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明 Ming · 诗 Poem

登太白楼

Climbing Taibai Tower

王世贞

Wang Shizhen

怀古Nostalgia 登临Theme 感怀Reflection 咏人Theme

登太白楼昔闻李供奉，长啸独登楼。
此地一垂顾，高名百代留。
白云海色曙，明月天门秋。
欲觅重来者，潺湲济水流。

Long ago I heard of Li the courtier,
He alone climbed this tower with a long, clear call.
This place once deigned to receive his gaze,
His great name has stayed for a hundred ages.
White clouds and sea colors at dawn,
Bright moon over the autumn sky.
I want to find another who will come again,
Only the Ji River murmurs and flows.

Listen

Meaning

The poet recalls hearing of Li Bai climbing this tower alone. Because Li Bai looked upon this place, both the tower and the poet became famous for ages. Now the poet sees white clouds and sea colors at dawn, and a bright moon in autumn sky. He wishes to find another like Li Bai to climb again, but only the Ji River flows slowly by.

往日曾听闻李白这位翰林供奉，放声长啸、独自登上这座楼。他一来此地向它屈尊光顾，便使此处与他的大名一起百代流传。白云悠悠、海上霞光迎来黎明，明月皎洁、秋色满天。想要再寻觅一个如太白般的人重登此楼，却只见楼外济水潺潺流淌，亘古依旧。

Appreciation

In autumn 1553, Wang Shizhen climbed Taibai Tower while traveling north. He and Li Panlong were literary leaders. The poem begins by imagining Li Bai's heroic posture. The second couplet describes how the tower gained fame through Li's visit. The third couplet shifts to the magnificent scene. The final couplet ends with the flowing river, expressing the difficulty of finding another great man.

【白话串讲】王世贞登济宁的太白楼：“昔闻李供奉，长啸独登楼。此地一垂顾，高名百代留”——李白曾在此登楼长啸，让这座楼出了名。“欲觅重来者，潺湲济水流”——还有谁能再来？只有济水在流。【意象与手法】此诗为五律怀古，章法由闻而登、由楼及人、由人及景、由景入情。首联称「李供奉」而不称「太白」，暗点其去职背景；「长啸」「独」写其超逸不群。颔联以「一垂顾」写楼因人显，工于翻空。颈联宕开写登楼所见壮景，尾联以景结情，含蓄蕴藉，深得李诗风神。【情感与主旨】王世贞嘉靖三十二年北行过济宁，登太白楼追慕李白。楼因一人而百代留名，诗人登临之际，既景仰前贤之潇洒高名，亦暗含追踪比附、继武前人之意；结句不见来者、唯水长流，又透出高士难求、知音寥落的苍茫之感。【名句点睛】常考称「李供奉」而不称「李太白」的用意（暗点李白去职、以官称人，寄寓身世之慨）与「独」字的炼字效果；「欲觅重来者，潺湲济水流」以景结情、不著议论而情味自长，亦是命题热点。

Background

Wang Shizhen (1526–1590), style name Yuanmei, sobriquet Fengzhou, was the leader of the 'Later Seven Masters' of the Ming dynasty. This poem was written around 1553 when he was an official. He climbed the Taibai Tower in Jining, where Li Bai once drank. At the height of his literary reputation, Wang climbed to pay tribute to Li Bai, hinting at his own ambition.

王世贞（1526—1590），字元美，号凤洲，又号弇州山人，江苏太仓人，明代文学家、史学家，嘉靖二十六年进士，官至南京刑部尚书，与李攀龙、谢榛等并称「后七子」，主盟文坛二十余年，为明代复古派领袖，其《弇州山人四部稿》与《艺苑卮言》影响深远。此诗约作于嘉靖三十二年（1553），时王世贞官刑部员外郎，因公差顺道探亲，秋日北行途经济宁州（今山东济宁），登城西太白楼而作。太白楼相传为李白客居任城（济宁古称）时饮酒赋诗之所，唐人即于其地建楼纪念，至明代犹存。王世贞登楼之时，正当盛年得志、文名日起，登临怀古、追慕李白，既写景仰前贤之情，亦暗含追踪比附、继武前人之意，字里行间可见其以诗坛盟主自期的心态，而楼因人显、人因楼传的双向意蕴，正是此诗立意的核心。又据济宁方志所载，太白楼临济水而建，登楼可望云海秋空之胜，此诗颈联之景实有所本，非徒悬想追慕而已，故读来倍觉真切。

Art

The first couplet calls Li Bai by his former title 'courtier' instead of his name, subtly referencing his dismissal. The word 'alone' highlights his detachment. The second couplet celebrates the mutual elevation of the tower and the poet. The third couplet expands to a grand view. The final couplet ends with the flowing river, creating a lingering melancholy, capturing the spirit of Li Bai's poetry.

此诗为五律怀古，章法严整而气韵流动。首联「昔闻李供奉，长啸独登楼」以「昔闻」领起，不称「李太白」而称「李供奉」，暗点李白曾为翰林供奉、旋遭去职的背景，以官称人、寄慨遥深；「长啸」「独」二字写其潇洒超逸、眼空四海的气概。颔联「此地一垂顾，高名百代留」承上翻进，言楼因太白一顾而名留百代，「一」「百」对举，以少总多，楼与人互相成就，景慕之情溢于言表。颈联「白云海色曙，明月天门秋」宕开写登楼所见，云海、明月、天门，境界空阔澄明，深得太白山水诗之神。尾联「欲觅重来者，潺湲济水流」以景结情，欲寻继武太白之人而不可得，唯见济水长流，含蓄蕴藉、余韵悠长。全诗由闻而登、由楼及人、由人及景、由景入情，层层递进，于缅怀中见矜重，深得李诗风神，是明人五律怀古的典范之作。尤妙在通篇以「登」字为骨：昔日太白之登与今日诗人之登双线交织，一虚一实，怀古之思遂与登临之实打成一片，楼中之我与诗中之人，浑然莫辨，正见其章法之浑成。

Allusions

Li the courtier refers to Li Bai's brief post as a Hanlin Academician. 'Long, clear call' (长啸) is a gesture from Wei-Jin masters like Ruan Ji, depicting Li's freedom. 'Heavenly Gate' (天门) is a constellation. The Ji River was an ancient river that flowed past Jining. These allusions are seamlessly integrated and enrich the poem.

「李供奉」指李白，天宝初李白应诏入京，供奉翰林，后因权贵谗毁去职，赐金放还，诗中称其官职而不称其名号，既纪实又暗含对其怀才不遇的叹惋。「长啸」本魏晋名士风度，《世说新语》载阮籍善啸，啸声清越，此处以名士风神写李白放达不羁之姿，切合其「谪仙人」形象。「垂顾」即屈尊光顾，语本《三国志》等史传习用语，写太白一至其地、地以人显。「天门」为星名，属室女座，《晋书·天文志》有载，此处借指秋夜天空，与「明月」对举，状秋空高迥之象；一说「天门」暗指泰山一带的天门山，然就「明月天门秋」之对仗与意境看，以星名解更为空灵。「济水」为古四渎之一，源出王屋山，流经济宁北境入海，其下游后为黄河所占，故济宁一带古有济水故道。诸典或点身世、或写风神、或状景候，皆紧扣登楼怀李之主旨，贴切自然而不着痕迹，足见王世贞学养之富与以典助境的娴熟手腕。凡此诸典，或正用、或活用，皆熔铸于叙事写景之中，读之但觉情真景切，几乎不知其用典之巧，正是「水中着盐，饮水乃知盐味」的境界。

Commentary

'300 Ming Poems' includes this work and comments that it 'integrates past and present, deep and sincere'. Modern critics note that the tower gains fame from the poet, and the poem secretly reveals the author's wish to emulate Li Bai. The poem is restrained yet profound, a fine example of Ming nostalgia poetry.

《明诗三百首》收此诗并评其「融会古今，感情深挚而蕴藉」，近人赏析亦谓「山不在高，有仙则名」，小楼一经大诗人「垂顾」便百代留名，句中隐隐蕴蓄着作者追踪比附之意，并许其「颇得李白诗歌之韵」。王世贞论诗主「格调」而归于「兴会神到」，此诗正其理论之实践：上溯太白之豪放，下探自己之情怀，熔铸古今而不露痕迹。明人怀古诗多议论直陈，此诗却以景语结情，含蓄蕴藉，为明诗中的空灵之作。就登临怀古一脉而言，此诗与崔颢《黄鹤楼》、王之涣《登鹳雀楼》遥相呼应：唐人登楼，气象阔大而情致高远；明人登楼，追慕前贤而自寓怀抱，虽时代悬隔，而「前不见古人，后不见来者」的登临之慨一脉相承。此诗以五律之工稳写怀古之深情，楼因太白而名，诗因深情而传，是明人怀古诗中的佳作，亦可见后七子于拟唐之中自具的性情与胸襟。要之，楼以诗传，诗以情胜，此作融景仰、自期、怅惘于一炉，允称明人怀古五律之冠冕，百代之下犹令人想见其登楼长吟之姿。

Prosody

Form Regulated Verse (五言律诗)五言律诗（仄起首句不入韵）

Rhyme Pingshui Rhyme, 下平十一尤 (樓, 留, 秋, 流)押平水韵下平十一尤：楼、留、秋、流，首句不入韵，隔句押韵，一韵到底

Tone pattern First line unrhymed, oblique tone start, four rhymes首联「昔闻李供奉，长啸独登楼」为仄平平仄仄、平仄仄平平；颔联「此地一垂顾，高名百代留」为仄仄仄平仄、平平仄仄平；颈联「白云海色曙，明月天门秋」为仄平仄仄仄、平仄平平平；尾联「欲觅重来者，潺湲济水流」为仄仄平平仄、平平仄仄平，粘对大体合律

Reading note Standard five-character regulated verse with neat middle couplets.此诗为五言律诗，仄起首句不入韵式，押平水韵下平十一尤韵，「楼、留、秋、流」四韵一韵到底，尤韵悠扬绵长，正合怀古抒情之低回往复。首句「昔闻李供奉」仄仄平平仄起，不入韵而直接领起，气象端凝；中二联对仗工稳：颔联「此地一垂顾，高名百代留」以「一」对「百」、「垂顾」对「百代」，虚实轻重相形，颈联「白云海色曙，明月天门秋」以四名词列锦成对，不用动词而境界自出，皆见王世贞「句法精严」的功力。就平仄言，全诗粘对大体合律，唯颔联出句「此地一垂顾」为仄仄仄平仄（「一」入声），属半拗之句，诗人不救，反增古拙之气，使律中见古、整中有变，正合怀古诗宜苍劲不宜流滑之理。明七子倡「诗必盛唐」，王世贞此诗在格律上严依唐律，而于遣词运意间自出手眼，故能于拟古中见自家面目。诵读全诗，前四句宜沉郁，中二联宜开阔，尾联宜低回，声情与辞情相得，最能体会五律怀古的韵致。

Line by line

昔闻李供奉，长啸独登楼。

Long ago I heard of Li the Attendant, whistling aloud and climbing the tower alone.

往日曾听闻李白这位翰林供奉，放声长啸、独自登上这座楼。

Of old I heard of Li the Attendant, giving a long whistle as he climbed this tower alone.

首联以「昔闻」领起，将千载之前的李白与今日之楼接通，时空之远与神交之近并见于十字之中。称「李供奉」而不称「李太白」或「谪仙人」，别具深意：供奉是李白曾居的官职，天宝三载李白被赐金放还、离开朝廷，此称既点明其翰林待诏的身份，又暗含对其放逐身世的叹惋，以官称人而寄慨遥深。「长啸」二字写其登楼之态，魏晋名士之风神与谪仙人之放达合而为一；「独」字更见其超逸不群、眼高四海空无人的气概。一「昔」一「今」，一「闻」一「登」，诗人已悄然登上同一座楼，与李白隔代相接，为全诗怀古立基。

The Attendant. Long ago I heard of Li the Attendant, whistling aloud and climbing the tower alone. The court-attendant title (not the exile-immortal) and the lone whistling climb are Wang Shizhen's opening. To have invoked Li Bai by his court title would be an invocation; the long-ago-I-heard-of-Li-the-Attendant against the whistling-aloud-and-climbing-the-tower-alone is the invocation.

此地一垂顾，高名百代留。

Once he cast his glance on this place, and his great name has lasted a hundred generations.

他一来此地向它屈尊光顾，便使此处与他的大名一起百代流传。

Once he graced this place with a visit, and his great name has endured a hundred generations.

颔联是全诗的主脑，道出「楼以人传」的道理。「一垂顾」之「一」，言其俯临之偶然、之轻，而「百代留」之「百」，言其声名之长久、之重，一与百、轻与重对举，以少总多，笔力千钧。太白偶一登临，此楼遂与太白之名俱传百代，物因人显、地以人灵，人之不朽与物之不朽于此交会。此联亦暗含诗人自期之意：我今登此楼，他日此楼亦将因我而更添声价？「垂顾」二字写得太白俯视群楼的气度，也写得诗人仰望前贤的谦抑，景仰之中自有抱负，含蓄而不矜夸，正是王世贞「格调」说的实践——学太白之神而不袭其句。

The fame. Once he cast his glance on this place, and his great name has lasted a hundred generations. The single glance against the hundred generations is the tower-famous-through-the-man. To have said the tower was famous because of Li Bai would be a thought; the once-he-cast-his-glance-on-this-place against the his-great-name-has-lasted-a-hundred-generations is the thought.

白云海色曙，明月天门秋。

White clouds, sea colors, dawn; bright moon, heaven's gate, autumn.

白云悠悠、海上霞光迎来黎明，明月皎洁、秋色满天。

White clouds and sea colors at dawn; bright moon and heaven's gate in autumn.

颈联纯写登楼所见之景，是全诗的「兴象」所在。白云、海色、晓曙，明月、天门、清秋，六组意象并置，不用动词而境界全出，颇具太白「清水出芙蓉」之致。就时间言，此联由晓及夜，写尽一日之景，而诗人徘徊楼头之久、追慕之深自见；就空间言，云海连天、秋空高迥，境界空阔澄明，正与太白豪放旷达的人格相映。此联在全诗结构上起「蓄」的作用：前面怀人、此联观景、后面抒情，由人及景、由景入情，章法从容。而「白云」「明月」二象，又暗合太白「举杯邀明月」「浮云游子意」的诗境，不着一字用典而太白宛在，是典型的「以景写人」。

The view. White clouds, sea colors, dawn; bright moon, heaven's gate, autumn. The dawn clouds and autumn moon are the Li Bai-like scene. To have described the dawn and moon view would be scenery; the white-clouds-sea-colors-dawn against the bright-moon-heaven's-gate-autumn is the scenery.

欲觅重来者，潺湲济水流。

I seek one who will climb again; in vain the Ji River flows on, murmuring.

想要再寻觅一个如太白般的人重登此楼，却只见楼外济水潺潺流淌，亘古依旧。

I would seek someone who will come again; but only the Ji River flows on, murmuring.

尾联以景结情，是全诗情感的总收束。「欲觅重来者」承「高名百代留」而来：太白既去，千载之下谁复能继？诗人登楼怀古，扪心自问，欲寻一个如太白者重登此楼而不可得——然则我辈今日登临，是重来者欤？是继武者欤？一问之中，自负与自谦、景仰与怅惘交织。「潺湲济水流」不作回答，唯见楼外济水千年长流，以水之亘古反衬人之代谢，以景语收尽怀古之情。此法上承崔颢「日暮乡关何处是，烟波江上使人愁」、李白「唯见长江天际流」的流水结情传统，含蓄蕴藉，余韵悠长，是明人五律中以景结情的典范。

The river. I seek one who will climb again; in vain the Ji River flows on, murmuring. The seeking-of-a-successor and the flowing-away river are the closing. To have ended with the flowing river would be a close; the I-seek-one-who-will-climb-again against the in-vain-the-Ji-River-flows-on-murmuring is the close.

Study

Word focus

独 alone (character 'dú' used to show Li Bai's exceptional and transcendent nature) 「长啸独登楼」之「独」字，是全诗写太白人格的关键字眼。独者，一人登楼、不假伴侣，正见李白超逸不群、傲睨一世的气概；然「独」又不徒写其形单，更写其精神之独立——天地间唯此一人，可以长啸、可以登楼、可以俯视百代。与「长啸」配合，啸声之清越与身影之孤峭相映，谪仙人的风神跃然纸上。此字还暗含诗人自况：王世贞登楼之际，亦是一人独上，追慕太白之「独」，实亦自写其孤高；而「独登楼」之「独」与尾联「欲觅重来者」之「觅」暗中呼应——高士难求，故独来独往，唯水长流。一字而兼具写人、写己、写世三重功能，炼字之精，正在于此。

垂顾 to deign to look (shows Li Bai's great stature and the honor he bestows upon the tower) 「此地一垂顾」之「垂顾」，字面为屈尊光临之意，是敬辞，然置于此联中别有意趣。太白以旷世之才偶登此楼，本是寻常登览，诗人却以「垂顾」二字写之，仿佛楼有知、地有幸，得仙人一顾便身价百倍，将「物以人显」的道理写得庄重而有趣。垂者，自上而下，正见太白高踞云端、俯临人间的气度；顾者，回视流连，正见其与楼相得的机缘。二字又暗藏诗人的谦抑与自许：对太白则敬以「垂顾」，对自己则期以「重来」，一敬一许之间，怀古之情与继武之志并见，用字极简而意蕴极厚，堪称全诗诗眼。

潺湲 slowly murmuring (character 'chányuán' describing the river's gentle flow, creating a lingering, melancholic effect) 「潺湲济水流」之「潺湲」，是叠韵联绵词，状水流徐缓之貌，本出《楚辞·九歌·湘夫人》「观流水兮潺湲」，音节舒缓，正合济水之悠悠长流。诗人以此二字收束全诗，妙处在以声写静：济水无声而似有声，潺潺湲湲，如诉如叹，恰似诗人心中无尽的怀古之思，绵延不绝；又以此水之亘古长流，反衬人事之代谢无常——太白已邈，重来者难寻，唯水长流，千古如一日。若作「济水长流」则直白无味，着「潺湲」二字，则声色并见、情韵俱出，使尾联于含蓄中见深致，正是「以景结情」的典范笔法，亦见王世贞炼字之雅。