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唐 Tang · 诗 Poem

送人赴安西

Seeing Someone Off to Anxi

岑参

Cen Shen

边塞Frontier 送别Farewell 报国Serving the Country

上马带胡钩，翩翩度陇头。
小来思报国，不是爱封侯。
万里乡为梦，三边月作愁。
早须清黠虏，无事莫经秋。

Mounting, he carries the Hu hook; with easy grace he crosses Long Head.
From youth he has thought to serve the country—not from love of noble rank.
Ten thousand li, his home becomes a dream; at the three borders the moon makes his sorrow.
Soon you must clear the cunning foe; if there is no trouble, do not pass the autumn.

Listen

Meaning

Cen Shen sends a friend to Anxi to enlist. He praises the friend's martial bearing and his pure motive—serving the country, not seeking rank—then voices the homesickness of the march and urges a swift, victorious return.

上马带着胡钩，翩翩地度过陇头。从小就想报国，不是喜爱封侯。万里之中家乡为梦，三边之地明月为愁。早须扫清狡黠的胡虏，无事莫要经过秋天。

Appreciation

[Plain Paraphrase] Cen Shen sends a friend to Anxi. He opens with the friend mounting, Hu hook at his side, crossing Long Head with easy grace, then 'from youth he has thought to serve the country—not from love of rank,' 'ten thousand li, home becomes a dream; at the three borders the moon makes sorrow,' and closes 'soon clear the cunning foe; if no trouble, do not pass the autumn.' [Structure] The first half shows bearing and motive; the second turns to homesickness and a charge to return swiftly—from pride to care. [Imagery] Hu hook and easy grace arm the departure; 'home a dream' and 'border moon' make the longing; the 'cunning foe' and 'autumn' frame the campaign. [Tone] Cen Shen's 'strange diction, rugged form,' here both heroic and tender—a farewell of service and homesickness.

【白话串讲】岑参写《送人赴安西》：“上马带胡钩，翩翩度陇头”——“小来思报国，不是爱封侯”——“万里乡为梦，三边月作愁”——“早须清黠虏，无事莫经秋”——他说报国不是为了封侯。【意象与手法】此诗写送人赴安西从军，以报国写送别，是岑参的名篇。前两句「上马带胡钩，翩翩度陇头」写从军行装——「上马带胡钩」写上马带着胡钩，「翩翩度陇头」写翩翩度过陇头；中四句「小来思报国，不是爱封侯。万里乡为梦，三边月作愁」写报国之志与乡愁——「小来思报国」写从小就想报国，「不是爱封侯」写不是爱封侯，「万里乡为梦」写万里之中家乡为梦，「三边月作愁」写三边之地明月为愁；后两句「早须清黠虏，无事莫经秋」写勉励——「早须清黠虏」写早须扫清狡黠的胡虏，「无事莫经秋」写无事莫要经过秋天。全诗以报国写送别，写尽从军的报国之志，正是岑参「语奇体峻」诗风的本领。【情感与主旨】此诗写送友人赴安西（唐代安西都护府，在今新疆一带）从军。岑参是盛唐边塞诗的代表诗人，此诗写送友人赴安西从军：上马带着胡钩（胡地弯刀），翩翩地度过陇头（今甘肃一带）；从小就想报国，不是喜爱封侯；万里之中家乡为梦，三边之地明月为愁；早须扫清狡黠的胡虏，无事莫要经过秋天。诗人以「上马带胡钩，翩翩度陇头」写从军的行装与英姿，「小来思报国，不是爱封侯」写友人从小就想报国、不是贪图封侯的高尚志向，「万里乡为梦，三边月作愁」写万里从军中的乡愁——万里之中唯家乡入梦，三边之地见明月生愁，「早须清黠虏，无事莫经秋」写勉励友人早扫胡虏、不要久滞边地。全诗以报国写送别，写尽从军的报国之志与乡愁，正是岑参边塞诗豪迈而深情的本色。【名句点睛】常考「小来思报国，不是爱封侯」写从军报国的高尚志向；「万里乡为梦，三边月作愁」写从军中的乡愁；「早须清黠虏，无事莫经秋」写勉励友人；以及全诗以报国写送别、写尽豪情与乡愁的手法。

Background

Cen Shen (c. 715–770), the leading high-Tang frontier poet of 'Gao and Cen,' twice served beyond the passes. This poem sees a friend off to the Anxi protectorate to enlist. It names the Hu hook (a western saber), Long Head (Longshan, Gansu, on the western road), and the three borders, and voices the high-Tang current of seeking glory by arms. Cen Shen praises the friend's pure patriotism—serving, not coveting rank—while honestly admitting the homesickness of the march, and urges an early, safe return. It is key to understanding the era's martial mindset and Cen Shen's frontier verse.

此诗写送友人赴安西（唐代安西都护府，治所在今新疆库车一带）从军，是岑参的名篇。岑参（约715—770），江陵（今湖北荆州）人，盛唐著名边塞诗人，与高适并称「高岑」。岑参两度出塞，曾在安西、北庭等地幕府任职，对边塞风光与军旅生活有深切的体验。安西都护府是唐朝经营西域的军事重镇，盛唐士人多赴安西从军求取功名。此诗写送友人赴安西从军：「上马带胡钩，翩翩度陇头」写友人的行装与英姿——胡钩是胡地弯刀，陇头（今甘肃陇山一带）是西行必经之地；「小来思报国，不是爱封侯」写友人从小就想报国、不是贪图封侯的高尚志向；「万里乡为梦，三边月作愁」写万里从军中的乡愁——万里之中唯家乡入梦，三边（泛指边地）之地见明月生愁；「早须清黠虏，无事莫经秋」写勉励友人早扫胡虏（黠虏，狡黠的胡虏）、不要久滞边地（莫经秋，不要经过秋天，意谓早日凯旋）。全诗以报国写送别，写尽从军的报国之志与乡愁，是理解盛唐从戎心态与岑参边塞诗的重要篇章。

Art

Four strategies. First, scene for bearing: 'mounting, he carries the Hu hook; with easy grace he crosses Long Head' uses 'easy grace' to show dashing composure. Second, contrast for motive: 'from youth he has thought to serve the country—not from love of rank' opposes service to ambition, ennobling the friend. Third, antithesis for homesickness: 'ten thousand li, home becomes a dream; at the three borders the moon makes sorrow' pairs 'home a dream' with 'moon makes sorrow' in a striking couplet. Fourth, a closing charge: 'soon clear the cunning foe; if no trouble, do not pass the autumn' exhorts swift victory and early return. The poem moves from pride to care; its words 'becomes' and 'makes' bind home to dream and moon to grief—Cen Shen's 'rugged' art with feeling.

此诗的艺术特色可从四个方面解析。其一，以写景写英姿。前两句「上马带胡钩，翩翩度陇头」写从军的行装与英姿——那「上马带胡钩」写上马带着胡钩，「翩翩度陇头」写翩翩度过陇头，以「翩翩」写英姿，写尽从军的行装与潇洒。其二，以对照写报国之志。「小来思报国，不是爱封侯」写从小想报国、不是爱封侯——那「思报国」与「爱封侯」的对照写报国之志的高尚，以「不是」写尽不贪封侯的高尚志向。其三，以对仗写乡愁。「万里乡为梦，三边月作愁」以对仗写乡愁——那「万里乡为梦」写万里之中家乡为梦，「三边月作愁」写三边之地明月为愁，以「乡为梦」「月作愁」的奇对写尽从军中的乡愁。其四，以勉励收束。「早须清黠虏，无事莫经秋」以勉励收束——那「早须清黠虏」写勉励友人早扫胡虏，「无事莫经秋」写勉励友人不要久滞边地，以勉励写尽对友人的关怀与报国的期望。四重手法，使此诗以报国写送别，写尽从军的报国之志与乡愁，正是岑参「语奇体峻」诗风的本领。

Allusions

The language sits in frontier, service, and homeland tradition. 'Hu hook' echoes Li He's 'why not bear the Wu hook' (a western saber). 'Easy grace' recalls the dashing rider; 'Long Head' the Longshan streams of the 'Long Head Song.' 'Serve the country' belongs to the 'answer the call, face peril' topos; 'noble rank' to 'seek a marquis a myriad li' (Lu You). 'Home becomes a dream' evokes the 'home in ten thousand li' and the 'return dream' of exile; 'border moon' the 'moon is the hometown's bright' and frontier-moon lore. 'Cunning foe' and 'pass the autumn' recall the 'few return from the long campaign' tradition. Cen Shen thus gathers hook, Long Head, service, rank, home-dream, border moon, and foe into a bold farewell of service and homesickness.

此诗的用语深植于边塞从戎与报国的传统。「胡钩」令人想到「胡钩」写胡地弯刀的意象——「男儿何不带吴钩」（李贺《南园》）的「吴钩」意象，也令人想到「带钩」写佩刀的传统；「翩翩」令人想到「翩翩」写潇洒英姿的意象——「翩翩两骑来是谁」（白居易《卖炭翁》），也令人想到「翩翩公子」的潇洒；「陇头」令人想到「陇头」写甘肃陇山一带的意象——「陇头流水，鸣声幽咽」的《陇头歌》，也令人想到「陇水」写西行的边塞意象；「报国」令人想到「报国」写报效国家的传统——「报国行赴难，古来皆共然」（崔颢《古游侠呈军中诸将》），也令人想到「精忠报国」的报国传统；「封侯」令人想到「封侯」写封爵的传统——「万里觅封侯」（陆游《诉衷情》），也令人想到「封侯拜相」的功名；「万里乡为梦」令人想到「万里」写从戎之远的意象，也令人想到「乡梦」写思乡的意象——「家在万里」的乡愁，更令人想到「归梦」的思乡传统；「三边月作愁」令人想到「三边」写边地的意象（幽州、并州、凉州为三边），也令人想到「月」写思乡的意象——「月是故乡明」，更令人想到「边月」写边塞月色的传统；「黠虏」令人想到「黠虏」写狡猾胡虏的意象——「虏」写敌人的传统，也令人想到「黠」写狡猾；「莫经秋」令人想到「经秋」写经过秋天的意象，也令人想到「秋」写征戍的意象——「古来征战几人回」的征戍传统。全诗化用胡钩、陇头、报国、封侯、乡梦、边月、黠虏的传统意象，以报国写送别，正是岑参「语奇体峻」、承从戎报国传统写豪情与乡愁的本领。

Commentary

Long a Cen Shen masterwork and a representative Tang martial farewell, it won Qing praise for 'farewell through service, heroic yet deeply feeling.' Moderns cite 'from youth he has thought to serve the country—not from love of rank' as a perennial line. Its worth is condensing martial dedication and homesickness into forty characters—the hooked rider, the graceful crossing, the pure motive, the home-dream, the border moon, the foe—all belong to the high-Tang soldier; 'serve the country, not love rank' crowns the sentiment. Paired with Cen Shen's 'To Vice-Envoy Li' (on seeking fame) it shows his frontier verse both bold and homesick. For today's readers it opens the era's martial heart and Cen Shen's art—the home-dream still speaking across ages.

此诗历来被推为岑参的名篇，也是唐人送别从戎诗的代表。历代论者对此诗评价极高：清人评此诗「以报国写送别，豪迈而深情」；近人更指出「小来思报国，不是爱封侯」写从军报国的高尚志向，是千古名句。在诗歌史上，此诗的特殊价值在于：它以四十字的短章写尽从军的报国之志与乡愁——那带胡钩上马的英姿，那翩翩度陇头的潇洒，那思报国的志向，那不爱封侯的高尚，那万里为梦的乡愁，那三边作愁的明月，那清黠虏的勉励，都写尽了盛唐士人从军报国的豪情与乡愁；那「小来思报国，不是爱封侯」更写尽从军报国的高尚志向。此诗与岑参的《送李副使赴碛西官军》（「功名只向马上取」）同为送别从戎名篇，一写报国之志，一写取功名的豪情；又与王昌龄《从军行》（「不破楼兰终不还」）同为写从军报国的名篇，可见盛唐边塞诗写报国豪情的传统。对于今日读者，此诗是理解盛唐从戎心态与岑参边塞诗的窗口，也是中国诗写从军报国的经典——那万里为梦的乡愁，穿越千年，仍在诉说着从军者的报国与思乡。

Prosody

Form Poem · five-character regulated verse (wulü)诗·五言律诗

Rhyme A five-character lüshi rhyming on gou, tou, hou, chou, qiu (the 'you' rhyme, level tone), one rhyme to the end, its long level music suiting the homesick mood.押平声尤韵（钩、头、侯、愁、秋），一韵到底，平韵悠长，正合乡愁的悠长

Tone pattern As a five-character regulated verse of eight lines in four couplets, its middle pair is neatly antithetical; level-opening, level-closing, with a composed rhythm that turns heroic yet tender.此诗为五言律诗，八句四联，中二联对仗工整。全诗平起平收，节奏从容，于平易中见豪迈与深情。

Reading note A five-character lüshi of eight lines—'mounting, he carries the Hu hook… do not pass the autumn'—rhyming on the 'you' category (gou, tou, hou, chou, qiu), one rhyme to the end, its music long and level. The middle couplets are parallel ('home a dream' / 'moon makes sorrow'); level-opening, level-closing, the rhythm is composed yet carries both martial pride and homesick feeling—Cen Shen's manner. Read the close with concerned, hopeful steadiness.此诗为五言律诗，八句四联：首联写英姿（上马带胡钩，翩翩度陇头），颔联写志向（小来思报国，不是爱封侯），颈联写乡愁（万里乡为梦，三边月作愁），尾联写勉励（早须清黠虏，无事莫经秋）。押平声尤韵，韵脚「钩、头、侯、愁、秋」一韵到底，平韵悠长，正合乡愁的悠长。中二联对仗工整：「小来思报国，不是爱封侯」以思报国、爱封侯相对，不是、小来相对，工整而凝练；「万里乡为梦，三边月作愁」以万里、三边相对，乡为梦、月作愁相对，以奇对写乡愁。全诗以五言的从容节奏，写送别从戎——首联写英姿，颔联写志向，颈联写乡愁，尾联写勉励，层层推进，豪迈而深情。诵读此诗，宜以潇洒的语调读「翩翩度陇头」的英姿，以豪迈的语调读「小来思报国」的志向，颈联「万里乡为梦，三边月作愁」要读得深情而有余韵，方能传达出岑参的豪情与乡愁。岑参五律以「语奇体峻」著称，此诗正是其送别从戎五律的典范。

Line by line

小来思报国，不是爱封侯

From youth he has thought to serve the country—not from love of noble rank.

从小就想报国，不是喜爱封侯。

From boyhood I have thought of serving the state, not of loving the enfeoffment.

此联是全诗写志向的核心，以对照写从军报国的高尚志向，是千古名句。「小来思报国」写从小就想报国——那「小来」写从小，「思报国」写想报效国家，写尽从军的志向源于报国；「不是爱封侯」写不是喜爱封侯——那「不是」写否定，「爱封侯」写贪图封侯，写尽不贪功名的志向。这句的深意在于：它以「小来思报国」与「不是爱封侯」的对照，写尽从军报国的高尚志向——从小就想报效国家，那「小来思报国」写尽报国之志的由来之早、之纯——不是一时冲动，而是自小的志向；不是喜爱封侯，那「不是爱封侯」以否定写尽不贪功名的志向——从军不是为封侯拜相，而是为报效国家，那「思报国」与「爱封侯」的对照，写尽从军志向的高尚与纯粹；盛唐士人多赴边从军求取功名，而友人「不是爱封侯」，正是其超越功名的报国之心，那「小来思报国」写尽志向的由来，那「不是爱封侯」写尽志向的高尚，写尽对友人报国之志的赞美。若换作直说「他想报国」，则失其对照；唯以「小来思报国」写志向、「不是爱封侯」写高尚，以对照写尽从军报国的志向，也让此联成为全诗写志向的核心与千古名句。

This couplet is the core of the whole's writing the ambition, using contrast to write the lofty ambition of joining the army to serve the state, the famous line of a thousand ages. From boyhood I have thought of serving the state writes that from childhood one thought of serving the country; not of loving the enfeoffment writes not coveting rank. The deep meaning lies in that it uses the contrast of from boyhood I have thought of serving the state and not of loving the enfeoffment to write to the full the lofty ambition of arms - from boyhood, the early and pure origin of the will to serve, not a moment's impulse but a childhood ambition; not of loving the enfeoffment, in negation, writes the will not coveting fame - joining the army not for enfeoffment but for the state. The contrast of serving the state and loving the enfeoffment writes to the full the lofty purity of the military will. The High Tang scholar mostly went to the border to seek fame, yet the friend not of loving the enfeoffment exactly shows his heart of serving the state beyond fame. The words from boyhood write the origin of the will, and not of loving the enfeoffment writes its loftiness, writing to the full the praise of the friend's will. If one instead directly said he wants to serve the country, one would lose the contrast; only writing the will through from boyhood I have thought of serving the state and the loftiness through not of loving the enfeoffment, writing the ambition of arms in contrast, makes this couplet the core of the whole's will and a famous line of a thousand ages.

万里乡为梦，三边月作愁

Ten thousand li, his home becomes a dream; at the three borders the moon makes his sorrow.

万里之中家乡为梦，三边之地明月为愁。

Ten thousand li away, home is but a dream; on the three borders, the moon breeds grief.

此联写从军中的乡愁，以对仗写乡梦与边月，是千古名句。「万里乡为梦」写万里之中家乡为梦——那「万里」写从戎之远，「乡为梦」写家乡只在梦中，写尽万里从军中的思乡；「三边月作愁」写三边之地明月为愁——那「三边」写边地，「月作愁」写明月化作愁绪，写尽见月生愁的乡愁。这句的深意在于：它以「万里乡为梦」与「三边月作愁」的对仗，写尽从军中的乡愁——离家万里，家乡只在梦中，那「乡为梦」写尽万里从军中思乡的深切——家乡遥不可及，只能在梦中相见，那「乡为梦」写尽思乡的无奈；身在边地，见明月而作愁，那「月作愁」写尽见月生愁的乡愁——明月本是思乡的象征，身在边地的征人，见明月便思故乡，那「月作愁」写尽边月勾起的乡愁；「万里乡为梦」写尽思乡之深，那「三边月作愁」写尽见月之愁，以奇对写尽从军中的乡愁——报国之志虽豪迈，乡愁却如影随形，那「乡为梦」「月作愁」写尽征人报国与思乡交织的情怀。若换作直说「很想家」，则失其凝练；唯以「万里乡为梦」写思乡、「三边月作愁」写边月之愁，以对仗写尽从军中的乡愁，也让此联成为全诗写乡愁的千古名句。

This couplet writes the homesickness in arms, using parallel to write the home dream and the border moon, the famous line of a thousand ages. Ten thousand li away, home is but a dream writes that home is only in a dream ten thousand li away; on the three borders, the moon breeds grief writes that the bright moon turns to grief. The deep meaning lies in that it uses the parallel of ten thousand li away, home is but a dream and on the three borders, the moon breeds grief to write to the full the homesickness in arms - ten thousand li from home, home only in a dream, writing to the full the depth of longing in the far frontier, home beyond reach, only meeting in dreams. On the border, seeing the bright moon breeds grief, writing to the full the homesickness the moon stirs - the bright moon is originally the symbol of longing, and the frontier soldier seeing it thinks of home. The ten thousand li home is but a dream writes the depth of longing, and the three borders moon breeds grief writes the grief of seeing the moon, using a striking parallel to write to the full the homesickness in arms - though the will to serve is bold, homesickness follows like a shadow; home but a dream and moon breeds grief write to the full the soldier's feeling of service and longing interwoven. If one instead directly said I miss home very much, one would lose the concentration; only writing longing through ten thousand li away, home is but a dream and the border moon's grief through on the three borders, the moon breeds grief, writing the homesickness in arms in parallel, makes this couplet the famous line of a thousand ages of the whole's homesickness.

Study

Word focus

翩翩 'Pianpian' (easy grace, dashing) in 'with easy grace he crosses Long Head.' It conveys the friend's carefree, heroic bearing as he sets off, signaling composure and martial poise. 「翩翩度陇头」之「翩翩」是写英姿的关键词，一个「翩翩」写尽从军的潇洒英姿。翩翩者，潇洒轻快貌也。岑参以「翩翩」写度陇头，这个「翩翩」至少有双重意味：其一，写英姿之潇洒——那「翩翩度陇头」写翩翩度过陇头，那「翩翩」写尽从军者潇洒轻快的英姿；其二，写赴军之从容——那「翩翩」更是写从容——翩翩度陇头，正见赴军的从容与豪迈，那「翩翩」写尽从军者的从容气度。以「翩翩」写英姿，正是岑参写从军行装的枢纽——若换作「匆匆」「矫矫」等词，则或失其潇洒，或失其与「度陇头」的配合；唯「翩翩」二字，以潇洒轻快写尽从军的英姿与从容，与「上马带胡钩」的整备相合，写尽从军者的潇洒英姿，也让「翩翩度陇头」成为全诗写英姿的关键。

为 'Wei' (becomes, is made) in 'ten thousand li, his home becomes a dream.' It turns the distant homeland into a mere dream—both its unreachability and the depth of his longing, answering 'moon makes sorrow' in the parallel line. 「万里乡为梦」之「为」字是写乡愁的关键字，一个「为」字写尽思乡的无奈。为者，成为、当作也。岑参以「乡为梦」写乡愁，这个「为」字至少有双重意味：其一，写乡之遥远——那「乡为梦」写家乡成为梦，那「为」字写尽家乡只在梦中、遥不可及的无奈；其二，写思乡之深——那「为」字更是写思乡——家乡化为梦，正见思乡之深，那「为」字写尽万里从军中思乡的深切。以「为」字写乡愁，正是岑参写乡愁的枢纽——若换作「在」「作」等字，则或失其与「月作愁」的对仗，或失其凝练；唯「为」字，以一字写尽家乡成为梦的无奈与思乡之深，与「三边月作愁」的「作」相对，写尽从军中的乡愁，也让「万里乡为梦」成为全诗写乡愁的千古名句。