唐 Tang · 诗 Poem
别严士元
Parting from Yan Shiyuan
春风倚棹阖闾城，水国春寒阴复晴。
细雨湿衣看不见，闲花落地听无声。
日斜江上孤帆影，草绿湖南万里情。
东道若逢相识问，青袍今日误儒生。
In the watery land, spring cold—now dim, now clear.
Fine rain wets the robe, unseen;
Idle blossoms fall, soundless to the ear.
The sun slants; on the river a lone sail's shadow;
Grass turns green by the lake—ten thousand li of feeling.
If, eastward, you meet an old acquaintance who asks,
Say the blue robe today has wronged this scholar.
Meaning
At a spring parting in the watery south, Liu Changqing lingers over subtle, almost imperceptible sights—unseen rain, soundless falling flowers—then sends his friend off with a lone sail and a green landscape of farewell, closing with a self-deprecating lament that official poverty (the blue robe) has betrayed his scholar's calling.
春风倚棹阖闾城，水国春寒阴复晴。细雨湿衣看不见，闲花落地听无声。日斜江上孤帆影，草绿湖南万里情。东道若逢相识问，青袍今日误儒生。
Appreciation
[Plain Paraphrase] By spring breeze the friends rest their oars at ancient Helü City, where the southern spring is cold and shifting between cloud and sun. Fine rain dampens the cloak unseen; stray blossoms drop without a sound. As the sun lowers, a solitary sail glides the river; green grass by the lake holds ten thousand li of parting feeling. The poet asks his friend, if asked about him back east, to say the blue robe has been a scholar's undoing. [Structure] Scene-setting opening (city, spring cold), sensory middle (invisible rain, silent blossoms), the departure (lone sail, green grass), and a self-referential close (blue robe). [Imagery] The 'unseen' rain and 'soundless' blossoms are quintessential Liu Changqing—feeling rendered through faint, refined perception. [Tone] Clear, lovely, gently rueful—the polished southern lyricism of the mid-Tang.
【白话串讲】 刘长卿写《别严士元》：“春风倚棹阖闾城，水国春寒阴复晴”——“细雨湿衣看不见，闲花落地听无声”——“日斜江上孤帆影，草绿湖南万里情”——“东道若逢相识问，青袍今日误儒生”——他送别严士元——细雨湿衣看不见。 【意象与手法】 “春风倚棹阖闾城，水国春寒阴复晴”写送别之景；“细雨湿衣看不见，闲花落地听无声”以细雨湿衣、闲花落地写景之细微；“日斜江上孤帆影，草绿湖南万里情”写孤帆影与万里情；结以“东道若逢相识问，青袍今日误儒生”写青袍误儒生。清丽深婉。 【情感与主旨】 刘长卿写送别感怀之作，写送别严士元之景与自伤身世之情，以“细雨湿衣看不见”写景之妙，体现刘长卿诗清丽深婉的风格。 【名句点睛】 常考“细雨湿衣看不见，闲花落地听无声”以细雨闲花写景之细微；“日斜江上孤帆影，草绿湖南万里情”以孤帆影写别情。
Background
Liu Changqing (c. 709–c. 786), a mid-Tang poet famed for polished, melodious regulated verse and a tone of gentle melancholy; he suffered repeated demotions and exile, which feed his parting and official-frustration poems. Yan Shiyuan was a friend; the parting takes place at Suzhou (ancient Helü City, named for King Helü of Wu). The 'blue robe' marks a low-ranking official, a status Liu often resented as unworthy of his learning.
《别严士元》为唐代诗人刘长卿所作诗。刘长卿（约726—约786），字文房，河间（今河北河间）人，唐代诗人。此诗写送别感怀，为别严士元之作。诗中「春风倚棹阖闾城，水国春寒阴复晴」写春风倚棹阖闾城，水国春寒阴复晴；「细雨湿衣看不见，闲花落地听无声」写细雨湿衣看不见，闲花落地听无声；「日斜江上孤帆影，草绿湖南万里情」写日斜江上孤帆影，草绿湖南万里情；「东道若逢相识问，青袍今日误儒生」写东道若逢相识问，青袍今日误儒生。刘长卿此诗以送别感怀、青袍今日误儒生写其感怀之情，清丽深婉，是刘长卿诗中的名篇。此篇《别严士元》在历代选本中多被收录，其艺术价值与流传之广，正可见此诗在同类题材中的重要地位。诗人以匠心独运之笔写寻常之情事，遂使此作历千载而犹有生气，为后人所称赏不绝。此篇《别严士元》在历代选本中多被收录，其艺术价值与流传之广，正可见此诗在同类题材中的重要地位。诗人以匠心独运之笔写寻常之情事，遂使此作历千载而犹有生气，为后人所称赏不绝。
Art
The poem's distinction is its finesse of perception. The second couplet—'fine rain wets the robe, unseen; idle blossoms fall, soundless'—is a miniature of southern lyric subtlety: feeling is conveyed through what barely registers (a dampness, a silence). The third couplet widens the lens: the slanting sun, a lone sail, and lakeside green grass expand private parting into 'ten thousand li of feeling.' The close turns inward with dry self-mockery: the blue robe, badge of minor office, has 'wronged the scholar.' Regulated antithesis is smooth and unforced; the mood glides from limpid scene to quiet grievance without rupture, the hallmark of Liu's elegance.
此诗艺术上以「清丽深婉、以景写情」见长。全诗共四联八句，由春风倚棹阖闾城而细雨湿衣看不见而日斜江上孤帆影。首联「春风倚棹阖闾城，水国春寒阴复晴」写春风倚棹阖闾城：春风倚棹阖闾城，水国春寒阴复晴；颔联「细雨湿衣看不见，闲花落地听无声」写细雨湿衣看不见：细雨湿衣看不见，闲花落地听无声；颈联「日斜江上孤帆影，草绿湖南万里情」写日斜江上孤帆影：日斜江上孤帆影，草绿湖南万里情；尾联「东道若逢相识问，青袍今日误儒生」写东道若逢相识问：东道若逢相识问，青袍今日误儒生。全诗以景写情，由春风倚棹阖闾城而青袍今日误儒生，清丽深婉，是刘长卿诗中的名篇。通篇以少总多之法出之，章法严谨而用意深曲，意象凝练而情韵悠长，读之愈久，愈觉其构思之精与笔力之健，堪称同类诗作中不可多得之佳篇，足见诗人炉火纯青的艺术功力。
Allusions
Helü City refers to Suzhou, named for King Helü of Wu, grounding the scene in a storied southern site. 'The blue robe' is the standard garb of low Tang officials; Liu uses it metonymically for a modest, unrewarding post that belies a true scholar's worth—a common self-pitying trope in demoted-official verse.
诗中「春风倚棹阖闾城水国春寒阴复晴」「细雨湿衣看不见闲花落地听无声」「日斜江上孤帆影草绿湖南万里情」「东道若逢相识问青袍今日误儒生」等语，皆含典故故实。「春风倚棹阖闾城水国春寒阴复晴」用阖闾城之典（阖闾城为吴国都城），写春风倚棹阖闾城水国春寒阴复晴；「细雨湿衣看不见闲花落地听无声」写细雨湿衣看不见闲花落地听无声；「日斜江上孤帆影草绿湖南万里情」写日斜江上孤帆影草绿湖南万里情；「东道若逢相识问青袍今日误儒生」用青袍之典（青袍为唐代八品九品官服），写东道若逢相识问青袍今日误儒生。诗人以阖闾城、青袍等典入诗，不着痕迹，而把送别感怀之情写得真切可感，是善于熔铸典故的体现。此等用典之法，熔铸古今而不着痕迹，既不炫博以示学，亦不拘泥于旧解，正见诗人学养之深与运思之巧。读者于此等处尤当细心玩味，方能领会其言外之旨与味外之味。
Commentary
'Parting from Yan Shiyuan' is a favourite for its exquisitely quiet middle couplets, often cited as the epitome of Liu Changqing's 'clear and deep' style. The invisible rain and silent blossoms have entered anthologies as a model of restrained southern lyricism, while the blue-robe ending gives the poem a wry, human close that keeps it from mere prettiness.
这首《别严士元》，是刘长卿写送别感怀之作，写春风倚棹阖闾城、细雨湿衣看不见、日斜江上孤帆影、青袍今日误儒生之情，清丽深婉。首联「春风倚棹阖闾城，水国春寒阴复晴」——春风倚棹阖闾城（用阖闾城之典），水国春寒阴复晴。写春风倚棹阖闾城：春风倚棹阖闾城、水国春寒阴复晴——倚棹阖闾城、春寒阴复晴；颔联「细雨湿衣看不见，闲花落地听无声」——细雨湿衣看不见，闲花落地听无声。写细雨湿衣看不见：细雨湿衣看不见、闲花落地听无声——湿衣看不见、落地听无声；颈联「日斜江上孤帆影，草绿湖南万里情」——日斜江上孤帆影，草绿湖南万里情。写日斜江上孤帆影：日斜江上孤帆影、草绿湖南万里情——孤帆影、万里情；尾联「东道若逢相识问，青袍今日误儒生」——东道若逢相识问，青袍（用青袍之典）今日误儒生。写东道若逢相识问：东道若逢相识问、青袍今日误儒生——若逢相识问、青袍误儒生。这「东道若逢相识问，青袍今日误儒生」，是全诗之结：以青袍今日误儒生写其感怀。全诗清丽深婉，以景写情，正是刘长卿诗中的名篇。
Prosody
Line by line
春风倚棹阖闾城，水国春寒阴复晴。
Spring breeze, we lean on the oars at Helü City; in the watery land, spring cold—now dim, now clear.
春风倚棹阖闾城，水国春寒阴复晴。
In the spring wind I lean on my oar by Helu City; the water-land is spring-cold, now overcast, now clear.
首联写春风倚棹阖闾城，起笔即见其景。「春风倚棹阖闾城」用阖闾城之典写春风倚棹阖闾城，「春风倚棹」写春风倚棹、「阖闾城」写阖闾城；「水国春寒阴复晴」写水国春寒阴复晴，「水国春寒」写水国春寒、「阴复晴」写阴复晴。两句一写春风倚棹阖闾城、一写水国春寒阴复晴，以春风倚棹阖闾城写倚棹阖闾城、以水国春寒阴复晴写春寒阴复晴，写尽春风倚棹阖闾城、水国春寒阴复晴之情。以景起兴，清丽而深婉，是「以景起兴」的妙笔。
The opening line writes in the spring wind I lean on my oar by Helu City; the water-land is spring-cold, now overcast, now clear, the parting scene. The words spring wind write the season, lean on my oar the boat, Helu City the place, overcast now clear the changeable sky. The line writes to the full the feeling of the spring wind and the changing sky. Rising through the city, the farewell poem's opening.
细雨湿衣看不见，闲花落地听无声。
Fine rain wets the robe, unseen; idle blossoms fall, soundless to the ear.
细雨湿衣看不见，闲花落地听无声。
The fine rain wets the garments unseen; the idle flowers fall to the ground unheard.
颔联写细雨湿衣看不见，是全诗写细雨之态的关键。「细雨湿衣看不见」写细雨湿衣看不见，「细雨湿衣」写细雨湿衣、「看不见」写看不见；「闲花落地听无声」写闲花落地听无声，「闲花落地」写闲花落地、「听无声」写听无声。两句一写细雨湿衣看不见、一写闲花落地听无声，以细雨湿衣看不见写湿衣不见、以闲花落地听无声写落地无声，写尽细雨湿衣看不见、闲花落地听无声之情。以雨写景，清丽而深婉，是「以雨写景」的点睛之笔。
This line writes the fine rain wets the garments unseen; the idle flowers fall to the ground unheard, the spring drizzle's subtlety. The words fine rain write the drizzle, wet the garments unseen the unseen wetting, idle flowers fall the silent falling. The line writes to the full the feeling of the unseen rain and the silent flowers. Writing the quiet through the unseen and the unheard, the poem's fine couplet.
日斜江上孤帆影，草绿湖南万里情。
The sun slants; on the river a lone sail's shadow; grass turns green by the lake—ten thousand li of feeling.
日斜江上孤帆影，草绿湖南万里情。
The sun slants on the river, a lone sail's shadow; the grass is green south of the lake, ten thousand li of feeling.
颈联写日斜江上孤帆影，是全诗写孤帆之态的关键。「日斜江上孤帆影」写日斜江上孤帆影，「日斜江上」写日斜江上、「孤帆影」写孤帆影；「草绿湖南万里情」写草绿湖南万里情，「草绿湖南」写草绿湖南、「万里情」写万里情。两句一写日斜江上孤帆影、一写草绿湖南万里情，以日斜江上孤帆影写孤帆影、以草绿湖南万里情写万里情，写尽日斜江上孤帆影、草绿湖南万里情之情。以帆写情，清丽而深婉，是「以帆写情」的点睛之笔。
This line writes the sun slants on the river, a lone sail's shadow; the grass is green south of the lake, ten thousand li of feeling, the far gaze. The words sun slants write the sunset, lone sail's shadow the boat, grass green south of the lake the distance, ten thousand li of feeling the longing. The line writes to the full the feeling of the lone sail and the green grass. Writing the distance through the sail and the grass, the poem's middle couplet.
东道若逢相识问，青袍今日误儒生。
If, eastward, you meet an old acquaintance who asks, say the blue robe today has wronged this scholar.
东道若逢相识问，青袍今日误儒生。
If my host meets an old acquaintance asking, tell him the blue robe has today misled the scholar.
尾联写东道若逢相识问，是全诗立意的落点。「东道若逢相识问」写东道若逢相识问，「东道若逢」写东道若逢、「相识问」写相识问；「青袍今日误儒生」用青袍之典写青袍今日误儒生，「青袍今日」写青袍今日、「误儒生」写误儒生。两句一写东道若逢相识问、一写青袍今日误儒生，以东道若逢相识问写若逢相识问、以青袍今日误儒生写青袍误儒生，写尽东道若逢相识问、青袍今日误儒生之情。以袍写情，清丽而深婉，是全诗最动人处，也是「以袍写情」的点睛之笔。
The closing line writes if my host meets an old acquaintance asking, tell him the blue robe has today misled the scholar, the self-mockery. The words my host write the addressee, an old acquaintance asking the question, the blue robe has today misled the scholar the regret. The line writes to the full the feeling of the message and the regret. Writing the regret through the blue robe, the farewell poem's eye-dotting close.
Study
Word focus
Related Reading
Liu Yong's slow lyric dwells on dusk rain over river and sky with lingering romantic sorrow; Liu Changqing's octet turns fine, invisible rain into a quiet parting lyric. Both are river-rain poems, one sumptuous, one restrained.
柳永《八声甘州·对潇潇暮雨洒江天》「想佳人妆楼颙望，误几回、天际识归舟」，写送别羁旅、凝望天涯，是宋词写羁旅的名篇；刘长卿《别严士元》则以「日斜江上孤帆影，草绿湖南万里情」「细雨湿衣看不见，闲花落地听无声」写孤帆影万里情、湿衣看不见。两诗同写送别羁旅、凝望天涯：一写误几回天际识归舟、以凝望写思归，一写日斜江上孤帆影草绿湖南万里情、以孤帆写送别；一为柳永之清丽、一为刘长卿之深婉，并读正可见诗写「送别凝望」的两种笔法，皆于送别之中见凝望。
水调歌头·明月几时有 Shui Diao Ge Tou: When Will the Moon Be Bright 苏轼 · 同写感怀伤逝、超然旷达，一写人有悲欢离合、一写东道若逢相识问青袍今日误儒生，皆于感怀之中见伤逝 Both reflect on separation and feelingSu Shi's lyric broadens parting into cosmic consolation; Liu Changqing's poem keeps feeling local and refined, ending in a scholar's rueful self-note. Both treat leave-taking, but one soars, the other murmurs.
苏轼《水调歌头·明月几时有》「人有悲欢离合，月有阴晴圆缺，此事古难全」，写感怀旷达，是宋词长调的名篇；刘长卿《别严士元》则以「东道若逢相识问，青袍今日误儒生」「日斜江上孤帆影，草绿湖南万里情」写青袍误儒生、孤帆影万里情。两诗同写感怀伤逝、超然旷达：一写人有悲欢离合、以悲欢写离合，一写东道若逢相识问青袍今日误儒生、以青袍写感怀；一为苏轼之超然、一为刘长卿之深婉，并读正可见诗写「感怀伤逝」的两种笔法，皆于感怀之中见伤逝。