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唐 Tang · 诗 Poem

越中览古

Viewing the Relics of Yue

李白

Li Bai

越王勾践破吴归，义士还乡尽锦衣。
宫女如花满春殿，只今惟有鹧鸪飞。

The king of the Yue, Gou Jian, broke the Wu and returned,
The righteous men, returning to the home, all in the brocade robes.
The palace maids, like the flowers, fill the spring hall,
Only now, only the partridges flying.
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Meaning

A poem of the past glory and the present desolation, written by Li Bai. The king of the Yue, Gou Jian, broke the Wu and returned — the righteous men, returning to the home, all in the brocade robes — the return of the victory and the brocade robes. The palace maids, like the flowers, fill the spring hall — only now, only the partridges flying — the flowers of the spring hall and the flying partridges. The poem is the past glory and the present desolation: the victory of the king, the brocade robes, and the close's only partridges.

越王勾践破吴归，义士还乡尽锦衣。宫女如花满春殿，只今惟有鹧鸪飞。

Appreciation

[Plain Paraphrase] The king of the Yue, Gou Jian, broke the Wu and returned, the righteous men, returning to the home, all in the brocade robes. The palace maids, like the flowers, fill the spring hall, only now, only the partridges flying. [Structure and Thought] The poem moves from the victory of the king and the brocade robes of the return, through the spring hall of the palace maids, to the close's only partridges flying. [Key Technique] The poem's art is the contrast of the glory and the desolation: the brocade robes and the spring hall of the past glory against the only partridges of the present — the desolation gathered in the contrast and the close. [Emotional Tone] Sorrowful, contrastive, and desolate: the poem is the past glory and the present desolation, the spring hall and the close's partridges.

【白话串讲】 李白写《越中览古》：“越王勾践破吴归，义士还乡尽锦衣”——“宫女如花满春殿，只今惟有鹧鸪飞”——他览古越中——只今惟有鹧鸪飞。 【意象与手法】 “越王勾践破吴归、义士还乡尽锦衣”写破吴归乡；“宫女如花满春殿”写宫女如花；结以“只今惟有鹧鸪飞”以鹧鸪飞写盛衰。深沉豪迈。 【情感与主旨】 李白咏史怀古之作，写越王勾践破吴归之盛与只今惟有鹧鸪飞之衰，是咏史怀古的名篇。 【名句点睛】 常考“越王勾践破吴归，义士还乡尽锦衣”写破吴之盛；“宫女如花满春殿，只今惟有鹧鸪飞”写盛衰之慨。

Background

Li Bai (701–762) wrote this 'Viewing the Relics of Yue' at the ancient capital of the Yue — the past glory of Gou Jian and the present desolation. The king of the Yue breaking the Wu and returning with the righteous men in the brocade robes, the palace maids like the flowers filling the spring hall, and the close's only partridges flying — the poem gathers the desolation of the past glory, the contrast of the then and the now. The poem is one of the famous historical poems of the poet.

《越中览古》为唐代诗人李白所作诗。李白（701—762），字太白，号青莲居士，陇西成纪（今甘肃秦安）人，唐代大诗人，被誉为「诗仙」。此诗写咏史怀古，为越中览古之作。诗中「越王勾践破吴归，义士还乡尽锦衣」写越王勾践破吴归，义士还乡尽锦衣；「宫女如花满春殿，只今惟有鹧鸪飞」写宫女如花满春殿，只今惟有鹧鸪飞。李白此诗以咏史怀古、只今惟有鹧鸪飞写其怀古之情，深沉豪迈，是李白诗中的名篇。此篇《越中览古》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《越中览古》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 contrast. The glory opens: the king of the Yue, Gou Jian, broke the Wu and returned — the victory of the king; the righteous men, returning to the home, all in the brocade robes — the brocade robes of the return. The spring hall follows: the palace maids, like the flowers, fill the spring hall — the flowers of the spring hall, the glory of the past. And the close gathers the desolation: only now, only the partridges flying — the only partridges of the present — the past glory and the present desolation, the spring hall and the partridges, gathered in the close.

此诗艺术上以「深沉豪迈、以今写古」见长。全诗共四句，由越王勾践破吴归而宫女如花满春殿。起「越王勾践破吴归，义士还乡尽锦衣」写越王勾践破吴归：越王勾践破吴归，义士还乡尽锦衣；结「宫女如花满春殿，只今惟有鹧鸪飞」写宫女如花满春殿：宫女如花满春殿，只今惟有鹧鸪飞。全诗以今写古，由越王勾践破吴归而只今惟有鹧鸪飞，深沉豪迈，是李白诗中的名篇。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

'The king of the Yue, Gou Jian' (Yue wang Gou Jian) is the king of the Yue — Gou Jian, the king who broke the Wu; 'the brocade robes' (jin yi) are the brocade robes — the robes of the return of the victory; 'the spring hall' (chun dian) is the spring hall — the hall of the palace maids; 'the partridges' (zhe gu) are the partridges — the partridges flying over the ruins, the birds of the present.

诗中「越王勾践破吴归义士还乡尽锦衣」「宫女如花满春殿只今惟有鹧鸪飞」等语，皆含典故故实。「越王勾践破吴归义士还乡尽锦衣」用勾践之典（勾践为越王破吴之事），写越王勾践破吴归义士还乡尽锦衣；「宫女如花满春殿只今惟有鹧鸪飞」写宫女如花满春殿只今惟有鹧鸪飞。诗人以勾践、鹧鸪等语入诗，不着痕迹，而把咏史怀古之情写得真切可感，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 poem is one of the famous historical poems of Li Bai, quoted for the contrast of its close. The brocade robes and the spring hall of the past glory, and the only partridges of the present, are among the admired passages of the poet's historical poems. Critics praise the poem's contrast: the desolation gathered from the past glory, to the close's only partridges.

这首《越中览古》，是李白写咏史怀古之作，写越王勾践破吴归、义士还乡尽锦衣、宫女如花满春殿、只今惟有鹧鸪飞之情，深沉豪迈。起「越王勾践破吴归，义士还乡尽锦衣」——越王勾践破吴归（用勾践之典），义士还乡尽锦衣。写越王勾践破吴归：越王勾践破吴归、义士还乡尽锦衣——破吴归、尽锦衣；结「宫女如花满春殿，只今惟有鹧鸪飞」——宫女如花满春殿，只今惟有鹧鸪飞。写宫女如花满春殿：宫女如花满春殿、只今惟有鹧鸪飞——满春殿、鹧鸪飞。这「只今惟有鹧鸪飞」，是全诗之结：以只今惟有鹧鸪飞写其怀古。全诗深沉豪迈，以今写古，正是李白诗中的名篇。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 A regulated seven-character poem of the historical诗（七言绝句）
Rhyme The poem rhymes on the level-tone gui, yi and fei of the group — the even, level rhyme that carries the far desolation.此诗为七言绝句，共四句。押韵：「归」「衣」「飞」押微支部韵。诗体依绝句而定，句式整齐，音节短促而豪迈，正与写咏史怀古的深沉豪迈相称，也见其以绝句写怀古的凝练。
Tone pattern The cadence is that of the contrast: the level opening with the glory, the turning with the spring hall, and the close's fall with the only partridges.句式上，「越王勾践破吴归，义士还乡尽锦衣」写越王勾践破吴归，音节豪迈；结「宫女如花满春殿，只今惟有鹧鸪飞」写宫女如花满春殿，音节深沉。全诗音节由豪迈而深沉，正合绝句「凝练」之妙，读来如咏史怀古、只今惟有鹧鸪飞之音，深沉而动人。
Reading note The poem's sound matches its contrast: the even, level rhymes carry the cadence of the glory, and the close — 'zhi jin wei you zhe gu fei' — falls with the partridges, the sound of the desolation of the present.此诗为七言绝句，是李白写咏史怀古之作，也是其诗中的名篇。全诗的艺术特色在于「深沉豪迈、以今写古」：「越王勾践破吴归，义士还乡尽锦衣」写越王勾践破吴归、「宫女如花满春殿，只今惟有鹧鸪飞」写宫女如花满春殿。全诗深沉豪迈，以今写古。尤为精妙者，是「越王勾践破吴归，义士还乡尽锦衣」用勾践之典；而「只今惟有鹧鸪飞」写尽今古之变，正是李白诗「深沉豪迈」的典范，为历代选本所常收。《越中览古》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

越王勾践破吴归，义士还乡尽锦衣。

The king of the Yue, Gou Jian, broke the Wu and returned, the righteous men, returning to the home, all in the brocade robes.

越王勾践破吴归，义士还乡尽锦衣。

King Goujian of Yue, having crushed Wu, returns home; his brave men come back all in brocade.

首句写越王勾践破吴归，起笔即见其盛。「越王勾践破吴归」用勾践之典写越王勾践破吴归，「越王勾践」写越王勾践、「破吴归」写破吴归；「义士还乡尽锦衣」写义士还乡尽锦衣，「义士还乡」写义士还乡、「尽锦衣」写尽锦衣。两句一写越王勾践破吴归、一写义士还乡尽锦衣，以越王勾践破吴归写破吴归、以义士还乡尽锦衣写尽锦衣，写尽越王勾践破吴归、义士还乡尽锦衣之情。以盛起兴，深沉而豪迈，是「以盛起兴」的妙笔。

The opening writes King Goujian of Yue, having crushed Wu, returns home, the splendor named at the first stroke. King Goujian of Yue uses the Goujian allusion: the king's return. Having crushed Wu: the conquest accomplished. His brave men come back all in brocade: the heroes in rich robes. One couplet writes the triumphant king and the brocade-clad heroes - Li Bai's starting point for the Yue visit: the glory of Goujian's return after avenging the shame. The line opens with splendor as bi-xing, deep and proud: the fullness of that triumph is set up for the fall below.

宫女如花满春殿，只今惟有鹧鸪飞。

The palace maids, like the flowers, fill the spring hall, only now, only the partridges flying.

宫女如花满春殿，只今惟有鹧鸪飞。

Palace ladies, flowers, filled the spring hall; today, only partridges fly.

结句写宫女如花满春殿，是全诗立意的落点。「宫女如花满春殿」写宫女如花满春殿，「宫女如花」写宫女如花、「满春殿」写满春殿；「只今惟有鹧鸪飞」写只今惟有鹧鸪飞，「只今惟有」写只今惟有、「鹧鸪飞」写鹧鸪飞。两句一写宫女如花满春殿、一写只今惟有鹧鸪飞，以宫女如花满春殿写满春殿、以只今惟有鹧鸪飞写鹧鸪飞，写尽宫女如花满春殿、只今惟有鹧鸪飞之情。以今写情，深沉而豪迈，是全诗最动人处，也是「以今写情」的点睛之笔。

The closing writes palace ladies, flowers, filled the spring hall, the poem's landing. Palace ladies, flowers: the beauties like blossoms. Filled the spring hall: the hall in its spring prime. Today, only partridges fly: the present ruins, the birds. One couplet writes the flower-like court ladies filling the spring palace and today's partridges flying alone - Li Bai's resolution: where the bloom of court once filled the hall, only partridges fly today. The line uses the present for feeling, deep and proud, the poem's most moving point: the contrast between the ancient splendor and the lone birds flying is the whole weight of time.

Study

Word focus

破吴归 'Broke the Wu and returned' — the victory of the king, the breaking of the Wu. 「破吴归」写越王勾践破吴归，是写破吴之态的关键。「越王勾践破吴归」着一「破吴归」，写破吴归——着一「破吴归」，写越王勾践破吴归，见其吴之破。三字写尽破吴归之态，是「以词写破」的妙笔。「破吴归」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。
锦衣 'The brocade robes' — the robes of the return of the victory, the glory of the past. 「锦衣」写义士还乡尽锦衣，是写锦衣之态的关键。「义士还乡尽锦衣」着一「锦衣」，写锦衣——着一「锦衣」，写义士还乡尽锦衣，见其衣之锦。两字写尽锦衣之态，是「以词写衣」的点睛之词。「锦衣」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。
春殿 'The spring hall' — the hall of the palace maids, the spring of the glory. 「春殿」写宫女如花满春殿，是写春殿之态的关键。「宫女如花满春殿」着一「春殿」，写春殿——着一「春殿」，写宫女如花满春殿，见其殿之春。两字写尽春殿之态，是「以词写殿」的点睛之词。「春殿」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。
鹧鸪 'The partridges' — the partridges flying over the ruins, the birds of the present. 「鹧鸪」写只今惟有鹧鸪飞，是写鹧鸪之态的关键。「只今惟有鹧鸪飞」着一「鹧鸪」，写鹧鸪——着一「鹧鸪」，写只今惟有鹧鸪飞，见其鸪之飞。两字写尽鹧鸪之态，是「以词写鸟」的点睛之词。「鹧鸪」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

水调歌头·明月几时有 Prelude to Water Melody: When Will the Bright Moon Appear 苏轼 · 同写怀古感怀、深沉旷达，一写人有悲欢离合、一写越王勾践破吴归只今惟有鹧鸪飞，皆于怀古之中见深沉 Both are the works of the time and the moon — the moon of the brother of Su Shi, the partridges of Li Bai — the two feelings of the time.

Su Shi's 'Prelude to Water Melody' — 'the bright moon, when will it appear' — is the feeling of the time of the family; Li Bai's 'Viewing the Relics of Yue' — 'only now, only the partridges flying' — is the feeling of the time of the history — the two feelings of the time, the one of the family, the other of the ruins.

苏轼《水调歌头·明月几时有》「人有悲欢离合，月有阴晴圆缺，此事古难全」，写怀古感怀、深沉旷达，是宋词长调的名篇；李白《越中览古》则以「越王勾践破吴归，义士还乡尽锦衣」「只今惟有鹧鸪飞」写破吴归尽锦衣、只今惟有鹧鸪飞。两诗同写怀古感怀、深沉旷达：一写人有悲欢离合、以悲欢写离合，一写越王勾践破吴归只今惟有鹧鸪飞、以今古写兴亡；一为苏轼之超然、一为李白之豪迈，并读正可见诗写「怀古感怀」的两种笔法，皆于怀古之中见深沉。

 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 · 同写登高怀古、深沉凝望，一写对潇潇暮雨洒江天、一写越王勾践破吴归义士还乡尽锦衣，皆于登高之中见怀古 Both are the works of the far look and the scene — the rain of the river of Liu Yong, the partridges of Li Bai — the two far scenes of the desolation.

Liu Yong's 'Eight Beats of Ganzhou' — 'the evening rain that spatters the long river' — is the far look of the river; Li Bai's 'Viewing the Relics of Yue' — 'the partridges flying' — is the far look of the ruins — the two far scenes, the one of the river, the other of the relics.

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」，写登高怀古、深沉凝望，是宋词写羁旅的名篇；李白《越中览古》则以「越王勾践破吴归，义士还乡尽锦衣」「只今惟有鹧鸪飞」写破吴归尽锦衣、只今惟有鹧鸪飞。两诗同写登高怀古、深沉凝望：一写对潇潇暮雨洒江天、以暮雨写清秋，一写越王勾践破吴归义士还乡尽锦衣、以今古写兴亡；一为柳永之清丽、一为李白之豪迈，并读正可见诗写「登高怀古」的两种笔法，皆于登高之中见怀古。