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魏晋 Wei-Jin · 诗 Poem

杂诗·秋风何冽冽

Miscellaneous Poem: How Biting the Autumn Wind

左思

Zuo Si

咏怀chanting feeling 魏晋Wei-Jin 拟古archaic imitation

秋风何冽冽，白露为朝霜。
柔条旦夕劲，绿叶日夜黄。
明月出云崖，皦皦流素光。
披轩临前庭，嗷嗷晨雁翔。
高志局四海，块然守空堂。
壮齿不恒居，岁暮常慨慷。

How biting the autumn wind; white dew becomes the morning frost.
The soft branches turn stiff at dawn and dusk; the green leaves yellow day and night.
The bright moon rises from the cloudy cliff, shedding pure light clear and bright.
I push the window to face the front court; the morning geese cry and wheel.
My high ambition is pent within the four seas; alone I keep the empty hall.
Youth does not stay forever; at year's end I often feel the stirring grief.

Listen

Meaning

Through autumn's desolation the poet voices the grief of a gifted man suppressed: his high ambition pent, his youth passing, he sits alone in the empty hall as the year ends.

秋风何等凛冽，白露凝结成了晨霜。柔枝在旦夕间变得劲挺，绿叶日夜枯黄。明月从云边的山崖升起，皎洁地流泻着素白的光。推开窗扉临望前庭，晨雁嗷嗷地飞翔。高远的志向受困于四方，我孤零零独守空堂。壮年的时光不会长驻，岁暮时节常生慨慷。

Appreciation

The poem writes what the autumn night stirs. The biting wind and white dew turned to frost, soft branches grown stiff and green leaves yellowing, are the sternness of autumn; the bright moon from the cloudy cliff, pure light clear, the opened window and crying morning geese, are the clarity of the autumn night. From this it turns to the self: high ambition pent within the four seas, alone in the empty hall, youth not staying, stirring grief at year's end—writing the grief of great talent unused and old without achievement. The first six lines are scene, the last four feeling, and the scene already holds the desolate thread. It uses autumn's withering to figure the passing of years, and the morning geese to write the lone wanderer—both image and prop, another clear-stern mode of Zuo Si besides his 'Chanting History.'

【白话串讲】 “秋风何冽冽，白露为朝霜”——左思写秋：白露成霜。“柔条旦夕劲，绿叶日夜黄”——“高志局四海，块然守空堂”——他有高远的志向，却守着空堂。“壮齿不恒居，岁暮常慨慷”——壮年不常在，他感慨。【意象与手法】前六句景，后四句情，景中已含萧瑟之绪。以秋之凋变喻年华之逝、以晨雁翔写羁孤，比兴双关，是左思《咏史》外另一种清峻。【情感与主旨】抒发志士高才见抑、块然独处、岁月蹉跎的悲慨。左思出身寒微、仕途蹭蹬，诗中高志局四海正是不遇之鸣。【名句点睛】高志局四海，块然守空堂——以空间之广（四海）反衬身世之孤（空堂），沉郁见骨。

Background

Zuo Si came from a humble house; though gifted (his 'Three Capitals Fu' caused 'Luoyang paper to rise in price'), his official path was blocked. This 'Miscellaneous Poem' imitates the ancient style, using autumn scene to write the grief of being unrecognized, of a line with his 'Chanting History's' 'sinking and arrested' spirit.

左思字太冲，临淄人，西晋著名文学家，貌寝口讷而才高学博，其《三都赋》成而洛阳为之纸贵。然左思出身寒微，虽妹左棻入宫，己身却久沉下僚、仕途蹭蹬，终郁郁不得志。《杂诗·秋风何冽冽》即借秋夜之景写志士不遇、岁暮无成之悲，与其《咏史》「郁郁涧底松」同一机杼。此诗约作于西晋中叶，时左思已历宦海沉浮，高才见弃、壮齿将逝，故于秋风白露、明月晨雁的清景中，迸出「高志局四海，块然守空堂」的沉郁之鸣。魏晋之际玄风盛行，士人或放达或隐退，左思则于诗中坦陈用世之志与见抑之痛，刚健清峻，别成一格，是西晋寒士抒情诗的代表，亦见易代之际才士普遍的失落心境。左思字太冲，临淄人，西晋文学家，貌寝口讷而才高学博，其《三都赋》成而洛阳为之纸贵。然左思出身寒微，虽妹左棻入宫，己身却久沉下僚、仕途蹭蹬，终郁郁不得志。此诗借秋夜之景写志士不遇、岁暮无成之悲，与其《咏史》「郁郁涧底松」同一机杼。时左思已历宦海沉浮，高才见弃、壮齿将逝，故于秋风白露、明月晨雁中迸出「高志局四海，块然守空堂」的沉郁之鸣。

Art

Scene and feeling in layers, from the change of season to the sigh of his lot. The wording is exact (biting, clear, alone), the breath clear and bony, gaining the afterwind of Jian'an.

此诗十二句，前六句写景、后六句（实为后四联）写情，景中已含萧瑟之绪，章法由外而内、由物及人。开篇「秋风何冽冽，白露为朝霜」以秋气之凛与霜露之寒起兴，先立肃杀之调；「柔条旦夕劲，绿叶日夜黄」写物候之变，柔条转劲、绿叶变黄，以植物的衰变暗喻年华之逝。中段「明月出云崖，皦皦流素光。披轩临前庭，嗷嗷晨雁翔」转写秋夜清景，明月素光、晨雁嗷翔，视听交织，清远中透孤寂。末幅「高志局四海，块然守空堂。壮齿不恒居，岁暮常慨慷」由景入情，直抒高才见弃、块然独处、岁月蹉跎之悲。通篇比兴双关，以秋之凋变喻身世之沦，清峻刚健，是左思诗风「儿女情多、风云气少」之外的另一种沉郁面目。此诗前六句写景、后六句写情，景中已含萧瑟之绪，章法由外而内、由物及人。开篇以秋气之凛与霜露之寒起兴；继而写物候之变，柔条转劲、绿叶变黄，以植物衰变暗喻年华之逝。中段转写秋夜清景，明月素光、晨雁嗷翔，视听交织，清远中透孤寂。末幅由景入情，直抒高才见弃、块然独处、岁月蹉跎之悲。通篇比兴双关，以秋之凋变喻身世之沦，清峻刚健。

Allusions

Biting (lie lie): the look of cold. Clear (jiao jiao): the look of white. Alone (kuai ran): the look of loneliness. Youth (zhuang chi): the prime years. Stirring grief (kai kang): same as 'generous.'

诗中用事虽隐而皆有经典与物候之据。其一为「朝霜」，承《古诗》「人生若朝露」与陆机「逝如朝霜」之喻，以秋霜之易晞写生命与盛年之脆；白露为霜又暗用《诗经·秦风·蒹葭》「白露为霜」，添一层追寻不得的怅惘。其二为「晨雁」，雁为秋日南翔之候鸟，《汉书·苏武传》系书雁足之典在此化为「嗷嗷晨雁翔」的羁孤之象，以雁之成群反衬人之独守。其三为「四海」「空堂」的空间对照——四海极言志之所届，空堂极言身之所局，化用《庄子》「囊括四海」之意而反其势，以广狭之烈写不遇之深。数处用典融化无痕，皆服务于「秋气—身世」的比兴结构，是西晋抒情诗「结藻清英」而意脉暗贯的标本。诗中用事皆经典与物候之据：「朝霜」承《古诗》「人生若朝露」与陆机「逝如朝霜」之喻，以秋霜之易晞写生命之脆；「白露为霜」暗用《诗经·蒹葭》，添一层追寻不得的怅惘；「晨雁」化用雁足传书之典，以雁之成群反衬人之独守；「四海」「空堂」化用《庄子》「囊括四海」之意而反其势，以广狭之烈写不遇之深。数处用典融化无痕，皆服务于秋气与身世的比兴结构。

Commentary

Taichong's poems lack the great fame of his fu, yet 'Chanting History' and 'Miscellaneous Poems' both have lofty bone; Zhong Rong said he is 'rougher than Lu Ji, deeper than Pan Yue.'

《杂诗·秋风何冽冽》是左思抒情小诗中的清峻之作，虽不如《咏史》八首声名之盛，却以短制见沉郁，历来为选家所重。其胜处在能以极寻常的秋景写极深切的不遇之悲：不借铺陈、不事呼号，仅以秋风、白露、明月、晨雁数象，便将志士高才见抑、块然独处的心境和盘托出。前人论左思诗「风力遒上」，此诗正见其「风力」——「高志局四海，块然守空堂」以空间之广反衬身世之孤，沉郁见骨，足与《咏史》「郁郁涧底松」并读。较之阮籍《咏怀》的渊永难测，左思此诗情显而意切；较之潘岳《秋兴》的绮靡伤逝，又见刚健清迥。其为后世称赏，正在于将魏晋寒士普遍的失落感，凝为可触可感的秋夜清景，是西晋抒情诗不可多得的佳作。《杂诗·秋风何冽冽》是左思抒情小诗中的清峻之作。其胜处在能以极寻常的秋景写极深切的不遇之悲：仅以秋风、白露、明月、晨雁数象，便将志士高才见抑、块然独处的心境和盘托出。前人论左思诗「风力遒上」，此诗正见其风力——「高志局四海，块然守空堂」以空间之广反衬身世之孤，沉郁见骨，足与《咏史》并读。较之阮籍《咏怀》的渊永难测，左思此诗情显而意切，是西晋抒情诗不可多得的佳作。

Prosody

Form Five-character ancient-style poem五言古诗（杂诗）

Rhyme Rhyme category not specified in the source; follows the ancient-style convention with natural rhyme shifts.霜、黄、光、翔、堂、慷，皆平水韵下平七阳韵，一韵到底，六句皆押

Tone pattern Level and oblique follow the ancient form; rhyme shifts naturally.五言古体，不尚近体严整平仄，句式以「二二一」或「二一二」为主（如「秋风—何—冽冽」「高志—局—四海」），随情转韵而此篇独押一韵，声情清峻

Reading note Six lines write the autumn air, the geese, the pent ambition, turning from things to self layer by layer—Taichong's plain words with deep heart in chanting feeling.此诗为五言古诗之「杂诗」体，凡十二句，依古法不务严整声病，而韵脚异常整洁——霜、黄、光、翔、堂、慷六字皆归平水韵下平七阳，一韵贯穿全篇，声情温厚而略带沉郁，与秋景之肃、身世之悲相得益彰。其节奏以二二一顿挫为主，如「秋风—何—冽冽」「明月—出—云崖」「高志—局—四海」，于五言常格中微变句式，使诵读时抑扬有致。对仗之工亦堪玩味：「柔条旦夕劲」对「绿叶日夜黄」，以植物之衰变写时光之逝；「披轩临前庭」对「嗷嗷晨雁翔」，以人静对雁动，视听相生。古体诗本可换韵转调，此篇却独守阳韵不变，恰如块然守堂之志士，外虽萧瑟而内守一端，声文互为表里。全篇以清峻之韵写沉郁之情，是西晋五古「结藻清英、流韵绮靡」中别具刚健一格的声律标本。

Line by line

秋风何冽冽，白露为朝霜。

How biting the autumn wind; white dew becomes the morning frost.

秋风何等凛冽，白露凝结成了晨霜

How piercing the autumn wind! The white dew congeals into morning frost.

此联为全篇起兴之笔，以秋气之烈与霜露之寒先立肃杀基调。「秋风何冽冽」以「何」字提唱，惊叹秋风之凛，较之「秋风萧瑟」更见逼人之劲；「白露为朝霜」写露凝成霜的物候骤变，暗用《诗经·蒹葭》「白露为霜」之境，添一层清冷与追寻不得的暗示。二句一风一露、一气一凝，将节候之寒与生命之脆并写，既点明时令，更为后文「绿叶日夜黄」「岁暮慨慷」的张本。起手不写人而写物，以秋之严酷反衬人之无措，已暗含志士见弃、时光逼人的双重悲意，是建安「秋风萧瑟」一脉在西晋的清峻回响，亦左思善于以景笼情的典型起手。

The couplet opens the poem by awakening, setting a killing keynote through the harsh autumn air and the cold of frost and dew. 'How piercing the autumn wind' uses 'how' to exclaim at the bite of the wind, more pressing than 'the autumn wind sighs.' 'The white dew congeals into morning frost' writes the sudden change of dew to frost, covertly alluding to the 'Reed' ode's 'white dew becomes frost,' adding a layer of coldness and the suggestion of a search that cannot reach its end. One line wind, one dew, one air, one congelation, writing the cold of the season and the fragility of life together, fixing the time and preparing the later lines on leaves yellowing day and night and the year-end resolve. The opening writes things, not men, setting the poet's helplessness against the harshness of autumn, and already carries the double grief of the rejected patriot and of pressing time—a clear, stern echo in the Western Jin of the Jian'an 'soughing autumn wind,' and a typical Zuo Si opening that encloses feeling in scenery.

高志局四海，块然守空堂。

My high ambition is pent within the four seas; alone I keep the empty hall.

高远的志向受困于四方，我孤零零独守空堂

My lofty ambition is cramped within the four seas; alone, I keep an empty hall.

此句为全篇情感之核，沉郁见骨，是左思不遇之鸣的集中迸发。「高志局四海」写志向之远可及四海，却为一个「局」字所囿——局者，局限、困局也，高远之志竟被四方之广所束缚，反讽之烈令人心折；「块然守空堂」以「块然」状孤零之貌、「空堂」写独处之境，与「四海」之广形成剧烈的空间反差。广者与狭者、高志与空堂，两两相形，不遇之悲遂由抽象化为可触的画面。此二句将前六句秋景之肃，尽收为身世之叹，是左思诗「风力遒上」的明证，亦与其《咏史》「郁郁涧底松，离离山上苗」同一机杼——皆以位置之错位写才士见抑。后世论此联，多许其「沉郁顿挫」，正因区区十字包孕了整个时代的寒士之痛。

The line is the emotional core of the poem, somber to the bone, the concentrated outburst of Zuo Si's unfulfillment. 'My lofty ambition is cramped within the four seas': an ambition reaching the four seas is yet bound by the single word 'cramped'—to be limited, caught in a predicament—so that the lofty will is confined by the very vastness of the world, the irony devastating. 'Alone, I keep an empty hall': 'alone' renders the forlorn figure, 'empty hall' the place of solitude, in violent spatial contrast with the 'four seas.' The vast against the narrow, the lofty ambition against the empty hall, set against each other, turn the abstract grief of rejection into a palpable picture. The two lines gather the autumn desolation of the first six into a lament over his lot, proof of the 'forceful upward drive' of Zuo Si's verse, and of the same method as 'the lush pine at the ravine bottom, the sparse sapling on the hill'—writing the suppression of talent through misplaced position. Later critics praise the couplet as 'somber and sinewy' because these few characters contain the whole age's pain of the poor scholar.

Study

Word focus

冽冽 The word '冽冽' (biting) writes the bone-piercing wind. 「冽冽」是开篇炼景之眼，状风寒之甚，本出《诗经》「二之日凛冽」及魏晋拟古之习语。左思以「秋风何冽冽」起笔，叠字「冽冽」较单言「冽」更见风势之劲、寒意之透，读来如朔风扑面。此词之妙在「何」与「冽冽」的配合——「何」为惊叹，「冽冽」为具象，以问句领起叠字，先声夺人，使秋气之烈直逼读者。且「冽冽」之冷与下句「白露为朝霜」之凝相承，由风及露、由动及静，构成本诗清峻的物候基调；更深层，秋风之冽暗喻时世之严、抱负之寒，景之冷即心之冷。左思不取「萧瑟」之熟语而取「冽冽」之生新，正见西晋诗人炼字求警、以刚健易柔靡的用心。

块然 The word '块然' (alone) writes the loneliness. 「块然」是篇中写孤之眼，语出《庄子·应帝王》「块然独以其形立」，状孤零独处、无知无为之貌。左思以「块然守空堂」写己身之高才见弃、独处无侣，较之寻常「孤」「独」更具笨拙凝滞的质感——「块」本指土块，以物之钝重写人之落寞，孤寂中透出无可奈何的滞涩。此词与「高志局四海」对举，四海之广、空堂之狭，块然之钝、高志之锐，形成多重反差，使不遇之悲具象可掬。左思用「块然」而不用「茕茕」「孑立」等熟典，正取其庄子语源中的疏离与无奈，既见用事之雅，亦见心境之真。一字之中，孤寂、阻滞、自守三层意蕴并出，是西晋抒情诗善于以庄老语写士人境遇的范例。