元 Yuan · 散曲 Sanqu song
四块玉·闲适
Four Pieces of Jade · Leisure
南亩耕，东山卧。
世态人情经历多，闲将往事思量过。
贤的是他，愚的是我，争甚么？
Of the world's ways and men's hearts I have seen much;
At leisure I weigh the past, again and again.
Wise is he; foolish am I—
Why contend at all?
Meaning
I till the fields at the foot of the southern hill and recline on the eastern mountain. I have seen enough of the world's fickleness and human warmth and cold. At leisure I ponder past events. Wise is the other man; foolish am I—what is there to contend for?
在南山下耕田，向东山高卧。世态炎凉、人情冷暖，我已经历得太多，闲来把往事一一思量而过。贤明的是他，愚笨的是我，还争什么来由？全曲以口语为诗，自然流转而机锋内蕴，表面自贬自嘲，实则看破世情、不屑争竞，是元代文人隐逸心态的典型写照。
Appreciation
The whole lyric makes poetry of colloquial speech, flowing naturally yet hiding a sharp edge. 'South fields I plough; east hill I lie' packs two allusions into six characters, naming the recluse's identity without bookishness. 'Of the world's ways… I have seen much' sums half a life in plain words. The last three lines—'Wise is he; foolish am I; why contend?'—use irony in succession, seemingly self-deprecating yet concealing pride; ending on a question, decisive yet with lingering taste. Short and long lines alternate freely, unworked, showing Guan's 'natural-colour' true flavour.
【白话串讲】 关汉卿写闲适：南边种地，东边高卧。世态人情经历多了，闲来把往事想过一遍——“贤的是他，愚的是我，争甚么”？看破了，就不争了。 【意象与手法】 全曲以口语为诗，自然流转而机锋内蕴。「南亩耕，东山卧」六字两典，点明隐逸身份却不掉书袋；「世态人情经历多」以直白语总束半生阅历；末三句「贤的是他，愚的是我，争甚么」连用反语，表面自贬实含傲骨，以问句作结，斩钉截铁又余味悠然。句式短长错落，全无雕琢，尽显关氏「本色派」真趣。 【情感与主旨】 关汉卿（约1220—1300），号已斋叟，元代杂剧家、散曲家，「元曲四大家」之首。《四块玉·闲适》为其小令组曲，凡四首，此其一。关氏一生「不屑仕进」，长期混迹市井勾栏，深谙人情世态；此曲约作于晚年，借「南亩」「东山」之典抒写退隐闲居、不与时争的旷达，是元代文人「弃儒就吏」后又回归田园心态的典型写照。 【名句点睛】 常考「南亩耕，东山卧」用典的内涵与作用，及末三句「贤的是他，愚的是我，争甚么」的反语手法与情感态度——表面自贬，实为看破世情的傲岸与不屑。
Background
Guan Hanqing (c.1220–1300), style name Yizhai Sou, was a Yuan dramatist and sanqu writer, first among the 'Four Great Masters of Yuan Drama'. 'Four Pieces of Jade · Leisure' is one of a set of four short lyrics. Guan 'disdained office' all his life, long mixing in the marketplace and theatres, deeply knowing the ways of the world. This piece was likely written in his later years, using the allusions of 'south field' and 'east hill' to voice a broad-minded retirement that contends with no one—a typical portrait of Yuan literati who, after 'abandoning Confucianism for clerkship', returned to the fields.
关汉卿（约1220—约1300），号已斋叟，大都（今北京）人，元代杂剧家、散曲家，「元曲四大家」之首，与马致远、白朴、郑光祖并称，代表作《窦娥冤》为中国古典悲剧的巅峰。《四块玉·闲适》为其小令组曲，凡四首，此为其一（或谓其二），是元代散曲「闲适」题材的名篇。关汉卿生于金末元初，身经易代之变：蒙古灭金、灭宋，儒士的地位一落千丈，所谓「九儒十丐」，文人进身无门。关氏一生「不屑仕进」（一说曾任太医院尹），长期混迹市井勾栏，与倡优为伍，为杂剧撰写脚本，其《不伏老》套曲自称「我是个蒸不烂、煮不熟、捶不匾、炒不爆、响珰珰一粒铜豌豆」，可见其倔强放达的个性。此曲约作于其晚年，此时的关汉卿已饱经世态炎凉，看透了官场的倾轧与人情的冷暖，遂以「南亩耕，东山卧」的隐逸姿态自解，以「贤的是他，愚的是我，争甚么」的反语自嘲。全曲虽短，却是元代文人「弃儒就吏」「看破世情」心态的浓缩，折射出元代知识分子在异族统治下的普遍处境——进不能兼济天下，退不能安心躬耕，只能在「闲适」中自我排遣。
Art
The whole lyric makes poetry of colloquial speech, flowing naturally yet hiding a sharp edge. 'South fields I plough; east hill I lie' packs two allusions into six characters, naming the recluse's identity without bookishness; 'Of the world's ways… I have seen much' sums half a life in plain words. The last three lines—'Wise is he; foolish am I; why contend?'—use irony in succession, seemingly self-deprecating yet concealing pride; ending on a question, decisive yet with lingering taste. Lines short and long alternate, wholly unworked, showing Guan's 'natural-colour' true interest.
此曲艺术上最突出的特色，是以极短的形式写出极深的世情，口语入曲而机锋内蕴，是元曲「本色派」的典范。全曲九句，可分三层：前三句「南亩耕，东山卧。世态人情经历多」写隐逸之志与半生阅历。「南亩耕，东山卧」六字两典，一耕一卧，一南一东，对称工整而自然流畅，点出归隐的选择；「世态人情经历多」以直白的口语总束半生，七个字写尽阅尽沧桑，语气平淡而分量极重——「经历多」三字，是多少辛酸换来的。中二句「闲将往事思量过」承上启下：「闲」字点题，写退隐后的从容；「思量过」写对往事的回味与清算，为末句的结论作铺垫。末三句「贤的是他，愚的是我，争甚么」是全曲的机锋所在：「贤的是他，愚的是我」以对举句式作自贬之语，看似认输，实为反语——谁是贤、谁是愚，经历多的诗人自有公论，这自贬中含着对世俗所谓「贤愚」的彻底否定；「争甚么」以三字问句收束，把功名是非一笔勾销，斩钉截铁又余味悠然。全曲句句口语，无一雕琢，而章法之严、转折之妙、韵味之深，尽在其中，正是「看似平常最奇崛」的元曲本色。
Allusions
'South fields I plough' echoes Tao Yuanming's 'I open wilderness at the south wild' and the Shi Jing 'they bring food to those south fields', standing for farming and retirement; 'east hill I lie' uses the allusion of Xie An retiring to East Mountain (in Shangyu, Zhejiang), meaning lofty repose and refusal to serve. The two allusions—one ploughing, one lying—condense the scholar-recluse ideal. The closing 'wise/foolish' irony self-describes, quietly inverting the Shi Ji phrase 'the fool is blind to finished deeds', mocking worldly contention.
此曲用典不多而皆恰切，「南亩耕，东山卧」六字即含两个典故。「南亩」本出《诗经·豳风·七月》「同我妇子，馌彼南亩」及《小雅·大田》「俶载南亩」，南亩即向阳之田，本为农事之常语；而关汉卿用「南亩耕」，实承陶渊明《归园田居》「开荒南野际，守拙归园田」的归耕意象，陶渊明弃官归田，为后世文人树立了「耕读传家」的隐逸范式，「南亩耕」即象征躬耕自食、远离官场的生活选择。「东山卧」用谢安之典：《晋书·谢安传》载谢安「少有盛名」而「无处世意」，隐居会稽东山，屡征不起，每游赏必以妓女从，「东山」遂成为高卧隐居的代称，李白「东山高卧时起来」亦用此典。一耕一卧，一农一隐，把「归田」与「高卧」两种隐逸理想浓缩为六字，点明诗人的选择却不掉书袋。末句「争甚么」之反语，暗含《庄子》「彼亦一是非，此亦一是非」的齐物之思与《史记》「愚者暗于成事」的反用，看破争竞之虚妄。全曲用典皆化入口语，如盐入水，不见痕迹，正见关氏「本色当行」的功力。
Commentary
Guan's sanqu is known for 'natural and apt to the role'; moderns say his short lyrics show 'heroic-spicy with wit'. The 'Four Pieces of Jade · Leisure' set was much praised by Ming critics, who said 'every word flows from the lungs'. The couplet 'Wise is he; foolish am I' was called by earlier critics 'the words of a broad-minded man', matching Ma Zhiyuan's 'a bad dream'—both supreme Yuan songs of seeing through the world.
此曲历来被视为元人散曲「闲适」题材的代表作，评价甚高。关汉卿以杂剧名世，其散曲亦堪称大家，明人朱权《太和正音谱》列关汉卿于「杂剧之始」，谓其词「如琼筵醉客」，而此曲正以「醉客」式的放达见长。近人论元曲，多以「本色」「当行」许关氏，所谓「本色」，即语言自然真切、不假雕饰，此曲正是本色派的极致——通篇口语，如与人闲谈，而情味自深。「贤的是他，愚的是我，争甚么」一句，前人评为「达人语」，与马致远《拨不断》「不争镜里添白雪，上床与鞋履相别」的看破世情异曲同工，皆元人历尽沧桑后的彻悟之语；又与此曲所咏的「闲适」主题相印证：闲适不是无所事事，而是经历了「世态人情」之后的主动退守。就文学史意义言，此曲代表了元代散曲区别于诗词的独特美学——以俚俗之语写雅致之情，以戏谑之笔写沉痛之慨，把「闲适」这一传统题材写得既亲切又深刻，是元曲「俗中见雅、谐中有庄」的典范，也是了解元代文人精神世界的一扇窗口。
Prosody
Line by line
南亩耕，东山卧
In the south fields I plough; on the east hill I lie.
在南山下耕田，向东山高卧
Plowing the southern fields; lying high on the Eastern Hill.
首句六字两典，是全曲的立骨之句，写尽诗人的隐逸选择。「南亩耕」用陶渊明「开荒南野际，守拙归园田」之意，南亩即向阳之田，「耕」字见躬耕自食之实，是「归田」的理想；「东山卧」用谢安隐居东山、高卧不起之典，「卧」字见闲适自得之态，是「高卧」的理想。一南一东、一耕一卧，对称工整而境界自开：南亩是劳动之地，东山是休憩之所，耕与卧相连，正是一日之劳作与闲暇的完整循环，亦是「晴耕雨读」式田园生活的缩影。两句以最简的六字写出退隐的全部内容，不着议论而选择自明——诗人已决定离开官场的喧嚣，回归田园的宁静。此句点题「闲适」，为下文「世态人情经历多」的回顾与「争甚么」的彻悟铺设了「闲」的立足点，是全曲「由隐入悟」逻辑的起点。
The opening six characters, two allusions, are the bone of the song, writing the poet's choice of retreat. 'Plowing the southern fields' uses Tao Yuanming's 'breaking new ground at the southern moor, keeping my plainness, returning to the garden fields' — the southern fields, the sunward land, the word 'plow' the reality of eating by his own toil, the ideal of 'returning to the fields'; 'lying high on the Eastern Hill' uses Xie An's retirement on the Eastern Hill, the word 'lie' the ease of the lofty couch, the ideal of 'lying high.' South and east, plow and lie, balanced and self-opening: the southern fields the place of labor, the Eastern Hill the place of rest, plow and lie joined, the full cycle of a day's toil and leisure, the miniature of the 'plow in sunshine, read in rain' rustic life. Two lines, six characters, writing the whole content of retirement, no argument, the choice self-evident — the poet has decided to leave the official clamor for rural quiet. The line touches the theme of 'leisure,' priming the footing of 'idleness' for the review of 'the ways of the world I have known too well' and the enlightenment of 'what worth the fighting' below, the logical start of the song's 'from retreat to enlightenment.'
世态人情经历多，闲将往事思量过
The ways of the world and the ways of men I have known too well; at leisure, I think over the past, and let it pass.
世态炎凉、人情冷暖，我已经历得太多，闲来把往事一一思量而过
The world's ways, men's warmth and cold, I have known all too well; at leisure I turn the past over in thought.
此二句是全曲的转折，由隐逸之志转入半生阅历的回顾，是全曲情感最沉郁处。「世态人情经历多」七字，以最平淡的口语写最沉重的阅历——世态之炎凉、人情之冷暖，诗人「经历多」三字轻轻带过，而其中包含的屈辱、辛酸、失望，尽在不言之中；「闲将往事思量过」承上启下，「闲」字点出「闲适」主题——退隐之后才有闲，有闲才思量往事，思量才得彻悟；「思量过」三字，写诗人对往事的冷静回看与最终清算，如账簿年终结算，一笔勾销。「经历多」与「思量过」一前一后，构成从「身经」到「心悟」的完整过程：正因为经历得太多，才值得好好思量；正因为思量透彻，才有末句「争甚么」的彻底放下。两句无一字激烈，而半生的波澜尽在其中，是典型的「以淡语写深情」，也是全曲由「闲适」的表层进入「彻悟」的深层的枢纽。
These two lines are the song's turning, from the resolve of retreat to the review of half a lifetime, the most somber point of the song's feeling. 'The ways of the world and the ways of men I have known too well' — seven characters, plainest vernacular for the heaviest experience: the world's warmth and chill, men's warmth and cold, the poet's 'have known too well' brushing over lightly, yet the humiliation, bitterness, and disappointment within all unspoken; 'at leisure, I think over the past, and let it pass' carries the part above to the part below, the word 'leisure' touching the theme — only after retirement is there leisure, leisure for thinking the past, thinking for enlightenment; 'think over and let pass' the calm looking back and final reckoning, like the year-end balancing of the books, one stroke closing the account. 'Have known too well' and 'think over and let pass,' one before the other, form the full process from 'lived through' to 'heart's enlightenment': precisely because I have lived through too much, it is worth thinking well; precisely because the thinking is thorough, comes the final letting-go of the closing 'what worth the fighting.' Two lines, not one fierce word, yet half a lifetime's waves within, the typical 'writing deep feeling in faint words,' and the hinge of the song from the surface of 'leisure' to the depth of 'enlightenment.'
贤的是他，愚的是我
Wise is he; foolish am I.
贤明的是他，愚笨的是我
'Wise' is what he is; 'foolish' is what I am.
此句是全曲最见机锋的一联，六字对举，表面自贬，实为反语，是全曲「以退为进」的妙笔。「贤的是他」——他贤，他聪明，他会钻营，他能升官发财；「愚的是我」——我愚，我笨拙，我不会逢迎，我只能耕田高卧。诗人把自己放在「愚」的位置上，看似自认不如，实则暗含三重心意：其一，这是看破后的自安——经过「世态人情经历多」的思量，诗人已不想再争，自称其愚，正是「不争」的宣言；其二，这是对世俗「贤愚观」的讽刺——世俗所谓贤，不过是善于争竞、工于钻营，我之「愚」，恰是不屑于此的傲骨；其三，这是「大智若愚」的哲学——真正的智慧在诗人这边，争名逐利者才是真愚。此句以最平易的对举写最复杂的心理，自贬之语愈甚，傲岸之气愈足，正是元曲「于自嘲中见风骨」的典型笔法，也为末句「争甚么」的收束蓄足了势能。
This line is the song's most witty couplet, six characters set against each other, self-disparagement on the surface, inverted speech within, the fine stroke of 'advancing by retreat.' 'The wise one is he' — he is wise, he is clever, he can scramble, he can rise and grow rich; 'the fool, that is I' — I am foolish, I am clumsy, I cannot flatter, I can only plow and lie high. The poet places himself in the 'fool's' seat, seemingly owning inferiority, yet holding three meanings: first, the self-possession after seeing through — after the thinking through of 'the ways of the world I have known too well,' the poet no longer wishes to contend, calling himself foolish is the declaration of 'not contending'; second, the satire of the world's 'wise and foolish' — the worldly 'wise' is but good at scrambling, skilled at canvassing, while my 'foolishness' is the spine that disdains it; third, the philosophy of 'great wisdom seems foolish' — true wisdom is on the poet's side, and the fame-seekers are the real fools. The line, in the plainest contrast, writes the most complex psychology; the heavier the self-disparagement, the fuller the pride — the typical Yuan qu art of 'showing spine through self-mockery,' charging the closing 'what worth the fighting'.
争甚么？
Why contend at all?
还争什么来由呢
'What worth the fighting?'
结句三字，以问句收束全曲，是全曲的「豹尾」，也是关汉卿看破世情的最终结论。「争甚么」犹言「还争什么」，语气似问非问、似答非答，把功名、是非、贤愚之争一笔勾销。此三字的妙处在于：其一，以问作结，斩钉截铁——「争甚么」不是犹疑之问，而是决绝之辞，问得越轻松，放下得越彻底；其二，与上文呼应——既然「贤的是他，愚的是我」，则我与他贤愚有别、道不同不相为谋，还有什么可争的？「争」字承接前文的对举，「甚么」以口语出之，把庄严的结论化入俚俗的语调，正是元曲本色；其三，余味悠长——「争甚么」之后，一切归于沉寂，只剩南亩之耕、东山之卧的闲适，诗人与世无争的形象于此定格。三字收束，举重若轻，把半生的阅历、彻悟与放下凝于一问之中，言有尽而意无穷，是全曲当之无愧的诗眼，也是元代文人「看破世情」心态最凝练的表达。
The closing three characters, a question closing the song, the 'leopard's tail' and Guan Hanqing's final conclusion after seeing through the world. 'What worth the fighting?' means 'what is there left to fight for,' the tone like a question yet not a question, like an answer yet not an answer, closing fame, right and wrong, wise and foolish, all at a stroke. The three characters' genius is threefold: first, closing in question, clipped and final — 'what worth the fighting?' no hesitant question, but a decisive word, the lighter the asking, the more thorough the letting go; second, answering the part above — since 'the wise one is he, the fool is I,' then wise and foolish, different ways, no common cause, what is there to fight? The word 'fight' carries the earlier contrast, 'what' in vernacular, turning the solemn conclusion into the slangy tone, the native manner of Yuan qu; third, the aftertone long — after 'what worth the fighting?' all falls silent, only the southern plow and the eastern couch of leisure, the poet's image of strife-with-the-worldlessness fixed here. Three characters closing, weightless handling, gathering half a lifetime's experience, enlightenment, and letting go into one question, words ended, meaning endless — the rightly claimed poem's eye, and the most condensed expression of the Yuan scholar's 'seeing through the world.'
Study
Word focus
Related Reading
From Guan's 'Four Pieces of Jade' set; one writes leisure, one history—see his natural-colour method.
《四块玉·马嵬》「睡海棠，春将晚。恨不得明皇掌中看」与《闲适》同出关汉卿《四块玉》组曲，同用南吕宫四块玉曲牌，而题材迥异：《马嵬》咏唐明皇、杨贵妃马嵬之变的历史故事，「寿阳宫，贵妃晚」「可知道嵬坡下，玉环香断」以史事寄感慨，讽刺君王耽色误国，笔调冷峻；《闲适》写诗人自身的隐逸生活，「南亩耕，东山卧」「争甚么」以自嘲写通达，笔调平和。同是四块玉，一写史、一写己，一冷峻、一旷达，可见关汉卿驾驭题材的广泛与曲体风格的多样；两首并读，更能见出元代散曲「以俗写雅、以短写深」的共同特征，以及关氏在杂剧之外的散曲造诣。
马致远·拨不断·布衣中 Bu Duan Duan · In Cloth Garb 马致远 · 同写功名虚无与闲适自守，同见元人看破世情的胸次 Same theme (fame is void / leisure)Both see through power and glory; Guan in light words, Ma in bitter ones—see the Yuan breast.
马致远《拨不断·布衣中》「布衣中，问英雄。王图霸业成何用」与此曲同属元人「看破功名、归于闲适」之作，同以俚俗之语写深沉的感慨，而面目有别：马曲「禾黍高低六代宫，楸梧远近千官冢。一场恶梦」以六代兴亡、千官丘冢的史实写功名之虚妄，悲慨沉痛，是「以史证悟」；关曲「世态人情经历多」「贤的是他，愚的是我，争甚么」以个人阅历写世情之炎凉，通达洒脱，是「以己证悟」。一同咏史、一自抒怀，一沉痛、一旷达，而结论相同——功名富贵皆虚幻，不如归田高卧。二曲并读，可见元代文人面对异族统治的普遍心态，亦可比较马致远「沉郁」与关汉卿「本色」两种曲风的差异，皆为元人「看破世情」的绝唱。
马致远·天净沙·秋思 Sky Clear Sand · Autumn Thought 马致远 · 同属元代散曲名篇，一写隐逸之闲一写羁旅之悲 Same-era sanqu masterpieceOne writes recluse leisure, one traveller sorrow—compare the Yuan lyric emotional spectrum.
马致远《天净沙·秋思》「枯藤老树昏鸦，小桥流水人家，古道西风瘦马。夕阳西下，断肠人在天涯」与此曲同为元代散曲小令名篇，同以极短的形式写极深的情感，而情调相反：《秋思》以「枯藤」「老树」「昏鸦」等一连串萧瑟意象写羁旅漂泊之悲，结于「断肠人在天涯」的肝肠寸断，是「悲」的极致；《闲适》以「南亩耕，东山卧」的隐逸意象写退守自安之乐，结于「争甚么」的看破放下，是「达」的极致。一写「行」之苦，一写「止」之乐；一在旅途，一在家园；一断肠，一安心。二曲并读，正可见元代散曲情感光谱的两极，亦可比较马致远、关汉卿两位大家的曲风——马以意境胜、关以本色胜，皆为元曲小令的巅峰之作。