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唐 Tang · 诗 Poem

酬张少府

Reply to Zhang Shao-fu

王维

Wang Wei

隐逸Seclusion 酬赠Friendly Reply

晚年唯好静，万事不关心。
自顾无长策，空知返旧林。
松风吹解带，山月照弹琴。
君问穷通理，渔歌入浦深。

In late years I only love quietness,
Nothing in the world concerns my mind.
I see I have no plan for the state,
Only know to return to my old woods.
Pine wind unties my loosened belt,
Mountain moon shines on my lute-playing.
You ask about the truth of failure and success—
The fisher's song goes deep into the river.

Listen

Meaning

At old age, the poet loves only quietness and cares for nothing worldly. He admits he has no good strategy for the times, so he returns to reclusion in nature, enjoying the pine wind and mountain moon while playing the lute. When asked about success and failure, he replies with the image of a fisherman's song fading into the deep river, suggesting transcendence.

到了晚年只喜爱清静，对万事都不再挂心。自思并无匡时良策，徒然懂得归返旧日林泉。松风拂动解开的衣带，山月照着我拨弄鸣琴。你若问穷达得失的道理，且听那渔歌飘入浦水深处。

Appreciation

This poem, written in Wang Wei's later years at Wangchuan, reflects his serene mind after political turmoil. The first four lines state his preference for quietness with a modest tone of helplessness. The next four depict his leisurely life, and the final couplet answers a philosophical question with a scene, embodying Chan ideals. The language is plain yet profound, typical of Wang Wei's 'poetry in painting, painting in Chan' style.

【白话串讲】 “晚年唯好静，万事不关心”——王维晚年只爱安静，什么都不关心。“松风吹解带，山月照弹琴”——一个人在山里弹琴，这份清静让多少人向往。【意象与手法】起联「晚年唯好静，万事不关心」直白如偈；颔联「自顾无长策，空知返旧林」于自谦中见归隐之决；颈联「松风吹解带，山月照弹琴」以动静相生之景写闲适；尾联以「渔歌入浦深」景语作答，不堕理窟，淡远空灵。【情感与主旨】此诗约作于王维晚年隐居辋川时期。张少府生平不详，当为诗人的一位僚友。经历了早年进取、张九龄罢相后的消沉以及安史之乱的震荡，王维晚年笃信佛教、亦官亦隐，此篇即答友人之问，述归隐自得之心。【名句点睛】常考：①诗中「隐逸」情怀的体现与时代背景；②颈联「松风吹解带，山月照弹琴」的画面与意境；③尾联「渔歌入浦深」以景答问的含蓄手法。

Background

Wang Wei wrote this poem while living in seclusion at Wangchuan, replying to his friend Zhang Shao-fu. After early ambition, the fall of his mentor Zhang Jiuling, and the An Lushan Rebellion, he turned to Buddhism and a semi-reclusive life, expressing contentment here.

此诗约作于王维晚年隐居辋川时期，是一首酬答之作，所酬者张少府生平不详，当为诗人的一位僚友。「少府」为唐代县尉之别称，张少府盖为在任或致仕的下级官吏，与王维过从问学。王维（701—761），字摩诘，太原祁（今山西祁县）人，盛唐山水田园诗派的代表诗人，兼擅诗、画、音乐。其一生经历颇为曲折：早年怀济世之志，张九龄执政时曾得援引；开元末张九龄罢相、李林甫专权，王维政治理想受挫，渐趋消沉；安史之乱中被迫受伪职，乱平后虽得宽宥，然心迹愈趋内敛。晚年于蓝田辋川购得宋之问别业，与裴迪等优游林下，笃信佛教，亦官亦隐，诗风日趋冲淡空灵。此诗正是在这样的心境下答友人之问而作：友人问穷通之理，诗人以归隐自得之态相答，字里行间见其看破仕途、寄情山水的晚年志趣。再从诗体与酬答情境看，唐人「酬」诗多须切合对方身份与所问，此诗通篇不作应酬虚语，而以自家心境相答，正是「以心酬友」的写法：友人问穷通，诗人答以渔歌，既见交谊之深，亦见其晚年心性之定，是酬赠诗中脱去客套、归于本真的典范。

Art

The opening couplet is straightforward like a Chan gatha. The second couplet shows modesty and resolve. The third couplet uses pine wind and mountain moon to depict serenity with careful parallelism. The final couplet answers with a scenic image, avoiding abstraction and achieving ethereal quality.

此诗艺术上最显著的特点是以平淡语写深厚意，通篇如话家常而禅味盎然。起联「晚年唯好静，万事不关心」直白如偈，一个「唯」字斩截道出晚年的唯一志趣，「万事不关心」更将尘世诸般放下，开门见山地亮明心境，为全篇定下冲淡基调。颔联「自顾无长策，空知返旧林」自谦之中见归隐之决：「无长策」是自认无济世之才，「空知」二字含无奈与自嘲，明写归隐非全出本愿，暗中却见其于仕途已然失望，化用陶渊明「羁鸟恋旧林」诗意而更趋淡泊。颈联「松风吹解带，山月照弹琴」是全诗最富画意的一联：松风、解带、山月、弹琴，动静相生，视听兼美，写尽闲适清境，对仗精工而天然无饰，正合苏轼「诗中有画」之评。尾联「君问穷通理，渔歌入浦深」以景代答：不直接说穷通之理，而以渔歌飘入浦水深处作答，含不尽之意于言外，把哲理化为意境，淡远空灵，禅意悠远。全诗由「静」起、以「深」结，一气流贯。

Allusions

'Return to the old forest' alludes to Tao Yuanming's 'caged bird longs for the old forest,' expressing the desire for a simple life. 'Fisherman's song' carries the tradition of the fisherman in the 'Chu Ci,' embodying non-attachment and answering the question of success and failure with carefree adaptability.

此诗用典不多而皆融化无痕。「返旧林」化用陶渊明《归园田居》其一「羁鸟恋旧林，池鱼思故渊」，陶诗以羁鸟池鱼喻仕宦束缚，王维此处借以明写归隐之志，且与「空知」相配，暗含「既已识得故园之好，则归去正宜」之意，用陶典而更趋冲淡。「渔歌」暗含《楚辞·渔父》中渔父「沧浪之水清兮，可以濯吾缨；沧浪之水浊兮，可以濯吾足」的隐逸传统，渔父不滞于物、随遇而安，正是「穷通理」的最好注脚——穷通本无可问，如渔父之放浪江湖，即是答案。「松风」「山月」虽非僻典，然自魏晋以来即与隐逸清谈相连（如陶弘景「山中何所有，岭上多白云」），王维取松、月入诗，正是取其高洁清幽之意。二处用典皆自然无痕，与冲淡诗风相契，是「用典如己出」的典范。另外，诗中「解带」「弹琴」亦含魏晋名士风流的意趣——解带见其不拘形迹，弹琴见其雅人深致，《世说新语》记王子猷、嵇康辈皆以琴酒自适，王维取此二事写隐者日常，正是以魏晋风度入唐人诗，使隐逸形象更具文化厚度。

Commentary

Shen Deqian praised the third couplet as 'utterly pure.' Modern critics say 'every word enters Chan.' Su Shi's comment on 'poetry within painting' is well demonstrated here in the pine wind, mountain moon, and fisher song.

历代评家于此诗评价极高。清人沈德潜《唐诗别裁》评「松风吹解带」一联「清绝」，谓其写出隐者真趣。近人谓此诗「语语家常，却字字入禅」，正指其以平淡语写禅悦之境。苏轼「味摩诘之诗，诗中有画；观摩诘之画，画中有诗」之评，于此诗松风山月、渔歌浦深的境界尤得其神——前六句画出一幅辋川隐者图，尾联则以渔歌入浦点活全图，动静相生。在唐诗史上，此诗与王维《终南别业》《辋川闲居赠裴秀才迪》等同为其晚年冲淡诗风的代表作，与孟浩然、储光羲等同道的隐逸诗一起，共同确立了盛唐山水田园诗派「清空淡远」的美学品格。而「君问穷通理，渔歌入浦深」以景结情的写法，更开后来「以禅入诗」「理趣诗」之先声，影响及于宋人。此诗在后世的影响亦不可忽视：历代选本（如《唐诗三百首》系统之外的各种唐诗选）多收此诗，以其最能代表王维「晚年惟好静」的典型形象；「松风吹解带，山月照弹琴」一联更常被后人题写于园林书画，成为隐逸美学的经典画面，足见其艺术生命之悠长。

Prosody

Form Five-character regulated verse (五言律诗)五言律诗（仄起首句不入韵式）

Rhyme Pingshui rhyme: xiaping shi'er qin (心、林、琴、深)押平水韵下平十二侵韵，韵脚「心」「林」「琴」「深」四字，一韵到底。

Tone pattern First line does not rhyme, oblique tone pattern starting with oblique tones首句「晚年唯好静」为仄平平仄仄，次句「万事不关心」为仄仄仄平平；颔联「自顾无长策，空知返旧林」为仄仄平平仄、平平仄仄平；颈联「松风吹解带，山月照弹琴」为平平平仄仄、平仄仄平平；尾联「君问穷通理，渔歌入浦深」为平仄平平仄、平平仄仄平。全诗仄起首句不入韵，平仄谐调，对仗工稳。

Reading note A typical Wang Wei work from his Wangchuan period, with natural parallelism in middle couplets and rich Chan meaning.此诗为五言律诗，仄起首句不入韵，押下平十二侵韵（心、林、琴、深），一韵到底。五律体制凝敛，正合此诗冲淡含蓄的风格。首联直抒心境如偈语，颔联化陶诗写归隐之由，颈联以工对写闲适之境，尾联以景结情答友人之问，起承转合分明而一气呵成。中二联对仗自然天成：颔联「无长策」对「返旧林」虚中有实，颈联「松风」对「山月」、「解带」对「弹琴」动静相生，皆不见雕琢之痕，是王维「清水出芙蓉」诗风的典型。尾联「渔歌入浦深」以景语收束，打破律诗「以议论作结」的惯例，以意境代说理，正见其诗禅合一之妙。全诗冲淡之中有深味，是王维晚年五律的代表作。

Line by line

晚年唯好静，万事不关心。

In late years only love quiet, all things not care. Opens with a direct statement of detachment.

晚年只爱清静，万事不再挂怀。

In my later years I love but quiet; a thousand matters touch me not.

起联直白如禅偈，是全篇的总纲。「唯好静」之「唯」字斩截独断，道出晚年唯一的心之所向——不涉名利、不慕繁华，唯求一「静」；「万事不关心」更以全称否定把尘世诸般事务一笔撇开，看似消极，实是历尽风波后的澄明。这两句正是诗人晚年心境的自白：早年济世之志既已无望，中年政治风波又历尽沧桑，故晚年收敛身心、寄情山水，以「不关心」换得内心的安宁。两句以家常语道出，无一丝做作，却字字有来历——非真正放下者说不出此语，开篇即定下全诗冲淡的基调，为后文写归隐之乐、答穷通之问张本。

The opening couplet is plain as a Zen gatha, the whole's program. The single word only in love but quiet is decisive and peremptory, uttering the later years' sole heart's bent - touching neither fame nor gain, coveting not splendor, seeking but one quiet. A thousand matters touch me not further brushes aside all worldly affairs in a universal negation; seeming passive, it is in truth the clarity after weathering every storm. The two lines are the confession of the poet's later heart: the early years' ambition to save the age already hopeless, the middle years' political storms all weathered, so in old age he gathers mind and body, lodges his feeling in the hills and streams, exchanging not caring for inner peace. The two lines are spoken in household words, without a trace of posing, yet every character has its provenance - none but one who has truly let go could say this, the opening fixing the whole's plain key, laying a ground for the later writing the joy of reclusion and answering the question of fortune.

自顾无长策，空知返旧林。

I see myself without long-term plan, only know to return to old forest. Modesty and helplessness, alluding to Tao Yuanming.

自思并无匡时良策，徒然懂得归返旧日林泉。

Looking at myself, I have no statecraft; I only know to return to my old woods.

颔联写归隐之由，于自谦中见决绝。「无长策」是自认无济世安邦的良策——或是真无，或是失望后自嘲；「空知返旧林」的「空」字最堪玩味，有「徒然」「只」两解：既含无奈，谓自己别无他能，只晓得归隐；又含自得，谓既无长策，则归隐正是唯一可行的正道。「返旧林」化用陶渊明「羁鸟恋旧林」，以旧林指代辋川别业与隐逸生活。两句以退为进，把仕途失意的落寞转化为归隐的选择，谦而不卑，淡而有味，既回答了友人「为何归隐」的潜在疑问，又为颈联铺开一幅归隐生活的画面。

The jaw couplet writes the reason for reclusion, showing resolve within self-deprecation. No statecraft means confessing he has no fine plan to save the age - either truly none, or self-mockery after disappointment. The single word only in I only know to return to my old woods is most to enjoy, bearing two readings of in vain and merely: at once the helplessness, that he has no other ability and knows only reclusion; and the self-content, that since he has no statecraft, reclusion is the only right course. Return to my old woods adapts Tao Yuanming's caged bird loves its old wood, using the old woods for the Wangchuck estate and the recluse life. The two lines use retreat as advance, transforming the official career's disappointment into the choice of reclusion, humble yet not abject, plain yet flavored, at once answering the friend's latent question why reclusion and spreading a picture of the recluse life for the neck couplet.

松风吹解带，山月照弹琴。

Pine wind blows loosened belt, mountain moon shines on playing lute. A vivid scene of reclusive life, action and stillness combined.

松风拂动解开的衣带，山月照着我拨弄鸣琴。

The pine wind sways my loosened girdle; the mountain moon shines on my playing of the lute.

颈联是全诗最富画意的一联，写归隐生活的闲适自得。「松风吹解带」：解带本是闲居时随意散漫的动作，松风拂来，衣带飘举，人与风俱自在；「山月照弹琴」：月出东山，照临琴身，琴声与月色交融。两句一动一静、一风一月、一触觉一视觉，对仗精工而浑然天成，把隐者的生活写得既清幽又生动——不是枯寂的独处，而是与松风山月为伴的诗意栖居。苏轼「诗中有画」之评于此联最得其神：画面中有人（解带、弹琴的动作）、有景（松风、山月）、有声（琴音）、有光（月色），是辋川闲居生活的真实写照，也是诗人理想境界的具象呈现。

The neck couplet is the most picturesque of the whole, writing the recluse life's ease. The pine wind sways my loosened girdle: untying the girdle is originally the loose act of leisure, the pine wind blowing, the girdle lifted, man and wind both at ease. The mountain moon shines on my playing of the lute: the moon rising over the eastern hill, shining on the lute, the lute sound and the moonlight fused. The two lines one motion one stillness, one wind one moon, one touch one sight, the wrought parallel yet entirely natural, writing the recluse's life as at once sequestered and alive - not the dry solitude, but the poetic dwelling in the company of pine wind and mountain moon. Su Shi's judgment of poetry within painting best catches this couplet's spirit: in the picture there is the man (untying the girdle, playing the lute), the scenery (pine wind, mountain moon), the sound (lute music), the light (moonlight), the true portrait of the Wangchuck leisure, and the concrete presenting of the poet's ideal realm.

君问穷通理，渔歌入浦深。

You ask about failure-success truth, fisherman's song enters river deep. Answer with scene, leaving implication open.

君若问穷达得失的道理，且听那渔歌飘入浦水深处。

If you ask the way of failure and success, hear the fisherman's song fading into the deep creek.

尾联是全诗的点睛之笔，以景答问，不堕理窟。「君问穷通理」点出酬答之由——友人问仕途穷达的道理；诗人不直接作答，而以「渔歌入浦深」五字景语收束：远处浦水深处，飘来一阵渔歌。穷通之理何须言说？渔父放浪江湖、不慕荣利，其歌声之悠远自在，即是答案。此联妙在把抽象的哲理化为具体的意境：理本不可说，一说便着相，不如以渔歌之「深」暗示理之无穷；渔歌既入浦深，则穷通之问亦当放下，随遇而安即是真谛。含不尽之意于言外，禅意悠远，正合「羚羊挂角，无迹可求」之境。

The tail couplet is the eye-dotting stroke of the whole, answering the question through scenery, not falling into the pit of argument. If you ask the way of failure and success points the reason of the reply - the friend asks the principle of official fortune; the poet answers not directly, but closes in the five scenery words hear the fisherman's song fading into the deep creek: from afar in the deep creek, a fisherman's song drifts by. Why speak of the way of fortune? The fisherman, roaming the rivers and lakes, coveting not rank and gain, his song's distant ease is the answer. The beauty of this couplet lies in turning the abstract principle into the concrete mood: the principle originally unspeakable, once spoken it grasps at form; better to hint the principle's infinity through the deep of the fisherman's song; since the song enters the deep creek, the question of fortune too should be let go, and adapting to circumstances is the truth. Holding the unexhausted meaning beyond the words, the Zen mood distant, exactly the realm of the antelope hanging its horn, no trace to be found.

Study

Word focus

唯 only; emphasizes exclusivity of his love for quietness in old age. 「晚年唯好静」之「唯」字，意为「唯独、只」，是全诗第一个字眼，斩截道出晚年心境的专一与淡泊。一个「唯」字，把诗人的心之所向收束到极窄处——世间万事，我只取一「静」；其余种种，皆与我无干。此字与下句「万事不关心」的「不」呼应，「唯」是有所取，「不」是有所弃，一取一弃之间，晚年的生活选择与精神归宿朗然自明。若易为「独」「但」等字，则失其斩截；「唯」字以绝对化语气写出，正见诗人历尽沧桑后心志之定，非泛泛言静者可比，亦为全诗「静」字定下调门。

空 in vain; shows modesty and helplessness, implying return to nature is not entirely by choice. 「空知返旧林」之「空」字，是颔联的枢纽，含多层意蕴。其一作「徒然」解：自认无长策，则归隐亦不过退而求其次，暗含仕途失意的无奈；其一作「只」解：别无他长，唯知归隐，见其志之专。两种读法相反而相成——正因仕途无望（徒然），故唯余归隐一途（只知），无奈与决绝交织。此字又与「无」呼应，「无长策」与「空知」对举，虚字传神，把「想有为而不可为，故转而自守」的复杂心曲写得含蓄深婉。王维诗中「空」字屡见（如「空山新雨后」「空翠湿人衣」），于此联最见其妙：以空写实，以虚写真。

深 deep; both physical depth of the river and metaphorical depth of truth, closing with a lingering image. 「渔歌入浦深」之「深」字，是全诗的收束之眼，既写景又寓意。写景方面，浦水深处，渔歌渐远渐杳，画面有纵深感与余音袅袅之致；寓意方面，穷通之理正如浦水之深，不可穷尽、不可言说，唯有放下执着、随遇而安，方能如渔歌般自在悠远。一「深」字把哲理、景致、禅意三者融为一体：理之深、水之深、味之深，三深合一。此字尤妙在以动写静、以声写境——渔歌入浦，声渐远而境愈静，正是「鸟鸣山更幽」的反衬手法，使结句余味悠长，读之如闻渔歌，久久不绝。