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唐 Tang · 诗 Poem

九日登望仙台呈刘明府容

Climbing the Wangxian Terrace on the Double Ninth Day, Presented to Magistrate Liu Rong

崔曙

Cui Shu

汉文皇帝有高台此日登临曙色开三晋云山皆北向二陵风雨自东来关门令尹谁能识河上仙翁去不回且欲近寻彭泽宰陶然共醉菊花杯

Emperor Wen of Han once had a lofty terrace built;
this day I climb it as the dawn colors open.
The mountains and clouds of the Three Jin all lean to the north;
wind and rain from the Two Mounds come from the east.
The gatekeeper who recognized the sage — who could know him now?
The old immortal of the riverside has gone, never to return.
Let me now seek out the magistrate of Pengze nearby,
and, well content with wine, share with him the chrysanthemum cups.

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Meaning

On the Double Ninth festival the poet climbs the Wangxian Terrace at dawn; the site, traditionally built by Emperor Wen of Han to watch for immortals, turns his thoughts to antiquity. Surveying the northern mountains and eastern storms of Xiao, he thinks of the ancients who glimpsed the immortal world — the Hangu Pass guardian who recognized Laozi, the River Elder who taught Emperor Wen — and sighs that such beings are gone forever. Turning from that vain longing, he resolves to enjoy the day with his friend Liu Rong, tacitly compared to Tao Yuanming, over cups of chrysanthemum wine. The poem thus moves from history and immortal longing back to the simple warmth of friendship.

汉文皇帝，有这高台，此日登临，曙色初开。三晋云山，皆向北望，二陵风雨，自东而来。关门令尹，谁能识得，河上仙翁，去不复回。且欲近寻彭泽宰，陶然共醉菊花杯。

Appreciation

[Plain Paraphrase] On the Double Ninth the poet climbs the Wangxian Terrace at dawn; the site — traditionally built by Emperor Wen of Han to watch for immortals — turns his thoughts to antiquity. [Imagery] The middle couplets open a vast prospect: mountains of the old Three Jin leaning north, wind and rain sweeping east from the two mounds of Mount Xiao, grand and faintly chill. [Allusion] With the Hangu Pass guardian who recognized Laozi and the River Elder who has vanished, he faces the impossibility of meeting immortals today. [Turn] The closing couplet pivots gracefully: since the immortal world is unreachable, he turns back to human company, seeking Magistrate Liu (whose surname echoes Tao Yuanming of Pengze) to share chrysanthemum wine. The poem thus moves from history, through landscape and immortal longing, to the warmth of friendship — the classic Double Ninth arc from solitary reflection to shared festivity.

【白话串讲】崔曙写《九日登望仙台呈刘明府容》：“汉文皇帝有高台，此日登临曙色开”——“三晋云山皆北向，二陵风雨自东来”——“关门令尹谁能识，河上仙翁去不回”——“且欲近寻彭泽宰，陶然共醉菊花杯”——他登望仙台——陶然共醉菊花杯。【意象与手法】首联“汉文皇帝有高台，此日登临曙色开”写汉文高台、登临曙色；颔联“三晋云山皆北向，二陵风雨自东来”写三晋云山、二陵风雨；颈联“关门令尹谁能识，河上仙翁去不回”写关门令尹、河上仙翁的仙迹；尾联“且欲近寻彭泽宰，陶然共醉菊花杯”写寻彭泽宰、共醉菊花。以登高写怀古慕仙。【情感与主旨】崔曙写重阳登高的怀古与共醉，写登望仙台见汉文高台、仙翁遗迹而欲寻彭泽宰共醉菊花，是重阳登高诗的名篇。【名句点睛】常考“三晋云山皆北向，二陵风雨自东来”写登高所见；“且欲近寻彭泽宰，陶然共醉菊花杯”写共醉菊花。

Background

Cui Shu (early eighth century; jinshi in 738) was a poet from Songzhou (modern Shangqiu, Henan), later valued by anthologists though little of his life was recorded. The Wangxian Terrace stood in Shanzhou (modern Sanmenxia, Henan); legend said Emperor Wen of Han built it to gaze toward He Shang Gong, an immortal of the riverside. The Double Ninth — the ninth day of the ninth month — carried the customs of climbing heights, wearing dogwood, and drinking chrysanthemum wine to ward off misfortune. Liu Rong, the poem's recipient, was then the county magistrate; addressing him as 'magistrate of Pengze' flattered him through Tao Yuanming's shade. The poem sits at the meeting point of festival custom, local legend, and the High Tang fashion for climbing poems.

此诗为盛唐诗人崔曙的《九日登望仙台呈刘明府容》之作，是重阳登高怀古的名篇。崔曙，宋州（今河南商丘）人，开元二十六年（738）进士，盛唐诗人，诗名虽不显而此诗为登临名作。望仙台，在陕州（今河南三门峡）一带，相传为汉文帝所筑，用以望祭河上公等仙人。九日即重阳节（九月九日），古俗登高饮菊花酒。此诗写重阳登望仙台，怀古慕仙，呈赠友人刘明府（容，时任县令）：「汉文皇帝有高台」，写汉文皇帝，有这高台——望仙台相传为汉文帝所筑，「汉文皇帝」写高台之由来；「此日登临曙色开」，写此日登临，曙色初开——重阳之晨登临，曙色初开，正是登高的好辰；「三晋云山皆北向」，写三晋云山，皆向北望——三晋为今山西一带，其云山皆北向，正是登台远望的所见；「二陵风雨自东来」，写二陵风雨，自东而来——二陵为崤山二陵，南陵为夏后皋之墓、北陵为文王避风雨之处，「二陵风雨」写崤山之风雨自东而来；「关门令尹谁能识」，写关门令尹，谁能识得——用老子过函谷关之典，关令尹喜识老子，此写令尹何人能识；「河上仙翁去不回」，写河上仙翁，去不复回——用河上公之典，河上公为汉文帝时仙人，注《老子》，文帝尝亲访之，此写仙翁去而不回；「且欲近寻彭泽宰」，写且欲近寻彭泽宰——用陶渊明之典，陶渊明曾为彭泽令，此指刘明府（亦姓刘，故称彭泽宰）；「陶然共醉菊花杯」，写陶然共醉，菊花杯——重阳饮菊花酒，与刘明府陶然共醉。全诗以登高写怀古慕仙，归于共醉的陶然，是重阳登高诗「登高寄慨」的代表作。

Art

The poem is a model of 'climbing-and-reflecting' structure in four movements: the opening couplet ties the present ascent to a historical site ('Emperor Wen of Han once had a lofty terrace built'); the second couplet opens a vast prospect; the third couplet meditates on vanished immortals; the closing couplet resolves in companionship. The two middle couplets are strictly parallel — 'Three Jin' against 'Two Mounds', 'clouded mountains' against 'wind and rain', 'lean north' against 'come from the east'; 'gatekeeper' against 'river immortal', 'who could know him' against 'gone, never to return' — yet the parallelism never feels mechanical, because every pair advances the argument. The pivotal word is 'qie yu' ('let me now') in the last line, which turns the poem from immortal longing back to earthly joy in a single breath. 'Dawn colors open' (shu se kai) quietly links the opening sky to the poet's own unfolding spirits.

此诗艺术上以「怀古慕仙」与「由仙入凡」为特色，在登望仙台的所见中写尽怀古的感慨。首联「汉文皇帝有高台，此日登临曙色开」，以「汉文皇帝」写高台之由来，以「此日登临曙色开」写登临之时——「汉文高台」「曙色初开」，一写台之由来、一写登临之辰，起笔即见怀古；颔联「三晋云山皆北向，二陵风雨自东来」，以「三晋云山」写北望之山，以「二陵风雨」写东来之风——「皆北向」「自东来」，一写云山之向、一写风雨之来，正是登台远望的所见，气象宏阔；颈联「关门令尹谁能识，河上仙翁去不回」，以「关门令尹」写识仙之人，以「河上仙翁」写仙人之去——「谁能识」「去不回」，一写识者之难、一写仙人之去，正是慕仙的怅惘；尾联「且欲近寻彭泽宰，陶然共醉菊花杯」，以「彭泽宰」写刘明府，以「菊花杯」写重阳共醉——那仙翁既去不回，不如近寻刘明府，陶然共醉，正是「由仙入凡」的归趣。全诗由登台写起，经三晋二陵的远望、令尹仙翁的怀古，而归于「共醉菊花」的陶然，层层递进，正是重阳登高诗「登高寄慨」的极致。

Allusions

Every couplet carries allusion. The terrace itself belongs to Emperor Wen of Han's search for the immortal He Shang Gong. 'Three Jin' names the Han-Zhao-Wei states of modern Shanxi, whose mountains lean north as if bowing toward the capital. 'Two Mounds' cites the Zuo Zhuan: Mount Xiao's two mounds held the tomb of Xia Hou Gao and the place where King Wen of Zhou once sheltered from a storm. The 'gatekeeper' is Yin Xi of Hangu Pass, who recognized Laozi and compelled the Daodejing from him; 'the old immortal of the riverside' is He Shang Gong, who explained the text to Emperor Wen. 'Pengze' invokes Tao Yuanming, magistrate of Pengze and poet of chrysanthemums; the chrysanthemum cups close the Double Ninth round of customs.

此诗用典之密，为重阳登高诗之冠。「汉文皇帝有高台」，写望仙台之由来——相传汉文帝筑台望祭仙人，望仙台为怀古的对象。「三晋云山」，写三晋之山——三晋即韩赵魏三国，在今山西、河南一带，「三晋云山」写登台北望之山。「二陵风雨」，用「崤山二陵」之典——《左传》僖公三十二年记「殽有二陵焉：其南陵，夏后皋之墓也；其北陵，文王之所辟风雨也」，二陵在崤山，写崤山之风雨。「关门令尹」，用「老子过函谷关」之典——《史记·老子传》记老子西游，至关，关令尹喜曰「子将隐矣，强为我著书」，乃著《道德经》五千言而去；「关门令尹谁能识」，写令尹识仙之事，今谁能识。「河上仙翁」，用「河上公」之典——河上公为汉文帝时仙人，隐于河滨，文帝尝亲访之，授《道德经》章句；「河上仙翁去不回」，写仙翁去而不回。「彭泽宰」，用「陶渊明」之典——陶渊明曾为彭泽令，八十余日而弃官归隐，以采菊东篱著称，「彭泽宰」写陶渊明，此指刘明府（亦姓刘）；「陶然共醉菊花杯」，写陶然共醉——重阳饮菊花酒，陶渊明「采菊东篱下，悠然见南山」正是菊花之典。这些典故，或写汉文高台、或写崤山二陵、或写老子令尹、或写河上公、或写陶渊明，皆围绕怀古慕仙这一核心，织成一张含蕴的情网，正是盛唐诗「用典深密」的特点。

Commentary

The poem has been a fixture of Double Ninth anthologies since the Tang. Though Cui Shu left only a small body of work, this piece kept his name alive as the standard climbing poem of the festival, prized for its stately eight-line form and its graceful final turn. Critics contrast it with Wang Wei's homesick Double Ninth poem and Du Mu's defiant one: where Wang Wei longs for family and Du Mu carouses against time, Cui Shu passes through immortal longing to arrive at quiet contentment with a friend. Modern readers value it as a perfectly proportioned example of High Tang regulated verse — history, landscape, and friendship held in one motion, ending not in melancholy but in cups raised together.

读此诗，最值得注意的是「关门令尹谁能识，河上仙翁去不回」与「且欲近寻彭泽宰，陶然共醉菊花杯」之间的「由仙入凡」。前六句写登台所见与所怀：汉文高台、三晋云山、崤山二陵——那是怀古；关门令尹、河上仙翁——那是慕仙。然而那仙翁，去不复回；那令尹，谁能识得？慕仙而不可得，正是登台的怅惘。而尾联忽然一转，「且欲近寻彭泽宰，陶然共醉菊花杯」——那仙翁既去不回，不如近寻刘明府（彭泽宰），陶然共醉菊花杯。这一转，是全诗的关键：从慕仙，转回人间——仙翁不可寻，不如与友人共醉；那「陶然共醉菊花杯」的陶然，正是重阳登高的真趣：不求仙，不慕仙，只在重阳之日，与知己共饮菊花酒，陶然自得。以「且欲」写一转，正是「由仙入凡」的归趣——那陶渊明「采菊东篱下」的悠然，正是此诗「共醉菊花」的归趣。至于刘明府（容）被称为「彭泽宰」，既因其姓刘，暗合陶潜（曾为彭泽令），也因陶渊明弃官归隐、采菊东篱，正与重阳菊花之会相合——以陶渊明拟刘明府，正是对友人的雅称与重阳的应景。全诗由怀古慕仙，归于共醉的陶然，那「仙翁去不回」的怅惘，那「共醉菊花杯」的陶然，正是重阳登高诗的深衷：登高怀古，终归人间之乐。

Prosody

Form Poem: seven-character regulated verse (qilü), eight lines in four couplets.诗（七言律诗）

Rhyme Rhymes on the level-tone 'hui' group (upper ping, tenth hui rhyme): tai 'terrace', kai 'open', lai 'come', hui 'return', bei 'cup' — a mellow, prolonged resonance that suits the poem's unhurried, genial mood.此诗为七言律诗，押平声「灰」部韵，「台」「开」「来」「回」「杯」等字皆属上平十灰韵，韵脚悠长而圆润，正合诗情「登高陶然」的声调。首联「汉文皇帝有高台，此日登临曙色开」以「有高台」「曙色开」起，写登台怀古；颔联「三晋云山皆北向，二陵风雨自东来」，以「三晋云山」「二陵风雨」相对，工对而见气象；颈联「关门令尹谁能识，河上仙翁去不回」，以「关门令尹」「河上仙翁」相对，工对而见怅惘；尾联「且欲近寻彭泽宰，陶然共醉菊花杯」，以「且欲」「陶然」收束，写共醉。整体声调由首联的登台，到尾联的共醉，悠长而圆润，正合重阳登高「登高陶然」的诗情。

Tone pattern The two middle couplets are strictly parallel: 'Three Jin' answers 'Two Mounds', 'clouded mountains' answers 'wind and rain', 'lean north' answers 'come from the east'; 'gatekeeper' answers 'river immortal', 'who could know him' answers 'gone, never to return'. The final couplet breaks the parallel pattern with the connective 'qie yu' ('let me now'), marking the poem's turn from immortal longing back to human companionship.句式上，此诗善用对仗与虚字：「三晋云山皆北向，二陵风雨自东来」，以「三晋」「二陵」相对，一山一风，对仗精工而见气象；「关门令尹谁能识，河上仙翁去不回」，以「谁能识」「去不回」相对，一难一怅，对仗整饬；「且欲近寻彭泽宰，陶然共醉菊花杯」，以「且欲」「陶然」写一转，由仙入凡，转折而见归趣。全诗由怀古入慕仙、由慕仙入共醉，对仗整饬而句法多变，正是盛唐七律「登高寄慨」的节奏美学。

Reading note A mature example of the High Tang qilü 'climbing-and-reflecting' mode: the opening couplet ties the present ascent to a historical site, the middle couplets open a vast prospect and then a meditation on immortals, and the closing couplet resolves in warm companionship. The even, mellow 'hui' rhyme and the strict parallelism of the middle couplets give the poem a stately calm, while 'qie yu' supplies the subtle pivot that keeps it from ending on melancholy.作为盛唐七律，《九日登望仙台呈刘明府容》的声律之美，在于以悠长的灰韵与精工的对仗，写出重阳登高的怀古陶然情思。全诗首联「汉文皇帝有高台」以汉文高台写怀古之由来，曙色初开写登临之辰；颔联「三晋云山皆北向，二陵风雨自东来」以三晋二陵写登台远望的气象，宏阔而怀古；颈联「关门令尹谁能识，河上仙翁去不回」以老子令尹、河上仙翁写慕仙的怅惘，用典深密；尾联「且欲近寻彭泽宰，陶然共醉菊花杯」以彭泽宰、菊花杯写共醉的陶然，由仙入凡。全诗由怀古入慕仙、由慕仙入共醉，层层递进而声情相谐，正是重阳登高「登高寄慨」的体现。就全诗而言，此诗以重阳登高写怀古慕仙，归于共醉的陶然，用典深密而气象宏阔，是重阳登高诗的名篇，与王维《九月九日忆山东兄弟》同为重阳之作，而一写「每逢佳节倍思亲」的思亲，一写「陶然共醉菊花杯」的共醉，可见「重阳」这一母题在盛唐的两种情调，也可见登高怀古在诗人笔下的不同深衷。

Line by line

汉文皇帝有高台

Emperor Wen of Han once had a lofty terrace built here.

汉文皇帝，有这高台。

The Emperor Wen of Han had this high terrace built.

这一句是此诗的起笔，写望仙台之由来，是此诗怀古的开端。「汉文皇帝」，写汉文帝——相传望仙台为汉文帝所筑，用以望祭仙人，「汉文皇帝」写高台之由来；「有高台」，写有这高台——那望仙台，是汉文帝所筑的高台。以「汉文皇帝有高台」写怀古，比直写「登高」更见历史与由来——那高台，是汉文帝所筑，历经数百年而犹在，正是怀古的对象；「汉文皇帝」四字，写高台之由来，正是「登临怀古」的开端。这一起笔，以汉文高台写怀古，为全诗定下怀古的基调，也是「此日登临曙色开」的铺垫——那汉文皇帝的高台，正是此日登临之处。

This opening line writes the origin of the Wangxian Terrace, the start of the historical remembrance. 'The Emperor Wen of Han' — legend says the Wangxian Terrace was built by Emperor Wen of Han to gaze toward the immortals; 'had this high terrace built' — the terrace before him now. Writing the remembrance through the Han emperor's terrace, more than a plain 'climbing heights': the terrace, built centuries ago, still stands, the very object of the remembrance. It sets the historical tone, preparing the later line 'this day, climbing, the dawn light opens'.

关门令尹谁能识

The gatekeeper who recognized the sage — who could know him now?

关门令尹，谁能识得。

Who could recognize the warden of the pass?

这一句用老子过函谷关之典，写识仙之难，是此诗慕仙怅惘的关键。「关门令尹」，用「老子过函谷关」之典——《史记·老子传》记老子西游，至关，关令尹喜曰「子将隐矣，强为我著书」，乃著《道德经》五千言而去，「关门令尹」写识仙的关令尹喜；「谁能识」，写谁能识得——那识仙的令尹，如今谁能识得？正是慕仙的怅惘。以「关门令尹」写识仙，比直写「慕仙」更见典故与怅惘——那令尹喜能识老子之仙，如今谁能识得仙人？正是「仙翁去不回」的铺垫；「谁能识」三字，写识者之难，正是慕仙的怅惘。这一句，是此诗慕仙怅惘的关键，与「河上仙翁去不回」相对，一写识者之难，一写仙人之去，正是怀古慕仙的怅惘。

This line uses the allusion to Laozi crossing the Hangu Pass, writing the difficulty of recognizing an immortal, the key to the wistful admiration of immortality. 'The warden of the pass' — the Records of the Grand Historian tells of Laozi journeying west, and at the pass the warden Yin Xi said 'you are about to withdraw; write a book for me', whereupon Laozi wrote the five thousand words of the Classic of the Way and left. 'Who could recognize?' — the warden who could recognize the immortal, who recognizes him now? The wistful admiration: Yin Xi recognized Laozi's immortality, yet who now can recognize an immortal? Preparing 'the immortal of the river is gone, never to return'.

陶然共醉菊花杯

Well content and merry, we share the chrysanthemum cups.

陶然共醉，菊花杯。

Carefree, we are drunk together over the chrysanthemum cup.

这一句是全诗的结穴，写与友人陶然共醉菊花，是此诗由仙入凡的最高点。「陶然」，写陶然自得——陶然写舒畅自得之乐，正是重阳共醉的心境；「共醉菊花杯」，写共醉菊花杯——菊花杯写重阳饮菊花酒，与刘明府共醉。以「陶然共醉菊花杯」写共醉，比直写「饮酒」更见陶然与应景——那重阳之日，与知己共饮菊花酒，陶然自得，正是登高的真趣；「共醉」二字，写与友人共醉，正是「且欲近寻彭泽宰」的归趣。这一结句，陶然自得，是此诗由仙入凡的最高点，也是「仙翁去不回」的归趣——那仙翁既去不回，不如与友人共醉菊花杯，正是重阳登高的深衷。

This closing line is the landing of the poem, writing the carefree drunkenness with the friend over chrysanthemums, the apex of the turn from immortals to mortals. 'Carefree' the ease and contentment, the mood of the Double Ninth drink; 'we are drunk together over the chrysanthemum cup' — the chrysanthemum wine of the festival, drunk together with Magistrate Liu. Writing the drinking through 'carefree' and 'together', more than a plain 'drinking wine': the festival day, with a kindred spirit, chrysanthemum wine, the true joy of climbing. The closing, carefree and at ease, is the landing of the poem: since the immortal is gone and will not return, better to be drunk with a friend over the chrysanthemum cup.

Study

Word focus

曙色 Dawn colors: the light of daybreak. Here it marks the hour of the poet's ascent — he reaches the terrace just as the first light opens, the traditional good moment for a Double Ninth climb. 「此日登临曙色开」之「曙色」，写黎明之色，是此诗登临意象的关键语。「曙色」即黎明的天色——「此日登临曙色开」，写重阳之晨登临，曙色初开；「开」字写曙色之开，正是黎明破晓的景象。以「曙色开」写登临之时，比直写「清晨」更见画面与气象——那曙色初开的黎明，正是登高的好辰，也是怀古的起点；「曙色开」三字，写曙色之开，正是「登临」的时辰，那登台的诗人，在曙色初开之际，远望三晋云山、二陵风雨。这一词，是此诗登临意象的关键，与「汉文皇帝有高台」相连，一写高台之由来，一写登临之时辰，正是重阳登高的开端。

仙翁 The old immortal: specifically the River Elder (He Shang Gong), an immortal who lived by the Yellow River at the time of Emperor Wen of Han and explained the Daodejing to him. The poet sighs that such beings are gone forever. 「河上仙翁去不回」之「仙翁」，用河上公之典，是此诗慕仙意象的核心语。「仙翁」即河上公——河上公为汉文帝时仙人，隐于河滨，文帝尝亲访之，授《道德经》章句，「河上仙翁」写河上公；「去不回」，写去而不回——那仙翁，去而不回，正是慕仙的怅惘。以「仙翁」写仙人，比直写「仙人」更见尊崇与怅惘——那河上仙翁，是汉文帝亲访的仙人，如今去而不回，「仙翁」写仙人之尊；「去不回」三字，写仙人之去，正是「仙翁一去不回」的怅惘。这一词，是此诗慕仙意象的核心，与「关门令尹」相对，一写识者之难，一写仙人之去，正是怀古慕仙的怅惘，也是「共醉菊花杯」的铺垫。

陶然 Merry and content: a state of happy ease. The word quietly echoes the surname Tao of Tao Yuanming (the 'magistrate of Pengze'), fusing the mood of drunken joy with the allusion to chrysanthemums. 「陶然共醉菊花杯」之「陶然」，写舒畅自得之乐，是此诗归趣意象的核心语。「陶然」即舒畅自得的样子——陶然写舒畅自得之乐，正是重阳共醉的心境；「陶然共醉菊花杯」，写陶然共醉，菊花杯。以「陶然」写心境，比直写「快乐」更见古典与悠然——那陶然，正是陶渊明「悠然见南山」的悠然，也是「共醉菊花」的畅快；「陶然」二字，暗含「陶」字，正与「彭泽宰」（陶渊明）相映，写共醉之乐，正是由仙入凡的归趣。这一词，是此诗归趣意象的核心，也是「共醉菊花杯」的心境——那仙翁既去不回，不如与友人陶然共醉，正是重阳登高的深衷。