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唐 Tang · 诗 Poem

成都曲

Song of Chengdu

张籍

Zhang Ji

锦江近西烟水绿，新雨山头荔枝熟。
万里桥边多酒家，游人爱向谁家宿。

By the Jin River near the west, misty waters are green;
New rain on the hills, the lychees are ripe.
Beside the Wanli Bridge, many wine-shops —
Where will the traveler rest for the night?
Listen

Meaning

The poem paints the easy prosperity of Chengdu — green misty river, ripe lychees after rain, and rows of wine-shops by the bridge. It closes with a light, playful question about where the traveler will lodge, evoking the city's hospitality.

锦江近西烟水绿，新雨山头荔枝熟。万里桥边多酒家，游人爱向谁家宿。

Appreciation

[Plain Paraphrase] Zhang Ji's 'Song of Chengdu': 'By the Jin River near the west, misty waters are green; / New rain on the hills, the lychees are ripe' — 'Beside the Wanli Bridge, many wine-shops; / Where will the traveler rest for the night?' He writes Chengdu — Jin River's misty green waters. [Imagery] 'Jin River near the west, misty waters green; new rain on the hills, lychees ripe' paints river-mist and ripening fruit; 'beside the Wanli Bridge, many wine-shops' paints the bridge's taverns; it closes with 'where will the traveler rest?' a question evoking the city's bustle. Bright and fresh. [Feeling] Zhang Ji's poem on Chengdu's scenery shows the green river-mist, ripe lychees, and the abundance of wine-shops by the Wanli Bridge, displaying the city's prosperity and ease — a celebrated piece on Chengdu.

【白话串讲】 张籍写《成都曲》：“锦江近西烟水绿，新雨山头荔枝熟”——“万里桥边多酒家，游人爱向谁家宿”——他写成都——锦江烟水绿。 【意象与手法】 “锦江近西烟水绿，新雨山头荔枝熟”写锦江烟水与荔枝熟；“万里桥边多酒家”写万里桥酒家；结以“游人爱向谁家宿”以问句写成都繁华。明丽清新。 【情感与主旨】 张籍写成都风物之作，写锦江烟水绿、荔枝熟与万里桥边酒家之盛，展现成都的繁华与安逸，是写成都的名篇。 【名句点睛】 常考“锦江近西烟水绿，新雨山头荔枝熟”写成都风光；“万里桥边多酒家，游人爱向谁家宿”写成都繁华。

Background

Zhang Ji (c. 766–c. 830), styled Wen-chang, was a native of Wujiang in Hezhou (modern He County, Anhui), a mid-Tang poet who rose to Director of the Imperial Academy (guozi siye). 'Song of Chengdu' is a scenic piece on the city. Its lines present the green misty Jin River and ripe lychees, then the many wine-shops by the Wanli Bridge and the traveler's lodging question. Often collected, it shows Zhang's bright, fresh manner and his skill at saying much in little — an enduring model among city-scenery poems.

《成都曲》为唐代诗人张籍所作诗。张籍（约766—约830），字文昌，和州乌江（今安徽和县）人，中唐诗人，官至国子司业。此诗写景风物，为咏成都之作。诗中「锦江近西烟水绿，新雨山头荔枝熟」写锦江近西烟水绿，新雨山头荔枝熟；「万里桥边多酒家，游人爱向谁家宿」写万里桥边多酒家，游人爱向谁家宿。张籍此诗以写景风物、游人爱向谁家宿写其风物之情，明丽清新，是张籍诗中的名篇。此篇《成都曲》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《成都曲》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《成都曲》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 excels in 'bright freshness, writing feeling through the river.' Four lines in two couplets move from 'Jin River near the west, misty waters green' to 'beside the Wanli Bridge, many wine-shops.' The opening paints the green misty river and ripe lychees; the close paints the bridge's wine-shops and the traveler's question. The whole writes feeling through the river, from the green waters to the lodging question, bright and fresh. The method of 'totality through the few' gives tight structure and deep intent; the imagery is condensed yet the tone lingers. A small masterpiece of the type, showing the poet's perfected craft.

此诗艺术上以「明丽清新、以江写情」见长。全诗共四句两联，由锦江近西烟水绿而万里桥边多酒家。起「锦江近西烟水绿，新雨山头荔枝熟」写锦江近西烟水绿：锦江近西烟水绿，新雨山头荔枝熟；结「万里桥边多酒家，游人爱向谁家宿」写万里桥边多酒家：万里桥边多酒家，游人爱向谁家宿。全诗以江写情，由锦江近西烟水绿而游人爱向谁家宿，明丽清新，是张籍诗中的名篇。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。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。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

The lines carry embedded allusions. 'Jin River near the west, misty waters green; new rain on the hills, lychees ripe' uses the Jin River allusion (the Jin River is in Chengdu); 'beside the Wanli Bridge, many wine-shops; where will the traveler rest?' uses the Wanli Bridge allusion (the Wanli Bridge is in Chengdu). The poet folds the Jin River and Wanli Bridge references in without trace, making the scenic feeling immediate and real — the mark of one skilled at fusing allusion. Such usage melds past and present seamlessly, neither flaunting erudition nor rigidly old, revealing the poet's deep learning and nimble thought.

诗中「锦江近西烟水绿新雨山头荔枝熟」「万里桥边多酒家游人爱向谁家宿」等语，皆含典故故实。「锦江近西烟水绿新雨山头荔枝熟」用锦江之典（锦江在成都），写锦江近西烟水绿新雨山头荔枝熟；「万里桥边多酒家游人爱向谁家宿」用万里桥之典（万里桥在成都），写万里桥边多酒家游人爱向谁家宿。诗人以锦江、万里桥之典入诗，不着痕迹，而把写景风物之情写得真切可感，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。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。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

This 'Song of Chengdu' is Zhang Ji's scenic piece, writing the green Jin River, the wine-shops by the Wanli Bridge, and the traveler's lodging question with bright freshness. It opens with 'Jin River near the west, misty waters green; new rain on the hills, lychees ripe' — the green waters, the ripe lychees — and closes with 'beside the Wanli Bridge, many wine-shops; where will the traveler rest?' — the many shops, the lodging question. The closing couplet is the poem's seal: the traveler's lodging question carries the scenic feeling. The whole is bright and fresh, writing feeling through the river, a famous piece in Zhang's oeuvre. Overall, feeling true, scene apt, principle deep, fused without seam, so infinite meaning lodges in few words and the poem bears endless rereading — the classical ideal of saying much through little.

这首《成都曲》，是张籍写写景风物之作，写锦江近西烟水绿、万里桥边多酒家、游人爱向谁家宿之情，明丽清新。起「锦江近西烟水绿，新雨山头荔枝熟」——锦江近西烟水绿，新雨山头荔枝熟。写锦江近西烟水绿：锦江近西烟水绿、新雨山头荔枝熟——烟水绿、荔枝熟；结「万里桥边多酒家，游人爱向谁家宿」——万里桥边多酒家，游人爱向谁家宿。写万里桥边多酒家：万里桥边多酒家、游人爱向谁家宿——多酒家、谁家宿。这「万里桥边多酒家，游人爱向谁家宿」，是全诗之结：以游人爱向谁家宿写其风物。全诗明丽清新，以江写情，正是张籍诗中的名篇。综观全诗，情真、景切、理深，三者浑融无迹，故能于短短数语之中寄无限深意，令人百读不厌。其含蓄蕴藉之处，正是中国古典诗歌以少总多、言有尽而意无穷的美学精神的生动体现。综观全诗，情真、景切、理深，三者浑融无迹，故能于短短数语之中寄无限深意，令人百读不厌。其含蓄蕴藉之处，正是中国古典诗歌以少总多、言有尽而意无穷的美学精神的生动体现。

Prosody

Form Poem (heptasyllabic quatrain, qijue)诗（七言绝句）
Rhyme A heptasyllabic quatrain of four lines in two couplets. It rhymes: shu and su belong to the Ru (entering-tone) category. The first two lines open and the last two turn and conclude, with alternating level-oblique tones, well matched to the bright, fresh scenery and showing the quatrain's condensation in writing local scene.此诗为七言绝句，共四句两联。押韵：「熟」「宿」押屋部韵。前两句起、后两句转合，平仄相间，正与写写景风物的明丽清新相称，也见其以七绝写风物的凝练。
Tone pattern In syntax, 'Jin River near the west, misty waters green; new rain on the hills, lychees ripe' sounds bright; the close 'beside the Wanli Bridge, many wine-shops; where will the traveler rest?' sounds fresh. The whole music rises and falls with feeling, from bright to fresh, exactly the quatrain's 'condensed' wonder — read it like scenic description, like 'where will the traveler rest,' bright and moving.句式上，「锦江近西烟水绿，新雨山头荔枝熟」写锦江近西烟水绿，音节明丽；结「万里桥边多酒家，游人爱向谁家宿」写万里桥边多酒家，音节清新。全诗音节随情起伏，由明丽而清新，正合七绝「凝练」之妙，读来如写景风物、游人爱向谁家宿之音，明丽而动人。
Reading note This is a heptasyllabic quatrain, a famous scenic piece by Zhang Ji. Its character is 'bright freshness, writing feeling through the river': 'Jin River near the west, misty waters green' and 'beside the Wanli Bridge, many wine-shops.' Especially fine is the first line's use of the Jin River allusion and the second's Wanli Bridge allusion — a model of Zhang's 'bright freshness,' often collected. The poem's vocal affective power comes from matching sound-rhyme to feeling and rhythm to mood; the rise-fall of level-oblique tones is all of a piece with the meaning — a glimpse of the beauty and craft of Chinese classical prosody.此诗为七言绝句，是张籍写写景风物之作，也是其诗中的名篇。全诗的艺术特色在于「明丽清新、以江写情」：「锦江近西烟水绿，新雨山头荔枝熟」写锦江近西烟水绿、「万里桥边多酒家，游人爱向谁家宿」写万里桥边多酒家。全诗明丽清新，以江写情。尤为精妙者，是「锦江近西烟水绿」用锦江之典；而「万里桥边多酒家」用万里桥之典，正是张籍诗「明丽清新」的典范，为历代选本所常收。《成都曲》一诗之所以读来声情并茂，正在于诗人以声韵配合情思、以节奏烘托意境，音节之长短、平仄之起伏，皆与诗意相为表里，此亦可见中国古典诗歌声律之美与匠心之工。

Line by line

锦江近西烟水绿，新雨山头荔枝熟。

By the Jin River near the west, misty waters are green; / New rain on the hills, the lychees are ripe.

锦江近西烟水绿，新雨山头荔枝熟。

West of the Brocade River, the misty waters are green; after the new rain, the lychees on the hilltop are ripe.

起句写锦江近西烟水绿，起笔即见其锦江。「锦江近西烟水绿」用锦江之典写锦江近西烟水绿，「锦江近西」写锦江近西、「烟水绿」写烟水绿；「新雨山头荔枝熟」写新雨山头荔枝熟，「新雨山头」写新雨山头、「荔枝熟」写荔枝熟。一句写锦江近西烟水绿新雨山头荔枝熟，以锦江近西烟水绿写烟水绿、以新雨山头荔枝熟写荔枝熟，写尽锦江近西烟水绿、新雨山头荔枝熟之情。以江起兴，明丽而清新，是「以江起兴」的妙笔。

The opening line writes west of the Brocade River, the misty waters are green, the Brocade River at once. It uses the Brocade River allusion; the words west of the Brocade River write the water's green mist. After the new rain, the lychees on the hilltop are ripe writes the ripeness after rain. The line writes to the full the feeling of the green misty water and the ripe lychees. Rising through the river, bright and fresh, the fine brush of rising through the river.

万里桥边多酒家，

Beside the Wanli Bridge, many wine-shops —

万里桥边多酒家，

By the Bridge of Ten Thousand Li, many wineshops,

此句写万里桥边多酒家，是全诗写酒家之态的关键。「万里桥边」用万里桥之典写万里桥边，「万里桥」写万里桥、「边」写边；「多酒家」写多酒家，「多」写多、「酒家」写酒家。一句写万里桥边多酒家，以万里桥边写桥边、以多酒家写酒家，写尽万里桥边多酒家之情。以桥写景，明丽而清新，是「以桥写景」的点睛之笔。此句以寥寥数语写尽深意，情韵兼胜，正是全诗点睛之笔。其于字句之间暗藏波澜，于平易之中寄寓曲折，尤当反复涵泳，方能得其三昧。

This line writes by the Bridge of Ten Thousand Li, many wineshops, the key of the whole's writing the wineshops. It uses the Bridge of Ten Thousand Li allusion; the words by the bridge write the riverside, many wineshops write the taverns. The line writes to the full the feeling of the many wineshops by the bridge. Writing scenery through the bridge, bright and fresh, the eye-dotting brush. In a few words it writes to the full the deep meaning, feeling and rhyme both fine, exactly the eye-dotting stroke; hidden waves beneath the plain words, the winding lodged within the easy, to be savored again and again.

游人爱向谁家宿。

Where will the traveler rest for the night?

游人爱向谁家宿。

In which of them will the wanderer choose to lodge?

结句写游人爱向谁家宿，是全诗立意的落点。「游人爱向」写游人爱向，「游人」写游人、「爱向」写爱向；「谁家宿」写谁家宿，「谁家」写谁家、「宿」写宿。一句写游人爱向谁家宿，以游人爱向写爱向、以谁家宿写谁家宿，写尽游人爱向谁家宿之情。以宿写情，明丽而清新，是全诗最动人处，也是「以宿写情」的点睛之笔。此句以寥寥数语写尽深意，情韵兼胜，正是全诗点睛之笔。其于字句之间暗藏波澜，于平易之中寄寓曲折，尤当反复涵泳，方能得其三昧。

The closing line writes in which of them will the wanderer choose to lodge?, the landing of the whole's bent. The words the wanderer write the traveler; chooses to write the preference. In which house writes the question. The line writes to the full the feeling of the wanderer's choosing his lodging. Writing feeling through the lodging, bright and fresh, the most moving place of the whole and the eye-dotting brush. In a few words it writes to the full the deep meaning, feeling and rhyme both fine; hidden waves beneath the plain words, to be savored again and again.

Study

Word focus

锦江 'Jin River' (jin jiang) is the key phrase writing the river's state. 'Jin River near the west, misty waters green' places the word 'Jin River,' writing the river — placing 'Jin River' writes the Jin River near the west, misty waters green, showing the river's splendor. Two characters exhaust the river's state, a wonderful 'writing the river through the word.' The single use of 'Jin River' brings the whole poem to life, bound up with its affective tone, exactly showing the poet's refinement in word-choice. 「锦江」写锦江近西烟水绿，是写锦江之态的关键。「锦江近西烟水绿」着一「锦江」，写锦江——着一「锦江」，写锦江近西烟水绿，见其江之锦。两字写尽锦江之态，是「以词写江」的妙笔。「锦江」一字之用而全篇生色，与诗中情韵相为表里，正见诗人炼字之精与匠心之独运。读者于此等处若细细体会，自能领会其于平淡之中见功力、于寻常处见神奇之妙。
烟水 'Misty waters' (yan shui) is the key phrase writing the waters' state. 'Jin River near the west, misty waters green' places the word 'misty waters,' writing the waters — placing 'misty waters' writes the Jin River near the west, misty waters green, showing the water's mist. Two characters exhaust the waters' state, a pointed 'writing water through the word.' The single use of 'misty waters' brings the whole poem to life, bound up with its affective tone. 「烟水」写锦江近西烟水绿，是写烟水之态的关键。「锦江近西烟水绿」着一「烟水」，写烟水——着一「烟水」，写锦江近西烟水绿，见其水之烟。两字写尽烟水之态，是「以词写水」的点睛之词。「烟水」一字之用而全篇生色，与诗中情韵相为表里，正见诗人炼字之精与匠心之独运。读者于此等处若细细体会，自能领会其于平淡之中见功力、于寻常处见神奇之妙。
荔枝 'Lychee' (li zhi) is the key phrase writing the fruit's state. 'New rain on the hills, lychees ripe' places the word 'lychee,' writing the fruit — placing 'lychee' writes new rain on the hills, lychees ripe, showing the fruit's abundance. Two characters exhaust the fruit's state, a pointed 'writing fruit through the word.' The single use of 'lychee' brings the whole poem to life, bound up with its affective tone. 「荔枝」写新雨山头荔枝熟，是写荔枝之态的关键。「新雨山头荔枝熟」着一「荔枝」，写荔枝——着一「荔枝」，写新雨山头荔枝熟，见其枝之荔。两字写尽荔枝之态，是「以词写果」的点睛之词。「荔枝」一字之用而全篇生色，与诗中情韵相为表里，正见诗人炼字之精与匠心之独运。读者于此等处若细细体会，自能领会其于平淡之中见功力、于寻常处见神奇之妙。
酒家 'Wine-shop' (jiu jia) is the key phrase writing the tavern's state. 'Beside the Wanli Bridge, many wine-shops' places the word 'wine-shop,' writing the tavern — placing 'wine-shop' writes beside the Wanli Bridge, many wine-shops, showing the place's taverns. Two characters exhaust the tavern's state, a pointed 'writing the house through the word.' The single use of 'wine-shop' brings the whole poem to life, bound up with its affective tone. 「酒家」写万里桥边多酒家，是写酒家之态的关键。「万里桥边多酒家」着一「酒家」，写酒家——着一「酒家」，写万里桥边多酒家，见其家之酒。两字写尽酒家之态，是「以词写家」的点睛之词。「酒家」一字之用而全篇生色，与诗中情韵相为表里，正见诗人炼字之精与匠心之独运。读者于此等处若细细体会，自能领会其于平淡之中见功力、于寻常处见神奇之妙。

Related Reading

水调歌头·明月几时有 Shuidiao Getou (When did the bright moon appear?) 苏轼 · 同写风物感怀、明丽旷达，一写我欲乘风归去、一写锦江近西烟水绿新雨山头荔枝熟，皆于风物之中见明丽 Both write scene-and-feeling, bright and expansive; one through wind-water, one through the river

Su Shi's 'Shuidiao Getou' — 'I want to ride the wind and go home, / yet fear the jade towers, the mansions so high, / where the cold is too much' — writes scene-and-feeling, bright and detachment, a famous Song long lyric. Zhang Ji's 'Song of Chengdu' writes 'Jin River near the west, misty waters green; new rain on the hills, lychees ripe' and 'beside the Wanli Bridge, many wine-shops.' Both write scene-and-feeling, bright and expansive: one through 'ride the wind' and transcendental ease, the other through the Jin River's misty green and ripe lychees. One is Su Shi's detachment, one Zhang's brightness — read together they show two ways of writing 'scene-and-feeling.'

苏轼《水调歌头·明月几时有》「我欲乘风归去，又恐琼楼玉宇，高处不胜寒」，写风物感怀、明丽旷达，是宋词长调的名篇；张籍《成都曲》则以「锦江近西烟水绿，新雨山头荔枝熟」「万里桥边多酒家」写烟水绿、多酒家。两诗同写风物感怀、明丽旷达：一写我欲乘风归去、以乘风写超然，一写锦江近西烟水绿新雨山头荔枝熟、以锦江写风物；一为苏轼之旷达、一为张籍之明丽，并读正可见诗写「风物感怀」的两种笔法，皆于风物之中见明丽。

 八声甘州·对潇潇暮雨洒江天 Ba Sheng Gan Zhou (Against the drizzling dusk rain on the river-sky) 柳永 · 同写江边凝望、明丽清丽，一写对潇潇暮雨洒江天、一写万里桥边多酒家游人爱向谁家宿，皆于江边之中见凝望 Both write riverside gazing, bright and clear; one through dusk rain, one through wine-shops

Liu Yong's 'Ba Sheng Gan Zhou' — 'against the drizzling dusk rain on the river-sky, / once more it washes clear the autumn' — writes riverside gazing, bright and clear, a famous Song lyric on travel. Zhang Ji's 'Song of Chengdu' writes 'beside the Wanli Bridge, many wine-shops; where will the traveler rest?' and 'new rain on the hills, lychees ripe.' Both write riverside gazing, bright and clear: one through dusk rain and clear autumn, the other through wine-shops and ripe lychees. One is Liu Yong's clear beauty, one Zhang's brightness — read together they show two ways of writing 'riverside gazing.'

柳永《八声甘州·对潇潇暮雨洒江天》「对潇潇暮雨洒江天，一番洗清秋」，写江边凝望、明丽清丽，是宋词写羁旅的名篇；张籍《成都曲》则以「万里桥边多酒家，游人爱向谁家宿」「新雨山头荔枝熟」写多酒家、荔枝熟。两诗同写江边凝望、明丽清丽：一写对潇潇暮雨洒江天、以暮雨写清秋，一写万里桥边多酒家游人爱向谁家宿、以酒家写风物；一为柳永之清丽、一为张籍之明丽，并读正可见诗写「江边凝望」的两种笔法，皆于江边之中见凝望。