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唐 Tang · 诗 Poem

左迁至蓝关示侄孙湘

At Blue Pass on My Demotion: To My Nephew-Grandson Xiang

韩愈

Han Yu

贬谪demotion 感怀reflection

一封朝奏九重天，夕贬潮州路八千。
欲为圣明除弊事，肯将衰朽惜残年。
云横秦岭家何在，雪拥蓝关马不前。
知汝远来应有意，好收吾骨瘴江边。

One memorial at dawn to the Nine-Fold Heaven sent;
By dusk I am banished to Chaozhou, eight thousand li spent.
I would for the sage bright purge the court of ill;
How could I, decayed, spare my few years still?
Clouds stretch across the Qin range—where is my home?
Snow heaps Blue Pass—the horse will no further roam.
I know you came from far with purpose true;
Pray gather my bones by the miasma-river's view.

Listen

Meaning

At dawn a remonstrance memorial is sent up to the Nine-Fold Heaven's gate; by evening he is banished eight thousand li away to Chaozhou. He had meant to purge the enlightened court of its abuses—how could he, old and failing, cling to his few remaining years? The Qin range's clouds stretch across—where is his home? Blue Pass is heaped with snow, and the horse will go no further. He knows his kinsman came from afar with true intent—only he hopes that by the miasma river's shore the young man will gather his old bones.

清早一封谏书奏上九重天门，傍晚便被贬往八千里外的潮州。本想替圣明的朝堂革除弊政，怎肯因年老力衰而爱惜残年。秦岭云横，家园何在？蓝关雪厚，马儿也裹足不前。我知道你远道赶来必有用意——只盼到那瘴江之畔，替我收殓这把老骨头。

Appreciation

The first couplet sets a violent contrast—'at dawn' and 'by dusk,' a memorial sent and a banishment decreed—making the speed and distance of the wrongful exile felt at once. The second couplet states his lone loyalty outright: he would purge the court's ills and will not spare his aged self. The third couplet, 'Clouds stretch across the Qin range—where is my home? / Snow heaps Blue Pass—the horse will no further roam,' writes the pain of lost home and blocked road through scene, grand and desolate, the poem's gleaming center. The last couplet, 'Pray gather my bones by the miasma river,' sounds resigned yet holds a certainty of death—a heart both steel and breaking. The whole moves in the grave, magnanimous tone of a seven-character regulated poem near Du Fu.

【白话串讲】韩愈劝皇帝不要迎佛骨，被贬潮州。“云横秦岭家何在，雪拥蓝关马不前”——走到蓝关，马都不肯走。他对侄孙说：“好收吾骨瘴江边”——可能要死在这里了。【意象与手法】首联「朝奏」「夕贬」对比极烈，见祸之速；「路八千」极言其远。颔联直抒「除弊事」「不惜年」的孤忠。颈联「云横秦岭家何在，雪拥蓝关马不前」以景写途穷家亡之痛，气象沉雄。尾联「收吾骨」语似豁达实含必死之悲，刚肠寸断。【情感与主旨】宪宗迎佛骨入宫，王公士庶奔走施舍。韩愈时任刑部侍郎，上表极谏，触怒皇帝，贬潮州刺史（时称「左迁」）。南行经蓝田关，侄孙韩湘赶来送别，韩愈悲慨赋诗，忠愤之中见父子般的亲情。【名句点睛】高频考点：赏析「云横秦岭家何在，雪拥蓝关马不前」的景情关系与象征；理解「肯将衰朽惜残年」的忠愤；「朝奏夕贬」对比的表达效果。

Background

Emperor Xianzong welcomed the Buddha's relic into the palace, and lords and commoners rushed to make offerings. Han Yu, then vice-minister of justice, submitted a fierce memorial of remonstrance, enraged the emperor, and was banished as prefect of Chaozhou (then called a 'demotion'). On his southward road he passed Lantian Pass, where his nephew-grandson Han Xiang (later the model for the 'Immortal' Han Xiangzi of legend) came to see him off; Han Yu, grieved and stirred, wrote this poem.

唐宪宗元和十四年（819）正月，宪宗迎佛骨入宫供奉，长安王公士庶奔走施舍，闹得沸沸扬扬。时任刑部侍郎的韩愈上《论佛骨表》极谏，痛陈迎佛骨之弊，触怒宪宗，几被处死，幸得裴度、崔群等营救，贬为潮州刺史。潮州在今广东东部，距长安八千里之遥，时韩愈已五十二岁。他仓皇离京，南行至蓝田县东南的蓝田关（蓝关）时，大雪封山，侄孙韩湘（传说中八仙之一韩湘子的原型）远道赶来送行。韩愈面对云横秦岭、雪拥蓝关的险恶景象，想到此去瘴疠之地、生死难料，悲慨交集，遂赋此诗相示。全诗将遭贬之冤、去国之悲、途穷之痛与孤忠之情熔于一炉，是韩愈七律中最著名的篇章，也是唐代贬谪诗的代表作。又韩愈此行出京，妻子儿女随行，幼女竟病死途中，其悲愤与伤痛可知；此诗唯以「收吾骨」三字寄侄孙，绝口不提家难，正见其以道自任、强自振作的刚毅，读之更觉沉痛；又韩愈一生辟佛老、倡儒道，谏佛骨正其「道济天下之溺」的实践，获罪而不悔，正是其人格的写照。

Art

The first couplet's 'at dawn' and 'by dusk' contrast with extreme force, showing the swiftness of disaster; 'eight thousand li' stresses the distance. The second couplet states outright his lone loyalty in 'purging the ills' and 'not sparing his years.' The third couplet, 'clouds stretch across the Qin range' and 'snow heaps Blue Pass,' writes the grief of a blocked road and a lost home through scene, with a grave, magnanimous air. The last couplet's 'gather my bones' sounds open-hearted yet harbors a certainty of death—a steel will cut to the heart.

此诗章法谨严，情感层层推进。首联「一封朝奏九重天，夕贬潮州路八千」以「朝奏」「夕贬」的对比极写祸之速，以「九重天」与「路八千」的悬殊极写贬之远，时间之短促、空间之辽远，两重反差叠加，冤愤之气喷薄而出。颔联「欲为圣明除弊事，肯将衰朽惜残年」直抒孤忠，「肯」字反诘斩钉截铁，见出宁折不弯的刚肠。颈联「云横秦岭家何在，雪拥蓝关马不前」是全诗警策，以景写情：秦岭云横，回望不见家国；蓝关雪拥，前行马亦踟蹰，壮阔苍茫的景色中寓途穷家亡之痛，象征意味极浓。尾联「知汝远来应有意，好收吾骨瘴江边」语似豁达，实含必死之悲，将一腔孤愤化为对侄孙的托付，刚肠之中见慈爱，读之令人泫然。全诗以对比、反诘、象征诸法并用，而归于一片真情，忠愤处如烈火，慈爱处如春阳，刚柔相济，遂成韩诗七律中情辞俱胜的名篇；且以文为诗，叙述、议论、写景、抒情四体兼备而气脉一贯，为七律注入散文的骨力，故后人推为「唐音」之冠冕。

Allusions

'Nine-Fold Heaven' means the imperial court. 'Blue Pass' is Lantian Pass, in today's Lantian, Shaanxi. 'Miasma river' is the Han River at Chaozhou, a miasmic southern land. 'Purge the ills' specifically refers to his remonstrance against welcoming the Buddha's relic. Han Xiang was later woven into legend as an immortal, so this poem is often told alongside those tales.

「九重天」指皇宫、朝廷，语出《楚辞·九辩》「君之门以九重」，极言君门深不可测；「蓝关」即蓝田关，在今陕西蓝田县东南，为古时长安通往东南的关隘；「瘴江」指岭南瘴疠弥漫的江河，潮州临韩江，故称，暗喻贬所环境之恶劣、生死之难卜。「除弊事」特指谏迎佛骨一事，韩愈以「辟佛老」自任，故虽遭重贬而自视为正道。至于韩湘，后世传说附会为八仙之一的韩湘子，能令花顷刻开、预言祸福，故此诗常与其神话传说并传，更添一层仙道色彩。全诗用典不多，皆就地取材、自然贴切，而以「九重天」「瘴江」一高一低、一远一险，暗写君恩难测与迁谪之悲。又「瘴江」本指岭南瘴气弥漫之江河，潮州临韩江，故诗人预嘱「好收吾骨瘴江边」，以「瘴」字暗写贬所之险恶、生死之难料，更与「云横秦岭」「雪拥蓝关」的北地苦寒对照，一南一北、一瘴一雪，写出迁谪之路的漫长与凶险；「九重天」写君门深不可测，与「路八千」的远谪之地对照，君恩之难测与迁谪之难回，尽在其中。

Commentary

Ji Yun remarked that its language is 'utterly desolate yet not broken-down.' The Qing critic Fang Dongshu said it is 'deep, pent, and halted, gaining the bone of Master Du,' noting that Han Yu's seven-character regulated poem approaches Du Fu yet opens its own vast, wild school.

此诗历来评价极高。清代纪昀评其「语极凄切，却不衰飒」，谓虽写绝境而气骨不衰；方东树《昭昧詹言》谓其「沉郁顿挫，得杜公之骨」，以为韩愈七律学杜而能自具苍莽之气，此诗正是代表。宋人苏轼《潮州韩文公庙碑》赞韩愈「文起八代之衰，而道济天下之溺」，虽非专论此诗，然诗中「欲为圣明除弊事」的担当正见其以道自任的人格。近人论唐代贬谪诗，多以韩愈此作与柳宗元《登柳州城楼》、刘禹锡《酬乐天扬州初逢》并观，谓韩诗最见刚烈之气。诗中忠愤与亲情交织，壮阔与悲凉并存，千载之下，犹令人想见这位倔强老人顶风冒雪、策马蓝关的孤影。又此诗在艺术上以「以文为诗」见长：首联纯用叙事，中二联议论写景兼施，尾联直以口语托付，打破律诗常格而气骨自壮，故方东树谓其「得杜公之骨」，清人潘德舆亦以为「盛唐之音，此其嗣响」，其在七律发展史上的地位，于此可见；后世论忠臣迁谪之作，每以韩愈此诗与屈原《离骚》并观，谓其「忠愤之气，千载如生」。

Prosody

Form Seven-character regulated poem (seven-character lü)七言律诗（仄起首句入韵式）

Rhyme Ping-shui rhyme, lower-level one xian group (heaven, thousand, year, before, shore)押平水韵下平一先韵：天、千、年、前、边，一韵到底。

Tone pattern Oblique-onset, first-line-enters-rhyme form; the middle two couplets antithetical首句「一封朝奏九重天」为仄平平仄仄平平，「夕贬潮州路八千」为仄仄平平仄仄平；颔联「欲为圣明除弊事」为仄仄仄平平仄仄，「肯将衰朽惜残年」为仄平平仄仄平平；颈联「云横秦岭家何在」为平平平仄平平仄，「雪拥蓝关马不前」为仄仄平平仄仄平。

Reading note A grave, magnanimous regulated poem, its momentum near Du Fu.此诗为七言律诗，仄起首句入韵，押下平一先韵，天、千、年、前、边五字一韵到底，韵脚皆平声阳韵，声调开阔悠长，正合此诗苍茫悲壮的境界。全诗对仗精严：颔联「欲为圣明除弊事，肯将衰朽惜残年」以「欲为」对「肯将」，「圣明」对「衰朽」，虚实相生，义理贯注；颈联「云横秦岭家何在，雪拥蓝关马不前」以「横」对「拥」、「秦岭」对「蓝关」，皆地名相对而意象天成，被誉为七律工对中的典范。首联用「朝」「夕」的时间对比与「九重天」「路八千」的空间对比织成开篇的惊雷之势，中二联一述志、一写景，尾联以叙事托付收束，起承转合井然。音节上，全诗仄起平收，顿挫有致，气脉沉雄，故纪昀许其「语极凄切，却不衰飒」，方东树谓其「得杜公之骨」，为韩愈七律中气格最盛的一篇。

Line by line

一封朝奏九重天，夕贬潮州路八千。

One memorial, morning, up to the ninth heaven; evening, exiled to Chaozhou, eight thousand li away.

清早一封谏书奏上九重天门，傍晚便被贬往八千里外的潮州。

One memorial presented at court in the morning; by evening, exiled to Chaozhou, eight thousand li away.

首联以「朝奏」与「夕贬」对举，极写祸之速：早晨才上疏，傍晚已遭贬，一日之内从朝廷重臣沦为远谪罪臣，时间之短促令人惊心；又以「九重天」与「路八千」对举，极写贬之远：君门深似九重，而贬所远在八千里外，空间之悬殊令人绝望。四组数字（一封、朝、夕、八千）密集排布，节奏急促，如急鼓催迫，把无罪遭贬的冤愤写得喷薄而出。起笔不用一典一喻，纯以对比叙事，而气势已足，正是韩愈诗以文为诗、笔力雄健的本色。

The opening couplet sets morning memorial against evening exile, writing the doom's speed to the utmost: morning just the memorial submitted, evening already exiled; within a day from court minister to far-exiled criminal; the time's shortness makes the heart start. And ninth heaven against eight thousand li, writing the exile's distance to the utmost: the lord's gate deep as nine heavens, yet the exile place eight thousand li away; the space's disparity makes one despair. Four groups of numbers (one memorial, morning, evening, eight thousand) densely arranged, rhythm urgent, like urgent drums pressing; writing the guiltless-accused grievance bursting forth. The opening uses not one allusion or metaphor, purely narrative contrast, yet the momentum already sufficient; precisely Han Yu's using-prose-as-poetry, brush-force grand nature.

欲为圣明除弊事，肯将衰朽惜残年。

Wishing to rid wise rule of corrupt practices - how could I spare my declining years?

本想替圣明的朝堂革除弊政，怎肯因年老力衰而爱惜残年。

I wished to purge corrupt abuses from wise rule; how could I, in my decay, begrudge my remaining years?

颔联直抒胸臆，是全诗忠愤之情的核心。「欲为圣明除弊事」写谏佛骨的动机，韩愈自谓忠君爱国、为圣朝除去弊政，虽死无悔；「肯将衰朽惜残年」以反诘作结，「肯」字意为岂肯，斩钉截铁，见出宁折不弯的刚肠——年逾五十、衰朽残年，本可明哲保身，却偏要以身殉道。上句自明心迹，下句自誓志节，对仗工整而情辞激越，一位固执而可敬的老臣形象跃然纸上。此联之妙，在于把「谏而获罪」的冤屈升华为「明知不可为而为之」的道义担当，故能超越个人恩怨，具有打动人心的力量。

The second couplet speaks the heart directly, the core of the whole poem's loyal-indignation. Wishing to purge corrupt abuses from wise rule writes the Buddha-bone remonstrance's motive; Han Yu self-describes loyal to the prince, patriot, ridding the wise court of corrupt policies, no regret even unto death. How could I, in my decay, begrudge my remaining years? closes in rhetorical question; how-could means how would I, decisive, showing the unyielding spine - over fifty, decaying remaining years, could have preserved his safety, yet insists on giving his body to the Way. The upper line declares the heart, the lower swears the resolve; parallel refined yet the words impassioned; a stubborn yet venerable old minister's image leaps onto the page. This couplet's subtlety lies in sublimating the remonstrance-bringing-guilt grievance into the knowing-yet-doing moral commitment; hence it can transcend personal resentment, holding heart-striking power.

云横秦岭家何在，雪拥蓝关马不前。

Clouds stretch across the Qin range—where is my home? Snow heaps Blue Pass—the horse will no further roam.

秦岭云横，家园何在？蓝关雪厚，马儿也裹足不前。

Clouds bar the Qinling range - where is my home? Snow chokes Blue Pass - the horse will not go on.

颈联是全诗警策，以景写情、以景见志。「云横秦岭」写回望长安，只见阴云横亘于秦岭之上，家园何在？一问之中，去国怀乡之痛毕现；「雪拥蓝关」写前路积雪拥塞、马儿踟蹰不前，既是实写风雪阻途的艰难，更是象征仕途断绝、进退无路的绝境。两句一横一拥、一望一问，空间由近及远，情感由悲入壮，气象沉雄阔大，画面感极强。「马不前」三字尤为沉痛：连畜生都畏惧前路，而人却不得不行，被迫前行的悲哀与孤勇尽在其中。此联将自然景物与政治处境叠合，是情景交融的典范，千古传诵不衰。

The third couplet is the poem's alert stroke, writing feeling through scenery, showing resolve through scenery. Clouds bar the Qinling range writes looking back at Chang'an, only seeing dark clouds barring the Qinling's height; where is my home? within one question the leaving-the-country-homesick grief fully present. Snow chokes Blue Pass writes the road ahead snow-blocked, the horse hesitating, not advancing; at once real writing of the wind-and-snow blocked road's hardship, and symbolizing official-career severance, advance-and-retreat roadless绝境. The two lines one bar one choke, one gaze one question; space from near to far, emotion from grief to grandeur; the air somber and vast, picture strong. The horse will not go on three characters most poignant: even the beast fears the road ahead, yet the man must go; the forced-advance grief and lone courage all within. This couplet叠 natural scenery and political lot; the model of scenery-feeling fusion, recited through the ages.

知汝远来应有意，好收吾骨瘴江边。

I know your long journey has a purpose: to gather my bones by the plague river.

我知道你远道赶来必有用意——只盼到那瘴江之畔，替我收殓这把老骨头。

I know you came from far with intent: to gather my bones by the plague river.

尾联由壮转悲，语似豁达而实含必死之痛。「知汝远来应有意」写韩湘远道相送的深情，一句「应有意」把亲情的慰藉写得含蓄温暖；「好收吾骨瘴江边」则以托付后事作结，自料此去瘴疠之地必死无疑，故预先嘱托收骨——「好」字轻描淡写，仿佛在说一件寻常事，而字字皆是血泪。「收吾骨」暗用《左传》「死而后已」之典意，亦是古人「马革裹尸」一类托付的变体。刚肠如韩愈者，至此亦露儿女情肠，忠愤与亲情交织，刚烈与苍凉并存，读之令人泫然，是全诗情感的总收束。

The closing couplet turns from grandeur to grief; words seem open yet actually hold the certain-death pain. I know you came from far with intent writes Han Xiang's far-escorting deep feeling; one with-intent writes the family love's comfort reserved and warm. To gather my bones by the plague river closes in entrusting the aftermath; self-estimating this going to the plague land is certain death, hence beforehand charging the bone-gathering; good writes lightly, as if speaking an ordinary thing, yet every character is blood and tears. Gather my bones secretly uses the Zuo Tradition's die-then-stop allusion meaning, also the ancients' horse-hide-wrapping corpse entrusting variant. A spine as firm as Han Yu's, here also shows family affection; loyal-indignation and family love interwoven, fierceness and bleakness coexisting; reading it makes tears fall, the whole poem's emotional total close.

Study

Word focus

横与拥 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. 「云横秦岭」与「雪拥蓝关」之「横」「拥」二字，是颈联炼字的神髓。「横」写阴云横亘秦岭，如一道不可逾越的屏障横在回望长安的路上，既写云势之阔大，更喻政治迫害之压抑、归路之断绝，一「横」字使无情之云有了阻挡的意志；「拥」写积雪簇拥蓝关，如千军万马堵住去路，「拥」本为簇聚之意，此处拟人化地写雪之多、路之塞，与前文「云横」对举，一高一低、一阻一塞，把途穷路绝的处境写得触目惊心。二字皆以自然之景写政治之厄，炼字精警而气象雄浑，为全诗增色不少。

肯 A rhetorical 'how could I' (ken), firm and final, showing a will that would rather break than bend. 「肯将衰朽惜残年」之「肯」，是反诘副词，意为岂肯、怎肯，斩钉截铁，见出诗人宁折不弯的刚肠。「肯」字以反诘出之，比直说「不惜」更有力：仿佛有人劝他爱惜残年、明哲保身，他断然回绝——岂肯！岂肯因衰朽而惜残年！一字之间，倔强、孤忠、担当俱出。此字亦见韩愈的性格：一生以道自任，明知迎佛骨之谏可能招祸而必谏之，明知潮州之贬凶多吉少而必行之，「肯」字正是这种「虽千万人吾往矣」精神的注脚，也是全诗忠愤之情的浓缩。

好收吾骨 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. 「好收吾骨瘴江边」之「好」，表面轻松，实为全诗最沉痛的字眼之一。「好」字是嘱托的口吻，仿佛在说：到时替我收骨，好好的、妥妥的——越是说得轻描淡写、若无其事，越见出诗人自知必死的绝望与强作豁达的辛酸。若易作「须」「必」则直露无味，唯「好」字以家常叮嘱的语气说生死大事，举重若轻，将必死之悲化入一片慈爱与从容之中。与「知汝远来应有意」连读，可见韩愈对侄孙的深厚情感：于绝境之中犹以亲情相托付，刚肠至此尽化作绕指柔，读之令人泫然欲涕。