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唐 Tang · 诗 Poem

闺怨

The Wife's Lament

王昌龄

Wang Changling

闺情boudoir sentiment 反战anti-war

闺中少妇不知愁，春日凝妆上翠楼。
忽见陌头杨柳色，悔教夫婿觅封侯。

The young wife in her boudoir does not know what sorrow is.
In spring she dresses up and goes to the green tower.
Suddenly she sees the willow color by the roadside,
And regrets having urged her husband to seek fame and rank.

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Meaning

A young wife, initially carefree, dresses up and climbs a tower on a spring day. When she suddenly sees the green willows by the road, she is overwhelmed with regret for having encouraged her husband to seek fame and fortune through military exploits, as the sight of willows reminds her of separation.

闺房中的年轻少妇原本不懂得忧愁，春日里精心梳妆打扮，登上翠楼远望春景。忽然看见路边杨柳已是一片新绿，不禁触景伤情，顿时悔恨当初教丈夫离家远去求取功名封侯。诗人以细腻的心理转折，写少妇由无忧到悔怨的情感变化，于春光烂漫中翻出相思之怨，含蓄而尖锐。

Appreciation

The poem begins with the wife 'not knowing sorrow' and enjoying a lovely spring day. The third line turns abruptly with 'suddenly sees' as the willow color triggers memories of parting. The final line bursts out with regret, creating a sharp emotional shift. Using the contrast of joyful spring scenery with inner sorrow, the poem subtly criticizes the pursuit of official rank that separates families.

【白话串讲】少妇打扮得漂漂亮亮上翠楼，忽然看见杨柳，才想起丈夫在外面征战多年——“悔教夫婿觅封侯”。王昌龄不写战场，只写战场外一个女子的悔。【意象与手法】此诗结构精妙，善用反衬与陡转。首句「不知愁」先立一「无愁」之态，次句「凝妆上翠楼」以盛妆强化闲适，皆为末二句蓄势；第三句「忽见」二字为全诗眼目，使情绪骤变，由景及情、自然流转；末句「悔」字收束，怨情喷薄。先扬后抑、以乐写哀，心理刻画细腻入微，尺幅之内具波澜之致【情感与主旨】王昌龄以七绝著称，尤擅宫怨、闺情之作，此诗约作于开元、天宝年间。唐代士人重科举功名，多有「觅封侯」远赴边庭以求勋业者，留下无数闺中思妇。诗人抓住「春日登楼、忽见柳色」这一典型瞬间，刻画少妇心理由乐转怨的微妙变化，既写闺情，亦暗含对功名远戍造成骨肉分离的社会现象的委婉批判【名句点睛】常考「悔教夫婿觅封侯」的「悔」字诗眼与末句的章法收束；「忽见陌头杨柳色」中「忽见」二字的心理转折之妙；以乐景写哀情的反衬手法；柳谐音「留」的意象内涵

Background

Wang Changling, famous for his seven-character quatrains, excelled in palace and boudoir poems. During the Kaiyuan and Tianbao eras, many men sought fame by joining the frontier armies, leaving their wives behind. This poem captures a typical moment—a wife seeing spring willows while on a tower—to reveal the psychological shift from joy to regret, subtly critiquing the social phenomenon of forced separation for the sake of rank.

王昌龄（约698—约757），字少伯，盛唐边塞诗与宫怨闺情诗的代表诗人，世称王江宁、王龙标，以七绝名世，有「七绝圣手」「诗家天子」之誉。《闺怨》约作于开元、天宝年间，正值唐帝国由盛转衰的转折期。唐代科举仕进与边功勋业并重，「觅封侯」成为士人普遍的人生追求，如班超投笔从戎、万里立功异域即其时楷模；而由此造成的征夫远戍、夫妇睽隔，亦成为社会普遍现象，无数闺中少妇独守空房、虚度青春。王昌龄一生仕途偃蹇，屡遭贬谪，久历南北，对下层妇女的处境有深切的观察与同情。此诗选取「春日登楼、忽见柳色」这一典型瞬间，写少妇心理由乐转怨的微妙变化，既写闺情，亦暗含对功名观念造成骨肉分离的社会现实的委婉批判，是唐人闺怨诗中最脍炙人口的一首，也是理解盛唐士人功名观及其背面代价的关键之作。此诗之妙，亦在于以二十八字写尽一种普遍的人生况味：春光虽好而良人不在，功名虽重而相守更贵，故千年之下，读之犹能引人共情，这正是其历久弥新的生命力所在。

Art

The poem is masterfully structured with contrast and abrupt turn. The first two lines establish a carefree tone, with 'not knowing sorrow' and 'dressed up' emphasizing her lightness. The third line uses the keyword 'suddenly' to pivot the emotion, triggered by the willow color. The final 'regret' concludes the emotional arc. The technique of rising then falling, and using happy scenes to express sadness, is highly effective.

此诗艺术之妙，首在结构：全篇二十八字，先扬后抑，以「不知愁」反起，以「悔」字收束，尺幅之内具波澜之致。首句「闺中少妇不知愁」先立一「无愁」之态，看似闲笔，实为全诗蓄势；次句「春日凝妆上翠楼」以盛妆、登楼强化其闲适从容，写足春日游赏之乐。第三句「忽见陌头杨柳色」陡转，「忽见」二字为全诗眼目，写心理转折之骤然：一个「忽」字，将无愁之态与悔恨之情瞬间接通，由景及情、自然流转。末句「悔教夫婿觅封侯」以「悔」字点题收束，怨情喷薄而出。手法上以乐景写哀情、以反衬见深致：春光愈好，杨柳愈青，愈衬出独守空闺之憾。全诗不写思念之状，而思念之苦自见；不着一「怨」字，而怨情满纸，含蓄蕴藉，堪称七绝心理刻画的典范。此外，全诗以「少妇」为聚焦点，不写其容色而写其心理，于日常动作与刹那感触中见出情感之波澜，正是王昌龄「以细节写心理」的看家本领，为后世闺情诗确立了心理刻画的典范。

Allusions

'Willow color' alludes to the 'Book of Songs' (Xiaoya · Caivei) 'When I left, willows waved' and the Tang custom of breaking willows at farewell (willow sounds like 'stay'). 'Seek fame and rank' refers to the Han dynasty story of Ban Chao who abandoned his pen for the military to become a marquis, symbolizing the pursuit of glory that separates couples. 'Green tower' is a traditional image in palace poetry.

「杨柳色」是此诗最关键的意象，其深层意蕴有三。其一，化用《诗经·小雅·采薇》「昔我往矣，杨柳依依」之句，杨柳自《诗经》起便与行役、离别结缘；其二，汉唐有折柳赠别之俗，柳谐音「留」，含挽留之意，陌头柳色正唤起少妇对当年送别情景的回忆；其三，杨柳又是春色的代言，由柳色之新绿，少妇猛然意识到青春易逝、春光大好而无人共赏。三者叠加，遂使「杨柳色」成为触发「悔」情的媒介。「觅封侯」用汉代封侯拜将之典，暗用班超「投笔从戎」「万里觅封侯」故事，讽喻功名之念拆散夫妻；「翠楼」则承六朝以来宫怨、闺怨诗中女子居所的传统意象。全诗句句有典而浑化无迹，不见雕琢之痕，正是盛唐诗人善用典而自然的本色。同时，「翠楼」「凝妆」等语亦承六朝闺怨传统而来，诗人在传统意象的运用上不落窠臼，以寻常物色写微妙心绪，正是其「浑化无迹」的功力所在，亦可见盛唐诗人对前代遗产的消化与超越。

Commentary

Ming critic Gu Lin praised: 'The word "suddenly" is a stroke of genius, describing emotion so wonderfully.' Qing critic Shen Deqian in 'Tang Poems Selected' said: 'The opening "not knowing sorrow" overturns all sorrowful attitudes; only at the end is the point revealed—an extraordinary structure.' This poem is the most beloved of Wang Changling's boudoir poems, often paired with Li Bai's 'Jade Step Lament.'

此诗历代评价极高。明人顾璘评「忽见」二字「是化工之笔，写情至此，妙不可言」；清人沈德潜《唐诗别裁》谓「『不知愁』三字，翻尽悲怨之态，末句始点出，章法绝奇」，极赞其章法之精；黄叔灿《唐诗笺注》亦谓「少妇心情，无端感触，十字中曲尽之」。此诗与王昌龄《春宫曲》《长信秋词》等宫怨、闺情诸作，共同奠定其在七绝史上的宗师地位，被誉为「写女性怨情的高手」。后人又将此诗与李白《怨情》、王建《新嫁娘词》并观，可见唐人写闺情心理的多种路数：李白以玉阶白露写静怨，王昌龄以陌头柳色写忽悔，皆以寻常语写深婉情。此诗在文学史上的价值，在于以二十八字写出一种普遍的人生况味——在美好春光的映照下，人忽然省悟自己曾为身外功名辜负了人间最珍贵的相守，故历千载而犹能动人。此外，此诗与《出塞》《芙蓉楼送辛渐》等作合观，更能见出王昌龄既写边塞雄浑、又写闺情婉转的全面才能，是理解盛唐七绝艺术高峰的重要窗口。

Prosody

Form Seven-character quatrain七言绝句（七绝）

Rhyme sorrow (chou), tower (lou), rank (hou) rhyme in Pingze eleven You rhyme; first line rhymes.愁、楼、侯，押平声尤韵（平水韵下平十一尤），首句入韵，一韵到底

Tone pattern Level-tone start with first line rhymed; clear rise-fall-turn-conclusion; 'suddenly' is the turning point.平起首句入韵式，起承转合分明，「忽见」一转尤见章法

Reading note The poem begins with 'not knowing sorrow' as a reverse start, 'suddenly' as a sharp turn, and 'regret' as the conclusion. It is a representative boudoir poem of the Tang dynasty, and Wang Changling is skilled in palace and boudoir themes.此诗为七言绝句，押平水韵下平十一尤韵，「愁」「楼」「侯」三字一韵到底，首句入韵，韵脚圆润悠长，正合少妇幽怨舒缓之情。格律为平起首句入韵式，全诗平仄和谐，第四句「悔教夫婿觅封侯」中「教」字读平声（使令义，读jiāo），故不失律。绝句章法讲究起承转合：首句起、次句承，皆写无忧之乐；第三句以「忽见」急转，是「转」；末句以「悔」收束，是「合」。此诗转得陡、合得稳，前二句铺足乐境，后二句翻出怨情，先扬后抑，章法跌宕，是唐人七绝中以心理转折取胜的典范，也是王昌龄「七绝圣手」之称的最好注脚。末句「悔」字为全诗之眼，音节沉实，收束有力。

Line by line

闺中少妇不知愁

The young wife in her boudoir does not know what sorrow is. Insight: Opening with a reverse statement, setting suspense for the later 'regret' as a strong contrast.

闺房中的年轻少妇原本不懂得忧愁

The young wife in her chamber knew nothing of sorrow.

起笔反起，以「不知愁」三字先立一闲适无忧之态，为全诗设下悬念与蓄势。「少妇」点明身份——新婚未久、正当青春，故尚未尝离别之苦；「不知愁」写其心境之单纯，亦见其生活之优裕闲适。此三字看似平淡，实是欲抑先扬的机杼：唯其先「不知愁」，后文「悔」字才来得突兀而有力量；唯其由不知到深悔，心理转折才显出巨大的落差与戏剧性。清人沈德潜谓此三字「翻尽悲怨之态」，正因它先写足乐，乐到极处忽翻为悲，怨情全从反面逼出。起句的从容，正是全诗陡转的底气所在。

The opening turns against expectation, setting 'knew nothing of sorrow' first, to plant suspense and momentum. 'Young wife' names her station — newly wed, in her bloom, who has not yet known parting; 'knew nothing of sorrow' writes her simple heart and her ease. These three words seem plain but are the mechanism of first lifting, then dashing: only because she first 'knew nothing of sorrow' does the later 'regret' come sudden and powerful. Shen Deqian said these three words 'turn inside out the face of grief', because joy is written to the utmost before it flips to sorrow.

春日凝妆上翠楼

In spring she dresses up and goes to the green tower. Insight: 'Dresses up' shows her leisurely elegance; 'goes up the tower' sets the action for seeing willows later.

春日里精心梳妆打扮，登上翠楼远望

In spring she dressed with care and climbed the green tower.

「凝妆」写盛妆打扮、一丝不苟，见少妇之爱美与从容；「上翠楼」则写其登高望远之举。春日、盛妆、翠楼，三事叠合，写出一个兴高采烈、正当芳华的少妇形象，与前句「不知愁」呼应，共同渲染其闲适自得之态。但「翠楼」之高，正为下文「忽见」埋下行动伏笔：登高方能望远，远望方能见陌头柳色。此句在章法上是过渡与蓄势，景、人、情三者在此衔接；「翠」字点出楼之华美，与「凝妆」之盛相配，愈显春光之好、人物之欢，为后文乐极生悲的反跌蓄足情势，是王昌龄以细节传神的典范笔墨。

'Dressed with care' writes her careful adornment, the young wife's love of beauty and composure; 'climbed the green tower' her act of climbing to gaze afar. Spring, careful dress, green tower — three things layered into a bright, blooming young woman, echoing 'knew nothing of sorrow'. The height of the 'green tower' quietly sets up the 'suddenly saw' below: only from a height can one see the road and its willows. The greener the tower and the brighter the spring, the more the later sorrow has to feed on.

忽见陌头杨柳色

Suddenly she sees the willow color by the roadside. Insight: 'Suddenly' is the poem's eye, marking the abrupt psychological shift; willows symbolize parting and spring, triggering emotion.

忽然看见路边杨柳已是一片新绿

Suddenly she saw the willows by the road in their fresh green.

「忽见」二字是全诗诗眼，写心理转折之骤然，如电光石火。陌头即路边，杨柳色为春色之最鲜明者；少妇登楼本为赏春，却不料春色触发离思——杨柳谐音「留」，自古为赠别之物，此时此地一见，当年折柳送别的场景、丈夫远去的背影霎时涌上心头。一个「忽」字，点出触发之偶然与转折之陡急：春光愈好，愈衬独处之孤；柳色愈青，愈感青春之逝。「杨柳色」三字兼摄春色、离别与青春三重意蕴，是全诗由乐转怨的枢纽，景语即情语，触景生情而毫无痕迹，正是「化工之笔」之评的由来。

The words 'suddenly saw' are the poem's eye, writing the abruptness of the inner turn, like a flash. 'By the road' is the wayside; 'willows in their fresh green' the brightest sign of spring. She climbs to enjoy spring, yet the spring triggers longing — willow sounds like 'stay', and is the classic parting gift; here, seeing it, the scene of plucking willow to see her husband off, his receding back, rush back. The word 'sudden' marks the chance trigger and the sharp turn: the better the spring, the lonelier her solitude; the greener the willow, the more fleeting her youth. 'Willows in their fresh green' holds spring, parting, and youth at once, the pivot from joy to grief.

悔教夫婿觅封侯

And regrets having urged her husband to seek fame and rank. Insight: Ending with 'regret', from not knowing sorrow to deep regret, reveals the pain of longing and subtly criticizes fame's harm (including anti-war sentiment).

后悔当初让丈夫离家去求取功名封侯

She regretted having told her husband to go win his fief.

以「悔」字收束全诗，点出题旨，怨情至此喷薄。「教」即使、令，「觅封侯」用汉代封侯拜将典故，暗指丈夫为求功名离家远戍。「悔」字写少妇的深自追悔：当初送夫求功名，原以为风光体面，如今独守空闺、虚度青春，方知功名之虚幻、相守之可贵。这一「悔」，既是悔教夫求封侯，亦暗含对功名误人、战伐离人的社会现实的委婉批判，故诗中兼有反战之意。全诗由「不知愁」到「悔」，四句之间完成情感的三级跳，戛然而止，余味无穷；一个「悔」字千斤，写尽闺中相思之痛，是「以少总多」的绝句章法的极致。

The word 'regret' closes the poem, naming its theme, and the grief bursts forth. 'Told' means caused, 'win his fief' adapts the Han allusion to enfeoffment and command, secretly meaning the husband went far away for rank. 'Regret' writes her deep remorse: sending him off for fame, she thought it glory; now, alone in the empty chamber, her youth wasted, she knows the vanity of rank and the worth of togetherness. This 'regret' is also a quiet critique of an age where fame ruins lives and war parts families — hence the poem's anti-war undertone. From 'knew nothing of sorrow' to 'regret', three leaps in four lines, stopping short, the one word 'regret' heavy as a thousand catties.

Study

Word focus

忽 'Suddenly' in 'suddenly sees' is exquisite: it captures the abrupt psychological turn; the spring willows instantly awaken hidden longing, the entire rise-fall hinges on this word. 「忽见」之「忽」字，是全诗由乐转怨的枢纽，堪称一字千钧。它写少妇心理转折之陡然：此前「不知愁」、凝妆登楼，心境何等闲适；而春日陌头的一抹柳色，瞬间唤醒深埋心底的相思，「忽」字正是这由外物到内心的电光石火式触发。这个字的妙处有三：一是写触发之偶然，见出情之所动不假思索、不可预料；二是写转折之急遽，先扬后抑的章法全系于此一字；三是写情感之潜藏，唯其相思平日深埋，故一触即发、猝不及防。「忽」字置于第三句之首，如异峰突起，使全诗平缓的节奏骤起波澜，是王昌龄炼字之功的最集中体现。

凝 'Dressed up' (ningzhuang) describes careful makeup, contrasting her initial lack of sorrow; the sharp contrast with later 'regret' is effective. 「凝妆」之「凝」字，写妆饰之精心考究、一丝不苟，与「盛妆」「严妆」同义而更见郑重。此字看似只写打扮，实则暗含三重作用：其一，以精心妆饰写少妇本无忧愁、生活优裕闲适，「不知愁」之态由此坐实；其二，「凝妆」与后文「悔」形成强烈反差——盛妆以赏春，而春色偏勾起离愁，妆愈盛而心愈孤，乐极生悲的反衬全赖此字；其三，凝妆登楼，郑重其事，正见其对春日之期待之深，期待愈深，失望愈重。一字而含三层机杼，足见王昌龄炼字之精审，淡处见工、细处传神，是七绝中以细节写心理的典范。

悔 The final 'regret' (hui) is the poem's anchor; from 'not knowing sorrow' to 'regret', the emotional shift profoundly reveals the wife's resentment and the folly of seeking rank. 末句「悔」字为全诗落脚点，也是情感的总爆发。由首句「不知愁」到末句「悔」，四句之间完成从无忧到深悔的剧烈跌宕，全诗心理曲线凝于一字。「悔」字的分量在于：它不是泛泛的伤感，而是对人生选择的重新审视——当初教夫婿觅封侯，原以为风光无限，如今独守空闺、青春虚掷，方知功名之虚幻与相守之可贵。这一悔，既是个人情感的痛悔，更暗含对功名误人、征伐离人的社会现实的委婉批判，兼有反战之意。一个「悔」字写尽闺中相思之痛，言有尽而意无穷，是全诗的情感重心与题旨所在。

闺怨