魏晋 Wei-Jin · 诗 Poem
对酒
To Wine
对酒歌，太平时，吏不呼门。
王者贤且明，宰相股肱皆忠良。
咸礼让，民无所争讼。
三年耕有九年储，仓谷满盈。
班白不负戴，雨泽如此，百谷用成。
却走马，以粪其土田。
爵公侯伯子男，咸爱其民，以黜陟幽明。
子养有若父与兄。
犯礼法，轻重随其刑。
路无拾遗之私，囹圄空虚，冬节不断。
人耄耋，皆得以寿终。
恩泽广及草木昆虫。
No officials knock at doors.
The king is wise and bright,
Chancellors and ministers all loyal and good.
All yield and defer, the people have no disputes.
Three years of tillage yield nine years' store,
Granaries are full.
The gray-haired carry no burdens,
Rain falls timely, all grains ripen.
Retire the warhorses, to manure the fields.
Dukes, marquises, earls, viscounts, barons
All love their people, promoting the worthy, dismissing the dull.
They nurture them as fathers and elder brothers.
Those who violate rites and laws are punished according to severity.
No one picks up lost items on the road,
Prisons are empty, no trials in winter.
People live to old age and die naturally.
Grace extends to grass, trees, and insects.
Meaning
The poet, while drinking, sings of an ideal peaceful era: no official harassment, a wise king and loyal ministers, people courteous and without lawsuits, ample food reserves, old people not burdened, timely rain, retired warhorses used for farming, all nobles loving their people, strict but fair justice, no theft, empty prisons, elderly dying naturally, and grace extending to all living things.
对着酒高歌，太平时世，官吏不敲门催逼。君王贤明，宰相与辅臣都忠良。人人礼让，百姓没有争讼。三年耕种便有九年储备，粮仓堆满。头发斑白的人不必背负头顶重物，雨水这样适时，百谷因此成熟。把战马都退还，用来耕粪田土。封爵公侯伯子男，都爱护百姓，黜退昏庸、晋升贤明。养育百姓如同父兄。触犯礼法，按轻重施以刑罚。路不拾遗，监狱空虚，冬节不断案。人至八九十岁，都能得享天年。恩泽广被到草木昆虫。
Appreciation
Composed during the Jian'an era, Cao Cao's 'To Wine' outlines his vision of an ideal peaceful society. Starting with a toast, it sequentially describes a realm where officials do not disturb, the ruler is wise, granaries overflow, customs are virtuous, justice is mild, and the elderly die naturally. The poem ends by extending grace to plants and insects, reflecting Cao Cao's ambition to bring order to the world. The language is straightforward and rhythmic, typical of his grand style.
【白话串讲】 曹操写理想中的太平盛世：“吏不呼门”——官吏不敲门催租。“三年耕有九年储”——耕三年有九年存粮。“班白不负戴”——老人不用背东西。一个乱世枭雄的理想，如此朴素。 【意象与手法】 全诗三言、四言、杂言相间，承诗经四言遗风而参以乐府活泼句式。结构上先以对酒歌，太平时点题，继而分层铺写 【情感与主旨】 曹操对酒作于建安年间，时曹操已挟天子令诸侯，意在建功立业、收拾汉末战乱残局。诗以对酒歌起，铺陈其理想中的太平治世 【名句点睛】 考点：一诗歌主旨（理想太平盛世）；二铺陈排比手法；三用典含义（却走马喻止戈）。常见命题：诗中描绘了一幅怎样的图景？
Background
Cao Cao wrote 'To Wine' during the Jian'an period (196-220 CE), when he controlled the Han emperor and sought to unify the war-torn realm. The poem constructs a utopian vision of peace: no official harassment, wise rulers, abundant harvests, virtuous customs, and universal benevolence. It reflects both his personal political ideals and the common aspiration of the age for stability. The contrast with the actual chaos of the late Han gives the poem a poignant depth.
曹操《对酒》作于建安年间，时曹操已挟天子令诸侯，意在建功立业、收拾汉末战乱残局。诗以对酒歌起，铺陈其理想中的太平治世：吏不扰民、君王贤明、仓廪充实、路不拾遗、囹圄空虚、老者寿终。这既是对太平的向往，亦含曹操以天下为己任的政治抱负。汉末军阀混战、白骨蔽野，此诗正以其反向的乌托邦想象，折射乱世文人对治世的渴求，亦见曹操外定武功、内兴文学的儒法兼综之治术理想。作为建安文学的代表，曹操诗风古直沉雄，此篇虽写治世理想，骨子里仍见建安风骨的家国之念。其与《短歌行》《观沧海》并读，可见曹操既是政治家亦是诗人，以诗笔建构其王道蓝图，在汉末乐府中独标一格，亦为后世述志诗的重要源头。更须留意者，此诗作于群雄逐鹿、生灵涂炭之际，其太平之想愈美，愈反衬现实之惨，这种以理想照现实的写法，正是建安诗人直面苦难而仍存建构意识的深沉处。
Art
The poem alternates between three- and four-character lines, blending the classical elegance of the Book of Songs with the liveliness of folk yuefu. It is structured as a series of ideal scenes: politics, economy, society, law, and aged care, culminating in a vision of universal benevolence. The straightforward diction and parallel phrasing convey Cao Cao's characteristic vigor and aspiration.
全诗三言、四言、杂言相间，承诗经四言遗风而参以乐府活泼句式。结构上先以对酒歌，太平时点题，继而分层铺写：政治（吏不呼门、王贤相良）、经济（耕有九年储）、风化（礼让无讼、路不拾遗）、司法（囹圄空虚）、养老（耄耋寿终），末以恩泽广及草木昆虫收束，将仁政推及万物。语言质朴明朗，多用排比（咸……皆……），气脉贯通，体现曹操诗如幽燕老将、气韵沉雄的磊落风貌，理想色彩浓而少雕饰。其铺陈手法源自《诗经》雅颂与汉乐府叙事，而能于严整中见变化；由人间治世扩至草木昆虫，格局由近及远、由小而大，显出王者胸怀。虽为颂世之作，却无谀媚之气，朴拙中自饶刚健，是建安诗歌以气胜、以理胜的典型，亦见曹操以政治家之眼结构诗歌的独特章法。要之，此诗以井然的层次、明快的排比、由人及物的扩展，把一幅乌托邦图景写得既具体又恢宏，是四言诗中罕见的政治理想长篇，其章法之整严与气象之开阔，足与《诗经》雅颂遥相承续。
Allusions
The poem echoes classical texts: 'Three years of tillage' from the Record of Rites, 'Retire the warhorses' from Laozi (chapter 46), and 'promote the worthy, dismiss the dull' from the Book of Documents. These references reveal Cao Cao's deep learning and his ideal of governance rooted in both Confucianism and Daoism.
三年耕有九年储语本《礼记·王制》三年耕，必有一年之食；九年耕，必有三年之食，言仓储之足，喻太平。股肱出自《尚书·益稷》股肱喜哉，喻辅臣，曹操以之比宰相。却走马，以粪其土田化用《老子》天下有道，却走马以粪，以战马归田喻止戈兴农。黜陟幽明出自《尚书·舜典》黜陟幽明，指进退人才。用典皆关治道，见曹操以经术为政治蓝图的深厚学养。此外班白不负戴用《孟子》颁白者不负戴于道路，写养老之政；礼让无讼则本孔子礼乐之教。全诗典故皆取自经史，无一绮语，与其政治家身份相称，亦显汉末儒法兼治的思潮。以经典故实构筑乌托邦，使理想治世获得深厚的文化依据，是此诗用典的显著特征。尤为可取者，这些典故并非堆垛炫耀，而是被有机织入治世图景的各个层面，使每一句颂世之语都有经典为支撑，足见曹操以学者之渊深运诗人之笔的独到之处。
Commentary
Critics have noted the classical influence on this poem: Zhong Rong remarked on Cao Cao's 'ancient straightforwardness', while Hu Yinglin considered it an imitation of the 'Odes' with majestic spirit. Shen Deqian saw in it the legacy of the Book of Songs. The poem stands out among Cao Cao's works for its idealistic tone, yet still embodies the robust 'Jian'an style'.
钟嵘《诗品》称曹操诗曹公古直，甚有悲凉之句，对酒虽写治世理想，骨子里仍见建安风骨。明人胡应麟谓魏武对酒等篇，全效雅颂，而气象沉雄。沈德潜《古诗源》云孟德诗犹有三百篇遗意。足证此诗上承诗经雅颂、下开建安刚健，为曹操四言中别开生面之作。与曹操其他述志诗相较，《短歌行》写求贤之渴、《观沧海》写宇宙之阔，此篇则写治世之蓝图，三诗合观，可见其政治理想之全貌。在文学史上，此诗以四言写太平，承《诗经》余绪而能自出新意，对后世如陶渊明《桃花源诗》、杜甫《忆昔》之乌托邦书写皆有启发。其朴茂刚健之气，更为建安风骨之重要标本，影响及于魏晋以降的述志与田园诗脉。要之，此诗虽为颂世之作，却以古直沉雄的建安气韵立于文学之林，其将政治理想诗化、以经典支撑蓝图的做法，为中国述志诗开辟了一种以理驭情、以气驭辞的正大传统。
Prosody
Line by line
对酒歌，太平时，吏不呼门。
Singing over wine, times of peace, officials do not knock at doors. This line sets the tone for the ideal society.
对酒高歌，太平时世，官吏不敲门催逼。
Facing wine I sing; in the age of peace, officials do not knock at the gate.
开篇点题，以吏不呼门写轻徭无扰的治世。对酒歌三言起势，太平时三字定调，仿若宴饮颂歌，古拙而有气度；吏不呼门写官吏不敲门催逼赋役，是乱世人民最朴素的期盼，亦反衬汉末现实中之横征暴敛。此句由宴乐之乐转入为政之善，寥寥数语勾勒出无扰之世的轮廓，是曹操以诗笔写王道蓝图的起笔。古直之中见悲凉——正因现实太苦，理想中的不呼门才格外动人，建安风骨的家国之念已隐伏其中。尤为可取者，以对酒歌的欢愉起笔反衬吏不呼门的政事，把沉重的社会理想包裹在宴饮的轻快节奏里，起手便见建安诗人以乐写哀、以理想照现实的深沉笔法。
The opening names the theme, using officials-not-knocking to write the light-tax, untroubled age. Facing wine I sing opens the three-beat rhythm; in the age of peace sets the tone; officials do not knock at the gate writes the people's simplest hope in troubled times, set against the late-Han exactions. The line moves from feast joy to good government, sketching the untroubled world in a few words. This is Cao Cao's opening in poetry of a royal blueprint - archaic yet desolate, because the ideal is moving precisely because the reality is bitter.
三年耕有九年储，仓谷满盈。
Three years of farming yield nine years of reserves; granaries are full. This alludes to the Record of Rites, showing economic abundance.
三年耕种有九年储备，粮仓满溢。
Three years of plowing yield nine years of stores; the granaries are full to overflowing.
用《王制》典，写经济丰足，太平之基。三年耕有九年储言农政之备，仓谷满盈写实物之实，由制度理想落到粮仓景象，具体可感。曹操以政治家之眼，深知仓廪实而知礼节，故将经济储备列为治世要义之一。此句承上启下，由吏治转入民生，显出其蓝图之系统。用典而不泥古，以九年储的夸张写极备之足，朴茂刚健，是建安诗歌以理胜、以气胜的典型笔墨，亦见乱世英雄对太平最务实的想象。其妙尤在把抽象的礼制理想化为满盈的粮仓画面，使读者于沉甸甸的谷穗中触摸到太平的质感，这种以实写虚、以物写政的手法，正见曹操诗古直而有力的本色。
This line uses the Royal System allusion for economic plenty, the foundation of peace. Three years of plowing yield nine years of stores writes the agricultural provision; the granaries are full to overflowing writes the concrete plenty. From institutional ideal to granary scene, the line is tangible. Cao Cao, as politician, knows that full granaries produce manners; economic provision is listed as a key of good rule. The line moves from officials to people, showing the blueprint's system. The allusion is not slavish; the nine-year stores hyperbolize the readiness, plain and vigorous.
却走马，以粪其土田。
Retire the warhorses to manure the fields. Adapted from Laozi, symbolizing the end of war and return to agriculture.
退还战马，用来肥田。
The war horses are dismissed to manure the fields.
化《老子》却走马以粪，喻止戈兴农。却字有力，写罢战马归农，以粪其土田言以马粪肥田、化干戈为农具，是和平最具体的象征。曹操身处征战频仍之世，此句却写战马归田，既是理想，亦暗含其削平战乱、与民休息的抱负。用典极精，以走马之动转田园之静，意象对比鲜明。此句为全诗中极具画面感的一笔，将抽象的止戈理想化为耕粪的田园场景，刚健中见温厚，是曹操述志诗中少有的平和亮色。尤为动人者，却字所含的转折之力，把战争的戾气一笔抹去、转为田间的粪壤，这种由杀伐归于生养的意象转换，正是乱世英雄最深切的和平愿望，亦使全诗的乌托邦想象落到了可耕可食的人间烟火。
This line transforms Laozi's dismiss the war horses to manure the fields, writing the ending of war and the rise of farming. Dismiss is the strong verb - war horses returned to agriculture; to manure the fields writes the conversion of arms to farmland, the most concrete symbol of peace. Cao Cao lives in war; yet this line writes war horses to fields, both ideal and his ambition to end war and rest the people. The image's contrast is vivid: war's motion turned to farm stillness. This is one of the poem's most visual lines, converting the abstract end-of-war into the pastoral scene of manuring.
恩泽广及草木昆虫。
Grace extends to grasses, trees, and insects. This final line expands benevolence to all living things, showing the poet's grand vision.
恩泽广被草木昆虫。
His grace extends even to grass, trees, insects, and worms.
将仁政推及万物，收束宏大，见抱负。恩泽广及写仁德之普，草木昆虫则推至无情之物，显出王者胸怀之无边。由人间之治扩至自然之被，格局由近及远、由小而大，是铺陈手法的收束高潮。曹操以此句将乌托邦从社会层面提升至宇宙层面，显其以天下为念的气度。看似平淡的收尾，实则举重若轻，使一首颂世诗获得苍茫的气象，与建安风骨中那种囊括天地的气韵一脉相通，亦见政治家诗人独有的格局。其妙尤在收束于草木昆虫这一最为卑微的生命，使王者之德不限于人类而遍及万物，把仁政理想推到极处，恰见曹操以宇宙心胸结构诗篇的宏大视野，余韵苍然。
This line extends benevolent rule to all things, closing with grandeur. His grace extends even to grass, trees, insects, and worms writes the ruler's virtue reaching even to the senseless things. From human rule to natural grace, the scope expands near to far. Cao Cao lifts the utopia from the social to the cosmic, showing his world-embracing mind. The plain closing is weightless in its weight - a praise poem gaining vast air. The line closes on the humblest lives, making royal virtue universal, pushing benevolent rule to its extreme.
Study
Word focus
Related Reading
Both by Cao Cao, one depicts an ideal peace, the other seeks talented men for unification; together they show his political aspirations.
同出曹操，一写太平理想、一写求贤统一，可并观其政治抱负。短歌行以对酒当歌写人生苦短与求贤之急，对酒则以对酒歌写治世蓝图，同以酒起兴而取向各异：一向内忧叹，一向外建构。合读二诗，可见曹操既为诗人亦为政治家，其诗笔始终围绕天下二字，一写渴慕人才、一写理想秩序，互补而成其王道全貌，亦证建安述志诗的多重面向。尤为可较者，二诗皆以对酒发端，却一悲一壮、一叹一颂，恰见同一诗人面对人生与时代时的两种抒情维度，亦使曹操的诗歌世界更显丰厚。
观沧海 Viewing the Blue Sea 曹操 · 同（同作者·建安风骨） Same author (same style)Both exhibit majestic spirit; one describes the natural sea, the other a utopian society.
同具沉雄气象，一写自然沧海、一写治世理想，皆见魏武本色。观沧海写东临碣石以观沧海的宇宙之阔，对酒写太平治世的仁政之详，一自然一人文，而皆以囊括天地的气度出之。二诗同出建安，同显沉雄，合观可知曹操抒情之两维：对自然则壮阔，对人事则仁厚，而其共有的刚健气韵，正是建安风骨的核心。二者并读，恰如魏武精神的一体两面，一向外征服天地，一向内建构人间，共同铸就了曹操诗歌雄浑正大的总体风貌，亦为后世述志诗确立了以气驭辞的范式。
咏史 Poetic History 左思 · 异（咏怀·时代） Different poet and approach (lyrical expression and era)Both belong to the Wei-Jin period but Cao Cao writes an ideal society while Zuo Si satirizes the gatekeeping system.
同属魏晋述志，曹操写理想治世、左思讽门阀，可比较视角差异。左思《咏史》以寒士之慨刺世家之固，沉郁抑塞；曹操则此诗以英雄之笔构太平之图，昂扬朗畅。同写胸中块垒，而一讽一颂、一抑一扬，恰见魏晋诗人面对时代的不同姿态，亦可见述志诗由汉末理想主义到西晋批判精神的时代流转。尤为可较者，曹诗之颂基于乱世之后对秩序的渴求，左诗之讽基于承平之中对不公的抗议，同是述志而语境迥异，恰可印证文学与时代症候的深刻缠绕，亦见建安与太康诗风的精神分野。