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唐 Tang · 诗 Poem

无题·相见时难

Untitled (Hard to meet, hard to part)

李商隐

Li Shangyin

爱情Love 相思Yearning 朦胧Hazy

相见时难别亦难，东风无力百花残。
春蚕到死丝方尽，蜡炬成灰泪始干。
晓镜但愁云鬓改，夜吟应觉月光寒。
蓬山此去无多路，青鸟殷勤为探看。

Hard to meet, and harder to part,
East wind feeble, all flowers wither.
Spring silkworm dies when its silk is exhausted,
Candle turns to ash before its tears dry.
At dawn she worries her hair may change,
At night she chants and feels the moonlight cold.
From here to Mount Peng there is no long way,
Let the blue bird be diligent to see her.

Listen

Meaning

The poem expresses the pain of parting and the enduring love that lasts until death, using images of a silkworm and candle to symbolize unwavering devotion.

相见本已不易，离别更觉难堪；东风绵软无力，百花凋零残败。春蚕直到死时丝才吐尽，蜡烛成灰泪方才干涸。清晨对镜只怕容颜改换，夜半吟诗该觉月色清寒。蓬莱仙山离此其实路不算远，愿青鸟殷勤为我前去探望。

Appreciation

The first couplet uses two 'hard' characters to emphasize the difficulty of both meeting and parting, set against the withering spring scene. The second couplet is a famous metaphor for undying love: the silkworm's silk (pun on 'yearning') ends only with death, and the candle's tears dry only when it turns to ash. The third couplet projects the poet's concern onto the beloved, imagining her morning worry and night chill. The final couplet leaves a glimmer of hope through the mythical blue bird.

【白话串讲】 “春蚕到死丝方尽，蜡炬成灰泪始干”——李商隐用蚕和蜡烛，写出了爱情里最决绝的坚持。这首无题，是唐诗里最深情也最痛苦的一次表白。【意象与手法】全诗深情绵邈，比兴精绝。首联两「难」字叠用，造聚散两难之顿挫；颔联「春蚕到死丝方尽，蜡炬成灰泪始干」以「丝」谐「思」、以烛泪双关人泪，意象凝练，至死方休的执着力透纸背；颈联「晓镜但愁云鬓改，夜吟应觉月光寒」由己及人，悬想对方愁容与孤吟，体贴入微；尾联以「蓬山」「青鸟」仙家意象收束，于绝望中留一丝探看的希冀。通篇朦胧深婉，情景交融，是李商隐无题诗的代表。【情感与主旨】李商隐现存《无题》诗约十余首，多写隐秘而深沉的情感，此首历来被视为其爱情诗的代表作，或兼寄托身世之慨。诗约作于晚唐牛李党争的夹缝中：李商隐娶牛党王茂元之女，却受李党排挤，仕途偃蹇、抱负难伸，诗中压抑缠绵的深情，亦折射出时代的闷局与个人的困顿。【名句点睛】常考「春蚕到死丝方尽，蜡炬成灰泪始干」的至死不渝之喻，多考「丝」谐「思」的双关与象征手法，以及两「难」字、以景写情等炼字与章法。

Background

Li Shangyin's 'Untitled' poems are often about secret or unfulfilled love. This one likely reflects his personal experiences in the political struggles of the late Tang, where his marriage into a rival faction brought both love and frustration. The poem's deep melancholy may also hint at unfulfilled ambitions.

李商隐（约813—约858），字义山，号玉谿生，怀州河内人，晚唐著名诗人。他一生卷入牛李党争：早年受知于牛党令狐楚父子，后又娶李党王茂元之女，两党皆不信任他，致使仕途偃蹇，终年不过四十六岁。李商隐现存《无题》诗约十余首，多写隐秘而深沉的情感，此首《相见时难》历来被视为其爱情诗的代表作，或兼寄托身世之慨。诗约作于其仕途失意、与爱人别离之际，具体背景已难确考。诗中「相见时难别亦难」的聚散两难，「春蚕到死」「蜡炬成灰」的至死不渝，既是刻骨相思的自白，亦暗含身世飘零、抱负难伸的苦闷。晚唐国势日衰，士人于夹缝中求存，诗人的深情绵邈里，正映着时代的闷局与个人命运的无常。此诗是李商隐无题诗中最脍炙人口的一首，也是中国爱情诗史上的千古绝唱。据《新唐书》本传，李商隐「尤善为诔奠之辞」，其无题诸作往往兴寄遥深、旨归难测，此诗正是其「隐辞诡寄」风格的典型。诗中「蓬山」「青鸟」等仙家语汇，又与他晚年学道、自号玉谿生的经历相通，可见仙道意象在其情感世界中的位置。

Art

The poem is known for its exquisite metaphors and double entendres. The second couplet employs a pun ('silk' for 'yearning') and vivid imagery. The third couplet shifts perspective to the beloved, enhancing the emotional depth. The overall style is hazy, deep, and evocative.

全诗深情绵邈，比兴精绝，章法严整而情致流转。首联「相见时难别亦难，东风无力百花残」以两「难」字叠用开篇，聚散两难，顿挫沉痛；「东风无力百花残」以暮春残景烘托别情，情景相生，为全诗定下凄婉基调。颔联「春蚕到死丝方尽，蜡炬成灰泪始干」是全诗精华：以「丝」谐「思」双关相思，以烛泪双关人泪，意象凝练，把至死方休的执着写得力透纸背，「方尽」「始干」两个极限词写出情之深挚。颈联「晓镜但愁云鬓改，夜吟应觉月光寒」由己及人，悬想对方晓妆之愁、夜吟之寒，以对写法使思念双向流动，体贴入微。尾联「蓬山此去无多路，青鸟殷勤为探看」以仙家意象收束，于绝望中留一线探看的希冀，含蓄不尽。全诗四联层层递进，由景入情，由情入愿，虚实相生，是李商隐无题诗朦胧深婉的巅峰。尤可注意的是全诗以「难」字起、以「看」字结，由聚散之难写到探看之愿，情感的落差形成巨大的张力；四联之内，情由悲而誓、由誓而念、由念而望，层层推进，不见雕琢而自然浑成，正是李商隐七律「沉博绝丽」之境的体现。

Allusions

The 'silk' pun is a traditional folk device. 'Peng Mountain' is a fairyland, and the 'blue bird' is a messenger from the Queen Mother of the West, symbolizing a slim hope of communication.

「丝方尽」以「丝」谐音「思」，是民歌谐音双关的传统手法，如《子夜歌》「理丝入残机」即用此技；「蜡炬成灰泪始干」以烛泪喻相思之泪，化静物为深情。「蓬山」即神话中的蓬莱仙山，典出《列子·汤问》，本指海中仙山，诗中借指所思之人居处，远而难即；「青鸟」典出《山海经》与《汉武故事》，为西王母的信使，曾为汉武帝传书，诗中借指传信之人。尾联以仙山信使之典，写「蓬山此去无多路」而仍托青鸟「为探看」，于绝望中留一线希冀，含蓄深婉。「东风无力百花残」暗含惜春传统，与李商隐「客散酒醒深夜后」的孤寂心境相通。全诗用典多化于无形，将仙家意象与人间至情熔铸一炉，正是李商隐「深情绵邈」诗风的典型表现，也是晚唐诗人以典写情的典范。「晓镜但愁云鬓改」化用《离骚》「恐美人之迟暮」之意，以容颜之改写相思之切；「夜吟应觉月光寒」则承六朝闺怨诗以月色写孤寂的传统，皆化典无痕。全诗把民歌的双关、神话的仙家与骚体的比兴熔于一炉，意象浑融而层次丰富，充分展现了李商隐「以典写心」的大家手笔。

Commentary

Critics like Feng Ban praised the first couplet for its powerful repetition, while Zhu Yizun called the second couplet 'words of utmost emotion that can move the gods.' The poem remains a masterpiece of love poetry, balancing passion with restraint.

此诗历来评价极高。清代冯班《玉溪生诗笺注》称其「妙在首二句」，点出两「难」之沉痛；朱彝尊评「春蚕」一联「情至之语，可以泣鬼神」，以为写尽痴情。今人多从爱情与身世双重视角解读：就爱情言，它是至死不渝的盟誓；就身世言，「相见时难」亦可读作君臣遇合之艰，「青鸟殷勤」则寄望有人传语。钱锺书《谈艺录》论李商隐诗「深情绵邈，包蕴密致」，此诗正是代表。全诗以极纤细的物象写极深重的痴情，缠绵悱恻而不落俗艳，故能动人千载。其艺术价值在于以最凝练的语言写出人类共通的情感体验，将个人的相思升华为普世的深情，是唐诗中爱情主题的最高成就之一。就文学史而言，此诗上承六朝乐府谐音双关的传统，下启宋人「春蚕蜡炬」式的以物写情，是爱情诗由民歌俚俗走向文人雅化的关键一环。近人钱锺书《谈艺录》论李商隐诗「深情绵邈，包蕴密致」，此诗正是其最佳注脚，故能历千年而不衰，成为中国人表达忠贞爱情的第一意象。

Prosody

Form 七言律诗七言律诗（七律）

Rhyme 平起首句入韵，押上平十四寒韵平起首句入韵，押上平十四寒韵：难、残、干、寒、看。

Tone pattern 相见时难别亦难 (平仄平平仄仄平)首句「相见时难别亦难」平仄为「平仄平平仄仄平」，第二句「东风无力百花残」为「平平平仄仄平平」；颔联「春蚕到死丝方尽」对「蜡炬成灰泪始干」，颈联「晓镜但愁云鬓改」对「夜吟应觉月光寒」，中二联对仗工稳，音律谐婉。

Reading note The second couplet is a perfect example of parallelism and wordplay.此诗为七言律诗，平起首句入韵，押上平十四寒韵，韵脚「难、残、干、寒、看」皆为开口呼，声情悠长，与全诗缠绵深婉的情调相合。中二联是全诗对仗的精华：颔联「春蚕到死丝方尽，蜡炬成灰泪始干」以「春蚕」对「蜡炬」、「到死」对「成灰」、「丝」对「泪」、「方尽」对「始干」，工整之中见流转，且「丝」谐「思」双关，物象与情思合一，成为千古爱情绝唱；颈联「晓镜」对「夜吟」、「但愁」对「应觉」、「云鬓改」对「月光寒」，时空交错，对写生情。全诗四联起承转合分明：首联起于聚散之难，颔联承以誓言之坚，颈联转写两地相思，尾联合于探看之愿。平仄谐和，粘对无误，是七律中声情并茂、格律精严的典范，充分体现了李商隐在律诗形式上的高度造诣。

Line by line

相见时难别亦难，东风无力百花残。

Hard to meet, hard to part—the east wind languishes and all flowers wither. The double 'hard' emphasizes the difficulty of both meeting and parting, and the late spring scene deepens the sadness.

相见本已不易，离别更觉难堪；东风绵软无力，百花凋零残败。

Meeting is hard, and parting harder still; the east wind is faint, and the hundred flowers fade.

首句以两个「难」字叠用开篇，聚散两难，递进层深：相见之难在于时机难逢，离别之难在于后会无期，两个「难」字道尽人生聚散的无奈，开篇即定全诗沉痛之调。「东风无力百花残」以暮春景象烘托别情：东风本是催花之力，如今却绵软无力，百花随之凋残，一片衰飒。景物之衰与心境之悲相互映发，情景相生。此联先言人事之苦，再写自然之衰，人景叠合，把离别之痛置于春残的背景中，愈显凄凉。两「难」字与「无力」「残」三字，皆以重拙之笔写深重之情，是李商隐善于炼字、以景写情的典型笔法，为下文「春蚕」「蜡炬」的至死不渝作了情感铺垫。

The opening uses two hard in repetition - hard to meet, hard to part, deepening layer by layer: hard to meet lies in the rarity of opportunity; hard to part lies in the uncertainty of reunion; the two hard exhaust the helplessness of human meeting and parting, setting the poem's grievous keynote from the first. The east wind is faint, and the hundred flowers fade uses late spring to set off parting: the east wind was the force that quickens flowers, now faint and powerless, flowers fading with it, a withered scene. Scenery's decay and mood's grief reflect each other, scene and feeling born together. The couplet first states human suffering, then nature's decay, person and scenery layered, placing parting's pain against the backdrop of ruined spring, all the more desolate. The two hard together with faint and faded are heavy, clumsy brushes for deep feeling - Li Shangyin's typical method of refining diction and writing feeling through scenery, preparing the emotional ground for the spring silkworm and wax candle below.

春蚕到死丝方尽，蜡炬成灰泪始干。

The silkworm's silk ends only when it dies; the candle's tears dry only when it turns to ash. 'Silk' (丝) is a pun on 'yearning' (思), symbolizing endless love.

春蚕直到死时丝才吐尽，蜡烛成灰泪方才干涸。

The spring silkworm spins silk until it dies; the candle weeps tears until it turns to ash.

此联是千古名句，全诗精华所在。以春蚕吐丝、蜡炬成灰两组意象写至死不渝之情：春蚕之「丝」谐音「思」，双关相思，蚕丝至死方尽，喻相思至死不休；蜡炬燃烧成灰，烛泪始干，喻思念之泪流到生命尽头。「方尽」「始干」两个极限词，把抽象的深情化为可感的物象消殒过程，力透纸背。对仗上「春蚕」对「蜡炬」、「到死」对「成灰」、「丝」对「泪」、「方尽」对「始干」，工稳而流转，意象凝练。此联以比兴写情，物性与人性合一，将爱情的执着与牺牲写到极致，成为后世表达忠贞不渝的经典意象，也是李商隐诗「深情绵邈」的最佳注脚。

This couplet is the immortal line, the poem's essence. The spring silkworm spins silk until it dies; the candle weeps tears until it turns to ash uses two images to write love unto death: the silkworm's silk puns on longing - the silk spins until death, longing unceasing until death; the candle burns to ash, its tears drying only then, the tears of longing flowing to life's end. Only then and only when are limit words, converting abstract deep feeling into the tangible process of things' perishing, force penetrating the paper. In parallel, spring silkworm with wax candle, until death with turns to ash, silk with tears, only then with only when - refined yet flowing, images condensed. The couplet writes feeling through bi-xing, thing and human nature fused, pushing love's devotion and sacrifice to the extreme, becoming the classic image of faithfulness for later ages, the best footnote to Li Shangyin's deep, lingering feeling.

晓镜但愁云鬓改，夜吟应觉月光寒。

At dawn, she worries her hair will change; at night, she chants and feels the moonlight cold. This projects the poet's concern onto his beloved.

清晨对镜只怕容颜改换，夜半吟诗该觉月色清寒。

At dawn, facing the mirror, you will grieve your cloud-hair's fading; at night, chanting verse, you should feel the moonlight's chill.

此联由己及人，运用对写法悬想对方：清晨对镜，只怕云鬓改换、红颜渐老；夜半吟诗，应觉月光清寒、孤寂难耐。「但愁」二字写对方之忧，正见相思之人亦在相思；「应觉」二字以己度人，推测对方心境，体贴入微。两联分别写朝与暮、镜与月、愁与寒，时空交错，思念双向流动。值得注意的是，诗人不直写自己如何思念，而写对方如何为自己憔悴，从对面着笔，情感更深一层。「云鬓改」暗含年华老去之惧，「月光寒」兼写身寒与心寒，物象与心境交融，是李商隐善于体物入微、以虚写实的典范，也使相思之情更加具体可感。

This couplet turns from self to the other, using the reverse method to imagine the beloved: at dawn facing the mirror, grieving cloud-hair's change, red charms aging; at night chanting verse, feeling moonlight's chill, solitude hard to bear. Grieve writes the other's anxiety, showing she too longs; should feel measures the other's heart by his own,体贴 to the finest. The two lines write morning and evening, mirror and moon, grief and chill - time and space interleaved, longing flowing both ways. Notably the poet does not write how he longs but how she wastes away for him, writing from the opposite side, feeling a layer deeper. Cloud-hair fading carries the fear of years passing; moonlight chill writes both body's cold and heart's cold; image and mood merged - Li Shangyin's model of perceiving things minutely, writing the solid through the void, making longing concrete and tangible.

蓬山此去无多路，青鸟殷勤为探看。

Peng Mountain is not far from here; may the blue bird diligently visit for me. Peng Mountain is a fairyland, and the blue bird is a messenger, leaving a glimmer of hope.

蓬莱仙山离此其实路不算远，愿青鸟殷勤为我前去探望。

Mount Penglai is not far from here; Blue Bird, be diligent, go and spy her out.

尾联以仙家意象收束，于绝望中留一线希冀。「蓬山」指所思之人居处，本是神仙居所，可望难即；「此去无多路」却言路并不遥远，暗含「虽近犹远」的怅惘——地理上不远，而相思之人却如隔蓬山，可望而不可即。「青鸟」为西王母信使，诗人托其「殷勤为探看」，把探看的愿望寄于神话，含蓄而深婉。一个「探」字，写尽不敢直见、只能探问的卑微与深情。全诗至此，由聚散两难的沉痛，经至死方休的誓言，再到夜吟独愁的相思，终落于「为探看」的一线微望，层层递进，余韵不尽。以仙家写人间至情，化现实之无奈为缥缈之寄望，正是李商隐无题诗「朦胧深婉」的收束之道。

The closing couplet resolves in immortal imagery, leaving a thread of hope within despair. Mount Penglai names the beloved's dwelling, originally an immortal's place, gazed at yet unattainable; not far from here yet says the road is not distant, secretly holding the wistfulness of near yet far - geographically not far, yet the beloved as if beyond Penglai, gazed at yet unreachable. Blue Bird is the Queen Mother of the West's messenger; the poet asks it to be diligent and spy her out, lodging the wish to visit in myth, reserved and deep. One spy exhausts the humility and devotion of not daring to meet directly, only to inquire. The poem thus moves from the grief of hard meeting and parting, through the vow of until death, to the night-chanting solitude, finally landing on the faint hope of spying her out - layer by layer, savor unspent. Using immortals for human love, converting reality's helplessness into airy hope - precisely Li Shangyin's obscure, deep, reserved way of closing the untitled poems.

Study

Word focus

难（两用） Difficult (used twice, emphasizing the hardship of both meeting and parting) 首句「相见时难别亦难」两个「难」字叠用，是全文立骨之字。第一个「难」写相见之不易，时机难逢、机缘难遇；第二个「难」写离别之难堪，后会无期、牵肠挂肚。两「难」递进，聚难而别更难，一层深似一层，把人生聚散的两重无奈凝于一句。此字之妙在于以重复造成顿挫，诵读时如哽咽难言，先声夺人，为全诗定下沉痛基调。两「难」并非简单复沓，而是由聚到别的推移，暗含「相见时」愈是短暂，「别亦」愈是难堪的因果关系，炼字之中自见章法，是唐诗中以重字写深情的典范。

丝（谐思） Silk (pun on 'yearning') 「春蚕到死丝方尽」之「丝」谐音「思」，是双关手法的经典运用。蚕丝至死方尽，正喻相思至死不休；「丝」与「思」同音相谐，一语双关，既写春蚕吐丝的自然现象，又写人间相思的深挚执着。此字承民歌谐音传统而来，却化俗为雅，将抽象的「思」化为可感的「丝」，使至情有了具体的物象依托。「方尽」二字尤见功力：不是「未尽」，而是到死方尽，把相思写到生命尽头，力透纸背。一个「丝」字，音义双关，物我合一，是唐诗双关修辞的最高典范，也是此联成为千古名句的关键所在。

方尽／始干 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. 「方尽」「始干」是颔联的极限词，以「方」字写出至死方休的执着：春蚕之丝要「到死」才「方尽」，蜡炬之泪要「成灰」才「始干」。两个词都指向生命的终点，把抽象的深情化为可感的物象消殒过程：丝尽、泪干，皆是生命燃尽的象征，正喻相思之情至死不渝。对举使用，「方尽」与「始干」互文见义，蚕丝尽、烛泪干，双双写尽爱情的牺牲与坚守。此词之妙在于不写「不尽」「不干」，而写「方尽」「始干」，以极限状态写深情，愈是写到尽头，愈见情之深挚，是炼字中「以极端写极致」的典范，也是此联感人至深的重要原因。

寒 Cold (describing the lonely chill of the night) 「夜吟应觉月光寒」之「寒」字，既写月夜清冷，亦透孤寂之凄，是双写之字。夜半独吟，月色如水，本已清寒；而相思之人独坐空房，心绪孤寂，更觉寒气逼人。此字由外及内：月光之寒是实景，心境之寒是虚情，虚实相生，情景交融。「应觉」二字又以己度人，推想对方此刻也在夜吟，也在感受同样的寒，则此「寒」又是两地共感之寒，思念双向流动。一个「寒」字，写出相思的孤独、等待的凄清与同心的默契，是李商隐炼字「一字千钧」的体现，也使颈联在工对之外更具深情。