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唐 Tang · 诗 Poem

阁夜

Night in the Pavilion

杜甫

Du Fu

感时Reflecting on the Times 战乱War and Chaos 咏史Historical Reflection

岁暮阴阳催短景，天涯霜雪霁寒宵。
五更鼓角声悲壮，三峡星河影动摇。
野哭千家闻战伐，夷歌数处起渔樵。
卧龙跃马终黄土，人事音书漫寂寥。

Year's end, the sun and moon hurry the short daylight;
Far from home, frost and snow clear on this cold night.
At the fifth watch, bugles and drums sound mournful and strong;
Over the Three Gorges, the starry reflections shake along.
Thousands weep in the wilds from wars they hear;
In places, foreign songs rise from fisherman and woodcutter clear.
The Sleeping Dragon and the Leaping Horse both turn to dust;
Worldly affairs and letters leave in lonely rust.

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Meaning

In the depths of winter, the poet feels the pressing of time as days grow short. Far from home, he endures a cold night after frost and snow. At dawn, he hears the mournful sounds of military bugles and drums, and sees the reflections of the stars trembling in the Three Gorges. The cries of thousands mourning the war and the songs of fishermen and woodcutters reflect the turmoil of the times. He reflects that even great heroes like Zhuge Liang and Gongsun Shu have turned to dust, leaving him in lonely silence, with no news from friends or family.

岁末时节，昼短夜长的交替催促着光阴，我漂泊在天涯，霜雪初晴，挨过这清寒的夜。五更时分，军中的鼓角声悲壮地响起；三峡上空，星河的倒影在江面摇荡。荒野里千家恸哭，是因又闻战乱的消息；几处渔夫樵子唱起夷人的歌谣。想那诸葛武侯、公孙跃马，最终都化作了黄土；如今人事沧桑、音书断绝，一切都这般寂寥。

Appreciation

This poem, written in Kuizhou during a winter night, opens with a bleak scene of year-end and distant exile. The second couplet uses sound and shadow to convey the unrest of a turbulent era: the mournful bugles and drums at dawn, and the trembling reflections of stars in the Three Gorges. The third couplet contrasts the wailing of thousands over war with the foreign songs of fishermen, capturing the mingled sorrows of ordinary people. The final couplet invokes historical figures Zhuge Liang and Gongsun Shu, who both turned to dust, ending in a profound sense of loneliness and futility. The poem masterfully blends scene, history, and emotion, embodying Du Fu's 'poetic history' style.

【白话串讲】杜甫住在夔州的阁楼上，听五更的鼓角声，看三峡的星河。“野哭千家闻战伐”——千家万户的哭声，都是因为战争。一个失眠的老人，把乱世的夜写进了这首诗。【意象与手法】全诗八句皆对，章法森严而气脉流转。首联“岁暮阴阳催短景，天涯霜雪霁寒宵”以时空双起，定下悲凉基调【情感与主旨】此诗作于唐代宗大历元年（766）冬，杜甫流寓夔州（今重庆奉节）【名句点睛】常考“五更鼓角声悲壮，三峡星河影动摇”的视听结合、以声写悲与以影写动；“野哭”对“夷歌”的对照手法

Background

Written in the winter of 766 AD, when Du Fu was living in Kuizhou (now Fengjie, Chongqing). Although the An Lushan Rebellion had ended, regional warlords were still rebellious, Tibetan forces were invading, and wars continued. The poet, in a remote mountain area, heard military sounds and weeping, and thought of historical figures like Zhuge Liang and Gongsun Shu who had once been active in the region but were now gone. This poem reflects his sorrow for the times and his own loneliness.

此诗作于唐代宗大历元年（766年）冬，杜甫流寓夔州（今重庆奉节），寓居西阁之时，题中「阁」即西阁。杜甫自乾元二年（759年）弃官入蜀，先后客居成都、梓州、阆中，永泰元年（765年）四月，赖以依恃的剑南节度使严武病卒，杜甫失去依靠，遂携家离成都东下，经嘉州、戎州、渝州，于次年春至夔州，因肺病、疟疾交攻，滞留于此约两年。夔州时期是杜甫七律创作的高峰期，也是其人生最后阶段——时年五十五岁，疾病缠身，漂泊异乡，故国之念与身世之感交织。此诗写作的具体背景，是当时蜀中战乱未靖：永泰元年十月，剑南兵马使崔旰反，攻成都，蜀中大乱，杜甫滞留夔州正是因此；诗中所写「野哭千家闻战伐」，即指夔州一带百姓因闻战乱消息而痛哭的实况。就版本而言，此诗收入《杜工部集》，仇兆鳌《杜诗详注》卷十八、杨伦《杜诗镜铨》皆收录并详注，文字诸本基本一致，无重大异文。诗以「阁夜」为题，写岁暮霜雪之夜独宿西阁的见闻与感慨，将个人的天涯漂泊、国家的战乱动荡、历史的兴亡代谢熔于一炉，是杜甫夔州七律中最沉郁顿挫的篇章之一。

Art

The poem is a tightly structured eight-line regulated verse. The first couplet sets the scene in time and space. The second couplet juxtaposes sound and shadow to evoke the shock of war. The third couplet contrasts weeping with singing to capture the joys and sorrows of life. The final couplet uses historical allusions to foreshadow the poet's own loneliness. The poem weaves together scene, emotion, and history in a deeply melancholy yet powerful style.

此诗为七律正格，八句皆对，章法森严而气脉流转，被后世视为杜甫七律结构艺术的典范。首联「岁暮阴阳催短景，天涯霜雪霁寒宵」以时空双起：上句写时间——岁暮之际，昼短夜长，日月交替仿佛在催促白日飞逝，一个「催」字写出光阴逼人的急迫；下句写空间——诗人身处天涯，霜雪初晴，独自挨过这清寒的长夜。颔联「五更鼓角声悲壮，三峡星河影动摇」是全诗警句：上句写听觉，五更天军中鼓角声起，其声悲壮；下句写视觉，三峡江面星河的倒影随波摇动，其影动荡。一「声」一「影」，一「悲」一「动」，视听交织，以动写静，把寒夜的沉寂与战乱的动荡同时写出。颈联「野哭千家闻战伐，夷歌数处起渔樵」由自然转入人事：上句「野哭千家」写百姓因闻战事而恸哭，见战争之惨；下句「夷歌数处」写渔樵唱起夷人之歌，见夔州之地僻俗异。尾联「卧龙跃马终黄土，人事音书漫寂寥」由当前推入历史：诸葛亮（卧龙）、公孙述（跃马）当年英雄，终归一抔黄土，如今人事音书都成寂寥。全诗以「岁暮」「天涯」领起，以「黄土」「寂寥」收束，中间两联一写景、一写人，层层推进，将家国之痛、身世之感、历史之思浓缩于八句之中，沉郁而不板滞，是「以律为古」而仍合律的典范。

Allusions

The 'Sleeping Dragon' refers to Zhuge Liang, the brilliant strategist of Shu Han, who once stationed troops near the Three Gorges. The 'Leaping Horse' refers to Gongsun Shu, who declared himself emperor in Shu during the late Western Han. Both heroes, virtuous and usurper alike, have turned to dust. The poet uses these allusions to reflect on the transience of power and glory. The shaking star reflections also allude to the Analects, but here they symbolize the instability of the times.

尾联「卧龙跃马终黄土」连用两典。「卧龙」指诸葛亮，陈寿《三国志·诸葛亮传》载徐庶荐亮于刘备，称「诸葛孔明者，卧龙也」，诸葛亮遂以「卧龙」之号闻名；杜甫另有《蜀相》《咏怀古迹》诸作专咏武侯。「跃马」指公孙述，西汉末公孙述据蜀称帝，左思《蜀都赋》有「公孙跃马而称帝」之语，庾信《哀江南赋》亦云「公孙跃马」，杜甫以「跃马」二字暗指其称帝于蜀的旧事。二人一为兴复汉室的贤相，一为割据称雄的枭雄，皆与蜀地相关，杜甫以「卧龙」「跃马」并举，寄寓的是「无论贤愚成败，终归一死」的历史虚无之慨。颔联「星河影动摇」或谓暗用天文星占之说，古人以星摇主兵戈战乱，仇兆鳌《杜诗详注》即引旧说释此句，然此说是否杜诗本意，学界尚有分歧，或以为只是实写江面倒影之景。至于「鼓角」「霜雪」「野哭」等意象，皆可上溯至《诗经》——「野哭」与《诗经·王风·黍离》「行迈靡靡，中心摇摇」的故国之悲一脉相通，「霜雪」则承《诗经·小雅·采薇》「今我来思，雨雪霏霏」的征戍哀感。杜甫此诗融史实、旧赋、星占、风诗于一体，用典而不僻，是学力与性情的结合。

Commentary

Ming critic Hu Yinglin praised this poem, along with 'Climbing the Heights' and 'Climbing the Tower', as among Du Fu's most magnificent regulated verses. Qing scholar Qiu Zhao'ao called the second couplet a 'perfect match of sound and shadow.' It is often regarded as a masterpiece of Du Fu's later years, paired with 'Climbing the Heights' as the twin gems of his Kuizhou period.

《阁夜》历代评价极高，多推为杜甫夔州七律的代表。仇兆鳌《杜诗详注》卷十八详注此诗，考订其作于大历元年冬，并释「卧龙跃马」诸典；杨伦《杜诗镜铨》亦选入并加评。宋人于此诗多赏其颔联，叶梦得《石林诗话》曾论杜甫七言律诗之雄浑处，后世遂以「五更鼓角声悲壮，三峡星河影动摇」为杜律中声光影兼备的绝唱。明胡应麟《诗薮》推杜甫七律为「千古一人」，此诗即为所举夔州诸篇之一。清沈德潜《唐诗别裁集》选此诗，谓其「悲壮处最见杜老本色」。现代学界对此诗的解读，多聚焦于其「个人、家国、历史」三层意蕴的交织，以及八句皆对的章法如何不落板滞、反见流转。从接受史看，此诗与《登高》《秋兴八首》《咏怀古迹》共同构成了杜甫夔州七律的经典群落，历来为七律选本必录之作。「五更鼓角声悲壮，三峡星河影动摇」一联，因其将边塞的悲声与江天的动荡融为一体，成为后世写战乱之夜、写三峡之景的典范，其影响远超原诗，屡为后人所化用与称引。

Prosody

Form Seven-character regulated verse (仄起首句入韵)七言律诗

Rhyme Rhyme in xiao (宵, 摇, 樵, 寥) from the second level tone group押平水韵下平二萧韵，韵脚为「宵」「摇」「樵」「寥」，首句不入韵

Tone pattern First couplet: 仄仄平平平仄仄, 平平平仄仄平平. Middle couplets are strictly parallel.通篇合律，平仄严整。首句「岁暮阴阳催短景」为仄起仄收式，全诗属七律仄起式正格，中间两联对仗工稳，无一字出律。

Reading note The second couplet contrasts 'five watches' with 'three gorges' for grandeur; the third transitions from scene to history.此诗是杜甫七律中格律最严整的篇章之一。用韵上，韵脚「宵」「摇」「樵」「寥」同属下平二萧韵，萧韵开口响亮而带飘渺悠长之致，与「星河影动摇」「人事音书漫寂寥」的苍茫意境声情相合。首句「景」为仄声，不入韵，故全诗四韵，偶句相叶，是七律首句不入韵的常格。平仄上，此诗为仄起式，八句的平仄完全符合近体格律，无一拗字，这在杜甫「语不惊人死不休」的锤炼中，反显其以严整格律承载深郁情感的本领。对仗方面，不仅颔联、颈联工对，首联「岁暮阴阳催短景，天涯霜雪霁寒宵」与尾联「卧龙跃马终黄土，人事音书漫寂寥」亦各自成对，形成八句皆对的奇观。这种通篇对仗而不板滞的写法，靠的是内容上的层层推进——首联写时地、颔联写景、颈联写人、尾联写史，四联各司其职，故虽句句对偶，读来却一气流转，毫无堆砌之感。方回《瀛奎律髓》论杜律，谓其「密而能疏，整而能活」，此诗正可当之。后世学七律者，凡欲以严整格律写沉郁之情，多以此诗与《登高》为法式。

Line by line

五更鼓角声悲壮

At the fifth watch the bugles and drums sound bitter and grand.

五更时分，军中的鼓角声悲壮地响起

At the fifth watch the army's bugles and drums sound forth, bitter and grand.

五更是一夜将尽、天将破晓的时刻，也是一夜之中最静、最冷的时候。「鼓角」是军中的号令之声，在万籁俱寂的寒夜骤然响起，其声之悲壮，一下子打破了阁夜的宁静。杜甫以「声悲壮」三字写鼓角，既状其音响的高亢凄厉，又暗含主观的感受——这鼓角声是战乱的信号，它提醒诗人：蜀中尚未太平，战争仍在继续。此句以听觉切入，以「声」字统摄，与下句的「影」字相对，一声一影，把无形的战乱之音与有形的江天之景同时写出，是全诗从写景转向写时事的枢纽。

The fifth watch is the hour when night ends and dawn nears, the stillest and coldest hour. The bugles and drums are the army's signal; breaking the silence of the frosty night, their bitter grandeur shatters the quiet of the tower. Du Fu writes 'bitter and grand' of the bugles, naming both their high, shrill sound and his own feeling — these are the signals of war, reminding him that Shu is not yet at peace. Entering through hearing, governed by the word 'sound', it pairs with the 'shadow' of the next line, one sound and one shadow laying out both the intable war and the visible river-sky.

三峡星河影动摇

Over the Three Gorges the Milky Way's reflection quivers on the river.

三峡上空，星河的倒影在江面摇荡

Above the Three Gorges the reflection of the starry river rocks on the water.

此句写视觉，与上句的听觉构成工整的对仗与鲜明的映衬。「星河」即银河，其光辉倒映在三峡的江面上，随波起伏而「影动摇」。表面是写江天夜景之美，实则「动摇」二字暗藏动荡之感——星河本是亘古不变的，如今倒影却摇荡不定，仿佛整个天地都处于不安之中。仇兆鳌谓此句或暗用星摇主兵之占，意谓天象亦示战乱，此说虽未必是本意，却道出了这句诗内蕴的不安。一个「影」字，把天上的星、江中的水、人间的乱，叠合成一幅动静相生、虚实相映的画面，是杜甫「以景写情」的高妙处。

This line writes sight, set in balanced contrast with the hearing above. The 'starry river' is the Milky Way, its glow mirrored in the gorge waters, rocking with the waves in a 'quivering reflection'. On the surface a beautiful river night, yet 'quivering' secretly carries unrest: the stars are eternal, yet their reflection sways, as if all heaven were uneasy. The word 'shadow' layers the stars above, the river below, the human turmoil between into one image of movement and stillness, the high art of Du Fu writing feeling through scene.

野哭千家闻战伐

In the wilds a thousand households weep at word of battle.

荒野里千家恸哭，是因又闻战乱的消息

A thousand households weep in the wilds, for again they have heard of war.

由写景转入写人。「野哭」二字极沉重，它不是一家的悲泣，而是「千家」的恸哭，遍布荒野，可见战乱波及之广、伤害之深。「闻战伐」点明哭泣的原因——百姓又听到了战争的消息。杜甫晚年身经安史之乱，又亲历蜀中崔旰之乱，对战争给民众带来的苦难有切肤之痛，故下笔如此沉痛。此句与下句「夷歌数处起渔樵」相对，一写哭、一写歌，一写汉民之痛、一写夷俗之异，把夔州这个兵荒马乱而又民风殊异的边远之地，真实地呈现在读者眼前，是全诗现实关怀最直接、最沉重的一笔。

Turning from scene to people. 'Weeping in the wilds' is heavy — not one household's sorrow but a thousand households' lament spread across the wilds, showing how wide the war has spread. 'At word of battle' gives the cause — the people have heard of fighting again. Du Fu, who lived through the An Lushan rebellion and the Cui Gan turmoil in Shu, writes with the pain of one who knows war's cost. It pairs with the 'barbarian songs of fishermen and woodcutters' below, one weeping, one singing, the pain of the Han and the strange customs alike, laying bare the troubled, borderland reality of Kuizhou.

卧龙跃马终黄土

The Sleeping Dragon and the Leaping Horse alike end in yellow earth.

想那诸葛武侯、公孙跃马，最终都化作了黄土

Think of Zhuge Liang and Gongsun Shu — they too at last turned to yellow earth.

此句由现实推入历史，是全诗意蕴的升华。「卧龙」指诸葛亮，「跃马」指公孙述，一个是兴复汉室的贤相，一个是割据蜀地的枭雄，二人功业迥异，却都「终黄土」——终究埋入黄土，化为尘土。杜甫以一「终」字作冷峻的裁决，将历史上一切英雄功业统统拉平、归零，寄寓的是「贤愚同尽」的虚无与悲凉。但这并非消极的遁世之叹，而是诗人身处乱世、历尽沧桑后的清醒认识：既然卧龙、跃马都难免一死，眼前的战乱、个人的漂泊，又何必过于执着？此句以史入诗，以史写心，为末句「人事音书漫寂寥」的收束奠定了苍凉深沉的基调。

This line pushes from the present into history, the elevation of the poem. The 'Sleeping Dragon' is Zhuge Liang, the 'Leaping Horse' Gongsun Shu — one a prime minister restoring the Han, the other a warlord holding Shu; their achievements differ utterly, yet both 'end in yellow earth'. The word 'at last' is a cold verdict, leveling all heroic achievement of history to dust, voicing the void that wise and fool alike are gone. Yet this is not escape but the clear-eyed knowledge of a poet who has outlived chaos: if even the Sleeping Dragon and Leaping Horse must die, why cling to the present war and one's own wandering?

Study

Word focus

催 The word '催' (hasten) implies the relentless passage of time, evoking a sense of urgency and anxiety. 「催」字用在首句「岁暮阴阳催短景」，是全诗时间感的发端。「阴阳」指日月昼夜，「短景」指冬季白昼短暂，日月交替、昼夜更迭，本是无情无觉的自然运行，杜甫下一「催」字，便赋予日月以人的意志，仿佛它们正急切地催促着白昼快快过去、催促着岁月匆匆流逝。一个「催」字，把岁末的紧迫、光阴的无情、老境的逼仄一并写出，暗含诗人对生命将尽的隐隐恐惧。它奠定了全诗「时不我待、岁暮悲凉」的基调，与末句「寂寥」遥相呼应，使整首诗的悲感自首联便已埋下伏笔。

动摇 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. 「动摇」二字写三峡江面星河倒影之景，是颔联下半的妙笔。星河倒映江中，本是静止的影像，然江水东流、波涛起伏，倒影便随之摇荡。「动摇」既是对江面波光的真实描摹，又暗含深意——「动」与「摇」连用，使画面充满不安与动荡，仿佛天象亦与人间的战乱相应。它与此句的「影」字、上句的「声」字相配，构成「声悲壮、影动摇」的工对，从听觉到视觉，从军中的悲声到江天的动荡，把乱世之夜的不安氛围渲染到极致，也为颈联「野哭千家闻战伐」的战乱实写作了铺垫。

漫 The word '漫' (in vain, arbitrarily) in the final line suggests that all human affairs are meaningless, leaving only loneliness. 「漫」字用在末句「人事音书漫寂寥」。「漫」有空自、徒然之意，也有弥漫、充满之意，一字两解，恰是杜诗炼字的妙处。若解作「徒然」，则此句意谓人事变迁、音书断绝，一切努力终归徒然，只剩寂寥；若解作「弥漫」，则寂寥之感充满天地、无计消除。无论何解，「漫」字都加重了「寂寥」的分量，使之不止于一时一地的孤寂，而成为一种弥漫于天地古今之间的、无从逃避的苍凉。以「漫」字收束全篇，正与首联「催」字的时间之逼相呼应——时光催人，人事皆空，唯余弥漫的寂寥，这是杜甫晚年心境最沉痛的流露。

阁夜