唐 Tang · 诗 Poem
老将行
Song of the Old General
少年十五二十时，步行夺得胡马骑。
射杀山中白额虎，肯数邺下黄须儿。
一身转战三千里，一剑曾当百万师。
汉兵奋迅如霹雳，虏骑崩腾畏蒺藜。
卫青不败由天幸，李广无功缘数奇。
自从弃置便衰朽，世事蹉跎成白首。
昔时飞箭无全目，今日垂杨生左肘。
路傍时卖故侯瓜，门前学种先生柳。
苍茫古木连穷巷，寥落寒山对虚牖。
誓令疏勒出飞泉，不似颍川空使酒。
贺兰山下阵如云，羽檄交驰日夕闻。
节使三河募年少，诏书五道出将军。
试拂铁衣如雪色，聊持宝剑动星文。
愿得燕弓射天将，耻令越甲鸣吾君。
莫嫌旧日云中守，犹堪一战取功勋。
Shot and killed the white-browed tiger of the hills — would I reckon the yellow-bearded lad of Ye?
My lone self campaigned through three thousand li; one sword once stood against a million troops.
Han soldiers struck swift as thunderclap; the barbarian horse broke and fled, fearing our caltrops.
Wei Qing was undefeated by heaven's good fortune; Li Guang won no rank because his stars were ill.
Since being cast aside I have grown old and frail; the world's affairs delayed, my hair turned white.
In the past my flying arrows left no eye whole; today a willow springs at my left elbow.
By the road I sometimes sell the old marquis's melons; before my gate I learn to plant the master's willow.
Vast ancient trees line the humble lane; the lonely cold mountain faces my empty window.
I vow to make Shule gush a flying spring, unlike the Yingchuan man who only drank in wrath.
Below Helan Mountain the battle ranks are like clouds; feather-edicts speed back and forth, heard day and night.
The commissioner recruits the young from the Three Rivers; the imperial edict sends generals forth by five roads.
I try brushing my iron coat, white as snow; I take up the precious sword, its star-patterns gleam.
I wish for the Yan bow to shoot the heavenly chief; ashamed to let the Yue armour alarm my lord.
Do not scorn the old Yunzhong defender — he can still win merit in a single battle.
Meaning
In his youth at fifteen and twenty he could on foot seize a Hu horse and ride it; he shot the white-browed tiger of the hills and would not even count the yellow-bearded lad of Ye. His lone self campaigned three thousand li, and one sword once stood against a million troops. Han soldiers struck swift as thunder; the barbarian cavalry broke and fled, fearing the caltrops. Wei Qing was undefeated by heaven's favour, Li Guang won no rank because his stars were ill. Since being cast aside he has grown old and frail; the world's affairs delayed, his hair turned white. In the past his flying arrows left no eye whole; today a willow springs at his left elbow. By the road he sometimes sells the old marquis's melons; before his gate he learns to plant the master's willow. Vast ancient trees line the humble lane; the lonely cold mountain faces his empty window. He vows to make Shule gush a flying spring, unlike the Yingchuan man who only drank in wrath. Below Helan Mountain the battle ranks are like clouds; feather-edicts speed day and night. The commissioner recruits the young from the Three Rivers; the edict sends generals forth by five roads. He tries brushing his iron coat, white as snow; he takes up the precious sword, its star-patterns gleam. He wishes for the Yan bow to shoot the heavenly chief, ashamed to let the Yue armour alarm his lord. Do not scorn the old Yunzhong defender — he can still win merit in a single battle.
当年十五二十的少年时节，徒步便能夺回胡人战马骑乘。射杀山中白额猛虎，哪把邺下黄须儿看在眼里。一身转战三千里，一剑曾挡百万雄兵。汉家兵马奋迅如霹雳，敌骑崩溃畏我蒺藜。卫青不败实赖天幸，李广无功只因数奇。自从被弃置便衰老，世事蹉跎熬成白头。往日飞箭能射穿雀目，如今垂杨生于左肘。路旁不时卖那故侯瓜，门前学种先生柳。苍茫古木连着僻巷，寥落寒山对着空窗。誓要令疏勒涌出飞泉，不似颍川空自使酒。贺兰山下军阵如云，羽檄交驰日夜飞闻。节度使者于三河招募少年，诏书分五道遣将出征。且拂铁衣如雪般洁白，聊持宝剑撼动星文。愿得燕地强弓射杀敌将，耻令越甲惊动我君。莫嫌旧日云中太守，犹能一战夺取功勋。
Appreciation
Wang Wei's 'Song of the Old General' is an early imitation-yuefu, probably written in the Kaiyuan years. Through an old general who won glory yet was cast aside, it narrates three phases of his life — brave youth, middle-age neglect, and late-life volunteering — lodging indignation that a meritorious man is abandoned and a hero grows old. Some read it as a satire of the later Kaiyuan practice of swapping frontier generals and of unclear reward and punishment. The whole fuses history, allusion and frontier scenery into one surging breath — a grand piece of High-Tang frontier poetry, and proof that Wang Wei is not only the quiet painter of streams and hills.
【白话串讲】 王维写一位老将：少年时“步行夺得胡马骑”，“一身转战三千里，一剑曾当百万师”。可“自从弃置便衰朽”——他被弃置不用，“昔时飞箭无全目，今日垂杨生左肘”。老将的故事，是英雄迟暮的悲凉。 【意象与手法】 全诗以时间为经、以功名盛衰为纬，章法大开大合。前八句极写少年英雄气概，'夺得''射杀''转战''曾当'一气奔涌 【情感与主旨】 《老将行》为王维早年拟乐府之作，约作于开元年间 【名句点睛】 本诗常考用典用意与情感脉络。'卫青不败由天幸，李广无功缘数奇'以二将际遇写老将不平，考其对比反衬之法
Background
Wang Wei (c. 701-761), courtesy Mojie, was a High-Tang poet and painter, one of the 'Four Paragons of the Age' with Li Bai and Du Fu. His 'Song of the Old General' likely dates to his early years. The poem borrows an old general who, after merit and abandonment, recounts a life of youthful valour, mid-life neglect and late volunteering, to lodge the unfairness of a hero cast aside. It is a grand frontier piece of the High-Tang, showing Mojie is not only known for quiet mountains and waters.
《老将行》为盛唐诗人王维所作。王维（701—761），字摩诘，太原祁人，盛唐山水田园诗派的代表，兼擅音乐、书画，有“诗佛”之称。此诗写一位老将军的一生：少年时勇武过人，步行夺马、射杀猛虎、转战三千里、一剑挡百万师，然因卫青之“天幸”与李广之“数奇”，被弃置不用，衰朽老去；昔时的箭法无人能敌，而今白发如丝，但老将仍壮心不已——愿上云中郡、剑指天山，虽年迈而志存报国。全诗以老将一生之荣枯与暮年之壮志，写“老骥伏枥，志在千里”的悲壮情怀，是王维诗中以慷慨见长的名篇。
Art
The whole uses time as warp and the rise-and-fall of fame as weft, its structure opening vast and closing vast. The first eight lines write the youth's heroic spirit to the full — 'seized', 'shot', 'campaigned', 'stood against' rush in one breath; the middle turns sharply with the two allusions of Wei Qing and Li Guang, 'cast aside' and 'grown frail' exhausting the world's chill; the latter part, in retirement, suddenly hears the frontier alarm and rouses to volunteer, 'wish for the Yan bow' and 'ashamed to let' restoring the martial air. The allusions are dense yet the breath never breaks; the seven-character ancient form shifts rhyme freely, both vigorous and desolate — truly a High-Tang sound.
《老将行》艺术上以对比的强烈与气势的奔放见长。全诗结构分明：前段写少年之勇——“少年十五二十时，步行夺得胡马骑”写其夺马之勇，“射杀山中白额虎，肯数邺下黄须儿”写其射虎之豪，“一身转战三千里，一剑曾当百万师”写其转战之功，“汉兵奋迅如霹雳，虏骑崩腾畏蒺藜”写其军威之盛；中段写弃置之悲——“卫青不败由天幸，李广无功缘数奇”以卫青、李广之典写其遭遇，“自从弃置便衰朽，世事蹉跎成白首”写其老去之悲；后段写暮年之志——“昔时飞箭无全目，今日垂杨生左肘”写其老病之态，“路旁时卖故侯瓜，门前学种先生柳”写其贫贱之隐，“苍茫古木连穷巷，寥落寒山对虚牖”写其居处之寒，“誓令疏勒出飞泉，不似颍川空使酒”写其仍怀报国之志，“贺兰山下阵如云，羽檄交驰日夕闻”写边事之紧，“节使三河募年少，诏书五道出将军”写朝廷之募兵，“试拂铁衣如雪色，聊持宝剑动星文”写其重整戎装，“愿得燕弓射大将，耻令越甲鸣吾君”写其报国之愿，“莫嫌旧日云中守，犹堪一战取功勋”写其请战之志。全诗以少年之勇与暮年之悲、以弃置之叹与请战之志层层对比，气势奔放而感慨深沉，正是王维诗中以慷慨见长的名篇。
Allusions
The allusions are rich: 'the yellow-bearded lad of Ye' refers to Cao Zhang, brave by nature, yellow-bearded, whom Cao Cao called the yellow-bearded lad; 'Wei Qing undefeated by heaven's favour' uses Wei Qing's repeated victories and Huo Qubing's also relying on heaven's favour; 'Li Guang won no rank because his stars were ill' uses Li Guang's great merit yet lifelong failure to be enfeoffed, sighing at his ill star; 'the old marquis's melons' uses Shao Ping planting melons at the Qing Gate; 'the master's willow' uses Tao Yuanming's five willows; 'Shule sends a flying spring' uses Geng Gong's praying to a well and getting a spring; 'Yingchuan drinking' uses Guan Fu; 'the Yunzhong defender' uses Wei Shang. Every line has a basis, using the ancient to mirror the present.
《老将行》用典密集而妥帖。“白额虎”用周处射虎之典，“黄须儿”指曹操之子曹彰（黄须而骁勇），写老将之勇；“卫青不败”“李广无功”用汉将卫青、李广之事——卫青以姊为后而屡得胜，李广数奇而难封，写老将之遭遇；“垂杨生左肘”用《庄子·至乐》“俄而柳生其左肘”之典（柳即瘤），写其老病；“故侯瓜”用东陵侯邵平种瓜之典，“先生柳”用陶渊明《五柳先生传》之典，写其贫隐；“疏勒出飞泉”用耿恭拜井出泉之典，“颍川空使酒”用灌夫使酒骂坐之典，写其报国之志与不效颍川之傲；“燕弓”用燕地良弓之典，“越甲鸣吾君”用《说苑》越甲鸣君之典，“云中守”用汉将魏尚守云中之典。全诗以这些典故写老将一生，无一典无来历，正是王维“以典写史”的功力。
Commentary
Tang Poetry Selected says 'such a poem needs great strength... Mojie could do it'. Shen Deqian praised 'full of heroic air, dripping from the page'. The Ming critic Hu Yinglin said Wang Wei's seven-character ancients are 'ornate and fine', but this piece alone shows boldness. Later readers often set it beside Gao Shi's 'Song of Yan' and Cen Shen's frontier poems, saying a High-Tang man wrote a High-Tang general — though it writes abandonment, the bone-strength remains, unlike the decline after the mid-Tang.
《老将行》是王维诗中以慷慨见长的名篇，也是唐代边塞诗与咏怀诗的结合。历代诗评家对此诗评价极高，或谓其“雄浑悲壮，如闻战鼓”，或谓其“以卫青、李广之典写老将之遇，感慨深沉”。论者多赏其前段的“一身转战三千里，一剑曾当百万师”——以夸张之笔写老将之功，气势奔放；“卫青不败由天幸，李广无功缘数奇”——以对句写命运之叹，感慨深沉。此诗写老将一生之荣枯，实为咏怀之作，寄托了士人不遇之慨与迟暮报国之情，与王维的山水田园诗风不同，正见其诗才之全面。
Prosody
Line by line
少年十五二十时，步行夺得胡马骑。射杀山中白额虎，肯数邺下黄须儿。一身转战三千里，一剑曾当百万师。
At fifteen, at twenty, on foot he seized the barbarian horse and rode; he shot the white-browed tiger of the hills — how could he rank with Cao Zhang of Ye? In one frame he fought three thousand li; one sword once withstood a hundred thousand troops.
少年十五、二十岁时，徒步就能夺得胡人的战马。射杀山中白额猛虎，岂肯数邺下黄须儿曹彰。一身转战三千里，一剑曾挡百万雄师。
At fifteen or twenty, he could seize a barbarian horse on foot and ride it; he shot the white-browed tiger in the hills — why should he count himself below Cao Zhang of Ye? In one frame he fought campaigns three thousand li; with one sword he once withstood a hundred thousand soldiers.
前六句写老将少年之勇，气势奔放。“少年十五二十时”点出少壮之年，“步行夺得胡马骑”写其夺马之勇——徒手夺胡马，见其胆略；“射杀山中白额虎，肯数邺下黄须儿”写其射虎之豪——以周处射虎、曹彰骁勇作比，见其气概；“一身转战三千里，一剑曾当百万师”写其战功之盛——转战千里、一剑当百万师，以夸张之笔写其神勇。六句层层写来，把老将少年时的英武写到极致。两个“一”字（一身、一剑）对举，更见其孤身赴敌的英雄气概。这一段的铺陈，为后文的“弃置衰朽”作了强烈的反差。
The first six lines write the old general's youthful bravery, the momentum unbridled. 'At fifteen, at twenty' the years of youth; 'on foot he seized the barbarian horse and rode' the daring of seizing a mount empty-handed; 'he shot the white-browed tiger of the hills — how could he rank with Cao Zhang of Ye?' the prowess of the tiger-shooting, comparing himself to Zhou Chu and Cao Zhang the Yellow-Bearded; 'in one frame he fought three thousand li; one sword once withstood a hundred thousand troops' the glory of his arms, exaggeratedly writing his superhuman valor. Six lines layered on layer, writing the old general's youthful martiality to the utmost; the two 'one' (one frame, one sword) set against each other, showing the lone hero's charge against the foe. This detailing sets a sharp contrast with the 'cast aside and decayed' below.
卫青不败由天幸，李广无功缘数奇。自从弃置便衰朽，世事蹉跎成白首。
Wei Qing's victories were heaven's luck; Li Guang's no desertion was his evil star. Since being cast aside, he has fallen to decay; the world's ways wasted, his head turned white.
卫青不败是由于天幸，李广无功是因为命数不好。自从被弃置不用便日渐衰朽，世事蹉跎，人已白了头。
Wei Qing never knew defeat, by heaven's luck; Li Guang won no merit, because his star was unlucky. Since he was cast aside, he has fallen into decay; the world's affairs slipped away, and his head has turned white.
此四句写老将弃置之悲，是全诗情感的转折。“卫青不败由天幸，李广无功缘数奇”以卫青、李广之典写其遭遇——卫青以侥幸而胜，李广以命蹇而功不成，老将正如李广，“数奇”二字写尽命运之不公；“自从弃置便衰朽”写被弃之后——“弃置”写朝廷之不用，“衰朽”写身心之老；“世事蹉跎成白首”写时光之虚度——“蹉跎”写岁月空流，“白首”写英雄迟暮。四句由卫、李之典落到老将之身，由命运之叹到白首之悲，把“英雄无用武之地”的感慨写到极处。以“数奇”写天意、以“白首”写人事，正是老将一生的悲剧所在。
These four lines write the grief of the old general's rejection, the emotional turn of the poem. 'Wei Qing's victories were heaven's luck; Li Guang won no merit, because his star was unlucky' uses Wei Qing and Li Guang for his lot — Wei Qing won by chance, Li Guang failed by a bitter fate, the old general is as Li Guang, 'unlucky star' writing to the full the injustice of fate; 'since being cast aside, he has fallen to decay' after the court cast him off, 'cast aside' the court's refusal, 'decayed' the body and mind's age; 'the world's affairs slipped away, his head turned white' the wasted time, 'slipped away' the empty years, 'head turned white' the hero's twilight. Four lines move from the allusions to the general himself, from the sigh of fate to the grief of white hair, writing to the utmost the lament of 'a hero with no field to use his arms'.
昔时飞箭无全目，今日垂杨生左肘。路旁时卖故侯瓜，门前学种先生柳。苍茫古木连穷巷，寥落寒山对虚牖。
Of old, his flying arrows left no whole-eyed bird; today, a willow-growth has risen on his left elbow. By the roadside he sells now the Duke of Dongling's melons; before his gate he plants the Mister Five-Willows' willows. Vast ancient trees join the mean alley; lone cold hills face the empty window.
昔时飞箭能射中无全目之鸟，今日左肘却生出了赘瘤。路旁时常卖着东陵侯的瓜，门前学着种五柳先生的柳。苍茫的古木连着穷巷，寥落的寒山对着空窗。
Once his flying arrow left no bird with a whole eye; today a willow-growth has grown on his left elbow. By the roadside he sometimes sells the Duke of Dongling's melons; before his gate he plants the Mister Five-Willows' willows. Vast ancient trees join the wretched lane; bleak cold hills face the empty window.
此六句写老将贫病之态，以今昔对比见其凄凉。“昔时飞箭无全目，今日垂杨生左肘”写今昔之变——昔时神箭无双，今日老病丛生（“垂杨生左肘”用《庄子》柳生左肘之典写赘瘤）；“路旁时卖故侯瓜，门前学种先生柳”写其贫贱之隐——卖瓜如东陵侯、种柳如五柳先生，英雄沦落为农夫；“苍茫古木连穷巷，寥落寒山对虚牖”写其居处之寒——古木穷巷、寒山虚牖，环境萧瑟。六句以今昔对比、以瓜柳之典、以古木寒山之景，写老将贫病交加、英雄末路的凄凉。而“卖故侯瓜”“种先生柳”的典故，更暗含其不甘沉沦之意，为后文的请战张本。
These six lines write the old general's poverty and illness, the desolation of past against present. 'Of old, his flying arrow left no whole-eyed bird; today, a willow-growth has grown on his left elbow' the change — once matchless archery, now age and ailment (the willow-growth on the elbow uses the Zhuangzi allusion to a tumor); 'by the roadside he sometimes sells the Duke of Dongling's melons; before his gate he plants the Mister Five-Willows' willows' the hidden poverty — selling melons like the Duke of Dongling, planting willows like Mister Five-Willows, the hero fallen to a farmer; 'vast ancient trees join the wretched lane; bleak cold hills face the empty window' the cold dwelling — ancient trees and mean alley, cold hills and empty window, the environment bleak. Six lines, past against present, the melon and willow allusions, the ancient trees and cold hills, writing the old general's poverty, illness, and the desolation of the hero's end. And the allusions to selling the duke's melon and planting the master's willows secretly carry his refusal to sink, preparing the request for battle below.
誓令疏勒出飞泉，不似颍川空使酒。贺兰山下阵如云，羽檄交驰日夕闻。节使三河募年少，诏书五道出将军。
He swears to make the well of Shule gush its spring, not like the man of Yingchuan who idly raged in wine. Below Helan Mountain the battle lines are like clouds; the feather dispatches fly by day and night. Envoys levy the youths of the Three Rivers; by five roads the edicts send forth the generals.
誓要使疏勒城涌出飞泉，不像颍川灌夫那样空自使酒。贺兰山下战阵如云，军书日夜交驰传来。朝廷使节在三河招募少年，诏书命五路将军出兵。
He swears to make the Shule well gush its spring, not like the man of Yingchuan who idly raged in wine. Below Helan Mountain the battle lines are like clouds; the feather dispatches fly by day and night. Envoys levy the youths of the Three Rivers; by five roads the edicts send forth the generals.
此六句写边事紧急与老将之志。“誓令疏勒出飞泉，不似颍川空使酒”写其报国之志——用耿恭拜井出泉之典写其誓守边城，不效灌夫使酒骂坐之傲，见其虽老而志坚；“贺兰山下阵如云，羽檄交驰日夕闻”写边事之紧——战阵如云、军书交驰，边患日亟；“节使三河募年少，诏书五道出将军”写朝廷之募兵——四处募兵、五路出兵，正是用人之时。六句由老将之志写到边事之紧，再写到朝廷募兵，把“国家有难”与“老将请缨”联系起来。老将虽被弃置，然边事一紧，其报国之志便油然而生，正是“老骥伏枥，志在千里”的写照。
These six lines write the urgent border affairs and the old general's will. 'He swears to make the Shule well gush its spring, not like the man of Yingchuan who idly raged in wine' his will to serve — using the allusion to Geng Gong, who prayed at Shule and the well gushed, for his oath to hold the border city, not like Guan Fu of Yingchuan who raged idly over wine, showing his resolve though old; 'below Helan Mountain the battle lines are like clouds; the feather dispatches fly by day and night' the urgency of the border — lines like clouds, dispatches flying, the border peril daily pressing; 'envoys levy the youths of the Three Rivers; by five roads the edicts send forth the generals' the court's levy — levying men everywhere, sending troops by five roads, the hour of need. Six lines move from the old general's will to the urgent border, then to the court's levy, joining 'the nation in danger' with 'the old general volunteering'. Though cast aside, once the border grows urgent, his will to serve rises of itself, the very picture of 'the old steed in the stable, its aim a thousand li'.
试拂铁衣如雪色，聊持宝剑动星文。愿得燕弓射大将，耻令越甲鸣吾君。莫嫌旧日云中守，犹堪一战取功勋。
He tries his iron armor, bright as snow; he takes up his sword, and its starry inscriptions flash. Would that he had the Yan bow to shoot the foe's chief, ashamed to let the Yue arms alarm his lord. Think not of the old Warden of Yunzhong — he is still fit for one battle to win renown.
试着拂拭铁甲，亮如雪色；且持宝剑，剑光摇动星文。愿得燕地良弓射杀敌将，耻于让越甲惊动君王。莫嫌我如旧日的云中守魏尚，尚能一战夺取功勋。
He tries brushing his iron armor, bright as snow; he takes up his sword, and its starry engravings flash. Would he had the Yan bow to shoot the enemy's chief — ashamed that the Yue arms should alarm his lord. Think not of the old Warden of Yunzhong; he is still fit for one battle to win renown.
末六句写老将重整戎装、请缨报国，是全诗情感的高潮。“试拂铁衣如雪色，聊持宝剑动星文”写其重整戎装——拂拭铁衣、挥动宝剑，老将虽衰而英气犹存；“愿得燕弓射大将，耻令越甲鸣吾君”写其报国之愿——愿射敌将、耻惊君王，忠义之心跃然纸上；“莫嫌旧日云中守，犹堪一战取功勋”写其请战之志——以魏尚守云中之典自比，请朝廷勿嫌其老，尚能一战立功。六句由整装到请战，把老将的壮志推到高潮：虽被弃置多年，然一闻边事，便拂衣整剑、请缨出战。以“云中守”自况收束，既写其老而弥坚，亦写其不遇之叹，悲壮感人。这一收束，把全诗的“悲”升华为“壮”，正是《老将行》一题的精髓。
The last six lines write the old general refitting his armor and volunteering for battle, the emotional peak of the poem. 'He tries brushing his iron armor, bright as snow; he takes up his sword, and its starry inscriptions flash' his refitting — brushing the armor, swinging the sword, the old general's martial air though decayed; 'would he had the Yan bow to shoot the enemy's chief, ashamed that the Yue arms should alarm his lord' his wish to serve — wishing to shoot the foe's chief, ashamed that the enemy's arms should disturb his ruler, the loyal heart on the page; 'think not of the old Warden of Yunzhong — he is still fit for one battle to win renown' his request — comparing himself to Wei Shang, the old warden of Yunzhong, asking the court not to scorn his age, still fit to win merit in one battle. Six lines move from refitting to the request, pushing the old general's ambition to the peak: though cast aside for years, once he hears of the border, he brushes his armor and takes his sword, volunteering. Closing in the self-comparison to the Warden of Yunzhong, it writes both his old-age firmness and the regret of his ill fortune, tragic and moving. This close elevates the poem's 'grief' to 'grandeur', the very essence of the theme 'the old general's march'.
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高适《燕歌行》“战士军前半死生，美人帐下犹歌舞”写边塞征戍之苦与将帅失和之弊，与《老将行》同为盛唐边塞歌行。差异在主题：王维写老将一人的荣枯与请战，是咏怀之篇；高适写边塞的众生与征戍，是讽刺之作。一写“一将”之志，一写“万卒”之苦；一昂扬一悲慨。两诗并读，可见盛唐边塞诗的两面——既写报国之志，亦写征戍之苦。
从军行 Marching Song 王昌龄 · 同为盛唐写边塞报国之志，一写老将一写征人，皆见豪情 Different (High-Tang frontier / form)Li's poem is a short piece writing frontier feeling, Wang's a long piece writing the old general's life — one simple, one elaborate in form.
王昌龄《从军行》“黄沙百战穿金甲，不破楼兰终不还”写征人报国的豪情，与《老将行》同为写边塞报国之志。差异在身份：王维写老将被弃而请缨，是“烈士暮年，壮心不已”；王昌龄写征人沙场苦战，是“少壮从军”的豪迈。一写“老”之志，一写“壮”之情。两诗并读，可见盛唐边塞诗写报国豪情的不同阶段，皆见盛唐气象。
燕歌行 Song of Yan 曹丕 · 同为“燕歌行”歌行体写边塞，一写闺中思妇一写老将请缨 Related readingCompare this related work with the poem above through theme, imagery, tone, and emotional movement.
曹丕《燕歌行》“秋风萧瑟天气凉，草木摇落露为霜”写思妇怀远之情，与本首同为“燕歌行”歌行体写边塞。差异在内容：王维写老将请缨报国，以征伐之事写壮怀；曹丕写思妇怀念征人，以秋风明月写闺怨。一写“征”之志，一写“思”之情。两诗并读，可见“燕歌行”一体由曹丕到王维的演变——从闺怨到边塞，皆以歌行写征戍之事。