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元 Yuan · 曲 Qu song

越调・斗鹌鹑开筵

Yuediao: Quail-Fight Overture — Opening the Feast

童童学士

Tongtong Xueshi

宴饮Theme 游仙Theme 颂祝Theme 散曲Theme

鹤背乘风，朝真半空。
龟枕生寒，游仙梦中。
瑞日融和，祥云峙耸。
赴天阙，游月宫。
歌舞吹弹，前后簇拥。

On a crane's back I ride the wind, paying reverence mid-air to the True Immortals.
The tortoise-shaped pillow grows cool; I roam the immortals' realm in dream.
Auspicious sun melts warm; blessed clouds tower on high.
I go to the celestial gate, and roam the Palace of the Moon.
Singers, dancers, flutes and strings—before and behind, they throng about me.

Listen

Meaning

A Yuan-dynasty aria picturing a celestial banquet, with the poet borne among immortals.

骑着仙鹤乘风而起,在半空之中朝谒仙真。龟形的枕席上生出寒意,仿佛在游仙的梦境之中。前往天宫的门阙,游历月中的广寒宫。歌者舞者吹弹演奏,前后左右簇拥围绕。

Appreciation

Tongtong Xueshi's 'Yuediao: Quail-Fight Overture — Opening the Feast' exemplifies the Yuan-dynasty sanqu aria at its most festive and theatrical. As the opening set-piece (kai yan) of a banquet sequence, it lifts an earthly gathering into a Daoist vision of immortality: the poet rides a crane on the wind, bows to the True Immortals, dreams on a cool tortoise-pillow, and passes through celestial gates and the Palace of the Moon. The artistry stacks auspicious images—crane-flight, blessed sun, rising clouds—until the feast reads as rapture among the gods, a conventional, auspicious frame for celebration. Short, parallel, percussive phrases give the yuanqu its brisk musical drive, while the closing line widens from private vision to a throng of singers, dancers, and musicians, turning solitude into public joy. Unlike the restrained, allusive ci of the Tang and Song, sanqu favors direct, exuberant spectacle and vernacular energy; this overture shows the form's gift for turning occasion into pageantry, and remains a vivid specimen of Yuan theatrical song.

【白话串讲】童童学士写开筵：“鹤背乘风，朝真半空。龟枕生寒，游仙梦中”。“赴天阙，游月宫。歌舞吹弹，前后簇拥”——他写神仙宴会的排场。【意象与手法】此曲为越调套数首曲,五组句子以骈偶铺陈见长。「鹤背乘风,朝真半空」以乘鹤朝真起笔,直入仙家境界;「龟枕生寒,游仙梦中」由实入虚,动与静开合相间;「赴天阙,游月宫」转三字短句,节奏骤快,步步登仙;末句「歌舞吹弹,前后簇拥」落回人间盛宴,以人间的喧阗收束天上的清旷。虚实相映,颂而不谀,是曲中上乘的颂体。【情感与主旨】此曲为元散曲庆贺宴饮之作,以神仙宴乐为框架,将主人寿筵比作天上仙会。鹤背游月、瑞日祥云,铺陈天庭气象,是祝寿颂祷的雅语;末以歌舞簇拥收束,天上人间合而为一,主人的豪贵与宾朋的欢乐尽在其中。全篇虽止五句,而开阖动静、虚实层递,于浓丽仙气中见豪奢宴乐之风,是元代贵胄宴乐的写照。【名句点睛】「鹤背乘风,朝真半空」:以乘鹤升腾写朝贺之仪,鹤为仙家坐骑,风助其势,「半空」二字点明飞行的高度方位。起笔即入超尘之境,既写仙人的飘举,又立起庄敬的仪式感,为整套开筵曲定下基调。

Background

Tongtong Xueshi (fl. 14th c.) was a Yuan-dynasty writer of sanqu, the new vernacular song-forms that flourished alongside drama. 'Quail-Fight' (Dou Anchun) is a yuanqu tune in the 'Yuediao' mode; 'Opening the Feast' (Kai Yan) is the opening set-piece of a banquet sequence, casting the gathering as a rapture among Daoist immortals—a conventional, auspicious frame for a celebratory occasion.

童童学士为元代前期散曲作家,生平事迹不详,今存套数数篇,见隋树森辑《全元散曲》(中华书局)。元代以学士为号的曲家颇多,或为文翰之职,或为封号,童童或即蒙古、色目勋贵子弟而染汉风者,然文献无征,只能阙疑。此曲题为开筵,属元散曲中庆贺宴饮的一类,多用于寿筵、公宴等场合,由乐工歌伎当场演唱以侑觞助兴,是散曲在社会生活中实际应用的功能文体。曲文以神仙宴乐为框架,鹤背乘风、游月宫、赴天阙云云,将主人的寿筵比作天上仙会,既是颂祷的套语,也体现了元代宫廷与贵胄豪宴崇信神仙方术、追求长生乐境的社会风气。元代北曲大兴,燕乐杂用胡乐,曲文通俗畅达,此曲四字句铺排,对仗工丽,语言明快,正是豪奢宴席上宾主相娱的产物。全篇虽止五句,然作为套数首曲,其功能在以浓丽仙气的开篇为全套定调,此种体制在元散曲套数中极为常见。童童学士其他作品尚有咏景物、写闲情者,可参《全元散曲》所辑。又按,元人宴乐之曲,多以神仙之语为祝寿之辞,此曲鹤驾月宫,正是此类套曲的定式,然其四字句之整炼,对偶之精工,实超出一般应景曲之上,可见童童学士虽存作无多,其才力在元初曲家中自非寻常。

Art

The aria stacks celestial images—crane-flight, tortoise-pillow dream, auspicious sun, blessed clouds, moon-palace—to lift an earthly feast into the realm of the immortals. Short, parallel phrases give the yuanqu its brisk, percussive music; the closing line widens the frame to a throng of musicians, turning private vision into public celebration.

此曲为越调套数之首曲,全篇由五组四字句构成,句式齐整而气势开张,是典型的以骈偶铺陈见长的曲家笔法。鹤背乘风,朝真半空,以乘鹤上升、朝谒真灵写起,起笔即入仙家境界,空间自地面直指天半;龟枕生寒,游仙梦中,由实入虚,写神仙卧游,枕边生寒,梦境与真境相接,飘然有凌云之意。瑞日融和,祥云峙耸,以瑞日祥云写天庭气象,融和、峙耸一柔一刚,光与云、暖与峻并置,画面立时丰腴;赴天阙,游月宫,再以两组三字短句写游历空间,天阙月宫,承上启下,节奏由缓转疾。歌舞吹弹,前后簇拥,末句以宴乐之盛收束,吹弹歌舞、前呼后拥,把仙境之游落脚到人间盛宴的狂欢,虚实相映,宾主之乐尽在其中。全曲无一字直接称颂主人,而以仙家盛宴铺排,借天上映衬人间,颂而不谀,是曲中上乘的颂体。就句式言,通篇四言,偶插三言,如金石之鸣,锺磬相间,节奏感极强,足见曲家驾驭语言的功力。又全曲不过五句,而开、阖、动、静、虚、实,层层转进,起以乘风,继以卧游,再由天庭而月宫,终归人间歌舞,天上人间,一以贯之,结构之密,堪为短套典范,其铺排虽富,而语语皆着题面,无一句游移。

Allusions

'Crane's back' and 'tortoise pillow' are Daoist vehicles of flight and immortal dream. 'True Immortals' (zhen) are the perfected ones; 'celestial gate' (tian que) and 'Palace of the Moon' (yue gong) are the heavens' courts. The whole vocabulary is standard yuanqu banquet-rhetoric wishing the host longevity and transcendence.

鹤背乘风暗用王子乔乘鹤之典,《列仙传》载王子乔好吹笙作凤凰鸣,后于缑氏山乘白鹤驻,举手谢时人而去,后世以乘鹤为登仙之代称,唐代李白、宋代苏轼诗文中皆用此典。朝真为道教仪节,谓朝谒真灵,见《云笈七签》述朝真之法,曲中朝真半空,即在天半朝谒仙真之意。龟枕生寒,龟为四灵之一,《礼记·礼运》麟凤龟龙,谓之四灵,龟又主寿,曹操《步出夏门行》神龟虽寿,犹有竟时,龟枕生寒正寓寿考绵长、岁寒不凋之意。游仙梦中,直承游仙传统,晋人郭璞有《游仙诗》十四首,以神游仙府抒怀,唐人乐府亦有游仙篇,词曲家遂以游仙写宴乐之雅。赴天阙、游月宫,月宫之想本于月中蟾宫、嫦娥奔月的传说,见《淮南子·览冥训》与《搜神记》,后世演为广寒宫,曲家以游月宫为极乐之游。歌舞吹弹、前后簇拥,则写宴席排场,簇拥二字状乐工伎乐环侍之盛。诸典多出常见道书史传,元曲家取以入曲,或庄或谐,皆成妙谛,此曲用典雍容而不堆砌,正见童童学士的雅正路数,典源参《列仙传》、《淮南子》及郭璞《游仙诗》通行本。又元曲用典,多取通俗故实以适演唱之需,此曲所拈鹤、龟、月、云诸物,皆民间熟知的神仙意象,不避熟而能出新,正是曲家用典的本色当行,与诗词之求雅不同,须以曲体观之,方得其趣。

Commentary

Yuan sanqu often opens a suite with just such a 'cloud-and-immortal' prelude before turning to wine, love, or satire. Modern readers value these pieces less for depth than for their bright, musical surface and their snapshot of Yuan banquet culture, where the host was flattered as a temporary god among musicians.

元代曲家品评,以朱权《太和正音谱》为最著,其书将乐府诸家分为上下品第,童童学士列名其中,惜品语简略,不得其详,然既得入录,足见其在当时曲坛已有声名。任讷《散曲概论》论元曲作家之盛,谓学士文人而作散曲者,多在延祐以前,童童学士当属此列,其曲风典雅,与马致远、张养浩之清逸各擅胜场。此曲见收于隋树森辑《全元散曲》,编者据元明选本辑录,校勘精审,今人研究元曲宴乐题材者,多引此曲为证,谓其以仙家盛宴写人间豪宴,构思新巧,是此类套曲中的佳作。明代臧懋循《元曲选》序曾谓曲之难工,尤甚于诗,元人以一咏一觞尽一时之情,曲中颂体最难出彩,而此曲以景语写颂情,不落俗套,宜其传世。近人论元曲语言,多称其本色当行,此曲四字句之整齐对仗,可见曲家亦重文采,并非一味俚俗,元曲风格的多样性,于此可见一斑。又今人治元曲者,多以本色、当行论曲,此曲文采之富,或疑近于词家,然其四字句之节奏、东钟韵之响亮,分明是曲而非词,正可见元曲虽尚本色,亦不废文采,雅俗之辨,须于具体作品中细加分辨。

Prosody

Form English explanation is being prepared.越调斗鹌鹑套数首曲

Rhyme English explanation is being prepared.中原音韵东钟韵(空、中、耸、宫、拥)

Tone pattern English explanation is being prepared.四字句为主,偶杂三字短句,节奏齐整而多变

Reading note Yuanqu in the 'Yuediao' mode: lines of irregular length with fixed pause-marks (dian), sung to the Quail-Fight tune. Unlike Song ci, yuanqu allows looser syntax and everyday diction; the rhyme is strict but the rhythm snappy, built for performance rather than silent reading.此曲为北曲越调套数的首支曲牌,越调斗鹌鹑定格十句,句式以四字句为主,间用三字句,起句鹤背乘风与次句朝真半空皆四言,至赴天阙、游月宫则转三言,句式整饬中见变化。押韵依元代北曲用韵系统,即周德清《中原音韵》所定十九韵部,此曲押东钟韵,空、中、耸、宫、拥五韵字,皆鼻音收尾,洪亮浑厚,正合仙家与宴乐的堂皇气象。北曲入派三声,无入声,四声平仄依曲谱,此曲以平仄相间组织音节,鹤背乘风为仄仄平平,朝真半空为平平仄平,龟枕生寒为平仄平平,四字句皆平仄谐协,诵之如珠走盘。曲尾歌舞吹弹,前后簇拥,以平平平平、平仄仄仄收束,末韵拥字去声,声情由扬转抑,干净利落,便于套数接续下曲。元曲重音乐,曲牌即音乐格律,童童学士此作恪守牌调而文辞华赡,可见元代曲家于音律与词采并重之一斑。又此曲四字句之平仄,多依曲谱而定,然细审其声,平仄相间,铿锵可诵,如鹤背乘风、朝真半空,四字之中平仄各半,读来珠圆玉润,可见曲家于声律之讲求,不亚于诗词。

Line by line

鹤背乘风，朝真半空。

On a crane's back I ride the wind, paying reverence mid-air to the True Immortals.

骑着仙鹤乘风而起,在半空之中朝谒仙真。

Riding the crane's back on the wind, midway up, I wait upon the immortals.

两句以最开阔的意象起笔,鹤背乘风写升腾之势,朝真半空写仙界之高,一起便把人带入超尘绝俗的想象空间。鹤为仙家坐骑,风助其势,半空二字点明飞行的高度与方位,动态感十足,为全曲的神仙基调定了声口,也以仙游之乐为下文人间接风设下伏笔。鹤背乘风,语带仙气,朝真半空,更见庄敬,起笔两句既写了仙人的飘举,又立起朝贺的仪式感,为整套开筵曲定下既庄且乐的基调,是套数首曲最见功力的开篇。

The two lines open in the broadest imagery: 'on the crane's back, riding the wind' the ascent, 'paying court to the immortals, half-way up' the height of the fairy realm, at once carrying the reader into a world beyond dust. The crane is the immortal's mount, the wind its force, fixing the fairy tone of the whole suite, and priming the human welcome below with the joy of immortal wandering.

龟枕生寒，游仙梦中。

The tortoise-shaped pillow grows cool; I roam the immortals' realm in dream.

龟形的枕席上生出寒意,仿佛在游仙的梦境之中。

Chill rises on the tortoise-shaped pillow; as if in a dream of wandering among the immortals.

此联由飞行转入卧游,龟枕生寒,写仙榻的清凉,也暗寓寿考之祥;游仙梦中,则真幻莫辨,一梦游仙,何等惬意。两句以静衬动,与上句之乘风恰成对照,腾跃与安眠、天半与枕席,开合之间,神仙之乐兼有动与静两境,构思细密。龟枕生寒,以枕席之凉写仙家之境,游仙梦中,则真幻不辨,两句由动入静,由行入卧,节奏一顿,恰与上句之乘风形成开合,于极短的篇幅中做出起伏,尤见曲家布置之细。

This couplet turns from flight to reclined wandering: 'on the tortoise pillow, a chill arises' the cool of the immortal couch, and the dark omen of long life; 'in the dream of wandering with the immortals' the real and dream indistinguishable. The two lines set stillness against motion, answering the wind-riding above: the leap and the lying, the sky-half and the pillow, the open and the close, the immortal joy holding both motion and stillness.

赴天阙，游月宫。

I go to the celestial gate, and roam the Palace of the Moon.

前往天宫的门阙,游历月中的广寒宫。

Repairing to the heavenly gate, roaming the moon palace.

三字短句陡起,节奏骤然加快,天阙月宫,一处天庭一处月中,空间继续升高、放远,游兴也更浓。短句急促有力,与前后四字句的舒缓形成节奏对比,读来有步步登仙之感,为末句人间歌舞的爆发蓄足了势,是全曲声音与意脉的枢纽。三字短句陡起,节奏骤然加快,天阙月宫,一在九霄,一在月中,空间继续升高、放远,游兴也更浓,短句急促有力,与前后四字句的舒缓形成节奏对比,为末句人间歌舞的爆发蓄足了势。

The three-character short lines start abruptly, the rhythm suddenly quickening: the heavenly gate, the moon palace, one in heaven one in the moon, the space rising and opening, the wandering joy the keener. The short lines, urgent and forceful, contrast with the four-character ease before and after, reading like step by step mounting to immortality, charging the burst of human song and dance at the close.

歌舞吹弹，前后簇拥。

Singers, dancers, flutes and strings—before and behind, they throng about me.

歌者舞者吹弹演奏,前后左右簇拥围绕。

Singing, dancing, blowing and fingering, thronged all around.

末句由天上落回人间,歌舞吹弹写宴乐的盛大,前后簇拥写排场的煊赫,视听并陈,热闹非凡。全曲至此,神仙之游与人间之宴合而为一,主人的豪贵与宾朋的欢乐尽在其中。以人间的喧阗收束天上的清旷,虚实相济,颂而不谀,正是这首开筵曲立意的精妙处。末句由天上落回人间,歌舞吹弹写宴乐的盛大,前后簇拥写排场的煊赫,视听并陈,热闹非凡,全曲至此,神仙之游与人间之宴合而为一,主人的豪贵与宾朋的欢乐尽在其中。

The closing line falls from heaven back to the human world: 'song and dance, pipes and strings' the grandeur of the feast, 'thronged before and behind' the splendor of the procession, sight and sound together. The song now fuses the immortal wandering with the human feast, closing the clarity of heaven with the human bustle, the solid and the void aiding each other, praise without flattery.

Study

Word focus

峙耸 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. 祥云峙耸的峙耸,本指山峰耸立之状,用以状云,顿使祥云带上山岳般的凝重与崇高。着此二字,云不再是轻盈的飘浮之物,而有垂天压地之势,与上句瑞日融和的和煦恰成刚柔对照,天的庄严、仙的气象都由此二字托出,是曲中炼字见气象的佳例。峙耸二字以山之语写云,云势便如山之凝重,垂天而至,与融和之日光一刚一柔,天象之庄严毕现,曲家炼字之妙,于二字可窥一斑。

簇拥 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. 前后簇拥的簇拥,写人群密密围聚、簇集而拥之状,聚拢感极强。着一簇拥,宴席上歌伎乐工环侍满堂、喧阗热烈的场面跃然纸上,与上文天阙月宫的清寂空旷相对照,人间之乐的热度就此压过仙界之清,主人身份之尊、宾客之盛,尽在这一词之中。簇拥以密聚写喧阗,一字而满堂华宴的声光毕现,与上片清空的天界恰成对照,人间之乐的热度就此压过仙界之清,主人身份之尊、宾客之盛,尽在这一词之中。

融和 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. 瑞日融和的融和,写日光的和暖融然,兼有温煦与融洽双重意味。以融和状瑞日,光便不只是明亮,而带上了温度与善意,天地间一片祥和之气,正为全曲的庆贺主旨作色。融和二字语平而意厚,与峙耸之峻、簇拥之闹相配,一柔一刚、一静一闹,曲中三组意象由此浑然。融和二字,既写日色之温煦,亦写宾主气氛之融洽,语意双关,正宜用于开筵颂贺之曲,字面圆融而意思周到,是曲中恭维语的上乘写法。