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唐 Tang · 诗 Poem

赠孟浩然

To, Meng, Haoran

李白

Li Bai

赠答Theme 仰慕Theme

吾爱孟夫子,风流天下闻。
红颜弃轩冕,白首卧松云。
醉月频中圣,迷花不事君。
高山安可仰,徒此揖清芬。

I, love, the, Master, Meng,
The, elegance, known, under, the, whole, heaven.
In, the, red, youth, he, gave, up, the, chariots, and, the, caps,
In, the, white, head, he, lay, by, the, pines, and, the, clouds.
Drunk, with, the, moon, he, often, fell, into, the, sage,
Bewitched, by, the, flowers, he, did, not, serve, the, lord.
The, high, mountains, how, can, they, be, looked, up, to,
Only, this, bow, to, the, pure, fragrance.
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Meaning

A poem of the admiration and the praise, written by Li Bai. I love the Master Meng, the elegance known under the whole heaven — the praise of the opening. In the red youth he gave up the chariots and the caps, in the white head he lay by the pines and the clouds — the life of the middle. Drunk with the moon he often fell into the sage, bewitched by the flowers he did not serve the lord — the freedom of the middle. And the close's the high mountains how can they be looked up to, only this bow to the pure fragrance — the close's admiration. The poem is the admiration and the praise: the elegance, the pines, and the close's pure fragrance.

我敬爱孟夫子,他风流潇洒、声名传遍天下。年轻时便鄙弃功名富贵,老来在山林间枕卧松云。他醉酒时频频流连于酒中圣贤,迷恋花木而不肯侍奉君主。他那高山般的品格怎可仰望企及,我只能在此拜揖他高洁的风范。

Appreciation

[Plain Paraphrase] I, love, the, Master, Meng, the, elegance, known, under, the, whole, heaven. In, the, red, youth, he, gave, up, the, chariots, and, the, caps, in, the, white, head, he, lay, by, the, pines, and, the, clouds. Drunk, with, the, moon, he, often, fell, into, the, sage, bewitched, by, the, flowers, he, did, not, serve, the, lord. The, high, mountains, how, can, they, be, looked, up, to, only, this, bow, to, the, pure, fragrance. [Structure and Thought] The poem moves from the praise of the elegance under the heaven, through the life of the giving up the caps and the lying by the pines, to the close's the high mountains and the bow to the pure fragrance. [Key Technique] The poem's art is the close of the admiration: drunk with the moon he often fell into the sage, and the close's the high mountains not to be looked up to — the praise gathered in the life and the close's admiration. [Emotional Tone] Admiring, free, and sincere: the poem is the elegance, the pines and the close's pure fragrance.

【白话串讲】 李白写《赠孟浩然》:“吾爱孟夫子,风流天下闻”——“红颜弃轩冕,白首卧松云”——“醉月频中圣,迷花不事君”——“高山安可仰,徒此揖清芬”——他敬仰孟浩然的高洁。 【意象与手法】 此诗是李白赠孟浩然的五律名篇,以「风流」二字总领,赞美孟浩然潇洒不羁的高士品格。首联以「吾爱孟夫子,风流天下闻」开门见山,直抒仰慕之情;中二联分写孟浩然的生平与品格:「红颜弃轩冕」写其少时弃官,「白首卧松云」写其老归山林,「醉月频中圣」写其醉饮之趣,「迷花不事君」写其隐逸之志,四句以对仗写出孟浩然由仕而隐、放浪山水的一生;尾联「高山安可仰,徒此揖清芬」以高山喻其品格之高,以「揖清芬」写自己的仰慕,收束全诗。全诗以「爱」起、以「揖」结,一往情深,既写出了孟浩然的高洁,也写出了李白对他的无限倾慕,是赠答诗中的名篇。 【情感与主旨】 此诗作于李白早年漫游时期,约开元十六年(728)前后,时李白初出蜀,在襄阳结识年长的孟浩然,对其十分倾慕。孟浩然是盛唐著名的山水田园诗人,一生未入仕途,隐居于襄阳鹿门山,风流倜傥、诗酒自适。李白对其人格与诗才都极为景仰,此诗即其对孟浩然的赞颂。诗中「吾爱孟夫子」的直白,「高山安可仰」的推崇,皆可见李白对孟浩然的真挚情谊。更重要的是,这首诗寄托了李白自己的人生理想:孟浩然「红颜弃轩冕,白首卧松云」的隐逸生活,正是李白所向往的;「醉月频中圣,迷花不事君」的放达,也正是李白豪放性格的写照。可以说,此诗既是赠孟浩然,也是李白借孟浩然自抒怀抱,在赞美友人的同时,表达了自己对隐逸自由的向往与对功名富贵的淡泊。 【名句点睛】 常考“红颜弃轩冕,白首卧松云”以工对写孟浩然由仕而隐的一生;“高山安可仰,徒此揖清芬”以高山喻品格之高,写尽仰慕之情。

Background

Li Bai (701-762), the greatest poet of the Tang, wrote this 'To, Meng, Haoran' of the admiration and the praise — the homage to the elder poet Meng Haoran. The elegance known under the heaven with the giving up of the caps, the pines and the clouds with the serving of the flowers, and the close's the high mountains with the pure fragrance — the poem gathers the admiration of the poet, the praise of the hermit. The poem is one of the famous works of the poet's poems of the praise.

此诗为李白早期作品,约作于唐玄宗开元十六年(728)前后,时李白二十八岁左右,刚结束蜀中生活、初游天下。李白于开元十三年(725)出蜀,「仗剑去国,辞亲远游」,沿长江东下,游历荆楚、江浙一带。开元十六年前后,李白在襄阳一带盘桓,结识了年长其十二岁的孟浩然。孟浩然(689-740)是盛唐山水田园诗派的代表诗人,早年有志用世,曾隐居鹿门山读书,四十岁入长安求仕,却失意而归,遂终身布衣,漫游吴越,归隐襄阳。李白与孟浩然一见如故,结为忘年之交,此后李白在《黄鹤楼送孟浩然之广陵》等诗中多次写到这位友人。此诗正是李白赠孟浩然之作,写于襄阳。诗中「红颜弃轩冕,白首卧松云」概括孟浩然的一生:「红颜」指其少壮之时,「弃轩冕」指其弃绝功名;「白首」指其暮年,「卧松云」指其归隐山林。这是对孟浩然生平最精当的概括,也暗含了李白的价值判断——在李白看来,孟浩然弃官归隐、诗酒自适的一生,正是最可钦慕的高士人生。值得注意的是,李白此时正值壮年、意气风发,尚未经历后来的仕途挫折,他对孟浩然的倾慕,更多是一种少年人对高洁人格的向往与对隐逸生活的想象,还带着几分天真与理想化的色彩。

Art

The poem's art is the art of the admiration. The praise opens: I, love, the, Master, Meng — the love of the Master Meng; the, elegance, known, under, the, whole, heaven — the elegance of the whole heaven. The life follows: in, the, red, youth, he, gave, up, the, chariots, and, the, caps — the giving up of the chariots and the caps; in, the, white, head, he, lay, by, the, pines, and, the, clouds — the lying of the pines and the clouds; drunk, with, the, moon, he, often, fell, into, the, sage — the falling of the moon; bewitched, by, the, flowers, he, did, not, serve, the, lord — the not serving of the flowers. And the close gathers the admiration: the, high, mountains, how, can, they, be, looked, up, to — the high mountains of the looking up; only, this, bow, to, the, pure, fragrance — the bow of the pure fragrance — the praise, the life and the close's admiration, gathered in the poem.

此诗的艺术特色可从四个层面解析。其一,总冒与分写的章法。首联「吾爱孟夫子,风流天下闻」以「爱」字定调、以「风流」立骨,开门见山,直抒仰慕;中二联以四句对仗分写孟浩然的生平与品格,由「红颜」到「白首」、由「弃轩冕」到「卧松云」,时间上纵贯一生,空间上从官场到山林,将孟浩然的形象立体地呈现出来;尾联以「高山安可仰」收束,回扣首联的「爱」,一情贯穿,章法严谨。其二,对仗的精工与流动。中二联「红颜弃轩冕,白首卧松云」「醉月频中圣,迷花不事君」皆对仗工整:红颜对白首、弃对卧、轩冕对松云,醉月对迷花、中圣对事君,不仅词性相对、意义相承,且流动自然,毫无板滞之病。其三,用典的贴切与自然。「轩冕」指官爵,典出《庄子》「乘轩冕」;「松云」写山林,暗含隐逸;「中圣」用曹操时禁酒、徐邈称酒为「圣人」的典故(《三国志·徐邈传》),指醉酒;「迷花」暗用陶渊明「采菊东篱下」的隐逸传统;「高山安可仰」用《诗经·小雅·车舝》「高山仰止,景行行止」。诸典化入诗句,不着痕迹,贴切自然。其四,直白与含蓄的统一。全诗既有「吾爱孟夫子」的直白,也有「高山安可仰,徒此揖清芬」的含蓄,直中见真、曲中见雅,正是李白赠答诗「真率而不失雅致」的风格。

Allusions

'The chariots and the caps' (xuan mian) are the chariots and the caps — the chariots and the caps of the office, the giving up of the youth; 'the sage' (zhong sheng) is the sage — the sage of the wine, the falling of the drunk; 'the high mountains' (gao shan) are the high mountains — the mountains of the high, the looking up of the close; 'the pure fragrance' (qing fen) is the pure fragrance — the fragrance of the pure, the bowing of the close.

此诗的用典十分密集而贴切,展现了李白对经典的精熟。首句「吾爱孟夫子」化用《论语》「吾爱其才」一类句式,直率而亲切。「风流」一词虽为常语,此处却暗含魏晋风流之意,令人想起《世说新语》所载名士的潇洒风度,为孟浩然涂抹上一层魏晋名士的色彩。「轩冕」典出《庄子·胠箧》「今遂至使民延颈举踵……则是上好知之过也,故绝圣弃知,大盗乃止,掊击圣人,纵舍盗贼」及《庄子·缮性》「古之所谓得志者,非轩冕之谓也」,后世以「轩冕」代指官爵禄位,「弃轩冕」即弃绝功名。「松云」写山林隐逸,令人想到陶弘景《诏问山中何所有赋诗以答》「山中何所有,岭上多白云。只可自怡悦,不堪持赠君」,「卧松云」即陶弘景式的山中高卧。「中圣」典出《三国志·魏书·徐邈传》:曹操禁酒,徐邈私下饮酒沉醉,自称「中圣人」,后世遂以「中圣」指醉酒,李白用此典写孟浩然醉月之趣,既贴切又见其放达。「迷花不事君」化用陶渊明《归去来兮辞》「三径就荒,松菊犹存」与「采菊东篱下」的隐逸意象,「不事君」暗含对仕途的淡泊。「高山安可仰」用《诗经·小雅·车舝》「高山仰止,景行行止」与《史记·孔子世家》「虽不能至,然心乡往之」,以高山喻孟浩然品格之崇高。诸多典故熔于一炉,却如盐入水、浑然无迹,正见李白「用典如用家常语」的化用功力。

Commentary

This poem is one of the famous works of Li Bai's poems of the praise, quoted for the sincerity of its admiration and the loftiness of its close. The elegance known under the whole heaven, and the high mountains not to be looked up to, are among the admired passages of the poet's poems. Critics praise the poem's sincerity: the praise gathered in the life, to the close's admiration.

此诗历来被推为李白赠答诗的代表作,也是研究李白与孟浩然交谊的第一手文献。历代论者多赏其「吾爱孟夫子」的直率与「高山安可仰」的推崇:明人唐汝询《唐诗解》评此诗「于孟浩然不着一语于诗,而孟浩然之为人自见」,清人沈德潜《唐诗别裁》则谓「以古为律,一气呵成」,皆指出此诗以人写人、气韵贯通的特点。在文学史上,这首诗的价值在于:它是对孟浩然人格最生动的写照,也是李白「风流」审美观的集中体现——李白所推崇的「风流」,不是浮华的才子气,而是「弃轩冕」「卧松云」「不事君」的高洁与放达。此诗与《黄鹤楼送孟浩然之广陵》「孤帆远影碧空尽,唯见长江天际流」互为表里:一写孟浩然之为人,一写送孟浩然之情,共同构成李白笔下最完整的孟浩然形象。从诗艺看,此诗以古行律、以情驭典,将魏晋风流、陶渊明式的隐逸与李白自己的豪放融为一体,是盛唐赠答诗中「知人论世」的典范。对于今日读者,此诗是理解李白与孟浩然深厚友谊、以及盛唐士人隐逸风气的绝佳窗口,也是学习「以典写人」「直抒胸臆」两种手法如何统一的范例。

Prosody

Form A regulated poem of the praise (wu yan lü shi)五言律诗(仄起首句不入韵)
Rhyme The poem rhymes on the level of the group — the cadence of the regulated poem that carries the sincere admiration.押上平十二文韵,韵脚为「闻」「云」「君」「芬」。首句「子」字仄声不入韵,属首句不入韵之格。韵脚「闻」「云」「君」「芬」皆属文部,韵音清朗悠长,与「天下闻」「清芬」的赞誉之音相谐。
Tone pattern The cadence is that of the admiration: the level opening with the praise, the turning with the life, and the close's fall with the pure fragrance.吾爱孟夫子,平仄仄平仄;风流天下闻,平平平仄平;红颜弃轩冕,平平仄平仄;白首卧松云,仄仄仄平平;醉月频中圣,仄仄平平仄;迷花不事君,平平仄仄平;高山安可仰,平平平仄仄;徒此揖清芬,平仄仄平平。全诗平仄大体合于五律,而多有拗峭处(如「吾爱孟夫子」三仄),正见李白以古行律、不拘一格的作风。
Reading note The poem's sound matches its sincerity: the cadences of the regulated poem, and the close — 'tu ci yi qing fen' — falls with the fragrance, the sound of the bowing of the admiring poet.此诗是仄起首句不入韵的五言律诗,押平声文韵,格律大体严整而时有拗峭,正是李白「以古行律」风格的代表。全诗四联结构分明:首联总起,直抒「爱」意;颔联、颈联以工对分写孟浩然生平;尾联合拢,以「揖清芬」收束。声调上,首联「吾爱孟夫子」三仄连用,拗峭而真挚;颔联「红颜弃轩冕,白首卧松云」对仗工整、音节平稳;颈联「醉月频中圣,迷花不事君」流转自然;尾联「高山安可仰,徒此揖清芬」以平仄相间的声调收束,从容庄重。全诗虽为律诗,却不拘于格律的束缚,而以情气贯穿,正是李白「以情驭律」的体现。诵读此诗,宜以真挚明快的语调,突出「吾爱」的直率与「高山安可仰」的推崇,使全诗在赞颂中见深情。

Line by line

红颜弃轩冕,白首卧松云。

In, the, red, youth, he, gave, up, the, chariots, and, the, caps, in, the, white, head, he, lay, by, the, pines, and, the, clouds.

他年轻时便鄙弃功名富贵,老来在山林间枕卧松云。

In his prime he cast aside carriage and cap; in white hair he lies among pines and clouds.

这两句以对仗精炼地概括了孟浩然的一生,是全诗的中枢。「红颜弃轩冕」写其少壮时便弃绝功名——「红颜」指青春的容颜,「弃轩冕」用《庄子》典指抛弃官爵,两句相连,写孟浩然年纪轻轻便已看破名利、不慕荣华,这是许多人穷尽一生都做不到的;「白首卧松云」写其暮年归隐山林——「白首」与「红颜」对举,是时间的流转,「卧松云」以松与云两个意象写出山居的幽静高远,孟浩然一生便在这「红颜」到「白首」之间,完成了从弃官到归隐的完满人生。两句之所以精警,在于它用最凝练的对仗写出了一个人的一生:不是平铺直叙的传记,而是以「弃」与「卧」两个动作、以「轩冕」与「松云」两组意象的对比,将孟浩然弃富贵、乐山水的品格一笔写尽。一个「卧」字尤其传神,写出了隐士在山林间悠然自得、无忧无虑的神态。

These two lines use refined parallel to concisely summarize Meng Haoran's whole life, the poem's center. In his prime he cast aside carriage and cap writes his young-age rejection of rank - in his prime refers to the youthful face; cast aside carriage and cap uses the Zhuangzi allusion for abandoning office; the two lines together write Meng Haoran young already seeing through fame, not craving glory, what many cannot achieve in a lifetime. In white hair he lies among pines and clouds writes his old-age mountain retirement - white hair set against in his prime, the time's flow; lies among pines and clouds uses pines and clouds two images to write the mountain dwelling's quiet loftiness; Meng Haoran's life between in his prime and white hair completes the perfect life from abandoning office to retiring to hills. The two lines' sharpness lies in using the most condensed parallel to write a whole life: not flat biography, but using abandon and lie two actions, and carriage-and-cap versus pines-and-clouds two image groups' contrast, writing Meng Haoran's rejecting wealth and loving hills-and-waters in one stroke. One lie is especially vivid, writing the recluse's leisurely, carefree bearing in the mountains.

高山安可仰,徒此揖清芬。

The, high, mountains, how, can, they, be, looked, up, to, only, this, bow, to, the, pure, fragrance.

他那高山般的品格怎可仰望企及,我只能在此拜揖他高洁的风范。

How can one look up to such a high mountain? Here I can only bow to its pure fragrance.

这两句是结尾的升华,把对孟浩然的仰慕推向极致。「高山安可仰」用《诗经》「高山仰止」之典而翻进一层:高山虽可仰望,而孟浩然品格之高,连仰望都不可企及,一个「安可」写尽孟浩然在李白心中的崇高地位;「徒此揖清芬」则退回现实——既然无法企及,只能在此向他的高洁风范深深一揖。「徒此」二字含有无奈,更含真挚:明知不可及而仍要礼敬,这正是「高山仰止,景行行止;虽不能至,心乡往之」的虔诚。而「揖清芬」的「清芬」二字尤妙——清,是高洁;芬,是芬芳,以嗅觉写人格,仿佛孟浩然的品德如兰如桂,清香袭人。两句一仰一揖、一叹一拜,把李白对孟浩然的无限景仰写得淋漓尽致,也为这首赞颂友人的诗画上了圆满的句号。值得注意的是,李白一生很少如此推崇一个人,而对孟浩然这般倾倒,正可见孟浩然在其心中的分量,也可见李白重然诺、重真情的性格。

These two lines are the closing's sublimation, pushing the admiration for Meng Haoran to the extreme. How can one look up to such a high mountain? uses the Book of Songs's high mountain to be looked up to allusion and turns one level deeper: though the high mountain can be looked up to, Meng Haoran's character is so high that even looking up is unattainable; one how can exhaust Meng Haoran's lofty place in Li Bai's heart. Here I can only bow to its pure fragrance then retreats to reality - since unattainable, only here bowing deeply to his pure bearing. Here holds helplessness, even more sincerity: knowing it unattainable yet still revering, precisely the devoutness of the high mountain looked up to, the great road followed; though I cannot reach it, my heart yearns for it. And bow to its pure fragrance's pure fragrance is especially subtle - pure is lofty; fragrance is sweet; using smell to write personality, as if Meng Haoran's virtue like orchids and cassia, its scent reaching one. The two lines one look-up one bow, one sigh one obeisance, writing Li Bai's infinite reverence for Meng Haoran to the utmost, also drawing a perfect close to this poem in praise of a friend. It is worth noting that Li Bai rarely so exalts a man in his life, yet is so captivated by Meng Haoran; this shows Meng Haoran's weight in his heart, and also shows Li Bai's valuing of truth and genuine feeling.

Study

Word focus

风流 'The, elegance' — the elegance of the fame, the known under the heaven. 「风流」二字是全诗的总纲,也是理解孟浩然形象的关键。风流一词,古义多指人的风度才情潇洒不群,魏晋时期尤为流行,《世说新语》所载名士的「风流」即指此。李白以「风流天下闻」写孟浩然,既有「潇洒倜傥」之义,更暗含魏晋名士那种放达不羁、超然物外的风度——孟浩然「红颜弃轩冕,白首卧松云」的一生,正是这种风流的生动注脚。值得注意的是,「风流」在此不是轻浮的才子气,而是一种高洁人格的自然流露:他鄙弃功名、醉卧松云、迷花不事君,这一切在世俗眼中是「不合时宜」,在李白眼中却是最可贵的「风流」。一个「风流」,为全诗定下赞颂的基调,也为孟浩然的形象涂上一层潇洒出尘的光彩。李白以此二字评孟浩然,正见其对友人品格的深刻理解,也见其以「风流」为最高人品的审美观。
清芬 'The, pure, fragrance' — the fragrance of the pure, the bowing of the close. 「清芬」二字是结尾的点睛之笔,以嗅觉写人格,含蓄而隽永。清,是高洁纯净;芬,是芬芳馥郁。李白以「清芬」状孟浩然的人品,仿佛他的品德如幽兰桂子般清香四溢——「揖清芬」,即向这股清高芬芳的气息深深作揖。这个比喻的精妙在于:它把抽象的人格具象化为可感的芬芳,使孟浩然的高洁不再是空洞的赞词,而是仿佛能嗅到的清香;同时,「清」与「芬」二字又暗合孟浩然「清风明月」式的隐逸品格与诗文的清新自然。相较于「高山」的崇高,「清芬」更多一份亲切与芬芳,一「仰」一「揖」之间,既有对崇高品格的仰慕,也有对高洁人格的亲近,把李白对孟浩然的复杂情感——景仰、亲近、向往、礼敬——都融入了这一揖之中。以「清芬」收束全诗,余香袅袅,令人回味,正是李白赠答诗「言有尽而意无穷」的结尾艺术。

Related Reading

留别王维 Lines Left for Wang Wei on Departing 孟浩然 · 同一友人互赠之作,一赞人格一叹身世 Related reading

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孟浩然《留别王维》「当路谁相假,知音世所稀」是孟浩然离开长安时留别王维之作,感叹知音稀少、仕途无门,是自伤身世之辞。李白《赠孟浩然》则是赞颂孟浩然之为人,称其「红颜弃轩冕,白首卧松云」,是推崇人格之作。两诗恰成对照:孟浩然自叹「当路谁相假」的失意,在李白笔下却成了「弃轩冕」「卧松云」的高洁。同一人的同一处境,自视与友视判然不同——孟浩然以仕途失意为憾,李白却以隐逸自适为美,这也正反映出李白与孟浩然对人生价值的不同体认。

黄鹤楼送孟浩然之广陵 Seeing Meng Haoran Off to Guangling at Yellow Crane Tower 李白 · 同一诗人写同一友人,一赞其人一写其行 Related reading

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《黄鹤楼送孟浩然之广陵》是李白送孟浩然东下扬州之作,「孤帆远影碧空尽,唯见长江天际流」以景写情,表达对友人离去的依依不舍。此诗则是赠孟浩然之作,「吾爱孟夫子,风流天下闻」直抒对友人品格的景仰。一写「送行」,一写「赠人」;一以景抒情,一以典写人。两诗合观,可见李白对孟浩然的深厚情谊——既敬其为人,又惜其远行,正是「知音」二字的最好注脚,也是李白与孟浩然忘年之交的完整记录。

山中问答 Questions and Answers in the Mountains 李白 · 同写隐逸之志,一自述一颂人 Related reading

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《山中问答》「问余何意栖碧山,笑而不答心自闲」是李白自述隐逸之志,写自己栖居碧山、超然物外的闲适,是「自画像」。此诗则是李白为孟浩然画像,「红颜弃轩冕,白首卧松云」写孟浩然的隐逸人生。一写己,一写人;一自得,一仰慕。两诗对读,可见李白心目中的隐士形象——碧山笑而不答的「我」,与松云间高卧的孟浩然,实是同一理想的两种投影:李白所向往的,正是孟浩然所实践的。这也说明此诗不仅是赞人,更是李白借孟浩然自抒怀抱。