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魏晋 Wei-Jin · 赋 Fu rhapsody

思旧赋

Fu on Thinking of the Old

向秀

Xiang Xiu

怀古History 抒情Emotion

余与嵇康、吕安居止接近，其人并有不羁之才。
然嵇志远而疏，吕心旷而放。
其后各以事见法。
嵇博综技艺，于丝竹特妙。
临当就命，顾视日影，索琴而弹之。
余逝将西迈，经其旧庐。
于时日薄虞渊，寒冰凄然。
邻人有吹笛者，发音寥亮。
追思曩昔游宴之好，感音而叹，故作赋云。
将命适于远京兮，遂旋反而北徂。
济黄河以泛舟兮，经山阳之旧居。
瞻旷野之萧条兮，息余驾乎城隅。
践二子之遗迹兮，历穷巷之空庐。
叹黍离之愍周兮，悲麦秀于殷墟。
惟古昔以怀今兮，心徘徊以踌躇。
栋宇存而弗毁兮，形神逝其焉如。
昔李斯之受罪兮，叹黄犬而长吟。
悼嵇生之永辞兮，顾日影而弹琴。
托运遇于领会兮，寄余命于寸阴。
听鸣笛之慷慨兮，妙声绝而复寻。
停驾言其将迈兮，故援翰以写心。

I lived near Xi Kang and Lü An; both men of unrestrained talent.
Xi was lofty but aloof, Lü broad-minded but unrestrained.
Later each was executed for their affairs.
Xi was skilled in arts, especially strings and winds.
Facing death, he looked at the sun's shadow, asked for his zither, and played.
I was to travel west, passed his old home.
The sun set by Yu Pond, cold ice desolate.
A neighbor played the flute, sound clear and resonant.
Thinking back to past gatherings, I sighed at the sound, and wrote this.

Ordered to the distant capital, I turned and went north.
Crossed the Yellow River by boat, passed Shanyang's old dwelling.
Gaze at the desolate wilderness, rest my carriage at the city corner.
Tread on the traces of those two gentlemen, pass the empty house in a poor lane.
Sigh for the 'Millet Lush' pitying Zhou, grieve over 'Wheat Tassel' at Yin ruins.
Think of antiquity to cherish the present, my heart lingers and hesitates.
The beams and roofs stand undestroyed, but their forms and spirits—where have they gone?
In the past, Li Si when punished, sighed for his yellow dog and wept long.
I mourn Xi Kang's eternal farewell, who looked at the sun's shadow and played his zither.
He entrusted his fate to understanding, lodged his remaining life in a moment.
I hear the impassioned flute, the wonderful sound vanishes then is sought again.
I stop my carriage about to depart, so I take up my pen to express my heart.

Listen

Meaning

Xiang Xiu, passing the old home of his executed friends Xi Kang and Lü An, hears a neighbor's flute and recalls their friendship and tragic deaths. The poem mourns them through allusions to ancient grief and the desolate scene, expressing unutterable sorrow under political oppression.

我与嵇康、吕安居处相近，二人都具超逸不羁之才。嵇康志趣高远而疏放，吕安心胸开阔而旷达。后来二人各因事被处死。嵇康广通技艺，尤擅丝竹。临刑时顾看日影，索琴弹之。我西行赴洛，经过旧居。时日落虞渊，寒冰凄然。邻人吹笛，声极寥亮。追念往日游宴之交情，感音而叹，故作此赋。奉命赴远京任职，又转身北归。泛舟渡过黄河，经过山阳旧居。望旷野之萧索，在城隅停下车驾。踏寻二子遗迹，走过穷巷空庐。叹《黍离》悯周之亡，悲《麦秀》歌于殷墟。思古以怀今，心徘徊而踌躇。屋宇尚存未毁，形神已逝将何如。昔李斯受刑，叹黄犬而长吟。悼嵇生永别，忆其顾影弹琴。托命运于机缘，寄余生于寸阴。听鸣笛之慷慨，妙音绝而再寻。停车将行，援笔以写心。

Appreciation

This short rhapsody uses sparse but poignant imagery and allusions to convey deep mourning. The preface sets the scene of Xi Kang's execution, then the verse moves through landscape and historical parallels, ending with the lingering flute sound. It is celebrated for its restrained emotion and masterful use of allusion.

【白话串讲】好友嵇康被处死前，弹了一曲《广陵散》。向秀路过嵇康旧居，想起往事，写下《思旧赋》。“悼嵇生之永逝兮，顾日影而弹琴”——中国文学里最含蓄也最沉痛的一篇悼文。【意象与手法】《思旧赋》篇幅短小却含蓄深沉。以「将命适于远京」起笔，叙舟行经旧居、睹物伤怀之景；中段化用《黍离》《麦秀》故实，以李斯临刑叹黄犬反衬嵇康顾影弹琴之从容，寄哀于典；结尾「听鸣笛之慷慨」「援翰以写心」收束全篇，言尽而意无穷。写景则「寒冰凄然」「旷野萧条」，抒情则吞吐掩抑，于极简中见极哀。【情感与主旨】向秀与嵇康、吕安交好，三人同隐于山阳。魏景元四年（263），嵇康因吕安案牵连被司马昭处死，吕安亦遇害。向秀后被迫应郡举入洛，途经山阳旧居，闻邻笛寥亮，追念亡友，感音而作《思旧赋》。赋成未及详尽，盖时忌方严，不敢尽言，故着墨极简而情致深永，为魏晋抒情小赋之绝唱。【名句点睛】本赋常从「借典抒情」「情景交融」角度命题。考点一：化用《黍离》《麦秀》之典以古伤今的作用；考点二：以李斯反衬嵇康的用意；考点三：「邻笛」「日影」意象所寄的生死之痛；考点四：赋末「援翰写心」而语焉不详的隐衷（鲁迅所谓「刚开头却又煞了尾」）。

Background

Xiang Xiu was a close friend of Xi Kang and Lü An; the three lived in reclusion at Shanyang. In 263 AD, Xi Kang was executed by Sima Zhao for his involvement in Lü An's case. Xiang Xiu, later forced to take office, passed Shanyang on his way to Luoyang and wrote this fu. Political danger prevented him from writing fully, resulting in its brevity and understatement.

《思旧赋》为魏晋之际向秀（约227—272）所作，是魏晋抒情小赋的绝唱。向秀字子期，河内怀人，魏晋之际哲学家、文学家，「竹林七贤」之一，曾为《庄子》作注。他与嵇康、吕安交厚，三人同为竹林之游，同隐于山阳（今河南辉县一带）。魏景元四年（263），司马昭借吕安之案株连嵇康，嵇康、吕安皆被处死，嵇康临刑东市，顾视日影，索琴弹《广陵散》，叹「广陵散于今绝矣」，从容赴死。嵇康死后，向秀慑于司马氏的压力，被迫应郡举赴洛阳应征，途经山阳故庐，时值日暮，寒冰凄然，闻邻人吹笛，其声寥亮，追念往日与嵇、吕游宴之好，感音而叹，遂作此赋。向秀入洛后，司马昭曾当面讥之：「闻君有箕山之志，何以在此？」向秀对曰：「巢许狷介之士，未达尧心，岂足多慕。」其被迫出仕、苟全性命于乱世的隐痛，尽在答语之中。此赋即写于这「不得不然」的仕途起点上：怀古伤今、悼友自伤，而身逢司马氏屠戮名士的高压时代，不敢直陈其悲，只能吞吐掩抑、欲言又止，故赋极短而情极深，鲁迅谓其「刚开头却又煞了尾」，正因「那时是魏晋时代，以治学为名……禁言论」的恐怖现实。

Art

The fu is in sao-style with 'xi' particles, imitating Chu Ci. It uses desolate scenery ('cold ice', 'desolate wilderness') and precise allusions ('Millet Lush', 'Wheat Tassel', Li Si's yellow dog) to contrast the calmness of Xi Kang's death. The ending with flute sound achieves a lingering effect, setting a precedent for later lyrical fu.

此赋艺术上最大的特色，是以极短的篇幅涵容极深的哀思，含蓄掩抑、以少总多，开后世悼亡抒情赋的先声。全赋有序有文：序以散文叙作赋之由——与嵇、吕的交游、二人的死难、临刑弹琴的细节、经旧庐闻笛的经过，短短百余字写尽一段生死交谊；正文以骚体十二句写怀旧之思。正文的结构极精：首二句「将命适于远京兮，遂旋反而北徂」以奉命赴洛起笔，交代「被迫出仕」的处境，一「适」一「反」，见其不得已；「济黄河以泛舟兮，经山阳之旧居」写舟行经故地，转入本题；「瞻旷野之萧条兮，息余驾乎城隅。践二子之遗迹兮，历穷巷之空庐」写目之所见——旷野萧条、城隅停车、穷巷空庐，满目荒凉，物在人亡；「叹黍离之愍周兮，悲麦秀于殷墟」以古之亡国喻己之丧友，借典抒哀；「悼嵇生之永辞兮，顾日影而弹琴」以李斯受刑叹黄犬反衬嵇康临刑弹琴之从容（前此「昔李斯之受罪兮，叹黄犬而长吟」），一悲一烈，相映生哀；末段「托运遇于领会兮，寄余命于寸阴」「听鸣笛之慷慨兮，妙声绝而复寻」「停驾言其将迈兮，故援翰以写心」写闻笛感怀、援笔写心，欲言而止，以「写心」二字戛然收束。全赋写景则「寒冰凄然」「旷野萧条」八字尽之，抒情则化于典、止于辞，无一字直呼其痛而痛彻骨髓，正是「于极简中见极哀」的典范。

Allusions

Two key allusions: 'Millet Lush' from the Book of Songs mourns Zhou's fall; 'Wheat Tassel' commemorates Yin's fall. These ancient national tragedies parallel the poet's personal loss. The reference to Li Si's regret before execution contrasts with Xi Kang's dignified composure, heightening the tragedy and showing Xiang Xiu's skilled use of allusion.

此赋用典精切，皆围绕「死别」与「易代」两大主题，寄哀于典，深婉含蓄。其一，《黍离》之典：《诗经·王风·黍离》「彼黍离离，彼稷之苗」写周大夫行役至宗周故都，见宫室尽为禾黍，闵周室之颠覆，彷徨不忍去，遂作此诗，「黍离之悲」遂为亡国之痛的代称；向秀「叹黍离之愍周兮」，以周室之亡喻魏祚之衰，暗指司马氏篡魏。其二，《麦秀》之典：《尚书大传》载箕子朝周，过殷故墟，见麦秀渐渐，感伤殷之亡而作《麦秀》之歌，后人以「麦秀」写故国之思；「悲麦秀于殷墟」与「叹黍离之愍周」对举，双典并用，以亡国喻丧友、以易代写身世。其三，李斯之典：《史记·李斯列传》载李斯受赵高构陷，临刑与其子「牵黄犬俱出上蔡东门逐狡兔」而不可得，父子相哭而夷三族；向秀引李斯临刑叹黄犬，反衬嵇康临刑「顾日影而弹琴」之从容——同是就死，李斯恋生而哀，嵇康视死如归，一悲一烈，以李斯之不堪写嵇康之超越，更见嵇康之精神与向秀之痛惜。诸典皆古事今情、血肉相连，繁简得当，使个人之恸升华为时代之悲，足见向秀用典之匠心。

Commentary

Liu Xie praised Wei-Jin lyrical fu for being 'affectionate and clear'. Lu Xun noted Xiang Xiu's fu 'just begins then ends abruptly' due to political fear. He Zhuo commented: 'The short piece is somber and forceful, the pain of leaving one's country and friends remains fresh after a millennium.' It is a masterpiece of Wei-Jin lyrical fu, alongside Xi Kang's 'Zither Fu' and Pan Yue's 'Remembering the Past'.

《思旧赋》在文学史上地位独特，历来被视为魏晋抒情小赋的绝唱。南朝刘勰《文心雕龙·哀吊》论哀祭之文，谓「情洞哀烈，文洁明白」，此赋正是「情哀文洁」的典范——情感深挚而文字极简，无一冗辞。清人何焯评此赋：「《思旧》短篇，而沉郁顿挫，去国怀友之痛，千载如新。」一语道出其「以短写长」的沉郁。近人鲁迅在《为了忘却的记念》中论及此赋：「年青时读向子期《思旧赋》，很怪他为什么只有寥寥的几行，刚开头却又煞了尾。然而，现在我懂得了。」——鲁迅以自身的时代遭际读懂向秀「不敢尽言」的隐衷，此评遂成现代解读此赋的经典视角，也揭示了此赋「欲言又止」背后的政治恐怖与文人心态。就文学史意义言，此赋上承屈原《离骚》的骚体与《九章》的抒情传统，下开潘岳《悼亡赋》、江淹《别赋》等抒情赋的先声；其以「邻笛」写悼亡的手法，更凝定为「山阳闻笛」「邻笛」的经典意象，后世庾信、刘禹锡等屡屡化用，成为中国文学中悼念故友的固定语码。此赋的价值，正在于以极少的文字证明：最深的哀痛往往无言，而「刚开头又煞了尾」的空白，恰是至情的深渊。

Prosody

Form Fu (Sao-style lyric rhapsody)赋·骚体抒情小赋（有序有辞，正文十二句，仿楚辞体）

Rhyme Irregular, using 'xi' particle as in Chu Ci, shifting with emotion以「兮」字为语助，正文句句有「兮」，韵随情转，不拘一韵；大略徂、居、隅、庐、墟、躇、如、吟、琴、阴、寻、心诸韵相间，平仄递换。

Tone pattern Not applicable (pre-Tang prose-poetry)骚体句式，每句七字（六字加兮），句句用「兮」，音节悠长低回，如歌如叹；非近体，平仄不可考，以文气行腔。

Reading note Sao-style, not governed by regulated verse prosody此赋为骚体抒情小赋，有序有辞：序以散文叙事，正文十二句仿《楚辞》体，句句以「兮」字为语助，构成「六字加兮」的骚体句式，音节悠长低回、如歌如叹，正合悼亡抒情的悲凉声情。正文的韵脚安排颇有匠心：前段「徂、居、隅、庐、墟、躇」多押上古鱼部平声，声调低沉舒缓，写行旅之愁与旷野之悲；中段「如、吟、琴、阴」转入侵部、真部，声调转为深沉，写李斯之叹与嵇康之琴；末段「寻、心」押侵部，声调低回，写闻笛与写心之收束。全赋以「兮」字句贯穿，一韵到底而情感层层推进，正体现了骚体赋「以情驭声、以声传情」的特点。此赋在赋史上的位置，正处于汉大赋铺张扬厉与六朝骈赋讲究对偶之间：它既有骚体的悠长句式，又已有骈偶的端倪（如「叹黍离之愍周兮，悲麦秀于殷墟」「昔李斯之受罪兮，叹黄犬而长吟」「悼嵇生之永辞兮，顾日影而弹琴」皆两两对偶），是骚体赋向抒情骈赋过渡的桥梁。诵读此赋，宜以低回掩抑之音、徐缓悠长之节出之，于「兮」字处稍作延宕，方能传达其「刚开头又煞了尾」的欲说还休之致。

Line by line

瞻旷野之萧条兮，息余驾乎城隅

Gaze at the desolate wilderness, rest my carriage at the city corner — this line sets a bleak, lonely atmosphere.

望见旷野一片萧索，在城隅停下我的车驾

I gaze on the desolate wilds; I stop my chariot at the city corner.

此二句写初至山阳所见之景，是全赋由「行」转「驻」、由事入情的枢纽。「瞻旷野之萧条兮」写放眼所见的旷野——「萧条」二字定下全赋的悲凉基调：时值冬暮，旷野萧索，草木凋零，天地间一片肃杀，这既是眼前实景（「于时日薄虞渊，寒冰凄然」的延续），更是心境的外化——故人已逝，世界在眼中失了颜色；「息余驾乎城隅」写停车城隅——「息」字见行旅之暂歇，「城隅」点出山阳旧居所在的城郊，车驾停驻，脚步徘徊，正是「近乡情更怯」式的犹疑：故庐在前，而故人已亡，欲往而不敢往。两句一写远望、一写近驻，由景及人，把「来经旧居」的行程写得既具体又沉重，为下文「践二子之遗迹兮，历穷巷之空庐」的睹物伤怀铺设了苍凉的场景，是「以景起情」的典范。

These two lines write the scene first seeing on arriving at Shanyang, the rhapsody's pivot from travel to stopping, from event to feeling. I-gaze-on-the-desolate-wilds writes the gaze's wilderness - desolate two characters set the whole rhapsody's sad tone: it is late winter, the wilds desolate, plants withered, heaven and earth bleak; this is both眼前 actual scene (continuing the sun sinking at Yu Yuan, cold ice mournful) and the outer form of inner state - the old friend gone, the world losing color in his eyes. I-stop-my-chariot-at-the-city-corner writes stopping at the corner - stop writes travel's brief rest; city-corner names the suburb of Shanyang's old home; chariot stopped, steps hesitating, exactly the nearer-to-home-the-more-timid hesitation: the old lodge ahead, yet the old friend gone, wanting to go yet daring not. One line for distant gaze, one for near stop, moving from scenery to person, writing the passing-the-old-home journey both concrete and heavy, preparing the later treading-two-friends'-traces-through-empty-alley's object-grief; this is the model of scenery-starting-feeling.

叹黍离之愍周兮，悲麦秀于殷墟

Sigh for the 'Millet Lush' pitying Zhou, grieve over 'Wheat Tassel' at Yin ruins — double allusion using national loss to mourn friends.

感叹《黍离》悯周之亡，悲歌《麦秀》于殷墟

I sigh for the Broomgrass's pity for Zhou; I grieve for the wheat sprouting on Yin's ruins.

此二句双典并用，是全赋由写景转入抒情的转折，也是向秀「借古伤今」的枢纽。「叹黍离之愍周兮」用《诗经·王风·黍离》之典：周大夫行役至宗周故都，见昔日宫室尽为禾黍，闵周室之颠覆而作《黍离》之诗，此后「黍离之悲」便成亡国之痛的代称；「悲麦秀于殷墟」用箕子之典：箕子朝周，过殷墟，见麦秀渐渐，感殷之亡而作《麦秀》之歌。「黍离」悯周，「麦秀」悲殷，一为西周之亡、一为殷商之亡，向秀连用两个「亡国」之典，其意有三：其一，以古之亡国喻魏之将亡——司马氏篡魏之势已成，故国之悲正如黍离麦秀；其二，以亡国写丧友——嵇康、吕安之死，正是魏祚倾覆、名士凋零的缩影，个人的死别与时代的沉沦合而为一；其三，借典避祸——不敢直斥时政，只能借古人之酒杯浇自家之块垒，正是「主文而谲谏」的无奈。二句以叹、悲二字领起，声情俱哀，是全赋情感由「景」入「情」的枢机。

These two lines use two allusions together, the rhapsody's turn from scenery to feeling, also Xiang Xiu's borrowing-antiquity-to-grieve-present pivot. I-sigh-for-the-Broomgrass's-pity-for-Zhou uses Book of Songs Wang Feng Broomgrass allusion: a Zhou officer on service to the old capital saw the former palaces all overgrown with broomgrass, grieving the Zhou house's fall and making the Broomgrass poem; hence broomgrass-grief becomes the fallen-state grief's byword. I-grieve-for-the-wheat-sprouting-on-Yin's-ruins uses Jizi allusion: Jizi on his way to Zhou passed Yin's ruins, saw wheat sprouting, grieved Yin's fall and made the Wheat Sprouting song. Broomgrass pities Zhou, Wheat Grieves Yin, one for Western Zhou's fall, one for Shang's fall; Xiang Xiu uses two fallen-state allusions, meaning threefold: first, using ancient fallen state to compare Wei's coming fall - the Sima's usurpation is complete, the old-state grief like Broomgrass and Wheat. Second, using fallen state to write friend-loss - Ji Kang and Lü An's deaths are exactly the Wei throne's overturning and famous men's withering miniature; personal parting and the age's sinking merge. Third, borrowing allusions to avoid danger - not daring to denounce current politics directly, but using ancient men's winecups to pour his own blockage, exactly the lament-by-indirection helplessness. The two lines lead with sigh and grieve, sound and feeling both sad; this is the rhapsody's emotional pivot from scenery to feeling.

悼嵇生之永辞兮，顾日影而弹琴

Mourn Xi Kang's eternal farewell, who looked at the sun's shadow and played his zither — contrasts Li Si's regret to show Xi's composure.

悼念嵇康永远离去，忆其临刑顾影弹琴

I mourn Mr. Ji's eternal farewell; he looked at the sun's shadow and played the qin.

此二句是全赋情感的最高点，正面写嵇康之死，以「顾日影而弹琴」五字写尽嵇康临刑时的从容，是全赋最动人也最见笔力的句子。上文「昔李斯之受罪兮，叹黄犬而长吟」先写李斯临刑之哀：李斯与子牵黄犬、逐狡兔而不可得，恋生之悲溢于言表；此二句紧接「悼嵇生之永辞兮，顾日影而弹琴」——嵇康临当就命，顾视日影（计算行刑时刻），索琴而弹《广陵散》，神色自若。同是临刑，一「叹黄犬而长吟」、一「顾日影而弹琴」，一哀一庄、一恋生一忘死，以李斯之不堪反衬嵇康之从容，更见嵇康「视死如归」的精神境界——他看的是日影（死亡的时刻），想的却是琴（艺术与生命的意义），以琴声完成生命的最后绝唱。向秀以此写嵇康之死，不写其冤、不写其痛，只写其从容，正是「于无声处听惊雷」——嵇康越是从容，向秀越是痛惜，读者越是震撼，此二句遂成千古悼友的名句，「顾日影而弹琴」也成为名士风度的永恒定格。

These two lines are the rhapsody's emotional peak, directly writing Ji Kang's death, using looked-at-the-sun's-shadow-and-played-the-qin five characters to exhaust Ji Kang's composure at execution, the rhapsody's most moving and most powerful stroke. The preceding Li Si-suffering-sighed-for-yellow-dog-long-ly first writes Li Si's execution grief: Li Si and his son led the yellow hound, chased the hare yet could not, the love-of-life grief overflowing. These two lines follow - I-mourn-Mr.-Ji's-eternal-farewell-he-looked-at-the-sun's-shadow-and-played-the-qin: Ji Kang facing death, looked at the sun's shadow (calculating execution time), asked for the qin and played the Guangling San, expression unchanged. Both at execution, one sighed-for-yellow-dog-long-ly, one looked-at-sun's-shadow-played-qin; one grief one solemn, one love-of-life one forget-death; using Li Si's inability to set off Ji Kang's composure, all the more showing Ji Kang's viewing-death-as-home spiritual realm - he looked at the sun's shadow (death's hour), thought of the qin (art and life's meaning), using the qin sound to complete life's final swan song. Xiang Xiu thus writes Ji Kang's death, not writing his grievance, not his pain, only his composure; exactly hearing-thunder-in-silence - the more composed Ji Kang, the more grieved Xiang Xiu, the more shaken the reader; these two lines hence become the eternal mourning-friend line, looked-at-sun's-shadow-played-qin becoming the famous-man-bearing's eternal freeze-frame.

听鸣笛之慷慨兮，妙声绝而复寻

Hear the impassioned flute sound, the wonderful sound vanishes then is sought again — sound conveys lingering sorrow, ending with implied depth.

听邻人笛声慷慨，妙音虽绝而回味无穷

I hear the neighbor's impassioned flute; the exquisite sound, though lost, is found again.

此二句是全赋的收束处，写闻笛感怀，以「声」写「情」，以「绝而复寻」写哀思之不绝，是全赋最含蓄的一笔，也是「思旧」之题的点睛。序中已述「邻人有吹笛者，发音寥亮，追思曩昔游宴之好，感音而叹」——笛声是触发全赋的契机，正文至此方正面写笛：「听鸣笛之慷慨兮」写笛声之慷慨激越，邻人笛声本无意于悼亡，而听者有心，声声入耳，皆成哀音；「妙声绝而复寻」是全赋的深意所在——「妙声」既指笛声，更暗指嵇康的琴声、往日的歌声，嵇康死前叹「广陵散于今绝矣」，而今邻笛之声起，「绝」而「复寻」——妙声已绝，却仿佛在笛声中再次寻到；故人已亡，而音容仿佛仍在。此二句以「绝而复寻」写哀思之缠绕：想忘却、想放下，而笛声一起，往事又涌上心头，欲绝还续，正是「此情无计可消除」的魏晋版。全赋至此收束，「妙声绝而复寻」的余音，正如嵇康的《广陵散》，在向秀的笔下绝而复续，千载不绝。

These two lines are the rhapsody's close, writing hearing-the-flute and feeling, using sound for feeling, using lost-yet-found-again for grief's unending, the rhapsody's most reserved stroke, also the missing-old-friend theme's finishing stroke. The preface already states: a neighbor played the flute, the sound clear and piercing; recalling former feasts, I sighed at the music. The flute sound is the rhapsody's trigger; the body here finally writes the flute directly. I-hear-the-neighbor's-impassioned-flute writes the flute's impassioned sound; the neighbor's flute had no intent to mourn the dead, yet the listener has a heart, every note entering the ear becoming a sad sound. The-exquisite-sound-though-lost-is-found-again is the rhapsody's deep meaning - exquisite sound means both the flute, and secretly Ji Kang's qin, former songs; before death Ji Kang sighed the Guangling San is lost today; now the neighbor's flute rises, lost yet found again - the exquisite sound lost, yet as if found again in the flute; the old friend gone, yet the face and voice as if still present. These two lines use lost-yet-found-again for grief's winding: wanting to forget, wanting to put down, yet the flute rises, the past surges again, wanting to end yet continuing - exactly the Wei-Jin version of this feeling has no way to dispel. The rhapsody closes here; the exquisite-sound-lost-yet-found-again's aftersound, like Ji Kang's Guangling San, in Xiang Xiu's brush lost yet continued, unending through the ages.

Study

Word focus

愍 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. 「叹黍离之愍周兮」之「愍」（读mǐn），是全赋用字精审的一例，一字而兼训诂与情感两重。「愍」为悯伤、哀怜之意，与「悯」通，《说文》释「愍，痛也」，段玉裁谓「愍与悯音义略同」，此处作动词用，谓《黍离》之诗悯伤周室之亡。「愍」字的深意在于「哀之深」：黍离之诗所悯者，不独一姓之亡，更是礼乐文明、宗庙社稷的沦丧，是士人对故国文明的沉痛凭吊；向秀用「愍」而不用「哀」「伤」，正取其「痛彻」之义——他以黍离悯周之痛写自己悼魏、悼友、悼时代之痛，一字而兼有对古之悯与对今之痛。「愍」字与下句「悲」字对举，「叹」而「愍」、「悲」而「叹」，声情递进，把双典的哀痛层层加深；又此字音近「悯」，读来低回沉郁，正合全赋掩抑吞吐的情感基调。一字之用，可见向秀炼字于训诂与声情两端的功力，也可见魏晋赋家「以学问为文」的普遍风气。

踌躇 to hesitate, to linger — describes the poet's emotional turmoil and inability to move on. 「心徘徊以踌躇」之「踌躇」，是全赋写心理状态的传神之词，二字而写尽徘徊不去、欲言又止的复杂心境。「踌躇」为连绵词，本义为犹豫不决、徘徊不前之貌，与上句「心徘徊」互文见义，谓心绪往复盘旋、去留两难。此词的深意在于它写的不只是「犹豫」，更是「不忍」与「不敢」：不忍——故庐在望而故人已亡，想见而怕见，脚步踌躇；不敢——身在司马氏的屠刀阴影之下，悼亡之情不敢直陈，言辞踌躇。二字与上文「瞻旷野之萧条」「历穷巷之空庐」的景物相接，与下文「形神逝其焉如」的怅惘相连，把睹物伤怀、进退维谷的心态写得如在目前。若换作「徘徊」「犹豫」等词，则或单写动作、或单写心理；「踌躇」一词兼有步伐之顿与心绪之乱，音韵低回（阳平叠韵），正合全赋「吞吐掩抑」的声情，是魏晋抒情小赋炼字「以情驭词」的典范，后世「踌躇」一词遂多用于此等「欲说还休」的场合，其文学意味实由此赋奠定。

援翰 to take up the writing brush — a final action to express the inexpressible heart. 「故援翰以写心」之「援翰」，是全赋的收束之词，一字而见魏晋文人「以文写心」的传统与「欲言又止」的无奈。「援」为拿起、执持之义，如援笔、援琴；「翰」为鸟羽，古以羽为笔，故「翰」代指毛笔，援翰即提笔。此词出《文选》习语（如陆机「援翰属文」），向秀以「援翰以写心」作结，其意有二：其一，点明作赋的动机——全赋千言万语，无非「写心」二字，为亡友写心、为自己写心，这是魏晋文人「缘情绮靡」的自觉；其二，写「写心」之难——既曰「写心」，而全赋仅此寥寥数句，正如鲁迅所叹「刚开头却又煞了尾」，盖因「时忌方严」，心中万语只能写此数语，「援翰」之重、落笔之难，尽在这欲写还休的停顿里。「援翰以写心」五字，以动作收束全篇，笔虽提而意未尽，千言万语都凝在这未写出的空白中，正见向秀「以少总多」的笔力，也可见魏晋赋家把「写作」本身写入作品的自省意识。

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