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唐 Tang · 诗 Poem

雨中题衰柳

In the Rain, Inscribing the Decayed Willows

白居易

Bai Juyi

湿屈青条折，寒飘黄叶多。
不知秋雨意，更遣欲如何。

The wet bends, the green twigs, broken,
The cold drifts, the yellow leaves, many.
Not knowing the meaning of the autumn rain,
Further sending, what to do?
Listen

Meaning

A poem of the decayed willows and the autumn rain, written by Bai Juyi. The wet bends, the green twigs, broken — the cold drifts, the yellow leaves, many — the broken twigs and the many yellow leaves. Not knowing the meaning of the autumn rain — further sending, what to do? — the not knowing of the rain and the question of the close. The poem is the decayed willows and the autumn rain: the wet twigs, the yellow leaves, and the close's question of what to do.

湿屈青条折，寒飘黄叶多。不知秋雨意，更遣欲如何。

Appreciation

[Plain Paraphrase] The wet bends, the green twigs, broken, the cold drifts, the yellow leaves, many. Not knowing the meaning of the autumn rain, further sending, what to do? [Structure and Thought] The poem moves from the broken twigs and the many yellow leaves of the decayed willows, through the not knowing of the autumn rain, to the close's question of what to do. [Key Technique] The poem's art is the question of the close: the wet twigs and the yellow leaves of the decay, and the close's 'further sending, what to do?' — the feeling of the autumn gathered in the decay and the close's question. [Emotional Tone] Desolate, sorrowful, and autumnal: the poem is the decayed willows, the autumn rain and the close's question.

【白话串讲】 白居易写《雨中题衰柳》：“湿屈青条折，寒飘黄叶多”——“不知秋雨意，更遣欲如何”——他写雨中衰柳——不知秋雨意。 【意象与手法】 “湿屈青条折、寒飘黄叶多”写湿屈青条折；“不知秋雨意”写不知秋雨意；结以“更遣欲如何”写更遣欲如何。苍凉秋思。 【情感与主旨】 白居易写雨中衰柳之作，写湿屈青条折、寒飘黄叶多与不知秋雨意的秋思，是咏柳写秋的名篇。 【名句点睛】 常考“湿屈青条折，寒飘黄叶多”写雨中衰柳；“不知秋雨意，更遣欲如何”写秋思。

Background

Bai Juyi (772–846), the poet of the Tang, wrote this 'In the Rain, Inscribing the Decayed Willows' of the willows and the autumn rain — the decay of the season. The broken green twigs with the many yellow leaves, the not knowing of the autumn rain, and the close's question of what to do — the poem gathers the decay of the willows, the feeling of the autumn. The poem is one of the famous works of the poet's poems of the object.

《雨中题衰柳》为唐代诗人白居易所作诗。白居易（772—846），字乐天，号香山居士，下邽人，唐代诗人。此诗写咏物秋思，为雨中题柳之作。诗中「湿屈青条折，寒飘黄叶多」写湿屈青条折，寒飘黄叶多；「不知秋雨意，更遣欲如何」写不知秋雨意，更遣欲如何。白居易此诗以咏物秋思、更遣欲如何写其秋思之情，苍凉秋思，是白居易诗中的名篇。此篇《雨中题衰柳》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《雨中题衰柳》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《雨中题衰柳》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 decay and the question. The willows open: the wet bends, the green twigs, broken — the broken twigs of the rain; the cold drifts, the yellow leaves, many — the many yellow leaves of the cold. The rain follows: not knowing the meaning of the autumn rain — the not knowing of the rain. And the close gathers the question: further sending, what to do? — the question of the close — the decayed willows, the autumn rain and the close's question, gathered in the poem.

此诗艺术上以「苍凉秋思、以雨写情」见长。全诗共四句两联，由湿屈青条折而不知秋雨意。起「湿屈青条折，寒飘黄叶多」写湿屈青条折：湿屈青条折，寒飘黄叶多；结「不知秋雨意，更遣欲如何」写不知秋雨意：不知秋雨意，更遣欲如何。全诗以雨写情，由湿屈青条折而更遣欲如何，苍凉秋思，是白居易诗中的名篇。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 green twigs' (qing tiao) are the green twigs — the twigs of the willows, the green of the decay; 'the yellow leaves' (huang ye) are the yellow leaves — the leaves of the autumn, the many of the decay; 'the autumn rain' (qiu yu) is the autumn rain — the rain of the autumn, the meaning not known; 'further sending' (geng qian) is the further sending — the further sending of the rain, the question of the close.

诗中「湿屈青条折寒飘黄叶多」「不知秋雨意更遣欲如何」等语，皆含典故故实。「湿屈青条折寒飘黄叶多」写湿屈青条折寒飘黄叶多；「不知秋雨意更遣欲如何」写不知秋雨意更遣欲如何。诗人以青条、黄叶等语入诗，不着痕迹，而把咏物秋思之情写得真切可感，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 works of Bai Juyi's poems of the object, quoted for the question of its close. The broken twigs and the many yellow leaves, and the close's what to do, are among the admired images of the poet's poems of the season. Critics praise the poem's desolation: the decayed willows gathered in the autumn rain, to the close's question.

这首《雨中题衰柳》，是白居易写咏物秋思之作，写湿屈青条折、不知秋雨意、更遣欲如何之情，苍凉秋思。起「湿屈青条折，寒飘黄叶多」——湿屈青条折，寒飘黄叶多。写湿屈青条折：湿屈青条折、寒飘黄叶多——青条折、黄叶多；结「不知秋雨意，更遣欲如何」——不知秋雨意，更遣欲如何。写不知秋雨意：不知秋雨意、更遣欲如何——秋雨意、欲如何。这「不知秋雨意，更遣欲如何」，是全诗之结：以更遣欲如何写其秋思。全诗苍凉秋思，以雨写情，正是白居易诗中的名篇。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 five-character poem of the object诗（五言绝句）
Rhyme The poem rhymes on the level-tone duo and he of the group — the even, level rhyme that carries the desolate autumn.此诗为五言绝句，共四句两联。押韵：「多」「何」押歌部韵。前两句起、后两句转合，平仄相间，正与写咏物秋思的苍凉秋思相称，也见其以五绝写秋思的凝练。
Tone pattern The cadence is that of the decay: the level opening with the broken twigs, the turning with the not knowing of the rain, and the close's rise with the question of what to do.句式上，「湿屈青条折，寒飘黄叶多」写湿屈青条折，音节苍凉；结「不知秋雨意，更遣欲如何」写不知秋雨意，音节悠长。全诗音节随情起伏，由苍凉而悠长，正合五绝「凝练」之妙，读来如咏物秋思、更遣欲如何之音，苍凉而动人。
Reading note The poem's sound matches its desolation: the even, level rhymes carry the cadence of the decay, and the close — 'geng qian yu ru he' — rises with the question, the sound of the helpless poet.此诗为五言绝句，是白居易写咏物秋思之作，也是其诗中的名篇。全诗的艺术特色在于「苍凉秋思、以雨写情」：「湿屈青条折，寒飘黄叶多」写湿屈青条折、「不知秋雨意，更遣欲如何」写不知秋雨意。全诗苍凉秋思，以雨写情。尤为精妙者，是「湿屈青条折」写尽青条折；而「更遣欲如何」写尽欲如何，正是白居易诗「苍凉秋思」的典范，为历代选本所常收。《雨中题衰柳》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

湿屈青条折，寒飘黄叶多。

The wet bends, the green twigs, broken, the cold drifts, the yellow leaves, many.

湿屈青条折，寒飘黄叶多。

Wet and bent, the green boughs break; in the cold, yellow leaves drift down in plenty.

起句写湿屈青条折，起笔即见其青条。「湿屈青条折」写湿屈青条折，「湿屈」写湿屈、「青条折」写青条折；「寒飘黄叶多」写寒飘黄叶多，「寒飘」写寒飘、「黄叶多」写黄叶多。一句写湿屈青条折寒飘黄叶多，以湿屈青条折写青条折、以寒飘黄叶多写黄叶多，写尽湿屈青条折、寒飘黄叶多之情。以条起兴，苍凉而秋思，是「以条起兴」的妙笔。

The opening writes wet and bent, the green boughs break, the green boughs named at the first stroke. Wet and bent: the damp drooping. The green boughs break: the young twigs snapping. In the cold, yellow leaves drift down in plenty: the cold scattering, the abundant yellow leaves. One couplet writes the wet broken green twigs and the cold-fallen yellow leaves - Bai Juyi's starting point for the rain-immersed withered willow: the wet and the cold both pressing the tree. The line opens with the twig as bi-xing, bleak and autumn-thoughted: the willow's decline in the rain.

不知秋雨意，

I know not what the autumn rain means,

不知秋雨意，

I know not what the autumn rain means,

此句写不知秋雨意，是全诗写秋雨之态的关键。「不知秋雨」写不知秋雨，「不知」写不知、「秋雨」写秋雨；「意」写意，「意」写意。一句写不知秋雨意，以不知秋雨写秋雨、以意写意，写尽不知秋雨意之情。以雨写情，苍凉而秋思，是「以雨写情」的点睛之笔。此句以寥寥数语写尽深意，情韵兼胜，正是全诗点睛之笔。其于字句之间暗藏波澜，于平易之中寄寓曲折，尤当反复涵泳，方能得其三昧。

This line writes I know not what the autumn rain means, the key to the poem's autumn-rain state. I know not: the uncomprehending. The autumn rain: the falling rain. Its meaning: what it intends. One line writes the unknown intention of the autumn rain - Bai Juyi's middle turn: what does the rain intend by breaking the willow? The line uses rain for feeling, bleak and autumn-thoughted: the question holds the willow's decline as the rain's doing.

更遣欲如何。

what more would it have me do?

更遣欲如何。

what more would it have of me?

结句写更遣欲如何，是全诗立意的落点。「更遣欲如何」写更遣欲如何，「更遣」写更遣、「欲如何」写欲如何。一句写更遣欲如何，以更遣写更遣、以欲如何写欲如何，写尽更遣欲如何之情。以问写情，苍凉而秋思，是全诗最动人处，也是「以问写情」的点睛之笔。此句以寥寥数语写尽深意，情韵兼胜，正是全诗点睛之笔。其于字句之间暗藏波澜，于平易之中寄寓曲折，尤当反复涵泳，方能得其三昧。

The closing line writes what more would it have of me?, the poem's landing. What more would it have: what further bidding. Of me: the addressed willow. One line writes the rain's further demand - Bai Juyi's resolution: having broken the green twigs and shed the yellow leaves, what more does the rain want? The line uses a question for feeling, bleak and autumn-thoughted, the poem's most moving point: the willow's question to the rain becomes the poet's own.

Study

Word focus

青条 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. 「青条」写湿屈青条折，是写青条之态的关键。「湿屈青条折」着一「青条」，写青条——着一「青条」，写湿屈青条折，见其条之青。两字写尽青条之态，是「以词写条」的妙笔。「青条」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。
黄叶 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. 「黄叶」写寒飘黄叶多，是写黄叶之态的关键。「寒飘黄叶多」着一「黄叶」，写黄叶——着一「黄叶」，写寒飘黄叶多，见其叶之黄。两字写尽黄叶之态，是「以词写叶」的点睛之词。「黄叶」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。
秋雨 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. 「秋雨」写不知秋雨意，是写秋雨之态的关键。「不知秋雨意」着一「秋雨」，写秋雨——着一「秋雨」，写不知秋雨意，见其雨之秋。两字写尽秋雨之态，是「以词写雨」的点睛之词。「秋雨」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。
更遣 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. 「更遣」写更遣欲如何，是写更遣之态的关键。「更遣欲如何」着一「更遣」，写更遣——着一「更遣」，写更遣欲如何，见其遣之更。两字写尽更遣之态，是「以词写遣」的点睛之词。「更遣」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 · 同写秋思感怀、苍凉旷达，一写人有悲欢离合、一写湿屈青条折寒飘黄叶多，皆于秋思之中见苍凉 Both are the works of the feeling of the time — the moon of the autumn of Su Shi, the willows of the rain of Bai Juyi — the two feelings of the season.

Su Shi's 'Prelude to Water Melody' — 'the bright moon, when will it appear' — is the feeling of the time of the moon; Bai Juyi's 'In the Rain, Inscribing the Decayed Willows' — 'the yellow leaves, many' — is the feeling of the season of the willows — the two feelings of the season, the one of the moon, the other of the leaves.

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」，写秋思感怀、苍凉旷达，是宋词长调的名篇；白居易《雨中题衰柳》则以「湿屈青条折，寒飘黄叶多」「更遣欲如何」写黄叶多、欲如何。两诗同写秋思感怀、苍凉旷达：一写人有悲欢离合、以悲欢写离合，一写湿屈青条折寒飘黄叶多、以衰柳写秋思；一为苏轼之旷达、一为白居易之苍凉，并读正可见诗写「秋思感怀」的两种笔法，皆于秋思之中见苍凉。

 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 · 同写雨中凝望、苍凉清丽，一写对潇潇暮雨洒江天、一写湿屈青条折寒飘黄叶多，皆于雨中之中见凝望 Both are the works of the rain and the looking — the rain of the river of Liu Yong, the rain of the willows of Bai Juyi — the two rains of the autumn.

Liu Yong's 'Eight Beats of Ganzhou' — 'the evening rain that spatters the long river' — is the rain of the river; Bai Juyi's 'In the Rain, Inscribing the Decayed Willows' — 'not knowing the meaning of the autumn rain' — is the rain of the willows — the two rains of the autumn, the one of the river, the other of the willows.

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」，写雨中凝望、苍凉清丽，是宋词写羁旅的名篇；白居易《雨中题衰柳》则以「湿屈青条折，寒飘黄叶多」「不知秋雨意」写黄叶多、秋雨意。两诗同写雨中凝望、苍凉清丽：一写对潇潇暮雨洒江天、以暮雨写清秋，一写湿屈青条折寒飘黄叶多、以衰柳写秋思；一为柳永之清丽、一为白居易之苍凉，并读正可见诗写「雨中凝望」的两种笔法，皆于雨中之中见凝望。