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唐 Tang · 诗 Poem

行经华阴

Passing Through Huayin

崔颢

Cui Hao

怀古meditation on the past 旅途travel 写景Scenery 行旅Theme

岧峣太华俯咸京，天外三峰削不成。
武帝祠前云欲散，仙人掌上雨初晴。
河山北枕秦关险，驿路西连汉畤平。
借问路傍名利客，何如此处学长生。

Lofty Mount Hua looks down upon the capital of Qin;
beyond the sky its three peaks—no blade could have carved them.
Before the shrine of Emperor Wu the clouds are about to scatter;
on the Immortal's Palm the rain has only now cleared.
River and mountain to the north pillow the strong pass of Qin;
the post road to the west runs level to the Han altars.
Let me ask those seekers of fame and gain beside the road:
why not stay here and learn the art of long life?

Listen

Meaning

Towering Mount Hua looks down upon the capital city of Chang'an, and its three strange peaks beyond the sky seem beyond the power of any axe or blade to carve. Before the shrine of Emperor Wu of Han the floating clouds are about to part; on the peak called the Immortal's Palm the fine rain has just cleared. To the north the Yellow River and the mountain lie close against the strong pass of Qin; westward the post road runs on level ground to the altars where the Han emperors sacrificed. Let me ask the men who chase fame and profit along the road: why not stay here instead and study the way of long life?

高峻的华山俯瞰着长安京城，天外的三座奇峰仿佛并非刀斧所能削成。汉武帝祠前浮云将要散去，仙人掌峰上细雨刚刚放晴。黄河华山在北面紧靠着秦关的险要，驿路向西连接着汉时祭坛的平旷。借问路旁追名逐利的人，何不在这里学那长生之道。

Appreciation

The poem gains its force from looking up and looking down across a great space. The first couplet stands high above everything: Mount Hua looks down on the capital of Qin, and 'no blade could have carved them' makes the three peaks a wonder shaped by heaven itself. The second couplet gives clouds parting before the shrine of Emperor Wu and rain clearing on the Immortal's Palm, so that in the shifting of weather the traces of the immortals seem far away. The third couplet spreads out the geography in parallel—northward the strong pass of Qin, westward the Han altars—broad and desolate. Three couplets are spent on splendour, and then the last turns sharply: the poet hails the travellers on the road and bids them give up fame and learn the art of long life. From scene the poem passes into reflection, closing with force and with the true air of the High Tang.

【白话串讲】崔颢经过华阴，看华山高耸。“借问路傍名利客，何如此处学长生”——他问那些追名逐利的人：为什么不在这里学长生不老？【意象与手法】本诗以空间俯仰结构全篇，气象雄浑。首联「岧峣太华俯咸京，天外三峰削不成」以仰视与俯瞰相结合，写华山之高峻、三峰之奇绝，「俯」字居高临下，立定全诗气势；颔联「武帝祠前云欲散，仙人掌上雨初晴」移步换景，于云散雨晴的刹那动态中写名胜古迹之清润；颈联「河山北枕秦关险，驿路西连汉畤平」以工整的地理对仗铺展山河形胜，一险一平、一北一西，空间开阔；尾联陡转议论，「借问」呼起，以「名利客」与「学长生」对举，由壮景入出世之思。全诗前三联写景层层推展，尾联以问收束，景理相生，虚实相济。【情感与主旨】此诗作于崔颢行旅途经华阴（今陕西华阴，华山北麓）之时。华阴踞潼关、临黄河，为长安门户、兵家要冲，亦为汉唐帝王封禅求仙之地。诗人驻马仰望华山三峰，俯瞰秦关河山，见武帝祠、仙人掌等汉武遗迹，由壮丽山河与帝王功业生出感慨：秦汉以来多少英雄霸业，终究付诸云散雨收；路旁奔走的名利之客，何如在此山水中学仙长生。全诗既见盛唐士人兼济天下的壮怀，又含向往超脱、归隐求道的出世之想，两种情怀于尾联一问中交汇，气象宏阔而寄意深远。【名句点睛】常考「岧峣太华俯咸京」的起笔气势与「俯」字的炼字之妙，以及「河山北枕秦关险，驿路西连汉畤平」对仗中「枕」「连」二字的拟人化运用；尾联「借问路傍名利客，何如此处学长生」以问作结、由景入理的章法亦为命题热点。

Background

Cui Hao wrote this poem while travelling through Huayin (present-day Huayin in Shaanxi, at the northern foot of Mount Hua). Huayin sits astride Tong Pass and looks over the Yellow River, gateway to Chang'an and a place contested by armies. The poet reined in his horse to gaze up at the three peaks of Mount Hua and down at the pass and rivers of Qin, and seeing the shrine of Emperor Wu, the Immortal's Palm and other famous sites, he was moved by the splendid land and the relics of emperors, and in the last couplet urged the seekers of fame to learn the way of immortality instead. The whole poem is broad and commanding, and shows the typical mind of a High Tang gentleman, who longed at once for achievement and for release from the world.

崔颢（约704—754），汴州（今河南开封）人，盛唐诗人，开元十一年（723）进士及第，官至司勋员外郎。其早年为诗浮艳，多写闺情，《旧唐书》本传称其「晚节忽变常体，风骨凛然，一窥塞垣，说尽戎旅」，晚年诗风转趋雄浑苍凉。此诗作年已难确考，当为其行旅经华阴（今陕西华阴，华山北麓）时所作。华阴地处关中平原东端，南倚西岳华山，北临渭河，东据潼关，为长安（咸京）东出之门户、历代兵家必争之要冲；汉武以来，华山更是帝王封禅、方士求仙之圣地，汉武帝曾亲祀西岳、立祠筑台，故诗中武帝祠、仙人掌诸景皆实有其地。诗人于行旅途中驻马仰望华山三峰插天，俯瞰秦关河山险固，又见汉时遗迹云散雨晴，遂将眼前山河与历史兴亡、个人出处之思熔于一炉，于尾联以「借问」呼起，劝名利客学仙长生。全诗气象宏阔而寄意悠远，正见崔颢晚年由绮艳转雄浑的诗风轨迹，亦折射出盛唐士人于功名之外兼慕神仙隐逸的普遍心态。

Art

The poem takes its power from space, looking up and looking down. The first couplet, 'lofty Mount Hua looks down upon the capital of Qin', commands from above, and 'no blade could have carved them' makes the three peaks a marvel of nature. The second writes clouds scattering before the shrine and rain clearing on the Palm, so that in the turn from wet to fine the traces of the immortals recede into distance. The third spreads the land in geographical parallel—'to the north pillow the strong pass of Qin', 'to the west runs level to the Han altars'—vast and bleak. Three couplets exhaust the splendour, and the last turns suddenly: with 'let me ask' the poet hails a passer-by and urges him to abandon fame and learn long life. Scene passes into reflection, the close is firm, and the air of the High Tang is complete.

本诗章法以空间俯仰为骨，以景、事、理三层递进为脉。首联「岧峣太华俯咸京，天外三峰削不成」以「俯」字定下居高临下的总视角，写华山压顶俯瞰京城的雄峙之势，「天外」极言其高，「削不成」以刀斧难削的反说突出三峰天造地设、非人力可为，起笔即气势夺人。颔联「武帝祠前云欲散，仙人掌上雨初晴」由山体转向名胜，写云欲散而未散、雨初晴而犹湿的刹那光景，以动态的天气变化写静穆的汉武遗迹，使古迹笼罩于清润灵动的氛围。颈联「河山北枕秦关险，驿路西连汉畤平」转写地理形胜：黄河华山北枕秦关，「枕」字拟山如倚；驿路西连汉畤，「连」字写途路绵延，一险一平相映，对仗精工而气象雄阔。前三联由仰观而平视、由山而水、由景而事，层层铺展；尾联「借问路傍名利客，何如此处学长生」陡转议论，以呼问方式将读者从壮景拉回人世的奔忙，「名利客」与「学长生」价值对举，由景入理、由理见志，收束干脆有力。全诗虚实相生、远近相济，正是盛唐行旅怀古诗以气象取胜的典型笔法。

Allusions

The poem draws on the real scenery of Mount Hua and on history. 'Taihua' is Mount Hua, the western marchmount; the 'three peaks' are Lotus, Jade Maiden and Bright Star, and legend says the giant spirit split the mountain with hand and foot, whence 'no blade could have carved them'. The shrine of Emperor Wu and the Immortal's Palm are both famous sites on the mountain, the Palm being a hanging rock on the eastern peak shaped like a hand, where Emperor Wu of Han is said to have looked upon it and gathered dew. The 'Han altars' are the places where the Han emperors sacrificed to heaven, and 'long life' follows from Emperor Wu's search for immortality. The allusions keep close to the ground and the scene, giving the landscape a human depth.

本诗用典多据华山实景与史事，熔地理、史实、仙话于一炉。其一，「太华」即西岳华山，古与东岳泰山并称五岳之首；「三峰」指莲花、玉女、明星三主峰，相传巨灵神「手荡脚踏」劈开华山，故云「削不成」，暗用巨灵劈山之神话写三峰之天成奇绝。其二，「武帝祠」指汉武帝在华山所建之祠，史载武帝多次巡幸祠祀西岳、欲求长生；「仙人掌」为华山东峰石髓下垂如掌之奇观，相传即武帝承露盘仙人掌遗迹，此处云散雨晴，正写仙迹之清远。其三，「秦关」指函谷关、潼关等关中险隘，秦人据关中之险以成帝业；「汉畤」指汉代祭天之所，秦汉帝王屡于雍地立畤祭天，二者对举，以秦汉两朝之雄图映衬山河之永恒。其四，「学长生」暗承汉武帝求仙之典——武帝祠、仙人掌皆其求仙遗迹，诗人以帝王之求仙与路旁名利客之奔忙对照，点出功名难久、唯长生可慕之旨。全诗用典贴地切景，无一字游离于眼前山河之外，使自然景观兼具人文厚度与历史纵深，正见崔颢熔铸故实、以典写景的匠心。

Commentary

Though less famous than Yellow Crane Tower, this poem has always been praised for the breadth of its air. Ming critics said that 'the first half is like a painting and the second like argument, yet quite natural'. Fang Dongshu held that 'this poem is vast and bleak, fit to contend with Li Bai and Du Fu'. Melting travel, meditation on the past and thoughts of withdrawal into one piece, it shows the vigorous side of Cui Hao's art and proves that he was no mere poet of tender feeling.

此诗虽不若《黄鹤楼》之享大名，然历代论者多称其气象宏阔。清人沈德潜《唐诗别裁》选录此诗，评其笔力雄健；方东树《昭昧詹言》谓「此诗阔大苍凉，足与太白、少陵竞爽」，将其与李白《登金陵凤凰台》相提并论，以为登临怀古之雄篇。明人评其「前半如画，后半如议论而自然」，点出前三联写景如画、尾联议论而不着痕迹的章法之妙。此诗价值有三：其一，以五十六字收摄华山之雄、秦关之险、汉畤之平、云雨之变，空间调度大开大合，是盛唐山水行旅诗气象之代表；其二，将行旅、怀古、出世三重主题熔于一炉，以名利客与学长生的对举揭示人生出处之思，思想容量超越一般纪行之作；其三，与《黄鹤楼》对照，可见崔颢诗风之两面——一写登临之愁、一写山河之壮，皆雄浑苍茫，足证其「晚节忽变常体」之评。后世题咏华山之诗多自此取径，其影响及于宋元而不衰。晚清高步瀛《唐宋诗举要》亦选录此篇，称其「格调高浑」，与《黄鹤楼》同入唐诗七律正宗之列，足见此诗在历代选本中的稳固地位。

Prosody

Form Seven-character regulated verse (qilü)七言律诗（平起首句入韵）

Rhyme Ping-shui rhyme, lower level tone, eighth group geng (jing, cheng, qing, ping, sheng); the first line enters the rhyme押平水韵下平八庚韵：京、成、晴、平、生，首句入韵，一韵到底，韵脚皆平声，音调响亮开阔，与全诗雄浑气象相称。

Tone pattern Level onset, with the first line entering the rhyme首句「岧峣太华俯咸京」为平平仄仄仄平平，平起平收；中二联对仗工整、平仄合律，声情与辞情相谐。

Reading note Three couplets paint the splendour of the land and the last turns to thoughts of withdrawal, with the broad air of High Tang travel and meditation poetry.此诗为七言律诗，平起首句入韵，押平水韵下平八庚韵，京、成、晴、平、生五字一韵到底。庚韵属洪亮之韵部，开口度大、声调高昂，正与华山之雄、山河之壮相应，声情与辞情高度统一。首句「岧峣太华俯咸京」平仄为平平仄仄仄平平，属平起平收格，入韵字「京」领起全篇；颔联「武帝祠前云欲散，仙人掌上雨初晴」、颈联「河山北枕秦关险，驿路西连汉畤平」对仗精工，或写景或写地，虚实相济，是律诗中二联的典范；尾联「借问路傍名利客，何如此处学长生」以流水对与呼问收束，破律诗板滞而见流转。全诗平仄合律、对仗工整而气势奔放，在严守格律的同时保持盛唐诗歌的浑成气象，是行旅怀古七律中的佳作，亦可见崔颢七律「风骨凛然」之一斑。

Line by line

岧峣太华俯咸京，天外三峰削不成。

Lofty Mount Hua looks down upon the capital of Chang'an; beyond the sky the three peaks were never carved.

高峻的华山俯瞰着长安京城，天外的三座奇峰仿佛并非刀斧所能削成。

Towering Mount Taihua overhangs the capital; its three peaks beyond the sky no axe could hew.

起笔即定全诗雄浑之调。「岧峣」以叠韵摹山势之高峻，「俯」字居高临下，将华山写成俯瞰京城的巨人，先声夺人；「天外三峰」极言三峰之高出天外，「削不成」以刀斧难削的反说，突出三峰天造地设、非人力可为——越说其不可削，越见其奇绝。两句一仰一俯、一实一虚：仰观则三峰插天，俯瞰则咸京在目，华山之雄与京华之盛并现，为后文「名利客」的登场预设了宏大背景。崔颢以此十字起笔，不写行旅之劳而气象自见，正是盛唐七律发端处的大家手笔。

The opening sets the poem's grand tone. Towering uses the reduplicative to mime the mountain's loftiness; overhang places it high above, writing Hua Shan as a giant looking down on the capital, seizing the reader first. Its three peaks beyond the sky writes the three peaks towering out of heaven; no axe could hew uses the negative of axe and chisel to stress the peaks' heaven-made, non-human character - the more unhealable, the more wondrous. The two lines one looking up one down, one solid one void: looking up, the three peaks pierce the sky; looking down, the capital in view - Hua Shan's grandeur and the capital's splendor together, preparing the grand background for the fame-seekers below. Cui Hao's ten opening characters: not writing travel fatigue, yet the realm self-evident - the masterly hand of High-Tang regulated-verse openings.

武帝祠前云欲散，仙人掌上雨初晴。

Before the shrine of Emperor Wu the clouds are about to scatter; on the Immortal's Palm the rain has just cleared.

汉武帝祠前浮云将要散去，仙人掌峰上细雨刚刚放晴。

Before Emperor Wu's shrine the clouds are about to scatter; on the Immortal's Palm peak the rain has just cleared.

颔联由山势转入名胜，写云散雨晴的刹那光景。「云欲散」用「欲」字写云将散而未散，含动态于静态；「雨初晴」用「初」字写雨方止而云犹润，摄晴雨交替之瞬。武帝祠是汉武帝求仙之遗迹，仙人掌是承露盘之传说，诗人将两处仙迹置于云散雨晴的光影中，遂使古迹脱去历史的沉重，显得清润空灵。此联不着议论而仙意自出——云雨之变幻正与帝王之渺茫暗合，为尾联「学长生」的题旨埋下伏笔。对仗上「祠前」对「掌上」、「云欲散」对「雨初晴」，工整而不板滞，气象清朗。

The second couplet turns from the mountain's form to its famous sites, writing the instant of cloud-scattering and rain-clearing. Clouds are about to scatter uses about to write clouds nearly scattered yet not, holding motion within stillness. The rain has just cleared uses just to write rain just stopped, cloud still moist, seizing the instant of rain-clear alternation. Emperor Wu's shrine is the relic of Han Wudi's quest for immortality; the Immortal's Palm peak the legend of the dew-catching plate; the poet places the two immortal traces in the light of cloud and rain, stripping the antiquities of historical weight, making them limpid and airy. The couplet writes no argument, yet the immortal meaning self-evident - the changing clouds and rain secretly match the faded emperors, planting the伏笔 for the closing's learning long life. In parallel, before the shrine against on the palm, clouds about to scatter against rain just cleared, refined yet not stiff, the atmosphere limpid.

河山北枕秦关险，驿路西连汉畤平。

River and mountain to the north pillow the strong pass of Qin; the post road to the west runs level with the Han altars.

黄河华山在北面紧靠着秦关的险要，驿路向西连接着汉时祭坛的平旷。

River and mountains northward rest on the perilous Qin pass; the post road westward joins the level Han altar.

颈联以地理对仗铺展山河形胜，是全诗气象最阔大处。「北枕秦关险」以「枕」字拟山如倚，写黄河华山紧靠秦关之险，「险」字点出关中之固；「西连汉畤平」以「连」字写驿路西去、通向汉畤之平，「平」字写祭坛原野之旷。一北一西、一险一平，对仗精工而空间全出：北望则关山险固，西望则驿路绵延，秦汉两朝的历史纵深尽收于此十四字中。诗人于行旅途中回望山河，眼中之景皆带历史记忆，故「秦关」「汉畤」并举，暗含兴亡之叹，为尾联由景入理蓄足气势。

The third couplet uses geographic parallel to spread the mountains and rivers, the poem's grandest moment. Northward rest on the perilous Qin pass uses rest to mime the mountain leaning, writing the Yellow River and Hua Shan close against the peril of the Qin pass; peril marks Guanzhong's strength. The post road westward joins the level Han altar uses join to write the post road westward to the level Han altar; level writes the altar plain's openness. One north one west, one perilous one level, refined parallel yet space complete: northward the perilous pass and mountains, westward the winding post road - the historical depth of Qin and Han gathered into these fourteen characters. The poet looking back at the mountains on the road, the scenery in his eyes carrying historical memory; hence Qin pass and Han altar set together, secretly holding the sigh of rise and fall, storing full force for the closing's turn from scenery to principle.

借问路傍名利客，何如此处学长生。

Let me ask the seekers of fame and gain beside the road: why not stay here and learn the art of long life?

借问路旁追名逐利的人，何不在这里学那长生之道。

Let me ask the seekers of fame and gain beside the road: why not stay here and learn the art of long life?

尾联陡转议论，以呼问收束，是全诗题旨所在。「借问」以设问唤起，将读者的目光从壮丽山河拉回眼前奔走的路人；「名利客」与「学长生」对举，一为人间奔竞，一为出世求仙，价值取向判然。诗人并不直接劝人归隐，而以「何如」之问留有余地，含蓄而有力。此联承前三联之势：正因为华山如此雄奇、秦关如此险固、汉武仙迹如此渺远，才反衬出人间功名的短暂与虚妄——山河永恒而霸业无常，不如于此学仙长生。以问作结，意在言外，正是盛唐行旅怀古诗由景入理、举重若轻的典型收法。

The closing couplet abruptly turns to argument, resolving in an appeal, the poem's thesis. Let me ask uses a question to arouse, pulling the reader's gaze from the grand mountains and rivers back to the passersby on the road. Seekers of fame and gain set against learn the art of long life: one worldly striving, one otherworldly immortality, values starkly divided. The poet does not directly urge retirement, but uses why not to leave room - reserved yet forceful. This couplet carries the momentum of the first three: precisely because Hua Shan is so wondrous, the Qin pass so perilous, the Han immortals so remote, the world's fame set off as brief and vain - mountains and rivers eternal, yet hegemony fleeting; better to learn immortality here. Closing in a question, meaning beyond words - precisely the High-Tang historical-travel poem's typical resolution of moving from scenery to principle, weight handled lightly.

Study

Word focus

俯 To look down from a height: it renders the majestic posture of Mount Hua bearing down upon the capital, so that the opening line already commands its space. 「岧峣太华俯咸京」之「俯」字，是起笔立势的诗眼。「俯」本为低头下视之动作，此处移以写山，赋予华山以人的姿态——不是「望」咸京，不是「临」咸京，而是居高临下地「俯」视，华山之雄伟、京城之渺小尽在俯仰之间。若用「临」「对」则只写出空间关系，用「俯」则写出主从之势：华山是君临天下的巨人，咸京是它脚下的都城。这一字既写山之绝对高度，又暗含俯瞰人寰、超然物外的意味，为尾联「学长生」的出世之想埋下伏笔。崔颢以一字立骨，使全诗的空间气势与思想旨趣同时确立，炼字之精可见一斑。

削 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. 「天外三峰削不成」之「削」字，以反说写奇绝。「削」本为刀斧劈削之意，「削不成」即非刀斧所能削成——诗人先说三峰之险峻如削，又翻进一层，说连刀斧也削不成，愈言其不可为，愈见其天成之奇。这个字妙在虚实相生：以「削」设想人力雕琢之不可能，反衬自然造化之伟力，华山三峰拔地插天的险峭之态如在目前。同时「削不成」暗含巨灵劈山的神话背景（传巨灵神脚踏手荡劈开华山），使写景带上一层仙话色彩，与颔联武帝祠、仙人掌的求仙遗迹相呼应。一字而兼写形、势、神，正是盛唐人炼字以气象为先的典范。

枕 To lean upon, to lie close against: it personifies the land, making the pass of Qin lie as on a pillow before river and mountain, and brings out the strength and sweep of the terrain. 「河山北枕秦关险」之「枕」字，以拟人写形胜。「枕」本为卧具凭依之物，此处移以写河山与关隘的关系——黄河华山不是「临」秦关、不是「依」秦关，而是像人枕卧般紧靠秦关，「枕」字赋予山河以安卧的姿态，写出关隘与山河的紧密相依、浑然一体。这一字妙在化静为动、化实为虚：既写秦关倚河山之险而固若金汤，又暗含山河如枕、霸业如眠的意味——秦人枕此险以成帝业，而帝业终成陈迹，与下句「汉畤」的祭天遗迹、尾联的「学长生」形成历史纵深。以一字写尽险要之势与兴亡之感，气象雄阔而寄意深长。