhetoric: can milfoil divination preset fortune? meaning border success lies in human effort and planning, not divination; just be pragmatic. The word 'who' (shu) lightly sets aside technique, revealing Song rationality 'weight on human effort over technique.' The poem begins with 'fate' and ends with 'affair,' echoing: opening says human counsel cannot move (respecting fate), close says milfoil cannot presage (lightening technique), middle shows Lü Shang's 'meeting is foreseeable'—structure round, flavor leisurely.
你且思量那塞上的方略，谁又能预先用蓍草占定吉凶。
Think of the frontier strategy: who can foretell it by divining stalks?
尾联收束，由宏理落到对友人的具体叮咛，最见体贴。「君思塞上说」点出张宽或将赴边、筹度边防，使前面的哲理有了着落——不是空谈命定，而是面对真实事务。「孰可预端蓍」以反问收：吉凶岂是蓍草占筮能预先决定的？言下之意，边事之成败在人事、在筹谋，不在占卜；你只管务实去思、去为，不必问蓍。一个「孰」字把术数轻轻松开，露出宋人「重人事、轻术数」的理性底色。全诗由「命」起、以「事」终，首尾呼应：开头说人谋不可移（对命定之尊），结尾说蓍占不可凭（对术数之轻），中间以吕尚示「遇合可期」，结构圆融，理趣悠然。
The closing gathers the poem, moving from grand reason to a specific charge to the friend, most showing thoughtfulness. Think of the frontier strategy points out that Zhang Kuan may go to the frontier to plan border defense, giving the preceding philosophy a ground - not empty talk of fate, but facing real affairs. Who can foretell it by divining stalks closes in a rhetorical question: can stalks foretell good and ill? The implied meaning is that the frontier's success or failure lies in human affairs and planning, not in divination; you need only think and act practically, and need not ask the stalks. The word who lightly releases divination, exposing the Song rational ground of weighing human affairs and lightening the art of numbers. The whole poem begins with fate and ends with affairs, head and tail answering: the opening says human planning cannot move it (revering fate), the closing says divining stalks cannot be trusted (disdaining numbers), and in between Lü Shang shows that a meeting can be expected - the structure rounded, the rational delight unhurried.
大观齐诸物，雄图彼一时。
A great view makes all things equal; a grand design was but its own hour. — This couplet is the philosophical hinge. 'Great view equalizing all things' transforms Zhuangzi's equalizing (heaven and earth born with me, all things and I are one), urging Zhang Kuan to equalize all things from a great view, so gain and loss, poverty and eminence, all return to one, not to brood. 'A grand design was but its own hour' answers the anxiety of fame—even grand designs belong only to their own moment, will pass. Together they tell the friend: do not cling to this appointment's rise and fall, for measured by the great view, glory and shame are the same instant. Placed after Lü Shang's example and before the frontier charge, it bridges trusting fate and being pragmatic: first transcend loss, then act without fear. Few words, deep meaning—the essence of Song 'poetry as reason.'
以宏大之观齐同万物，雄图伟业不过彼时一时。
With a great view all things are equal; the grand design belongs to its own moment.
这一联是全诗的哲理枢纽。大观齐诸物化用庄子齐物论天地与我并生、万物与我为一之意，劝张宽以宏大之观把万物等量齐观，则得失穷达皆归于一，不必萦怀；雄图彼一时则回应功名之焦虑——纵是雄图霸业，也只属于它自己的那一刻，终将过去。两句合起来告诉友人：莫要执著此番任命的起落，因为以大观量之，荣与辱不过同一瞬息。此联置于吕尚之例之后、塞上之嘱之前，恰好桥接信命与务实：先超越得失，乃能无惧而行。言简意深，是宋诗以理为诗之精髓。
This couplet is the poem's philosophical hinge. With a great view all things are equal transforms Zhuangzi's making all things equal - heaven and earth born with me, all things one with me - urging Zhang Kuan to weigh all things equal in a great view, so gain and loss, obscurity and glory all return to one, no need to brood. The grand design belongs to its own moment answers the anxiety over office: even a grand design and hegemony belong only to its own moment and will pass. Together the two lines tell the friend: do not cling to the rise or fall of this appointment, because, weighed in a great view, honor and disgrace are but the same instant. Placed after the Lü Shang example and before the frontier charge, it bridges faith in fate and practicality: only by transcending gain and loss can one go forward without fear. Words spare, meaning deep - the very essence of Song reason-poetry.
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The two poems both use Lü Shang (butchering/fishing at Wei) and Fu Yue (Fu Yan) to comfort friends' non-recognition. 'Again Seeing Zhao Can Off' unfolds 'heaven burdens this man with a cause,' with expanded length and dense reasoning; 'Seeing Zhang Kuan Off' passes with only 'Look but to the old man who butchered and angled—once eminent, a king's teacher,' contracted, hitting the mark. One detailed, one brief, both return to 'hidden yet finally useful.' Together they show Zhang Fangping using the same group of ancients, adapting in fullness or brevity per the form (seven- vs five-quatrain) and the friend's situation—evidence of his flexible allusion-use and tailor-made consolation. Though both use Lü Shang and Fu Yue, the detail and brevity differ sharply, showing Fangping can fit the same ancients to a friend in both short and long forms—not a mere cliche user.
二诗同用吕尚（屠钓/渭曲）、傅说（傅岩）之典慰友之不遇。重送赵参铺陈「天困斯人必有因」，篇幅展开、理路繁密；送张宽仅以「独看屠钓叟，达迺帝王师」两句带过，篇幅收敛、一语中的。一详一略，皆归「潜隐终可大用」之旨。合观可见张方平用同一组先贤，能因诗体（七绝与五绝）与友人处境之异，作或繁或简的取用，是其使事灵活、因人对症的明证。二诗虽同用吕尚、傅说之典，而详略、繁简判然，正见方平于短章与长篇之间，皆能以同一组先贤贴切慰友，非徒袭用成语者可比。
送马武 Seeing Ma Wu Off 张方平 · 同出张方平、同勉士之遇合，一晚成一即遇 Both by Zhang Fangping, both encourage a scholar's meeting; one late-success, one immediate-meeting.'Seeing Ma Wu Off' comforts with Zhuge Liang of Nanyang 'establishing merit late,' that though old he will succeed; 'Seeing Zhang Kuan Off' encourages with Lü Shang at the Wei bank 'once eminent, a king's teacher,' that hidden he may finally be useful. Both use ancient 'meeting-the-lord' models—one for 'old yet can succeed,' one for 'not yet eminent yet foreseeable,' one encouraging late integrity, one urging composure. Together they show the common belief of Zhang Fangping's farewells: a scholar's meeting, early or late, will surely come; the difference lies in the friend's age and state—'late establishment' or 'once eminent.' This tailor-made consolation is the valuable part of his social poetry.
送马武以南阳诸葛亮「晚立功」慰其虽老终有成；送张宽以渭滨吕尚「达迺帝王师」勉其潜隐终可大用。二诗同用古之「遇主」典范，一用于「已老而可成」，一用于「未显而可期」，取向一励晚节、一劝从容。合观可见张方平送别诗的共同信念：士之遇合，或早或晚，终必有期；所不同者，因友人之龄与境，或言「晚立」、或言「达迺」。这种因人对症的慰勉，正是其交游诗可贵处。
观书有感 Reflections on Reading 朱熹 · 同属宋人理趣小诗，一张一朱 Both Song reasoned-flavor quatrains; one Zhang, one Zhu.Zhu Xi's 'Reflections on Reading' ('a half-acre square pool opens like a mirror... ask why so clear, for living water at the source') embodies reason in scene, the peak of Song reasoned poetry; Zhang Fangping's poem embodies reason in allusion, with Lü Shang, equalizing, and milfoil saying 'gain and loss are fated, meeting foreseeable.' Both belong to 'poetry as reason,' yet Zhu's is clear as speech, Zhang's classical as a maxim. Together they show two faces of Northern Song reasoned poetry: one awakens to Dao from scene (Zhu), one proves reason from allusion (Zhang). Though short, Zhang's 'putting learning into poetry' texture opens the way for Southern Song neo-Confucian poetry.
朱熹《观书有感》「半亩方塘一鉴开」「问渠那得清如许，为有源头活水来」，以景寓理，是宋诗理趣的巅峰；张方平此诗则以典寓理，以吕尚、齐物、蓍占说「得失有命、遇合可期」。二者同属「以理为诗」一路，而朱诗尚清空如话、张诗尚典重如箴。合观可知北宋理趣诗的两副面目：一派从景物中悟道（朱），一派从故实中证理（张）。张方平此篇虽短，其「以学入诗」的质地，正开南宋理学诗之先声。
送马武 Seeing Ma Wu Off 张方平 · 同出张方平、同以理遣情、一简一繁 Both by Zhang Fangping, both encourage a scholar's meeting; one late-success, one immediate-meeting.'Seeing Ma Wu Off' comforts with Zhuge Liang of Nanyang 'establishing merit late,' that though old he will succeed; 'Seeing Zhang Kuan Off' encourages with Lü Shang at the Wei bank 'once eminent, a king's teacher,' that hidden he may finally be useful. Both use ancient 'meeting-the-lord' models—one for 'old yet can succeed,' one for 'not yet eminent yet foreseeable,' one encouraging late integrity, one urging composure. Together they show the common belief of Zhang Fangping's farewells: a scholar's meeting, early or late, will surely come; the difference lies in the friend's age and state—'late establishment' or 'once eminent.' This tailor-made consolation is the valuable part of his social poetry.
二诗皆张方平以理遣情之作。送张宽五绝仅四句，以吕尚屠钓达迺帝王师一句带过命定与遇合，简劲如箴；送马武七绝则以掩棺始为了、南阳晚立功展开晚成之劝，繁密如论。一五言一小体、一七言一大幅，取向皆在化解不遇之痛，而措辞一略一详。合观可见张方平送别诗的共同信念：士之遇合终必有期，所不同者，因诗体之异与友人之境，或简或繁，皆能切中。这种以理为诗的温厚，正是其交游诗一贯的底色。