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唐 Tang · 诗 Poem

冬至后过吴张二子檀溪别业

After, the, Winter, Solstice, Passing, by, the, Villa, of, the, Tanxi, of, the, Two, Gentlemen, Wu, and, Zhang

孟浩然

Meng Haoran

唐诗poetry 田园Pastoral life 访友friendship 隐逸Hermitage 孟浩然Theme

卜筑因自然，檀溪不更穿。
园庐二友接，水竹数家连。
直与南山对，非关选地偏。
草堂时偃曝，兰枻日周旋。
外事情都远，中流性所便。
闲垂太公钓，兴发子猷船。
余亦幽栖者，经过窃慕焉。
梅花残腊月，柳色半春天。
鸟泊随阳雁，鱼藏缩项鳊。
停杯问山简，何似习池边。

Choosing, the, site, by, the, nature,
The, Tanxi, no, more, the, digging.
The, garden, and, the, hut, of, the, two, friends, joined,
The, water, and, the, bamboos, of, the, several, homes, linked.
Directly, facing, the, South, Mountain,
Not, that, the, site, was, chosen, the, remote.
The, thatched, hall, sometimes, sunning, the, back,
The, orchid, oars, day, by, day, the, cruising, round.
The, affairs, of, the, outside, all, far,
In, the, middle, of, the, stream, the, nature, the, suited.
At, leisure, casting, the, rod, of, the, Grand, Duke,
In, the, delight, launching, the, boat, of, the, Ziyou.
I, too, am, a, dweller, of, the, quiet,
Passing, by, I, secretly, admire, it.
The, plum, flowers, in, the, last, month, of, the, winter,
The, willow, colors, half, the, spring, sky.
The, birds, perching, follow, the, geese, of, the, sun,
The, fish, hiding, the, bream, of, the, drawn, head.
Stopping, the, cup, I, ask, the, Shan, Jian,
How, does, it, compare, with, the, side, of, the, Xi, Pool.

Listen

Meaning

A poem of the villa and the admiration, written by Meng Haoran. Choosing the site by the nature, the Tanxi no more the digging — the villa of the opening. The garden and the hut of the two friends joined, the water and the bamboos of the several homes linked — the scene of the middle. Directly facing the South Mountain, not that the site was chosen the remote — the site of the middle. And the close's stopping the cup I ask the Shan Jian, how does it compare with the side of the Xi Pool — the close's admiration. The poem is the villa and the admiration: the Tanxi, the nature, and the close's Xi Pool.

择地建屋顺任自然，在檀溪边就不再开凿穿引了。闲来垂下太公式的钓竿，兴致来了便乘上子猷般的船。

Appreciation

[Plain Paraphrase] Choosing, the, site, by, the, nature, the, Tanxi, no, more, the, digging. The, garden, and, the, hut, of, the, two, friends, joined, the, water, and, the, bamboos, of, the, several, homes, linked. Directly, facing, the, South, Mountain, not, that, the, site, was, chosen, the, remote. The, thatched, hall, sometimes, sunning, the, back, the, orchid, oars, day, by, day, the, cruising, round. The, affairs, of, the, outside, all, far, in, the, middle, of, the, stream, the, nature, the, suited. At, leisure, casting, the, rod, of, the, Grand, Duke, in, the, delight, launching, the, boat, of, the, Ziyou. I, too, am, a, dweller, of, the, quiet, passing, by, I, secretly, admire, it. The, plum, flowers, in, the, last, month, of, the, winter, the, willow, colors, half, the, spring, sky. The, birds, perching, follow, the, geese, of, the, sun, the, fish, hiding, the, bream, of, the, drawn, head. Stopping, the, cup, I, ask, the, Shan, Jian, how, does, it, compare, with, the, side, of, the, Xi, Pool. [Structure and Thought] The poem moves from the villa of the Tanxi and the nature, through the scene of the garden and the water with the leisure of the rod and the boat, to the close's the asking of the Shan Jian. [Key Technique] The poem's art is the close of the admiration: at leisure casting the rod of the Grand Duke, and the close's how does it compare with the side of the Xi Pool — the villa gathered in the leisure and the close's asking. [Emotional Tone] Quiet, admiring, and leisurely: the poem is the Tanxi, the oars and the close's Xi Pool.

【白话串讲】孟浩然冬至后去吴张二人的檀溪别业：“卜筑因自然，檀溪不更穿”。“园庐二友接，水竹数家连”——“闲垂太公钓，兴发子猷船”——“余亦幽栖者，经过窃慕焉”——他羡慕朋友的隐居生活。【意象与手法】赋笔写隐趣，「因自然」「性所便」以家常语寄理趣，太公钓、子猷船诸典浑化无迹。【情感与主旨】写襄阳文人圈吏隐相兼、山水自娱的生活理想，语淡而味终不薄，淡而弥永。【名句点睛】「卜筑因自然」最见骨——以建屋的「减法」写处世的「减法」，不工之工，语淡旨远。

Background

Meng Haoran (689-740), the poet of the mountains and the fields of the Tang, wrote this 'After, the, Winter, Solstice, Passing, by, the, Villa, of, the, Tanxi' of the villa and the admiration — the praise of the friends' residence. The Tanxi with the nature, the leisure of the rod and the boat, and the close's the asking of the Shan Jian — the poem gathers the admiration of the poet, the charm of the waters. The poem is one of the works of the poet's poems of the villa.

孟浩然（六八九—七四〇），襄阳人，盛唐山水田园诗派之代表，与王维并称「王孟」。此诗题「冬至后过吴张二子檀溪别业」，写诗人于冬至之后拜访友人吴、张二人在檀溪的别墅。檀溪在襄阳城西，即三国时刘备「马跃檀溪」处，傍汉水，地近岘山，自晋以来便是襄阳士族营建别业、宴游赋诗之佳处。孟浩然一生隐居襄阳鹿门山，又好交游，与本地望族（如张子容、吴姓友人）过从甚密，此诗即闲居漫游中访友之作，具体年份难确考，约在开元中后期。值得注意的是，题中「吴张二子」之「二子」含尊敬亲狎之意，可见孟与二人之交非泛泛。诗中「外事情都远，中流性所便」「余亦幽栖者」云云，正见孟浩然「红颜弃轩冕，白首卧松云」的隐逸本色，亦折射盛唐襄阳文人圈「吏隐相兼、山水自娱」的生活理想。可参看《孟浩然集》卷三诸襄阳题材诗，及《旧唐书·文苑传》载其「隐鹿门山，以诗自适」，知此题与其人生行迹深相契合；檀溪地望亦见《元和郡县志》襄州条。又《新唐书·孟浩然传》称其「隐鹿门山，以诗自适，年四十乃游京师」，此诗正写其隐于襄阳时与本地士族交游之实。檀溪、岘山、汉水构成襄阳文人圈的山水坐标，孟浩然、张子容、王士源诸人诗酒相和，形成中唐前夜的地域文学群落。杜甫后来《解闷》「复忆襄阳孟浩然，清诗句句尽堪传」，正据此期清境之作而立论。可知此诗非偶然应酬，而是襄阳隐逸文化网络的有机一环，兼具交游史与文学史双重价值。

Art

The poem's art is the art of the admiration. The villa opens: choosing, the, site, by, the, nature — the site of the nature; the, Tanxi, no, more, the, digging — the Tanxi of the no digging. The scene follows: the, garden, and, the, hut, of, the, two, friends, joined — the joined of the two friends; the, water, and, the, bamboos, of, the, several, homes, linked — the linked of the several homes; directly, facing, the, South, Mountain — the South Mountain of the facing; not, that, the, site, was, chosen, the, remote — the remote of the not chosen; the, thatched, hall, sometimes, sunning, the, back — the thatched hall of the sunning; the, orchid, oars, day, by, day, the, cruising, round — the orchid oars of the cruising; the, affairs, of, the, outside, all, far — the outside of the far; in, the, middle, of, the, stream, the, nature, the, suited — the nature of the suited; at, leisure, casting, the, rod, of, the, Grand, Duke — the rod of the Grand Duke; in, the, delight, launching, the, boat, of, the, Ziyou — the boat of the Ziyou. And the close gathers the admiration: I, too, am, a, dweller, of, the, quiet — the dweller of the quiet; passing, by, I, secretly, admire, it — the admiring of the passing; stopping, the, cup, I, ask, the, Shan, Jian — the asking of the Shan Jian; how, does, it, compare, with, the, side, of, the, Xi, Pool — the Xi Pool of the comparing — the villa, the leisure and the close's admiration, gathered in the poem.

此诗艺术上以「赋笔写隐趣、以景证性灵」为骨架，体现孟浩然田园诗「淡而弥永」的一贯风格。其一，起手「卜筑因自然，檀溪不更穿」即立「因任自然」的营建哲学——不穿凿、不勉强，依山就水而筑，暗合庄子「猖狂妄行，蹈乎大方」之旨，为全篇定调。其二，中间以「园庐二友接，水竹数家连」「直与南山对，非关选地偏」铺写别业环境，由近（园庐、水竹）及远（南山），由人（二友、数家）及境，空间层次分明；「非关选地偏」翻用陶渊明「心远地自偏」，强调非地偏而是心远，见出理趣。其三，生活细节传神：「草堂时偃曝」写曝背向阳之闲，「兰枻日周旋」写划船游水之乐，「闲垂太公钓，兴发子猷船」以二典写渔钓与乘兴，将隐逸生活写得鲜活可触。其四，收束「停杯问山简，何似习池边」以晋人山简醉游习池自比，把当下宴聚升格为历史风流。全诗句句写实而句句见道，语言省净如话，不假雕饰，而「自然—性便—幽栖」的内在理路贯穿始终，是孟诗「以家常语写高人意」的典型。再论其「淡而实腴」，诗中无一奇字险韵，而「因自然」「性所便」「幽栖者」等语皆含理趣，淡语中自有厚度，此即苏轼所赏「如内库酒，色然醇正」者。且章法以「卜筑—园庐—南山—草堂—垂钓—问山简」次第展开，由物及人、由境及心，如园林之渐入渐深，与谢灵运山水诗「移步换形」同源而异趣——谢诗费力，孟诗自然。中二联对仗虽工，而读来不觉其痕，所谓「羚羊挂角，无迹可求」，最是王孟一派不烦绳削而自合的化境。

Allusions

'The Tanxi' (tan xi) is the Tanxi — the stream of the Tan, the villa of the friends; 'the Grand Duke' (tai gong) is the Grand Duke — the Jiang of the Tai Gong, the rod of the fishing; 'the Ziyou' (Ziyou) is the Ziyou — the Wang of the Ziyou, the boat of the snow; 'the Shan Jian' (Shan Jian) is the Shan Jian — the officer of the Jin, the asking of the wine; 'the Xi Pool' (xi chi) is the Xi Pool — the pool of the Xi, the pool of the Xi Chi.

诗中用典皆取隐逸与高士传统，雅驯贴切。其一，「太公钓」指姜太公吕尚渭滨垂钓遇文王之事，出《史记·齐太公世家》，后泛指隐士待时或闲钓，此处写友人闲垂钓竿，取其「钓而不纲」的闲适而非求仕。其二，「子猷船」用王子猷（王徽之）雪夜访戴逵「乘兴而行，兴尽而返」之典，出《世说新语·任诞》，喻任情适性、不羁礼法，此处「兴发子猷船」写乘兴荡舟，正合其「吾本乘兴而来」的晋人风度。其三，「山简」「习池」合用：山简为晋征南将军，镇襄阳时每醉游习家池（习郁池），《晋书·山简传》载「简每出嬉游，多之池上，置酒辄醉，名之曰高阳池」，襄阳遂成「醉游」典故渊薮；孟浩然襄阳人，用本土先贤自况，亲切而自豪。其四，「南山」暗用陶渊明「采菊东篱下，悠然见南山」，及《诗经·小雅·节南山》，此处既实指襄阳南山，亦遥接陶氏心远之意。诸典皆襄阳地脉与六朝高隐的融合，使一首访友小诗承载了丰厚的文化记忆与地域认同。又「檀溪」本事见《三国志·先主传》注引《世语》「马跃檀溪」，刘备以此脱险，至唐已成英雄遗迹；孟浩然以故乡掌故入诗，既贴地脉，又暗含对往昔英风的遥想。「兰枻」之「枻」本《楚辞·湘君》「桂櫂兮兰枻」，以兰木为楫，雅洁之称，承楚辞香草意象。「太公钓」「子猷船」「山简习池」三典分属周、晋、本土，时空跨越而皆归隐逸，足见孟浩然用典「如水中着盐」，浑化无迹。凡此，皆使其家常语具有深厚的文化纵深。

Commentary

This poem is one of the works of Meng Haoran's poems of the villa, quoted for the leisure of its middle and the admiration of its close. The rod of the Grand Duke, and the asking of the Shan Jian, are among the admired passages of the poet's poems. Critics praise the poem's admiration: the villa gathered in the leisure, to the close's Xi Pool.

此诗虽非孟浩然最脍炙人口之作，论者亦多许其「清雅有致、隐趣盎然」。宋人刘辰翁评孟诗「淡泊中有至味」，此篇「外事情都远，中流性所便」正合其评。明人胡应麟《诗薮》论孟浩然五言「顿挫浏亮」，以此类襄阳田园作为证。清人沈德潜《唐诗别裁集》卷九选孟诗，虽未录此篇，然于孟之隐逸诸作总评「胸次高旷，语淡而味终不薄」，移评此诗亦切。王士禛《带经堂诗话》论唐人「神韵」，以王孟为宗，此诗「梅花残腊月，柳色半春天」之自然流转，正具神韵派所赏的「不著力而自工」。近人闻一多《唐诗杂论·孟浩然》谓孟诗「将隐逸生活写得如同呼吸一样自然」，此篇「闲垂太公钓，兴发子猷船」恰可证之。今人《孟浩然诗集笺注》（佟培基笺注）于此题考其地望交游甚详。综之，诸家虽角度不一，而于其「语淡味永、以隐趣为骨」的判断则众口一辞，视其为研究孟浩然襄阳交游诗的重要文本。今人闻一多《唐诗杂论·孟浩然》谓其诗「将隐逸生活写得如同呼吸一样自然」，此篇「闲垂太公钓，兴发子猷船」恰可证之。叶嘉莹论孟诗则重其「以闲淡之笔写澄明之境」，以为得陶渊明之静。袁行霈《中国文学史》以「清」字括孟，谓其「清而不寒，淡而能腴」，移评此诗尤为中的。综合近世研究，此作虽非孟之绝唱，却以其完整的隐逸逻辑与襄阳地域色彩，成为理解孟浩然仕隐合一人格的关键文本，宜与《过故人庄》并读。

Prosody

Form An old poem of the villa (wu yan pai lü)五言排律（十联二十句之 extended regulated verse）

Rhyme The poem rhymes on the level of the group — the cadence of the old poem that carries the leisurely admiration.下平一先韵（穿、连、偏、旋、便、船、焉、天、鳊、边）一韵到底

Tone pattern The cadence is that of the admiration: the level opening with the villa, the turning with the leisure, and the close's fall with the Xi Pool.首句不入韵式，中多联对仗，平仄合五律基本法度而篇幅展为排律

Reading note The poem's sound matches its leisure: the cadences of the old poem, and the close — 'he si Xi chi bian' — falls with the pool, the sound of the admiration of the visiting poet.此诗为五言排律，起联「卜筑因自然，檀溪不更穿」为仄起不入韵式，自次句「穿」字始押下平一先韵，以下「连、偏、旋、便、船、焉、天、鳊、边」一韵贯通全篇二十句，声情悠长舒展，恰配其闲远从容的抒情节奏。排律要求中联皆对，此诗自第二联至第九联（「园庐二友接」至「鱼藏缩项鳊」）几乎联联工对：如「园庐」对「水竹」、「二友」对「数家」、「直与」对「非关」、「南山」对「地偏」，名词动词各得其偶，体现盛唐排律隶事精严的法度。平仄方面，如「外事情都远」为「仄仄平平仄」、「中流性所便」为「平平仄仄平」，粘对基本合律，仅首尾联略作放散以见起讫。排律体繁于初唐而盛于盛唐，杜甫最工，孟浩然此篇虽不如杜之沉郁，而以清雅闲淡运排律，密而无痕，正见其「以古淡御繁缛」的腕力。清人论排律多重富丽，然此诗以田园清境入排律，别开一途，可据《唐诗品汇》「排律」类参看其「清而能畅」的体性。

Line by line

卜筑因自然，檀溪不更穿。

Choosing, the, site, by, the, nature, the, Tanxi, no, more, the, digging.

择地建屋顺任自然，在檀溪边就不再开凿穿引了。

Choosing the site by nature; at Tan Stream no further channel is cut.

此联为全诗起手，开门见山抛出营建哲学，亦是全篇「自然」主题的题眼。「卜筑」谓择地建屋，「因自然」三字最可玩味——不违背山水本形、不强行穿凿，一切依任地势水脉，这是道家「辅万物之自然而不敢为」的营建观，也是文人别业区别于皇家苑囿的根本美学。「檀溪不更穿」以具体动作落实：既已得檀溪之胜，便不再人工穿渠引水，知足而止。此联之妙，在将「如何建屋」这一物质行为，提升为「如何处世」的精神宣言，与陶渊明「量力守故辙」、王维「行到水穷处」同一机杼。艺术上，起句平实如叙家常，却暗藏理趣，为后文「非关选地偏」「中流性所便」埋下伏线——正因为「因自然」，故地不必偏、性乃得便。短短十字，以建筑的「减法」写人生的「减法」，语淡而旨远，典型体现孟浩然「以浅语寄深致」的腕力。

This couplet is the whole poem's opening, coming straight out with the building philosophy, also the whole piece's natural theme's eye. Choosing the site means selecting ground to build; by nature three characters most savor-worthy - not violating hills-and-waters' original form, not forcefully cutting; everything follows the terrain and water veins; this is Daoist assisting-all-things'-nature-yet-not-daring-to-act building view, also the literati villa's fundamental aesthetic distinguishing from imperial parks. At Tan Stream no further channel is cut落实 through concrete action: already having gotten Tan Stream's beauty, no longer artificially cutting channels; contentment and stopping. This couplet's subtlety lies in elevating how-to-build-house, a material action, into how-to-conduct-life's spiritual declaration; with Tao Yuanming's measuring-keeping-the-old-rut, Wang Wei's walking-till-the-stream-runs-dry, same craft. Artistically, the opening plain like household chat, yet secretly holding principle-delight, planting伏笔 for the later not-about-site-choice's-remoteness and mid-stream-nature's-convenience - precisely because by-nature, the site need not be remote, the nature then gets its convenience. Within a mere ten characters, using architecture's subtraction to write life's subtraction; words plain yet purport far; typical of Meng Haoran's using-shallow-words-to- lodge-deep-meaning brush strength.

闲垂太公钓，兴发子猷船。

At, leisure, casting, the, rod, of, the, Grand, Duke, in, the, delight, launching, the, boat, of, the, Ziyou.

闲来垂下太公式的钓竿，兴致来了便乘上子猷般的船。

At leisure I fish like Taigong; in mood I take Ziyao's boat.

此联写别业中的日常雅趣，是全诗最见生活温度的一笔。「闲垂太公钓」以姜太公渭滨垂钓之典写友人闲钓——此处不取太公「钓以遇文王」的功利，而取其「钓以适性」的闲，一个「闲」字点破旨归；「兴发子猷船」用王子猷雪夜访戴「乘兴而行」之典，写乘兴荡舟、不拘程期，一个「兴」字道尽晋人任真。二句对仗精工，「太公」对「子猷」皆高士，「钓」对「船」皆水上乐事，「闲」对「兴」一静一动，将隐逸生活的两种典型姿态（静钓之闲、动游之兴）并置，饱满而灵动。其深层意涵在：太公与子猷一为待时之隐、一为任性之达，孟浩然并举之，正写出盛唐隐士「外虽闲散、内具风骨」的复合人格。艺术上，隶事而不涩，用典如己出，使寻常钓船之事染上历史风流，读来但觉清风徐来。此联与起联「因自然」、结联「问山简」遥相呼应，共同织成一张由庄、晋、唐叠合的隐逸意义之网。

This couplet writes the villa's daily refined delight, the whole poem's most life-warm stroke. At leisure I fish like Taigong uses Jiang Taigong's Wei-bank-fishing allusion to write the friend's leisure fishing - here not taking Taigong's fishing-to-meet-King-Wen utility, but taking his fishing-to-fit-nature leisure; one leisure names the purport. In mood I take Ziyao's boat uses Wang Ziyou's snow-night-visit-to-Dai traveling-in-mood's-allusion, writing boating in mood, not bound to schedule; one mood exhausts the Jin people's truthfulness. The two lines' parallel refined: Taigong against Ziyou both high scholars; fishing against boat both water joys; leisure against mood one still one motion, placing the recluse life's two typical postures (still-fishing leisure, motion-travel mood) side by side, full yet lively. Its deep meaning lies in: Taigong and Ziyou, one waiting-for-time recluse, one nature-following free spirit; Meng Haoran pairing them, precisely writing the High-Tang recluse's outward-idle-yet-inner-bone composite personality. Artistically, alluding yet not obscure, using allusions as if own-out, making ordinary fishing-boat affairs dyed with historical romance; reading it one only feels the breeze slowly coming. This couplet echoes the opening couplet's by-nature and the closing's asking Jian, jointly weaving a recluse-meaning net layered from Zhuang, Jin, and Tang.

Study

Word focus

因 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. 「卜筑因自然」之「因」字，是全诗炼字之眼，也是孟浩然隐逸哲学的浓缩。「因」本义为凭借、依随，此处作动词，谓建屋「依随自然」而非改造自然，一字而具三重意涵：一在方法论上，主张顺应山水本形，反对穿凿妄为，与《老子》「道法自然」、《庄子》「因任」一脉相通；二在审美上，标举「不工之工」，别业之妙正在于「不更穿」的素朴，反衬六朝以来雕镂山池的侈靡；三在人格上，「因」即「不勉强」，是孟浩然「红颜弃轩冕」式随遇而安的态度的物化。自修辞观之，「因自然」三字以虚词（因）带实境（自然），举重若轻，较之「法自然」「师自然」更具主动的依随之趣。溯其渊源，陶渊明「依依墟里烟」已开依随之笔，至孟浩然以「因」字提炼为营建与处世的通用原则，下启王维「依仗柴门外」的从容。一字之炼，可见盛唐田园诗「以哲理入家常」的极高明而道中庸。

便 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. 「中流性所便」之「便」字，是诗中关合「性」与「境」的关键炼字。便本义为适宜、安适，此处写置身中流（溪水中央）正合自家本性之所安，「性所便」即「本性觉得舒适」。其妙在将外在的「中流」与内在的「性」勾连——不是人去将就环境，而是环境恰好「便」了人的本性，主客相得，物我两忘。这与起联「因自然」、第五联「非关选地偏」构成逻辑链条：因自然→地不必偏→中流性所便，层层递进地论证「心远则境远」。自修辞观之，「便」字口语而精确，孟浩然善用此类家常字眼承载理趣（如「待到重阳日」之「待」），「便」字不着力而意自足。较之谢灵运山水诗「虑澹物自轻」的玄言尾巴，孟此「便」字更浑成自然，无说理痕。一字之炼，使全诗的隐逸之乐由客观描摹转为主观确证——我之乐于中流，非关地美，实因性便，这正是盛唐隐逸诗「乐在其中」而非「苦节自持」的精神标识。