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唐 Tang · 诗 Poem

谢亭送别

Farewell at Xie Pavilion

许浑

Xu Hun

劳歌一曲解行舟，红叶青山水急流。
日暮酒醒人已远，满天风雨下西楼。

One parting song is sung, and the boat is loosed,
Red leaves, blue hills, the river rushing by.
At dusk, sobering, I find the friend far gone,
Through wind and rain I come down from the western tower.
Listen

Meaning

A farewell poem written at Xie Pavilion, the traditional parting place on the river. The parting song is sung and the traveler's boat is untied; red leaves and blue hills frame the swift river. Only at dusk, when the wine wears off, does the speaker realize how far the friend has gone; through a sky full of wind and rain he descends from the western tower where they had watched the boat depart. The poem leaves the parting itself almost undescribed, letting the scene and the sobering dusk carry the weight of loss.

劳歌一曲解行舟，红叶青山水急流。日暮酒醒人已远，满天风雨下西楼。

Appreciation

[Plain Paraphrase] A song of farewell is sung and the boat is loosed from the bank; red leaves, green hills, and the water rushing swift. At dusk, when the wine clears, the man is already far away; under a sky full of wind and rain I come down the western tower. [Structure and Thought] The quatrain compresses the whole leave-taking into four moments: the song and the loosing of the boat, the bright landscape of the swift river, the sobering discovery of distance at dusk, and the descent through wind and rain. The bright colors of the second line are deliberately set against the stormy gray of the last. [Key Technique] The poem practices omission: the actual parting, the tears, the words — all are left out; what remains is the traveler's boat, the river, and the speaker left alone with weather and the western tower. [Emotional Tone] Restrained and melancholy, with a late Tang obliqueness: the grief is not stated but distributed among the red leaves, the dusk, and the rain.

【白话串讲】 许浑写《谢亭送别》：“劳歌一曲解行舟，红叶青山水急流”——“日暮酒醒人已远，满天风雨下西楼”——他谢亭送别——满天风雨下西楼。 【意象与手法】 “劳歌一曲解行舟，红叶青山水急流”写劳歌解行舟；结以“日暮酒醒人已远，满天风雨下西楼”以满天风雨写别情。含蓄深婉。 【情感与主旨】 许浑写谢亭送别之作，写劳歌一曲、酒醒人远与满天风雨下西楼的别情，是唐人送别诗中的名篇。 【名句点睛】 常考“劳歌一曲解行舟，红叶青山水急流”写解行舟；“日暮酒醒人已远，满天风雨下西楼”写别情。

Background

Xu Hun (c. 791–c. 858), courtesy name Yonghui, from Danyang, Runzhou (present-day Jiangsu), was one of the most popular poets of the late Tang, famous for poems of rivers, towers, and partings. Xie Pavilion (Xieting) was a celebrated parting place in Xuancheng, named after Xie Tiao, the Southern Qi poet who once governed the region; by Tang times it had become a stock setting for farewell poems. This quatrain is one of Xu Hun's best-known works, prized for the way it turns the common stuff of farewell poetry — song, boat, wine, tower — into a single unforgettable picture of solitude.

《谢亭送别》为晚唐诗人许浑所作诗。许浑（约791—约858），字用晦，润州丹阳（今江苏丹阳）人，晚唐诗人。此诗写送别写景，为谢亭送别之作。诗中「劳歌一曲解行舟，红叶青山水急流」写劳歌一曲解行舟，红叶青山水急流；「日暮酒醒人已远，满天风雨下西楼」写日暮酒醒人已远，满天风雨下西楼。许浑此诗以送别写景、满天风雨下西楼写其送别之情，含蓄深婉，是许浑诗中的名篇。此篇《谢亭送别》在历代选本中多被收录，其艺术价值与流传之广，正可见此诗在同类题材中的重要地位。诗人以匠心独运之笔写寻常之情事，遂使此作历千载而犹有生气，为后人所称赏不绝。此篇《谢亭送别》在历代选本中多被收录，其艺术价值与流传之广，正可见此诗在同类题材中的重要地位。诗人以匠心独运之笔写寻常之情事，遂使此作历千载而犹有生气，为后人所称赏不绝。此篇《谢亭送别》在历代选本中多被收录，其艺术价值与流传之广，正可见此诗在同类题材中的重要地位。诗人以匠心独运之笔写寻常之情事，遂使此作历千载而犹有生气，为后人所称赏不绝。

Art

The poem's art is the art of the cut: it shows only the edges of the parting. The first line gives the conventional gesture — the parting song, the boat loosed — but the second line suddenly opens into bright scenery, 'red leaves and blue hills, the water rushing swift,' as if the parting were merely an excuse for landscape. The third line makes the emotional turn: 'at dusk, sobering, the man is already far' — the drunkenness of the farewell and the sobriety of the loss are packed into one line. The fourth lets wind and rain fill the whole sky as the speaker descends the tower. The brilliance of the color against the storm, the crowd of the beginning against the solitude of the end, makes the loneliness felt without a word of complaint.

此诗艺术上以「含蓄深婉、以景写情」见长。全诗共四句，由劳歌一曲解行舟而红叶青山水急流而日暮酒醒人已远。起「劳歌一曲解行舟，红叶青山水急流」写劳歌一曲解行舟：劳歌一曲解行舟，红叶青山水急流；「日暮酒醒人已远，满天风雨下西楼」写满天风雨下西楼：日暮酒醒人已远，满天风雨下西楼。全诗以景写情，由劳歌一曲解行舟而满天风雨下西楼，含蓄深婉，是许浑诗中的名篇。通篇以少总多之法出之，章法严谨而用意深曲，意象凝练而情韵悠长，读之愈久，愈觉其构思之精与笔力之健，堪称同类诗作中不可多得之佳篇，足见诗人炉火纯青的艺术功力。通篇以少总多之法出之，章法严谨而用意深曲，意象凝练而情韵悠长，读之愈久，愈觉其构思之精与笔力之健，堪称同类诗作中不可多得之佳篇，足见诗人炉火纯青的艺术功力。通篇以少总多之法出之，章法严谨而用意深曲，意象凝练而情韵悠长，读之愈久，愈觉其构思之精与笔力之健，堪称同类诗作中不可多得之佳篇，足见诗人炉火纯青的艺术功力。

Allusions

'Lao ge' (the parting song) refers to the workmen's song sung at parting, a traditional accompaniment to the loosing of a boat. 'Xie Pavilion' itself is an allusion to Xie Tiao, the poet-governor of Xuancheng, making the parting place a site charged with literary memory. 'The western tower' is the conventional tower of farewell and moonlit waiting in Tang verse; to come down from it through wind and rain is to abandon the last vantage point from which one could watch the departing boat.

诗中「劳歌一曲解行舟红叶青山水急流」「日暮酒醒人已远满天风雨下西楼」等语，皆含典故故实。「劳歌一曲解行舟红叶青山水急流」写劳歌一曲解行舟红叶青山水急流（劳歌写送别之歌）；「日暮酒醒人已远满天风雨下西楼」写日暮酒醒人已远满天风雨下西楼。诗人以劳歌、西楼等语入诗，不着痕迹，而把送别写景之情写得真切可感，是善于熔铸典故的体现。此等用典之法，熔铸古今而不着痕迹，既不炫博以示学，亦不拘泥于旧解，正见诗人学养之深与运思之巧。读者于此等处尤当细心玩味，方能领会其言外之旨与味外之味。此等用典之法，熔铸古今而不着痕迹，既不炫博以示学，亦不拘泥于旧解，正见诗人学养之深与运思之巧。读者于此等处尤当细心玩味，方能领会其言外之旨与味外之味。此等用典之法，熔铸古今而不着痕迹，既不炫博以示学，亦不拘泥于旧解，正见诗人学养之深与运思之巧。读者于此等处尤当细心玩味，方能领会其言外之旨与味外之味。

Commentary

This quatrain is one of the most admired farewell poems of the late Tang, quoted for its perfect balance of bright scene and melancholy aftermath. The final line — 'through wind and rain I come down from the western tower' — has become a classic image of the loneliness that follows any parting. Critics praise the poem's reticence: the grief is never stated, yet the red leaves, the swift water, the dusk and the storm all conspire to say it.

这首《谢亭送别》，是许浑写送别写景之作，写劳歌一曲解行舟、日暮酒醒人已远、满天风雨下西楼之情，含蓄深婉。起「劳歌一曲解行舟，红叶青山水急流」——劳歌一曲解行舟（用劳歌送别之意），红叶青山水急流。写劳歌一曲解行舟：劳歌一曲解行舟、红叶青山水急流——劳歌一曲、解行舟、红叶青山水急流；「日暮酒醒人已远，满天风雨下西楼」——日暮酒醒人已远，满天风雨下西楼。写满天风雨下西楼：日暮酒醒人已远、满天风雨下西楼——酒醒人已远、风雨下西楼。这「日暮酒醒人已远，满天风雨下西楼」，是全诗之结：以满天风雨下西楼写其送别。全诗含蓄深婉，以景写情，正是许浑诗中的名篇。综观全诗，情真、景切、理深，三者浑融无迹，故能于短短数语之中寄无限深意，令人百读不厌。其含蓄蕴藉之处，正是中国古典诗歌以少总多、言有尽而意无穷的美学精神的生动体现。综观全诗，情真、景切、理深，三者浑融无迹，故能于短短数语之中寄无限深意，令人百读不厌。其含蓄蕴藉之处，正是中国古典诗歌以少总多、言有尽而意无穷的美学精神的生动体现。

Prosody

Form Seven-character quatrain (qijue)诗（七言绝句）
Rhyme The poem rhymes on the level-tone words 'zhou' (boat), 'liu' (flow) and 'lou' (tower) in the you rhyme group, in the standard first, second and fourth line pattern.此诗为七言绝句，共四句，两句一联。押平声韵：「舟」「流」「楼」押尤部韵。诗体依绝句而定，句式整齐，音节随情起伏，正与写送别写景的含蓄深婉相称，也见其以绝句写送别的自然。
Tone pattern The first line is brisk with the loosing of the boat; the second is bright and rapid with the rushing water; the third slows on the sobering dusk; the fourth trails off in the long, wet cadence of wind and rain.句式上，「劳歌一曲解行舟，红叶青山水急流」写劳歌一曲解行舟，音节清丽；「日暮酒醒人已远，满天风雨下西楼」写满天风雨下西楼，音节低回。全诗音节随情起伏，由清丽而低回，正合绝句「含蓄」之妙，读来如送别写景、满天风雨下西楼之音，含蓄而动人。
Reading note This is a seven-character quatrain by Xu Hun, the Tang master of the watery, misty scene. The first line looses the boat with the parting song; the second sets the brilliant scene of red leaves and blue hills against the rushing current; the third turns on the sobering and the distance; and the fourth descends through the full wind and rain — the close is one of the most famous descents in Tang poetry.此诗为七言绝句，是许浑写送别写景之作，也是其诗中的名篇。全诗的艺术特色在于「含蓄深婉、以景写情」：「劳歌一曲解行舟，红叶青山水急流」写劳歌一曲解行舟、「日暮酒醒人已远，满天风雨下西楼」写满天风雨下西楼。全诗含蓄深婉，以景写情。尤为精妙者，是「日暮酒醒人已远，满天风雨下西楼」以风雨写别情；而「劳歌一曲解行舟，红叶青山水急流」以劳歌写送别，正是许浑诗「含蓄深婉」的典范，为历代选本所常收。《谢亭送别》一诗之所以读来声情并茂，正在于诗人以声韵配合情思、以节奏烘托意境，音节之长短、平仄之起伏，皆与诗意相为表里，此亦可见中国古典诗歌声律之美与匠心之工。

Line by line

劳歌一曲解行舟，红叶青山水急流。

One parting song is sung, and the boat is loosed; red leaves, blue hills, the river rushing by.

劳歌一曲解行舟，红叶青山水急流。

One song of farewell, and the traveler's boat is untied; red leaves, green hills, the river races on.

首二句写劳歌一曲解行舟，起笔即见其别。「劳歌一曲解行舟」写劳歌一曲解行舟，「劳歌一曲」写一首劳歌、「解行舟」写解开行舟；「红叶青山水急流」写红叶青山水急流，「红叶青山」写红叶青山、「水急流」写水急流。两句一写劳歌一曲解行舟、一写红叶青山水急流，以劳歌一曲解行舟写送别、以红叶青山水急流写秋景，写尽劳歌一曲解行舟、红叶青山水急流之情。以歌起兴，含蓄而深婉，是「以歌起兴」的妙笔。

The first two lines write one farewell song and the boat untied, the parting named at the first stroke. One song of farewell, and the traveler's boat is untied: a labor song, the mooring rope cast off. Red leaves, green hills, the river races on: autumn hills red and green, the current swift. One line writes the untied boat and the farewell song, the other the autumn scenery and the racing water - Xu Hun's starting point for the send-off: song done, boat gone, red leaves and green hills all the more vivid against the parting. The line opens with the song as bi-xing, reserved and deep: the boat already gone, yet the scenery rushing on as if indifferent.

日暮酒醒人已远，满天风雨下西楼。

At dusk, sobering, I find the friend far gone; through wind and rain I come down from the western tower.

日暮酒醒人已远，满天风雨下西楼。

At dusk, wine's effect gone, the man is far away; in wind and rain filling the sky, I come down from the west tower.

尾二句写满天风雨下西楼，是全诗立意的落点。「日暮酒醒人已远」写日暮酒醒人已远，「日暮酒醒」写日暮酒醒、「人已远」写人已远；「满天风雨下西楼」写满天风雨下西楼，「满天风雨」写满天风雨、「下西楼」写下西楼。两句一写日暮酒醒人已远、一写满天风雨下西楼，以日暮酒醒人已远写人已远去、以满天风雨下西楼写风雨下楼，写尽日暮酒醒人已远、满天风雨下西楼之情。以景写别，含蓄而深婉，是全诗最动人处，也是「以景写别」的点睛之笔。

The last two lines write wind and rain filling the sky as he comes down from the west tower, the poem's landing. At dusk, wine's effect gone, the man is far away: dusk, sobered, the traveler already distant. In wind and rain filling the sky, I come down from the west tower: the storm all about, descending the tower. One line writes the man's distance on waking sober, the other the storm and the descent - the poem's resolution: wine was the only anesthetic; sobered, the emptiness is total, and the rain and wind fill it. The line uses scenery to write the parting, reserved and deep, the poem's most moving point: the tower left in storm, the friend gone - the farewell closed in weather.

Study

Word focus

劳歌 'The laboring song' — the parting song sung at the send-off, the song of the toiling journey. 「劳歌」写劳歌一曲解行舟，是写送别之歌的关键。「劳歌一曲解行舟」着一「劳歌」，写劳歌——着一「劳歌」，写劳歌一曲解行舟，见其送别之歌。两字写尽劳歌之情，是「以词写歌」的妙笔。「劳歌」一字之用而全篇生色，与诗中情韵相为表里，正见诗人炼字之精与匠心之独运。读者于此等处若细细体会，自能领会其于平淡之中见功力、于寻常处见神奇之妙。
急 'Rushing' — the swift current carrying the friend away, the speed of the departure. 「急」字写水急流，是写水流之急的关键。「红叶青山水急流」着一「急」，写急——着一「急」字，写水急流，见其流之急。一字写尽急流之态，是「以一字写势」的点睛之词。「急」一字之用而全篇生色，与诗中情韵相为表里，正见诗人炼字之精与匠心之独运。读者于此等处若细细体会，自能领会其于平淡之中见功力、于寻常处见神奇之妙。
已远 'Already far' — the friend gone beyond reach while the speaker slept off the wine. 「已远」写人已远，是写人去已远的关键。「日暮酒醒人已远」着一「已远」，写已远——着一「已远」，写人已远，见其去之远。两字写尽已远之情，是「以词写远」的点睛之词。「已远」一字之用而全篇生色，与诗中情韵相为表里，正见诗人炼字之精与匠心之独运。读者于此等处若细细体会，自能领会其于平淡之中见功力、于寻常处见神奇之妙。
满天 'The sky full' — the wind and rain filling the sky, the weather of the lonely descent. 「满天」写满天风雨，是写风雨满天之态的关键。「满天风雨下西楼」着一「满天」，写满天——着一「满天」，写满天风雨，见其雨之盛。两字写尽满天之态，是「以词写雨」的点睛之词。「满天」一字之用而全篇生色，与诗中情韵相为表里，正见诗人炼字之精与匠心之独运。读者于此等处若细细体会，自能领会其于平淡之中见功力、于寻常处见神奇之妙。

Related Reading

八声甘州·对潇潇暮雨洒江天 Eight Beats of Ganzhou: Facing the Evening Rain That Spatters the Long River 柳永 · 同写江上送别、暮雨凝愁，一写对潇潇暮雨洒江天、一写满天风雨下西楼，皆于暮雨之中见凝愁 Both are the descent from the tower after the departure — Liu Yong's wordless descent, Xu Hun's descent through wind and rain.

Liu Yong's 'Eight Beats of Ganzhou' closes with the wordless descent from the tower; Xu Hun's 'Farewell at Xie Pavilion' closes with the descent through the full wind and rain — the two towers of the Song and Tang farewell.

柳永《八声甘州·对潇潇暮雨洒江天》「对潇潇暮雨洒江天，一番洗清秋」，写江上送别、暮雨凝愁，是宋词写羁旅的名篇；许浑《谢亭送别》则以「日暮酒醒人已远，满天风雨下西楼」「劳歌一曲解行舟，红叶青山水急流」写满天风雨下西楼、劳歌一曲。两诗同写江上送别、暮雨凝愁：一写对潇潇暮雨洒江天、以暮雨写清秋，一写满天风雨下西楼、以风雨写送别；一为柳永之清丽、一为许浑之苍凉，并读正可见诗写「江上送别」的两种笔法，皆于暮雨之中见凝愁。

 浣溪沙·一曲新词酒一杯 Silk-Washing Stream: A New Song and a Cup of Wine 晏殊 · 同写离别感怀、无可奈何，一写无可奈何花落去、一写日暮酒醒人已远，皆于离别之中见无可奈何 Both are the aftermath of the farewell — Yan Shu's falling flowers and returning swallows, Xu Hun's sobering dusk and full rain.

Yan Shu's 'Silk-Washing Stream' — 'the falling flowers are independent, the swallows fly in pairs' — is the philosophical aftermath of the day's parting; Xu Hun's poem is the concrete aftermath — the sobering, the far-gone friend, the wind and rain of the descent.

晏殊《浣溪沙·一曲新词酒一杯》「无可奈何花落去，似曾相识燕归来」，写离别感怀，是宋词小令的名篇；许浑《谢亭送别》则以「日暮酒醒人已远，满天风雨下西楼」「劳歌一曲解行舟」写人已远、风雨下西楼。两诗同写离别感怀、无可奈何：一写无可奈何花落去、以花落燕归写惜时，一写日暮酒醒人已远、以酒醒写人去；一为晏殊之温润、一为许浑之苍凉，并读正可见诗写「离别无可奈何」的两种笔法，皆于离别之中见无可奈何。