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唐 Tang · 词 Ci lyric

忆江南·其二

Recalling the South — Second of the Series

白居易

Bai Juyi

江南Jiangnan (the South) 怀旧Nostalgia

江南忆，最忆是杭州。
山寺月中寻桂子，郡亭枕上看潮头。
何日更重游。

Of the South I dream; what I dream of most is Hangzhou.
In the mountain temple, beneath the moon, I sought the cassia seeds;
from the pillow in the prefect's pavilion I watched the tide's crest.
When shall I roam there once again?

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Meaning

The second of Bai Juyi's three 'Recalling the South' lyrics singles out Hangzhou as the object of his deepest nostalgia. Recalling the poetic pursuits of seeking cassia seeds by moonlight in a mountain temple and watching the tide from his official pavilion, the poet closes with a wistful question about returning—a compact blend of reminiscence and longing.

江南忆，最忆是杭州。山寺月中寻桂子，郡亭枕上看潮头。何日更重游。

Appreciation

[Plain Paraphrase] Of the South he dreams, and what he dreams of most is Hangzhou: in the mountain temple beneath the moon he sought the cassia seeds; from the pillow in the prefect's pavilion he watched the tide's crest. When shall he wander there again? [Structure] The first three lines summon Hangzhou's scenes (the declarative 'most is Hangzhou,' then the parallel couplet of temple and pavilion); the closing line turns from memory to longing, from 'recall' to 'when shall I return.' [Imagery] 'Mountain temple, moon, cassia seeds' and 'prefect's pavilion, pillow, tide' present two quintessential Hangzhou pleasures—one serene and aromatic, one grand and rhythmic. With plain, bright language the lyric achieves the effortless elegance for which Bai Juyi is known, making it a classic of southern nostalgia.

【白话串讲】白居易写《忆江南·其二》：“江南忆，最忆是杭州”——“山寺月中寻桂子，郡亭枕上看潮头”——“何日更重游”——他忆杭州——山寺月中寻桂子。【意象与手法】此词写忆江南，以忆旧写江南，是白居易的名篇。前三句写忆杭州：「江南忆，最忆是杭州。山寺月中寻桂子，郡亭枕上看潮头」写江南忆、最忆是杭州、山寺月中寻桂子、郡亭枕上看潮头——写尽杭州的风物；后二句写盼重游：「何日更重游」写何日更重游——写尽重游的期盼。全词以忆旧写江南，写尽杭州的风物与重游的期盼，是白居易的代表作。【情感与主旨】此词写忆江南，以忆旧写江南，是白居易的名篇。此词为白居易《忆江南》组词之二，写对杭州的忆念。白居易曾为杭州刺史，治理西湖、疏浚六井，政绩斐然，离任后常忆杭州风物。此词写忆杭州：江南忆，最忆是杭州——写江南忆、最忆是杭州，写尽忆念之最；山寺月中寻桂子，郡亭枕上看潮头——写出寺月中寻桂子、郡亭枕上看潮头，写尽杭州的风物；何日更重游——写何日更重游，写尽重游的期盼。全词以忆旧写江南——那「最忆是杭州」写尽杭州的风物，「何日更重游」写尽重游的期盼，写尽杭州的风物与重游的期盼，是理解白居易忆江南词的重要篇章。【名句点睛】常考「江南忆，最忆是杭州」写忆念之最；「山寺月中寻桂子，郡亭枕上看潮头」写杭州的风物；以及全词以忆旧写江南、以对仗写风物的手法。

Background

Bai Juyi (772–846), courtesy name Letian, art names Xiangshan Jushi and Zuiyin Xiansheng, of Xiaogui (Shaanxi), was a Tang poet who, with Yuan Zhen, formed the 'Yuan-Bai' pair and led the New Yuefu movement; he is the most prolific Tang poet. This lyric is the second of his three 'Recalling the South' (Yi Jiangnan) pieces, written in his late years recalling his tenure as prefect of Hangzhou (822–824), where he built the Bai causeway and dredged the West Lake and six wells, earning deep popular affection. The first piece surveys the South overall; the second and third recall Hangzhou and the Wu Palace respectively. The 'cassia seeds' allude to the Lingyin/Tianzhu temple legend that cassia seeds fall from the moon.

此词写忆江南，以忆旧写江南，是白居易的名篇。白居易（772—846），字乐天，号香山居士，又号醉吟先生，下邽（今陕西渭南）人，唐代诗人，与元稹并称「元白」，与新乐府运动相关，为唐代存诗最多的诗人。此词为白居易《忆江南》组词之二，写对杭州的忆念。白居易曾为杭州刺史，治理西湖、疏浚六井，政绩斐然，离任后常忆杭州风物。此词写忆杭州：「江南忆，最忆是杭州」写江南忆、最忆是杭州——写尽忆念之最（江南忆，最忆是杭州）；「山寺月中寻桂子，郡亭枕上看潮头」写出寺月中寻桂子、郡亭枕上看潮头——写尽杭州的风物（山寺月中寻桂子，郡亭枕上看潮头）；「何日更重游」写何日更重游——写尽重游的期盼（何日更重游）。全词以忆旧写江南，写尽杭州的风物与重游的期盼，是理解白居易忆江南词的重要篇章。白居易曾于长庆二年（822）任杭州刺史，后又于宝历元年（825）任苏州刺史。他在杭州期间主持修筑白公堤、疏浚西湖与六井，深得民心，离任后杭州父老皆送行。此《忆江南》三首即其晚年追忆江南之作，第一首总写江南，第二、三首分忆杭州与吴宫。

Art

The lyric's art unfolds in four moves. First, direct feeling: 'what I dream of most is Hangzhou' states the peak of nostalgia plainly. Second, antithetical scene-painting: 'in the mountain temple, beneath the moon, I sought the cassia seeds; from the pillow in the prefect's pavilion I watched the tide's crest' uses parallel structure to present two quintessential Hangzhou sights. Third, imaginative allusion: 'sought the cassia seeds' evokes the moonlit temple legend, imagining Hangzhou's autumn. Fourth, questioning longing: 'when shall I roam there once again' ends on a suspended question turning memory into hope. The first three lines paint scenes, the last two express longing—from recall to hope, the typical 'first recall, then hope' of nostalgia lyrics. The 'pillow-watching the tide' detail captures the elegant leisure of official life; the closing suspended question pushes longing to its height—Bai Juyi's plain, fresh manner at its finest.

此词的艺术特色可从四个方面解析。其一，以直抒写忆念。「最忆是杭州」以直抒写忆念——那「最忆」写尽忆念之最，以直抒写尽对杭州的忆念。其二，以对仗写风物。「山寺月中寻桂子，郡亭枕上看潮头」以对仗写风物——那「山寺月中」「郡亭枕上」写尽寺月的寻桂与亭潮的观看，以对仗写尽杭州的风物。其三，以想象写桂子。「寻桂子」以想象写桂子——那「寻桂子」写尽月中寻桂的想象，以想象写尽杭州的秋色。其四，以发问写期盼。「何日更重游」以发问写期盼——那「何日」写尽重游的期盼，以发问写尽对杭州的思念。此外，此词前三句写杭州的风物，后二句写重游的期盼，由忆及盼，正是忆旧词「先忆后盼」的写法。四重手法，使此词以忆旧写江南，写尽杭州的风物与重游的期盼，是白居易的代表作。此词还善于以「枕上看潮头」的闲适细节写官宦生活的风雅——那「郡亭枕上」写刺史衙署郡亭中的卧看，正是为官杭州时的独特体验，与「山寺月中寻桂子」的雅兴相对，一山一水、一月一潮，见江南风物的双美。又善以「何日更重游」的悬问作结，将忆念推向期盼。

Allusions

The lyric is steeped in the southern-nostalgia tradition. 'Jiangnan' evokes Bai Juyi's own 'Jiangnan is good, its scenery long familiar.' 'Cassia seeds' alludes to the legend that at Lingyin and Tianzhu temples cassia seeds fall from the moon—Song Zhiwen's 'cassia seeds fall from the moon, heavenly fragrance drifts beyond the clouds' sings this; Bai uses 'sought the cassia seeds' for a Hangzhou autumn-night elegance, also hinting at the 'plucking cassia in the moon' exam auspice. 'Mountain temple' points to Hangzhou's famous Lingyin and Tianzhu; 'tide's crest' to the Qiantang bore; 'when shall I roam again' echoes Meng Haoran's 'come again for the chrysanthemum festival.' Fusing these images of Jiangnan, cassia, temple, tide, and return, the lyric exemplifies Bai's plain yet allusive craft in the southern tradition.

此词的用语深植于忆旧与江南传统。「江南」令人想到「江南」写江南的意象——也令人想到「江南好，风景旧曾谙」（白居易）的意象；「桂子」令人想到「桂子」写桂花的意象——传说灵隐寺月中桂子飘落，也令人想到「桂子月中落，天香云外飘」（宋之问）的意象；「山寺」令人想到「山寺」写山寺的意象——杭州灵隐寺、天竺寺皆山中名刹，也令人想到「深山藏古寺」的意象；「潮头」令人想到「潮头」写钱塘潮的意象——钱塘江大潮，也令人想到「郡亭枕上看潮头」的意象；「重游」令人想到「重游」写重游的意象——也令人想到「待到重阳日，还来就菊花」（孟浩然）的意象。全词化用江南、桂子、山寺、潮头、重游的意象，以忆旧写江南，正是白居易「平易」而善写忆、承江南传统写风物之本领。「桂子」典出杭州灵隐寺的传说——相传灵隐寺、天竺寺一带每至中秋常有桂子（桂花种子）从月宫中坠落，宋之问《灵隐寺》诗「桂子月中落，天香云外飘」即咏此。白居易以「山寺月中寻桂子」写杭州秋夜的雅事，正用此传说，又暗含「月中折桂」的科举祥瑞之意。

Commentary

Long esteemed as a masterpiece of Bai Juyi's southern-nostalgia lyrics and a representative Tang poem on Hangzhou, it is praised for its plain, bright manner and the famous couplet 'in the mountain temple, beneath the moon, I sought the cassia seeds; from the pillow in the prefect's pavilion I watched the tide's crest.' Its special value lies in five short lines that encompass Hangzhou's scenes and the hope of return—the South, the most, Hangzhou, the temple, the moon, the cassia, the pavilion, the pillow, the tide, the when, the return. With the first 'Recalling the South' ('Jiangnan is good') it forms a pair—one the South's beauty, one Hangzhou's deepest recall; with Su Shi's 'West Lake' it continues the Hangzhou tradition. For modern readers it is a window onto Bai's southern lyrics and a classic of Chinese Hangzhou verse—the tide-watching pavilion still speaks, across a thousand years, of southern longing.

此词历来被推为白居易忆江南词的名篇，也是唐人写杭州的代表。历代论者对此词评价极高：清人评此词「以忆旧写江南，清新明快」；近人更指出「山寺月中寻桂子，郡亭枕上看潮头」写杭州的风物，是此词的名句。在词史上，此词的特殊价值在于：它以双调的小令写尽杭州的风物与重游的期盼——那江南忆，那最忆，那杭州，那山寺，那月中，那寻桂子，那郡亭，那枕上，那看潮头，那何日，那重游，都写尽了白居易笔下的杭州；那「何日更重游」更以发问写尽重游的期盼。此词与白居易《忆江南·其一》（「江南好」）同为忆江南名篇，一写「日出江花红胜火」的江南好（其一），一写「山寺月中寻桂子」的最忆杭州（其二）；又与苏轼「欲把西湖比西子」的杭州传统一脉相承，可见中国词写杭州的传统。对于今日读者，此词是理解白居易忆江南词的窗口，也是中国词写杭州的经典——那枕上看潮的郡亭，穿越千年，仍在诉说着江南的忆念。

Prosody

Form Lyric — Yi Jiangnan (Recalling the South)词·忆江南

Rhyme Rhymes on 'Hangzhou' (zhou), 'crest' (tou), 'again' (you), in the 'you' group, sustained throughout with a bright, brisk music suited to nostalgia.押「州」「头」「游」韵（下平十一尤），一韵到底，音节明快

Tone pattern As a Yi Jiangnan lyric with level rhymes sustained throughout, the bright, brisk music matches the plain, bright mood of recollection.此词为忆江南词牌，押平声韵，一韵到底，音节明快，正合忆旧的明快。

Reading note A five-line monostanza Yi Jiangnan: 'Of the South I dream; what I dream of most is Hangzhou. In the mountain temple, beneath the moon, I sought the cassia seeds; from the pillow in the prefect's pavilion I watched the tide's crest. When shall I roam there once again'—rhyming on the 'you' group (zhou, tou, you), bright and brisk. The lyric recalls the South: first three lines Hangzhou's scenes (most is Hangzhou; temple moon cassia), last two the hope of return (when again). Five short lines, first recall then hope, ending on 'when shall I roam again'—Bai Juyi's plain manner. Read the 'most is Hangzhou' with bright tone, the 'temple moon cassia' with light briskness, and close brightly with lingering resonance to convey his fresh clarity. Bai's lyrics, known for 'plain and fresh,' find here their definitive model.此词为《忆江南》单调小令，五句——「江南忆，最忆是杭州。山寺月中寻桂子，郡亭枕上看潮头。何日更重游」，押「尤」韵（州、头、游），一韵到底，音节明快。全词以忆旧写江南：前三句写杭州的风物（最忆是杭州、山寺月中寻桂子），后二句写重游的期盼（何日更重游）。五句短章，前写忆念，后写期盼，以「何日更重游」写尽重游的期盼，正见白居易「平易」的本色。诵读此词，宜以明快的语调读「最忆是杭州」的忆念，以轻快的语调读「山寺月中寻桂子」的风物，结句要读得明快而有余韵，方能传达出白居易的清新明快。白居易词以「平易清新」著称，此词正是其忆江南词的典范。

Line by line

山寺月中寻桂子，郡亭枕上看潮头

In the mountain temple, beneath the moon, I sought the cassia seeds; from the pillow in the prefect's pavilion I watched the tide's crest.

山寺月中寻桂子，郡亭枕上看潮头。

In the mountain temple, seeking cassia seeds beneath the moon; from the prefectural pavilion, watching the tide while resting on my pillow.

此二句是全词写风物的核心，以山寺月中寻桂子写寻桂，以郡亭枕上看潮头写看潮，写尽杭州的风物，是千古名句。「山寺月中寻桂子」写出寺月中寻桂子——那「山寺月中」写出寺月中，「寻桂子」写寻桂子，写尽月中的寻桂；「郡亭枕上看潮头」写郡亭枕上看潮头——那「郡亭枕上」写郡亭枕上，「看潮头」写看潮头，写尽枕上的看潮。这句的深意在于：它以「山寺月中寻桂子」的寻桂与「郡亭枕上看潮头」的看潮，写尽杭州的风物——山寺月中寻桂子，那「山寺月中寻桂子」写尽月中的寻桂——山寺月中寻桂，正是杭州秋色的写照，那「寻桂子」写尽杭州的风物；郡亭枕上看潮头，那「郡亭枕上看潮头」写尽枕上的看潮——郡亭枕上看潮，正是钱塘观潮的写照，那「看潮头」写尽杭州的风物；那「山寺月中寻桂子」写尽月中的寻桂，那「郡亭枕上看潮头」写尽枕上的看潮，一写寻桂，一写看潮，写尽杭州的风物——月中寻桂而枕上看潮，正是杭州独有的风物；此二句以寻桂、看潮写尽杭州的风物，也为下文的期盼作铺垫，也让此二句成为全词写风物的核心与千古名句。若换作直说「杭州的秋天和潮水都很好」，则失其画面；唯以「山寺月中寻桂子」写寻桂、「郡亭枕上看潮头」写看潮，写尽杭州的风物，也让此二句成为全词写风物的核心。

The couplet distills Hangzhou's two signature pleasures into a single remembered pair. The first is nocturnal and secluded—seeking the cassia seeds that, in local legend, fall with the moon onto the osmanthus of Mount Tianzhu; the second is leisured and vast, watching the Qiantang bore from the pavilion while lying on a pillow. One image is inward and delicate, the other expansive; together they cover Hangzhou's autumn moon and its famous tide, the two things the old governor cannot forget. The concrete, almost casual gestures—seeking, watching—make the nostalgia tactile rather than stated, and they prepare the reader for the explicit longing that follows. To have said simply that Hangzhou's autumn and its tide were lovely would lose the pictures; the two images themselves carry the longing.

江南忆，最忆是杭州

Of the South I dream; what I dream of most is Hangzhou.

江南忆，最忆是杭州。

Of Jiangnan I dream; what I remember best of all is Hangzhou.

此二句是全词写忆念的核心，以江南忆写江南，以最忆是杭州写杭州，写尽对杭州的忆念，是千古名句。「江南忆」写江南忆——那「江南」写江南，「忆」写忆，写尽江南的忆；「最忆是杭州」写最忆是杭州——那「最忆」写最忆，「是杭州」写是杭州，写尽忆念之最。这句的深意在于：它以「江南忆」的江南与「最忆是杭州」的杭州，写尽对杭州的忆念——江南忆，那「江南忆」写尽江南的忆——江南可忆，正是对江南的追忆，那「忆」写尽江南的忆念；最忆是杭州，那「最忆是杭州」写尽忆念之最——最忆杭州，正是忆念之最的写照，那「最忆」写尽对杭州的忆念；那「江南忆」写尽江南的忆，那「最忆是杭州」写尽忆念之最，一写江南，一写杭州，写尽对杭州的忆念——江南可忆而最忆杭州，正是对杭州的偏爱；此二句以江南、杭州写尽对杭州的忆念，也为下文的桂子潮头作铺垫，也让此二句成为全词写忆念的核心与千古名句。若换作直说「我很想念杭州」，则失其词情；唯以「江南忆」写江南、「最忆是杭州」写杭州，写尽对杭州的忆念，也让此二句成为全词写忆念的核心。

Here the nostalgia is spoken outright, and the ranking is the poem's gesture. "Jiangnan I remember" opens a whole region; "what I remember best is Hangzhou" narrows the field to one city. The superlative does the work of preference—among all the places worth remembering in the south, Hangzhou stands first—and it frames the two images that follow, the cassia and the tide, as the reasons for that precedence. Spoken in the plainest language, the line achieves its famous warmth through order: region first, city next, and only then the particulars. A direct "I miss Hangzhou" would be thinner; the measured narrowing from Jiangnan to the one city is what makes the affection feel considered and deep.

Study

Word focus

最 'Most' (zui)—the key word for nostalgia in 'what I dream of most is Hangzhou.' It means utmost, supreme. Bai Juyi uses it doubly: to mark the peak of recollection (Hangzhou above all the South) and to deepen the feeling's intensity. Unlike 'often' or 'long,' 'most' with 'dream of' concentrates the attachment, pairing with 'when shall I roam again' to make the line a nostalgia hallmark. 「最忆是杭州」之「最」字是写忆念的关键词，一个「最」字写尽忆念之最。最者，至极、无上也。白居易以「最忆是杭州」写忆念，这个「最」字至少有双重意味：其一，写忆之最——那「最忆是杭州」写最忆是杭州，那「最」字写尽忆念之最——最忆杭州，正是忆念之最的写照，那「最」字写尽对杭州的忆念；其二，写情之深——那「最」字更是写深——最，正见忆念之深，那「最」字写尽对杭州的思念。以「最」字写忆念，正是白居易写忆江南的枢纽——若换作「常」「久」等字，则或失其与「忆是杭州」「江南忆」的配合，或失其写最的意味；唯「最」字，以最忆是杭州写尽忆念之最与忆念之深，与「何日更重游」的更重游相合，写尽对杭州的忆念，也让「最忆是杭州」成为全词写忆念的名句。

更 'Again / once more' (geng)—the key word for longing in 'when shall I roam there once again.' It means to repeat, further. Bai Juyi uses it doubly: to mark the repetition of the visit (roam again) and to intensify the eagerness (how I long to). Unlike 'again' or 'also,' 'once more' with 'when shall' and 'roam' concentrates the hope of return, pairing with 'most is Hangzhou' to make the line a longing hallmark. 「何日更重游」之「更」字是写期盼的关键词，一个「更」字写尽重游的期盼。更者，再、更加也。白居易以「何日更重游」写期盼，这个「更」字至少有双重意味：其一，写游之再——那「何日更重游」写何日更重游，那「更」字写尽重游的再——更重游，正是再游的写照，那「更」字写尽重游的期盼；其二，写盼之切——那「更」字更是写切——更，正见期盼之切，那「更」字写尽对杭州的思念。以「更」字写期盼，正是白居易写忆江南的枢纽——若换作「再」「又」等字，则或失其与「何日」「重游」的配合，或失其写更的意味；唯「更」字，以何日更重游写尽重游的再与期盼之切，与「最忆是杭州」的最忆相合，写尽重游的期盼，也让「何日更重游」成为全词写期盼的名句。