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汉 Han · 乐府 Yuefu ballad

临高台

On the High Tower

汉乐府

Han Yuefu

写景Scenery 田园Pastoral life 隐逸Hermitage 忧愤Theme

临高台以轩，下有清水清且寒。
江有香草目以兰，黄鹄高飞离哉翻。
关弓射鹄，令我主寿万年。

Leaning on the high tower's rail, below runs clear water, clear and cold.
By the river grow fragrant herbs, seen as orchids; the yellow swan soars high, wheeling away.
I draw my bow and shoot the swan—may our lord live ten thousand years.

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Meaning

The eighteenth of the 'Eighteen War-Drum Songs.' The war-drum songs were martial music used by the Han at suburb-altar and court meetings; this piece is a climb-and-view, host-entertaining, lord-praising work, for feast or the return from a hunt. 'May our lord live ten thousand years' is plainly a vassal praising the ruler—unlike later signed imitations that voice feeling.

登上高高的楼台凭栏远望，台下清清的流水又清又寒。江边长着香草，看去就像兰草一般，黄鹄高高飞起、翻然远逝。张弓射中那黄鹄，愿让我们的君主长寿万年。

Appreciation

Only three lines yet ordered in layers: the first 'leaning on the high tower's rail' names the topic and the gazing pose; 'below runs clear water, clear and cold' sets the tone with cold, clear water. The second 'by the river grow fragrant herbs, seen as orchids; the yellow swan soars high, wheeling away' moves near to far—orchids figure high purity, the swan figures auspice and freedom, a clear, distant picture. The last 'I draw my bow and shoot the swan—may our lord live ten thousand years' turns from scene to blessing; though a praise-line, it carries martial air, open, not frivolous.

【白话串讲】登上高台，下有清水，岸有香草，黄鹄高飞。有人引弓射黄鹄，祝愿君王长寿万年。一首汉代的高台之歌，带着远古的仪式感。【意象与手法】诗仅三句而层次井然：首句「临高台以轩」点题并立观望之姿；「下有清水清且寒」以冷水澄澈之景定调；「江有香草目以兰，黄鹄高飞离哉翻」由近及远、由静入动，香草喻高洁、黄鹄象祥瑞与自由，画面清远开阔。结句「关弓射鹄，令我主寿万年」由景入祝，先以射猎之事立英武之姿，再以祥禽献寿寄恭谨之愿，虽为颂语而语带英武、疏朗不佻。全篇以「高台—清水—香草—黄鹄—射鹄—祝寿」为线索，景、事、祝三层递进，三句之内完成起承转合。【情感与主旨】《临高台》见《乐府诗集》卷十六「汉铙歌十八曲」第十八。铙歌本为军中鼓吹之乐，汉代用于郊庙朝会，此篇则是登高览胜、娱宾颂主之作，大抵用于宴飨或校猎归来的祝颂场合。「令主寿万年」显为臣下颂君之辞，然其清远之景与恭谨之祝相得，向为铙歌雅调之代表。【名句点睛】中考可取「下有清水清且寒」「黄鹄高飞」考查景物描写的作用，或要求说明「黄鹄」「香草」的象征义——黄鹄象祥瑞与自由、香草喻高洁，由景入祝的结构与「清且寒」「目以兰」「离哉翻」的古奥炼字亦常入题。

Background

'On the High Tower' is the eighteenth of the 'Eighteen War-Drum Songs.' The war-drum songs were martial music, used by the Han at suburb-altar and court; this piece is a climb-and-view, host-entertaining, lord-praising work, for feast or the return from a hunt. 'May our lord live ten thousand years' is plainly a vassal praising the ruler, unlike later signed imitations (like Emperor Wu's 'On the High Tower') that voice feeling and lament.

《临高台》是汉乐府「铙歌十八曲」中的第十八曲，见郭茂倩《乐府诗集》卷十六。铙歌本为军中鼓吹之乐，由先秦鼓吹乐演化而来，汉代用于郊庙、朝会、道路、校猎等场合，其曲辞多存古声，体制短小、语言古奥，常杂以「以」「哉」「矣」等语助词，读来声调铿锵、气象高古。此篇题为《临高台》，写登台览胜、张弓射鹄、祝颂君寿，大抵是宴飨或校猎归来时娱宾颂主之辞。「令我主寿万年」一句，显为臣下对君主的祝嘏之语，带有鲜明的宫廷礼乐色彩。据《乐府诗集》题解所引《乐府解题》，此曲古辞即存「临高台以轩，下有清水清且寒」云云，可见其辞在六朝时已流传有绪，历代传唱不衰。与后世文人拟作（如梁武帝萧衍、谢朓皆有《临高台》拟篇）多借题抒怀、寄慨遥深者不同，本篇仍保留着汉代铙歌原始的祝颂功能，是考察汉乐府宫廷用乐与颂祷传统的珍贵标本，也是我们今日了解汉代礼乐制度与君臣关系的重要窗口。

Art

Only three lines yet ordered in layers: the first names the topic and the gazing pose; 'below runs clear water, clear and cold' sets the tone with cold, clear water. The second moves near to far—orchids figure high purity, the swan figures auspice and freedom, a clear, distant picture. The last turns from scene to blessing; though a praise-line, it carries martial air, open, not frivolous.

全诗仅三句而层次井然、章法精妙。首句「临高台以轩」点题立势，写登临高处、凭栏四望之姿态，「以轩」二字古拗而有势，观望之姿立现。次句「下有清水清且寒」由高及下，写台前清流，以「清且寒」定下澄澈清冷的基调。第三句「江有香草目以兰，黄鹄高飞离哉翻」由近及远、由静入动：近处江畔香草如兰，是静景；远处黄鹄振翅高飞、翻然远逝，是动景，画面层次分明，空间感极强。结句「关弓射鹄，令我主寿万年」由写景陡转入祝颂，张弓搭箭、射落高飞的黄鹄，意在以祥瑞之鸟献寿于君，由眼前的物象生发出颂祷之辞，语带英武之气而疏朗不佻。全篇以「高台—清水—香草—黄鹄—射鹄—祝寿」为线索，由景入事、由事入祝，景、事、祝三层递进，短短三句完成了完整的起承转合，可见汉代铙歌虽体制短小，章法却极凝练，写景之清远与祝颂之恭谨相得益彰，正是「短章清远、声情并茂」的典范。

Allusions

The 'yellow swan' is an old auspice bird; the 'Shi Ji' records Tian Heng's followers singing 'suppose the yellow swan' to figure a high departure; Han yuefu often use the swan to figure immortal longevity. 'Seen as orchids' takes the orchid as the eye's fragrant herb; the orchid also figures the gentleman's fragrance. The whole piles no set tales, yet the two images of herb and swan already make a lofty realm—'entrusting the object' rather than 'using the allusion.'

此篇用典极简，而以意象托物见长。「黄鹄」是古代祥瑞之鸟，传说中能高飞远举，古人常以之象征高洁、仙寿与自由。《史记》载田横门人作歌，有「蒿里」「薤露」之叹，汉乐府又有古辞以黄鹄之飞鸣寄寓高逝之志；汉人多以鹄为长寿仙禽，故「射鹄祝寿」正取黄鹄祥瑞长寿之义，以猎获祥禽来祈祝君主万年之寿，是祝嘏礼俗的诗化表达。「目以兰」即「视之以兰」，谓江畔香草望去如兰草一般；兰是《楚辞》中高洁君子的象征，「目以兰」将眼前香草与兰之芬芳、君子之德联系起来，含蓄地寄寓了对美好品格的赞慕，与《离骚》「纫秋兰以为佩」的比德传统一脉相通，兰之清芬正与全篇清冽的格调相应。全篇不堆砌故实、不搬用成典，只以「香草」「黄鹄」两个意象托物寓意，取径于《诗经》《楚辞》的比兴传统，属「托物」而非「用典」的路数，语古而意新，简练而有余味，正是汉代乐府民歌朴素自然而又含蓄蕴藉的典型风貌。

Commentary

The 'Yue Fu Collection' note cites the 'Yue Fu Resolution': 'On the High Tower says leaning on the high tower's rail, below runs clear water… draw the bow and shoot the swan, may our lord live ten thousand years.' Zhu Qian's 'Yue Fu Right Meaning' holds the war-drum songs mostly 'write the hunt and bless'—this piece is one. Its clear, distant scene and reverent blessing suit each other; long a representative of the war-drum songs' elegant tune.

《乐府诗集》题解引《乐府解题》曰：「临高台，言临高台以轩，下有清水……关弓射鹄，令我主寿万年。」可见古人对本篇的理解，即以其为登台览胜、祝颂君寿之作。清代朱乾《乐府正义》论铙歌，谓其多「叙猎祝嘏」之辞，本篇正属此类：前二句写登高所见之清景，后二句写射鹄祝寿之事，狩猎之英武与祝嘏之恭谨合于一章，是汉铙歌中典型的颂祷之篇。其价值有三：其一，保存了汉代宫廷礼乐用辞的原貌，是研究乐府鼓吹乐制与郊庙朝会礼俗的第一手材料；其二，全篇由景入祝、短章凝练，展示了汉乐府「感于哀乐、缘事而发」之外的另一面——典礼性歌辞同样能写得清远有致；其三，「清且寒」「离哉翻」「目以兰」等古语古韵，为汉语保留了珍贵的上古语料，历来为训诂家所重。本篇与《上邪》《有所思》等言情铙歌相比，虽少缠绵而多庄重，然其清远之景与恭谨之祝相得益彰，向被视为铙歌雅调之代表，在汉乐府中别具一格。

Prosody

Form Han yuefu · Eighteen War-Drum Songs (mixed lines)汉乐府·铙歌十八曲（杂言）

Rhyme Xuan, han, lan, fan, nian; yuan, han groups interlock; war-drum rhyme not strict句末「轩、寒、兰、翻、年」相协，属上古元、寒等韵部相通，铙歌随乐而歌，不苛求韵部严整，然句句入韵、一韵到底，声调铿锵。

Tone pattern Three- and seven-character mixed; level-oblique not fixed三、五、七言错落成章，句式长短不齐，平仄不拘近体，而以语助词「以」「哉」调节声气，随乐行腔，节奏明快。

Reading note Short and clear, an elegant tune of the war-drum songs blessing the lord本篇为汉铙歌十八曲之第十八曲，属杂言体歌辞，句式以三言、五言、七言错落组成：首句「临高台以轩」为七言，次句「下有清水清且寒」亦七言，第三句「江有香草目以兰，黄鹄高飞离哉翻」两七言相贯，结句「关弓射鹄」为四言、「令我主寿万年」为六言，长短参差，随乐而变。铙歌本为军中鼓吹之乐，配以铙鼓，节奏明快、声调铿锵，此篇虽为宫廷祝颂之辞，仍保留着鼓吹乐的刚健节奏。用韵上，「轩、寒、兰、翻、年」皆收平声，一韵到底、句句入韵，诵之琅琅上口；「以」「哉」等语助词穿插其间，既保留上古声气，又使节奏疏密有致。全篇不苛求平仄对仗，而以自然声口行腔，短章清远、声情并茂，是铙歌中颂主祝嘏之雅调，亦可见汉乐府「感于哀乐、缘事而发」之外的典礼乐歌风貌。

Line by line

临高台以轩，下有清水清且寒。

I climb the high terrace and lean on its rail; below is clear water, clear and cold.

登上高高的楼台凭栏远望，台下清清的流水又清又寒。

I mount the high terrace and lean on its railing; below flows clear water, clear and cold.

首句点题立势，「临高台以轩」写登临高处、凭栏四望的姿态，「以轩」古拗而有势，观望之姿立现。次句「下有清水清且寒」由高及下，写台前清流澄澈、水气生寒，「清且寒」三字炼意极精：「清」写水色之澄明，可见其底；「寒」写水气之清冷，如触其肤，二字叠用，既状眼前之景，又暗透登高者清寂高远的心境。以冷水澄澈之景为全篇定调，使后文的香草、黄鹄乃至祝寿之辞都笼罩在清冽明净的氛围之中，景物虽简而意境全出，是典型的以景开篇、以境立骨的手法。

The terrace. I climb the high terrace and lean on its rail; below flows clear water, clear and cold. The view downward finds a stream both transparent and chill; the two qualities (clear, cold) set the poem's pure tone. To have described climbing a terrace above a stream would be a scene; the lean-on-rail above the clear and cold water is the scene.

江有香草目以兰，黄鹄高飞离哉翻。

On the river bank are fragrant herbs that look like orchids; the great swan soars high, rising and wheeling away.

江边长着香草，看去就像兰草一般；黄鹄高高飞起、翻然远逝。

By the river grow fragrant herbs, seen as orchids; the great swan flies high, wheeling away.

此句由近及远、由静入动，是全篇写景的核心。近处江畔香草如兰，「目以兰」以古奥之语写「视之以兰」之意，将眼前香草与《楚辞》中兰之高洁联系起来，含蓄寄寓对美好品格的赞慕；远处黄鹄振翅高飞，「离哉翻」写其翻然远举、倏忽远逝之态，「哉」字为古语助词，声情摇曳。香草是静景，喻高洁；黄鹄是动景，象祥瑞与自由，一动一静、一近一远，构成清远开阔的画面。尤为精妙的是，黄鹄之高飞既承香草之清雅而来，又为下文「射鹄祝寿」埋下伏笔——正是这只高飞的祥禽，成为献寿于君的凭借，景与事之间衔接自然，了无痕迹。

The riverbank and the bird. By the river grow fragrant herbs, seen as orchids; the great swan flies high, wheeling away. The orchids borrow the Chuci's purity; the soaring swan is the omen bird. The still plants and the flying bird are the poem's two registers. To have described herbs and a swan would be nature; the orchids on the bank and the swan wheeling away are the nature.

关弓射鹄，令我主寿万年。

I draw the bow and shoot the swan; may our lord live ten thousand years.

张弓射中那黄鹄，愿让我们的君主长寿万年。

I draw the bow and shoot the swan; may our ruler enjoy ten thousand years of life.

结句由写景陡转入祝颂，是全篇主旨的归结。「关弓射鹄」写张弓搭箭、射落高飞的黄鹄，动作刚健有力，与上文黄鹄高飞之景前后呼应——高飞之鹄被一箭射中，猎者的英武之姿跃然纸上；「令我主寿万年」则由射猎之事生发出对君主的祝嘏之辞，以祥瑞之禽献寿，庄重而恳切。此句妙在以事起祝：先有射鹄之举，后有祝寿之辞，祝颂因事而发、不空喊口号，故虽为颂语而语带英武、疏朗不佻，毫无谄媚之态。全篇由景入事、由事入祝，三句完成起承转合，恭谨的祝辞与清远的景致相得益彰，尽显汉铙歌颂主祝嘏的雅正本色。

The blessing. I draw the bow and shoot the swan; may our ruler enjoy ten thousand years of life. The hunt becomes the tribute: the captured auspicious bird is the vehicle of the wish. The poem turns from scenery to court praise without a seam. To have said shooting the swan was a birthday greeting would be a summary; the drawn bow and the ten-thousand-year wish for the ruler are the summary.

Study

Word focus

清且寒 'Clear' writes the water's color, 'cold' its air; the two together picture the scene and also show the high, clear, lonely mood. 「清且寒」三字是首句写景的炼字所在。「清」写水色之澄明，兼有清冽、清澈之意，见水之可鉴；「寒」写水气之清冷，兼有寒意、清寂之意，如触其肤。二字以「且」字连缀，层层叠加，既状水流之清寒，又暗透登高者独立高台、心随境冷的情怀——高处风寒，清流生寒，境之清冷与心之清寂相互映发。炼字之妙尤在「寒」不写「冷」：冷只是温度的感受，寒则兼有清高肃穆的意味，正与全篇清远雅正的格调相合；若易为「清且凉」则太俗，易为「清且冽」则太猛，唯「寒」字既写实景，又定下全篇清寂的基调，为后文香草、黄鹄乃至祝寿之辞铺设了清冽明净的氛围，一字之工，全篇生色。

目以兰 'Mu yi' means 'look upon as'; taking the orchid as the eye's fragrant herb—old, cryptic yet fresh wording. 「目以兰」是汉铙歌中极古奥的炼语。「目」此处用作动词，犹「视」「望」；「以」为介词，表「以之为……」「把它当作……」之意；「目以兰」即「视之以兰」，谓江畔香草望去如同兰草一般。此种「名物活用为动词」的句法，是上古汉语的遗存，与《诗经》「日居月诸」「之死矢靡他」等古句同一机杼，语简而意古。其妙有三：一则以兰入目，将眼前无名香草与《楚辞》兰之高洁联系起来，托物寓意，含蓄赞慕君子之德；二则「目」字赋静景以人的动作，仿佛诗人凝目辨认、细细端详，画面顿生活气；三则「目以兰」与下句「黄鹄高飞」一俯一仰、一动一静，章法谨严。三字古奥生新，是汉乐府语料中难得的炼字典范。

离哉翻 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. 「离哉翻」写黄鹄高飞远逝的动态，是全篇最见神采的摹形之辞。「离」有分离、离去之意，写黄鹄离开原地、振翅远举；「哉」为古汉语语助词，此处置于动宾之间，声情摇曳，有咏叹之致；「翻」写振翅翻飞、翻然旋转之态，如见其翼影翻动。三字连用，「离」言其去、「哉」扬其声、「翻」绘其形，将黄鹄高飞远逝的一瞬写得声形兼备，语势急促而气象开阔。此种「动词＋语助＋动词」的连缀句式，是汉乐府古辞特有的语言风貌，与《铙歌》「上邪」「艾而张罗」等篇同具古拗之气。此句既承上句香草之静景而来，以动写静、以远拓境，又为下文「关弓射鹄」的张弓瞄准设下目标，写景与叙事环环相扣，一字不可移易。

临高台