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汉 Han · 文 Prose

廉颇蔺相如列传·版本

The Biographies of Lian Po and Lin Xiangru (Version)

司马迁

Sima Qian

史传Historical Biography 廉颇Lian Po 战国Warring States 将相和The Harmony of the General and the Minister

廉颇者，赵之良将也。
赵惠文王十六年，廉颇为赵将，伐齐，大破之，取阳晋，拜为上卿，以勇气闻于诸侯。

Lian Po was the fine general of Zhao. In the sixteenth year of King Huiwen of Zhao, Lian Po, as general of Zhao, attacked Qi, greatly defeated it, took Yangjin, and was made Senior Minister; he was known among the feudal lords for his courage.

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Meaning

The opening of the 'Biographies of Lian Po and Lin Xiangru' of the Records of the Grand Historian, the establishment of the biography of Lian Po, the famous general of the late Warring States. 'Lian Po was the fine general of Zhao' is the verdict of the whole biography with the single character 'fine' (liang); then the annals-narrative: in the sixteenth year of King Huiwen of Zhao (283 BC), Lian Po, as general of Zhao, attacked Qi, greatly defeated it, took Yangjin, and was made Senior Minister, known among the feudal lords for his courage. The passage establishes the character of Lian Po—the 'fine' for his virtue, the 'courage' for his valor, the 'known among the feudal lords' for his fame—preparing the great narrative of the 'harmony of the general and the minister' that follows: the perfect return of the jade, the meeting of Mianchi, and the bearing of the thorns in apology.

廉颇是赵国德才兼备的优秀将领，一位以勇猛善战、威震列国而著称的名将。赵惠文王十六年，廉颇担任赵国的大将，攻打齐国，大败齐军，夺取了阳晋，被任命为上卿，凭借他的勇猛气概在诸侯各国中闻名。

Appreciation

Though short, the passage already shows the classic brush and the craft of the Records' biographies. First, the judgment sentence establishing the biography: 'Lian Po was the fine general of Zhao,' seven characters, the form taken from the judgment of the pre-Qin historical books and more condensed, the single 'ye' fixing the character of the whole life, the historian's praise and blame lodged in the syntax—calling him the 'fine general' rather than the 'brave general,' marking his virtue; first the 'fine' and then the 'courage,' honoring his wholeness. Second, the annals-narrative, the outline raised and the details clear: the 'sixteenth year of King Huiwen of Zhao' fixes the year with the strict stroke of the historian; 'as general of Zhao' makes clear his office, 'attacked Qi' records the deed, 'greatly defeated it' describes the victory, 'took Yangjin' makes real the merit, 'was made Senior Minister' records the reward—the five deeds written in succession, and the 'known among the feudal lords for his courage' gathers the whole, the annals and the biography in one, the establishment of the famous general in a few strokes.

【白话串讲】司马迁写《廉颇蔺相如列传》：蔺相如完璧归赵、渑池会上逼秦王击缶，“位在廉颇之右”。廉颇不服，说见了他要羞辱他。蔺相如称病不上朝，“先国家之急而后私仇也”。廉颇“肉袒负荆，因宾客至蔺相如门谢罪”——“卒相与欢，为刎颈之交”——负荆请罪，将相和。【意象与手法】以判断句开篇立传，庄重简古，是《史记》人物列传的经典笔法；以编年叙事列战功，取「大破之」「取阳晋」等斩截之语，战事之烈、功业之隆不言而喻；「以勇气闻于诸侯」一句收束，既写其声名，又暗伏后文「徒以口舌为劳」的意气之争与负荆请罪的转折。史笔之谨严与文势之劲健，于此段已见端倪。【情感与主旨】本段立廉颇「良将」之定评与「勇气」之标签，为全传「先抑后扬」张本：勇将而能与相如争功、又能负荆请罪，勇而能改、武而能义，方为「良将」之全。司马迁以「勇气」为眼，写尽战国将相风神，亦暗寓「文武相济」的为政理想。【名句点睛】「廉颇者，赵之良将也」七字，句法取自《左传》「郑伯克段于鄢」式的断案笔法而更进一层：一「也」字定案，传主之「良」遂成定论，与后文蔺相如「完璧归赵」之智、廉颇「负荆请罪」之义，共同构成「将相和」的不朽故事。

Background

The 'Biographies of Lian Po and Lin Xiangru' is a famous chapter of the seventy biographies of the Records of the Grand Historian, in the eighty-first chapter, jointly transmitting the four generals and ministers of Zhao—Lian Po, Lin Xiangru, Zhao She, and Li Mu—with Lian and Lin the chief. This passage is from the opening of the chapter, the establishment of the biography of Lian Po. Lian Po, the famous general of Zhao of the late Warring States, active from the reign of King Huiwen to that of King Daoxiang of Zhao (between 298 and 236 BC), paired with Bai Qi, Wang Jian, and Li Mu as the 'four famous generals of the Warring States.' In the sixteenth year of King Huiwen of Zhao (283 BC), Lian Po led the Zhao army to attack Qi, greatly defeated the Qi host, and took Yangjin (west of present-day Yuncheng, Shandong), and was made Senior Minister for the merit, thence known among the feudal lords for his courage. Thereafter Lian Po defeated Qi, Wei, and Yan several times, and in the thirtieth year of King Huiwen defeated Yan at Hao, was enfeoffed as Lord Xinping, and acted as the state's prime minister. The most popular of the chapter is the story of the 'harmony of the general and the minister' of Lian Po and Lin Xiangru—the perfect return of the jade, the meeting of Mianchi, and the bearing of the thorns in apology: Xiangru, with his wisdom and courage, subdued the King of Qin and, placed above Lian Po, yielded to him for the state's sake, and Lian Po, knowing his error, bore the thorns in apology.

《廉颇蔺相如列传》是《史记》七十列传中的名篇，载于卷八十一，合传廉颇、蔺相如、赵奢、李牧四位赵国将相，而以廉、蔺为主。本节出自传文开篇，为廉颇立传之始。廉颇，战国后期赵国名将，生卒年不详，约活动于赵惠文王至赵悼襄王时期（前298—前236年间），与白起、王翦、李牧并称「战国四大名将」。赵惠文王十六年即公元前283年，廉颇率赵军伐齐，大破齐师，攻取阳晋（今山东郓城西），因功拜上卿，从此以勇猛闻名诸侯。其后廉颇又数败齐、魏、燕，赵惠文王三十年破燕于鄗，封信平君，摄行相国职。此传最脍炙人口者，是廉颇与蔺相如「完璧归赵」「渑池之会」「负荆请罪」的将相和故事：相如以智勇折服秦王，位居廉颇之上，廉颇不服，扬言「必辱之」，相如以国事为重避让再三，廉颇感悟，肉袒负荆至相如门谢罪，遂为刎颈之交。司马迁著此传，不仅在记战国旧事，更在寄寓「两贤相济、文武同心」的政治理想，与他一贯表彰忠义、感慨世情的史识一脉相通。

Art

The art shows the classic brush of the Records' biographies: the judgment sentence establishing the biography, the 'fine' marking the virtue and the 'courage' the valor, the praise and blame lodged in the syntax; and the annals-narrative, the five deeds of the office, the attack, the victory, the taking, and the reward written in succession, and the 'known among the feudal lords for his courage' gathering the whole. The passage, from the verdict to the deeds to the fame, the establishment of the famous general in a few strokes, the annals and the biography in one.

本段虽短，已可见《史记》人物传记的经典笔法与匠心。其一，判断句开篇立传：「廉颇者，赵之良将也」七个字，句式取自先秦史书之断案体而更凝练，一个「也」字为传主一生定性，史家褒贬寓于句法之中——称「良将」而非「勇将」，著其德；先言「良」而后言「勇」，尊其全。其二，编年叙事，纲举目张：以「赵惠文王十六年」标明年份，史笔谨严；「为赵将」明其职，「伐齐」纪其事，「大破之」状其胜，「取阳晋」实其功，「拜为上卿」录其赏——五事连写，一气贯注，战功封赏层次井然，如史册之实录。其三，以「以勇气闻于诸侯」收束，别具深心：既写声名之盛（闻于诸侯），更以「勇气」二字为全文之眼——后文廉颇闻相如「徒以口舌之劳而位居我上」的愤愤不平，正由「勇气」二字生发；及至负荆请罪，勇而能改，方见「良将」之全。末句在结构上是全文的「伏线」，在文势上则以「闻于诸侯」四字作雷霆之响，先声夺人。整段叙事简约而包孕甚富，正是「史记体」以少总多的典范。

Allusions

The cultural import of the passage is rich, inheriting the Spring and Autumn brush and opening the later motif of the 'harmony of the general and the minister.' The term 'fine general' traces its source to the Zuo Commentary's 'the finest of Chu is in its central army and the king's clan,' the 'fine' for the general carrying both the talent and the virtue, not the mere valor. In the Warring States, the system of the enfeoffment and the reward of the generals was gradually completed: the 'made' (bai) of 'was made Senior Minister' is the respectful word of the conferring of the office, the Senior Minister the highest rank of the feudal state, above the other ministers, and Lian Po's attainment of it by the military merit shows the depth of the King of Zhao's reliance; the 'known for the courage' is the beginning of the fame of the general of Zhao, and the whole narrative of the harmony of the general and the minister will unfold from this.

本段文化内涵丰富，上承春秋史笔，下开后世「将相和」母题。「良将」之称，溯其源流，乃承《左传》「楚之良，在其中军王族而已」之「良」字用法，以「良」称将，兼有才能与德行两义，非仅勇武之谓。战国之际，武将封赏制度渐备：「拜为上卿」之「拜」字，为授予官职之敬辞，上卿为诸侯国最高爵位，位在诸卿之上，廉颇以军功得之，正见赵王倚重之深；「以勇气闻于诸侯」之「闻」，则点出战国争雄时代「名闻天下」的声价标准——列国交聘、纵横捭阖，将帅之声誉本身就是一种战略资源。此段所述「赵惠文王十六年伐齐大破之」，于史有据（见《史记·赵世家》），司马迁据实录之，又隐以「大破之」三字见廉颇之威，暗用春秋笔法之褒贬。更可注意的是，「将相和」之母题由此段奠基：良将之勇与相如之智相济，方能保赵之安，后世戏曲《将相和》、小说家言皆从此出，廉颇遂由历史人物转化为中华文化中「忠勇知过、负荆请罪」的道德符号。

Commentary

The 'Biographies of Lian Po and Lin Xiangru' is one of the most widely circulated and influential chapters of the Records of the Grand Historian, its three episodes of the perfect return of the jade, the meeting of Mianchi, and the bearing of the thorns in apology known to every household, and the 'harmony of the general and the minister' has become the spiritual fable of the Chinese nation of 'the overall situation valued and the error known and amended.' The verdict of this passage, 'Lian Po was the fine general of Zhao,' sets the tone of the great narrative: Sima Qian does not judge the hero by the success or the failure but grants him the 'fine'—the character of Lian Po, at once brave and knowing the error, established in the first line of the biography.

《廉颇蔺相如列传》是《史记》中流传最广、影响最大的篇目之一，其中「完璧归赵」「渑池之会」「负荆请罪」三大情节家喻户晓，「将相和」更成为中华民族「顾全大局、知错能改」的精神寓言。本节「廉颇者，赵之良将也」的定评，为这一伟大叙事奠定基调：司马迁不以成败论英雄，而以「良」字许之，既有对廉颇战功的实录，更有对其晚年「一饭三遗矢」的深切同情。后世对廉颇的接受，多经由《史记》此传：宋代司马光《资治通鉴》节录其传，明代冯梦龙《东周列国志》演其故事，京剧《将相和》历演不衰，「廉颇老矣，尚能饭否」更成为成语，语出辛弃疾《永遇乐·京口北固亭怀古》「凭谁问：廉颇老矣，尚能饭否」，借廉颇自况报国之志。就史传文学而言，本段以七字定评加一句战功录，把人物传记的「开篇立格」之法推向极致，与《项羽本纪》「项籍者，下相人也，字羽」的开篇并列，同为后世史家与古文家揣摩的典范。

Prosody

Form Han historical biography prose (Records of the Grand Historian)汉代史传散文（《史记》列传体）

Rhyme Unrhymed, proceeding in loose sentences, the cadence regulated by the length of the sentences and the particles. The first sentence 'Lian Po was the fine general of Zhao' is a judgment sentence, the disyllabic 'Lian Po' opening, the 'fine general' carrying, and the 'ye' closing with a pause不押韵，以散句行文，靠句式长短与虚词调节声情。首句「廉颇者，赵之良将也」为判断句，双音节「廉颇」起、「良将」承、「也」字收，音节庄重端凝；次句以「赵惠文王十六年」长句标年，随后「为赵将」「伐齐」「大破之」「取阳晋」「拜为上卿」五组短句连排，二字至四字一顿，急促有力，如鼓点连击；末句「以勇气闻于诸侯」稍加长，收束沉稳。

Tone pattern The judgment sentence is even and solemn, the annals-narrative of the five deeds is even and pressing, and 'known among the feudal lords for his courage' closes high—the whole from the verdict to the deeds to the fame, the establishment of the famous general carried by the rhythm句式整散结合：判断句庄重，叙事句斩截，短句密集处如剑戟交鸣。标年句以长音定位，战功句以短音推进，「大破之」三字顿挫最响；「以勇气闻于诸侯」七字收束，音节放开，如长啸远播。虚词仅用「者」「也」「之」「于」，皆安放妥帖，全段语气刚健雄直，与廉颇之勇相称。

Reading note The cadence of the passage, from the solemn judgment sentence to the pressing five deeds to the high close of the fame, carries the establishment of the famous general.此段声情之美，在于「以短句写武事，以断句立定评」。开篇「廉颇者，赵之良将也」七字，前五字「廉颇者赵之」平仄相间、顿挫分明，「良将也」三字拖长收束，读来如史官宣读定案，庄重而笃定。「赵惠文王十六年」以六字标年，是全段唯一的长句，正以长句的从容铺垫后文短句的劲疾——紧接着「廉颇为赵将，伐齐，大破之，取阳晋，拜为上卿」，一连五个短句，每句不过四五字，音节短促，如飞矢连发：「伐齐」一顿，「大破之」三字重顿，「取阳晋」再顿，「拜为上卿」又顿——战功叙事如数家珍，而气不稍懈，正是司马迁「以气行文」的本领。末句「以勇气闻于诸侯」七字，由「以勇气」三字提起，复以「闻于诸侯」四字散开，音节由促转舒，如大战方罢、号角长鸣，把廉颇的声名送出赵国，送出战国，直送到后世读者的耳中。全段不足五十字，而开合张弛、缓急有致，是《史记》史传散文声情之美的绝佳标本。

Line by line

廉颇者，赵之良将也。

Lian Po was the fine general of Zhao. (The judgment sentence establishing the biography: the single 'ye' fixing the character of the whole life, the 'fine' marking the virtue, the praise and blame lodged in the syntax.)

廉颇是赵国德才兼备的优秀将领，一位以勇猛善战、威震列国而著称的名将。

Lian Po was a good general of Zhao.

七字开篇，是全传的总纲与定评。「廉颇者，赵之良将也」以「者……也」的判断句式立传，句式取自先秦史官断案之体而更为凝练：主语「廉颇」直呼其名，不加籍贯字号，如雷贯耳；谓语「赵之良将」以「之」字绾结，一国一将，地位自明；「也」字收束，语气笃定，如史官落笔定案。妙在一个「良」字：不曰「勇将」「名将」，而曰「良将」，「良」兼有才能与德行二义——勇冠三军是才，能屈能伸是德，全传写廉颇伐齐之勇、争功之忿、负荆之改，正为「良」字作注。司马迁以一字定褒贬，开篇七字即把传主一生的品格基调与全文的叙事纲领一并立定，是《史记》人物传记「开篇立格」之法的典范，后世史传碑志「某某者，某地人也」的套式皆祖于此。

The seven-character opening. Lian Po was a good general of Zhao. The judgment sentence (the historian's formula) is the whole verdict: not brave general, but good general—the word good will be earned by his later apology as well as his earlier victories. To have introduced Lian Po as a general would be an introduction; the good-general of Zhao is the introduction's verdict.

赵惠文王十六年，廉颇为赵将，伐齐，大破之，取阳晋，拜为上卿，以勇气闻于诸侯。

In the sixteenth year of King Huiwen of Zhao, Lian Po, as general of Zhao, attacked Qi, greatly defeated it, took Yangjin, and was made Senior Minister; he was known among the feudal lords for his courage. (The annals-narrative: the office, the attack, the victory, the taking, and the reward in succession, and the 'known for the courage' gathering the whole, the establishment of the famous general in a few strokes.)

赵惠文王十六年，廉颇担任赵国的大将，攻打齐国，大败齐军，夺取了阳晋，被任命为上卿，凭借他的勇猛气概在诸侯各国中闻名。

In the sixteenth year of King Huiwen of Zhao, Lian Po commanded Zhao's army against Qi, routed it, took Yangjin, and was made Supreme Minister; his courage was known among the lords.

此句以编年之笔录廉颇之功，是全文战功叙事的开篇，气脉雄直。「赵惠文王十六年」纪年严谨，史家本分；「廉颇为赵将」著其职衔，君命在身；「伐齐，大破之」六字，写战事之烈不着一字渲染，而「大破」之威自见——司马迁记战功，只用「破」「取」「克」等斩截动词，史笔之简劲在此；「取阳晋」实其战果，攻城略地之实迹昭然；「拜为上卿」录其封赏，军功之崇由此可见；「以勇气闻于诸侯」总束一句，声名远播，如雷霆收震。值得注意的是「勇气」二字：司马迁不曰「以谋略闻」「以战功闻」，而独标「勇气」，既写廉颇本色（后文负荆请罪，正是勇气的另一种形态），又为下文与蔺相如「徒以口舌为劳」的争执埋下伏笔——勇者以力服人，故轻口舌之功；而能折节谢罪，又见其勇在知过。一句之中，叙事、定评、伏线三者兼备，文势劲健而用意深远。

The campaign. In the sixteenth year of King Huiwen, Lian Po commanded Zhao's army against Qi, routed it, took Yangjin, and was made Supreme Minister; his courage was known among the lords. The rapid verbs (attack, rout, take, appoint) are the historian's shorthand for a successful career. The courage is singled out as the source of his fame. To have listed Lian Po's victories would be a record; the routed Qi, taken Yangjin, and the fame among the lords are the record.

以勇气闻于诸侯。

He was known among the feudal lords for his courage. (The close of the fame: the fame of the general of Zhao beginning with the courage, the 'known' the first sound of the fame of Lian Po, from which the great narrative unfolds.)

凭借他的勇猛气概在诸侯各国中闻名。

His courage made him famous among the lords.

「以勇气闻于诸侯」七字独立成句，收束前文战功，是廉颇声名的总写，也是全传之「眼」。「以」字点出闻名之凭借——勇气；「闻」字写声名之远播——闻于诸侯，非止一国；「诸侯」二字拓开空间，把廉颇置于战国争雄的天下格局之中，一人之勇而列国知畏，威势自见。此句的深层用意有三：其一，为「良将」之誉作实证——勇冠三军而能闻于诸侯，方不负「良将」之称；其二，为后文「将相和」埋线——廉颇以勇气自负，故闻相如「徒以口舌之劳而位居我上」则忿然不平，其勇而争、争而改，全由「勇气」二字生发；其三，以「闻」字见战国之世风——名将之声誉即国之威势，廉颇之「闻」亦赵国之「闻」。司马迁以七字为廉颇立起一座丰碑，简洁而有千钧之力，正是史笔之妙。

The repeated line. His courage made him famous among the lords. The isolation of the courage line shows what matters: this is the trait he will later wield against Lin Xiangru, and the trait he will finally master. To have repeated the fame line would be a recap; the fame built on courage is the recap's theme.

Study

Word focus

良将 Fine general. The word of the verdict: 'Lian Po was the fine general of Zhao'—the 'fine' marking the virtue and the valor both, the character of Lian Po fixed in the two characters of the judgment, the praise and blame of the historian in the syntax. 「赵之良将也」之「良将」，是全段最重的定评之词。「良」训良好、优秀，兼有才与德二义：《说文》训「良」为「善」，故「良将」不只是「能打仗的将领」，而是「德才兼备的将领」。司马迁不用「勇将」（专主武勇）、「名将」（专主声名）、「宿将」（专主资格），而独用「良将」，笔意深远：全传写廉颇，前半以勇立功，中间以忿争功，末以负荆谢罪——由武勇而至于知过能改，正是一个「良」字由才到德的完成。且「良将」之「良」，又与蔺相如之「智」对举：赵之存，良将御外，智士安内，司马迁以「良」许廉颇，实为「将相和」的贤者相济理想立论。一字之择，可见史家取义的深心，后世以「良将」称廉颇者，皆本于此。

大破 Greatly defeated. The word of the victory: 'attacked Qi, greatly defeated it'—the great victory over the Qi host, the valor and the merit of the general of Zhao in the two characters. 「伐齐，大破之」之「大破」，是《史记》记战功最常用的斩截之词。「破」训击败，「大」状其程度——不是小胜、险胜，而是歼灭性的完胜。司马迁记战争，力避渲染铺陈，只用「破」「克」「取」「虏」等单字动词，而以「大」字加于其前者，更见战果之辉煌。此处「大破之」三字，前承「伐齐」之主动出击，后启「取阳晋」之攻城略地，因果相续，如连珠而下：因为大破齐军，所以能乘胜取城。且「大破」不写具体战况——几战几胜、斩首几何，一概从略，而读者自能想见旌旗蔽日、尸横遍野之状，此即以少总多之法。三个字，写出了廉颇一生武功的缩影，也写出了太史公记战功「简而能壮」的笔力。

闻 Known. The word of the fame: 'he was known among the feudal lords for his courage'—the fame of the general of Zhao spreading among the feudal lords, the beginning of the fame from which the narrative of the harmony of the general and the minister unfolds. 「以勇气闻于诸侯」之「闻」，训「闻名、著称」，是理解全句乃至全传精神的关键字。「闻」本义为「听到」，引申为「名声传扬」，此处「闻于诸侯」，言廉颇之勇名传遍列国，非止一国所知。这一个字，把廉颇从赵国之将提升为天下之将：战国争雄，将帅之声名即国之威慑，廉颇之「闻」，是赵国武力的广告，是「勇」的资本化。更深一层，「闻」字与「良将」之「良」相映：良者，实也；闻者，名也——实至而名归，名实相副。而后文廉颇争功，所争者正是「名」（位居相如之上），其「以勇气闻于诸侯」的自负，正在于他以「闻」为荣；及至负荆谢罪，他又超越了「名」的执着——勇而能改，才真正当得起「良将」与「闻于诸侯」的双重褒美。一字之中，藏着一篇「将相和」的伏线。