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明 Ming · 诗 Poem

和聂仪部明妃曲

Harmonizing with Nie Yibu's 'Song of the Consort Ming'

李攀龙

Li Panlong

咏史Historical Reflection 边塞Frontier Fortress

天山雪后北风寒，抱得琵琶马上弹。
曲罢不知青海月，徘徊犹作汉宫看。

After snow on Tianshan, the north wind is cold;
She holds a pipa, on horseback playing its notes.
The tune ends, unaware of the moon over Qinghai,
Lingers, still taking it for the moon of Han palace.

Listen

Meaning

After snow on the Tianshan Mountains, the north wind is bitterly cold. Wang Zhaojun plays the pipa while riding a horse. When the song ends, she gazes at the bright moon over Qinghai Lake, still lingering and mistaking it for the moon over the Han palace.

天山雪后北风寒冷，王昭君抱着琵琶在马背上弹拨。曲子弹完，不觉望着青海的明月，仍徘徊着把它当作汉宫的月亮来看。

Appreciation

Li Panlong's response poem depicts Wang Zhaojun's departure to the frontier, deepening her homesickness. The first line sets the desolate frontier scene; the second portrays her playing the pipa on horseback; the final two lines are masterful: after the music, she looks at the moon and mistakenly takes the Qinghai moon for the Han palace moon, revealing her innocent longing for home.

【白话串讲】王昭君抱着琵琶，在天山雪后弹。“曲罢不知青海月，徘徊犹作汉宫看”——她弹完曲子，还以为眼前的月亮是汉宫的月亮。一个和亲女子的乡愁。【意象与手法】此诗以凝练七绝写昭君远嫁。首句“天山雪后北风寒”七字写尽边塞苦寒，为全篇布下惨栗底色【情感与主旨】李攀龙（1514—1570），明“后七子”领袖，倡“文必秦汉，诗必盛唐” 【名句点睛】若入赏析，重点：一、首句环境描写的作用（渲染边塞苦寒、烘托哀情）；二、“抱得琵琶马上弹”的人物形象

Background

Li Panlong (1514–1570), leader of the 'Later Seven Masters' of Ming, advocated reviving ancient literary styles. Nie Yibu (likely Nie Bao or another official) wrote an original 'Song of the Consort Ming' which is now lost. Li harmonized with it. The story of Wang Zhaojun originates from 'Xijing Zaji': Emperor Yuan's palace maid Wang Qiang (Zhaojun) married the Xiongnu chieftain, riding in military attire and playing the pipa. This poem expresses the pain of leaving one's country and longing for home, and may also allude to the poet's own feelings of displacement.

李攀龙（1514—1570），字于鳞，号沧溟，山东历城人，嘉靖二十三年进士，官至河南按察使。他与王世贞、谢榛、宗臣、梁有誉、徐中行、吴国伦并称后七子，而攀龙为之首，力主「文必秦汉，诗必盛唐」。此诗题为《和聂仪部明妃曲》，是和人之作。题中「聂仪部」其人，仪部是礼部仪制清吏司的别称，聂氏当是攀龙同僚中官礼部仪制司者，然究系何人，今已难确指，学界存而未论，姑从阙如。所和者为聂氏所作《明妃曲》，聂氏原唱今已不传，攀龙此篇赖本集而行。明妃即王昭君，其本事见于《汉书·匈奴传》与《后汉书·南匈奴传》：昭君名嫱，元帝时以良家子入宫，数岁不得见御，会呼韩邪单于来朝求为阏氏，昭君请行，遂和亲出塞。历代咏昭君者，自石崇《王明君辞》始，唐李白《王昭君》、杜甫《咏怀古迹》其三、白居易、宋王安石《明妃曲》与欧阳修、司马光和作，遂成一条源远流长的诗题谱系。攀龙此诗承此旧题，而落笔于「和」字，取七绝二十八字，截取昭君出塞途中一个弹琵琶、望月的瞬间。具体写作年月已难考，当是攀龙中年历仕京城与地方、与同僚唱酬时所作。攀龙秉性孤峭，恃才傲物，于仕途多有失意之感，此诗咏昭君之远嫁失路，或不无自寓身世之慨，然以唱和体例言，仍以咏古为主体，自寓之意隐而未显，读之当不偏执一端。

Art

This seven-character quatrain masterfully blends frontier scenery with palace sorrow. The first line paints the bitter cold of the frontier, setting a dismal tone. The second line shows Zhaojun's solitary figure playing the pipa on horseback. The last two lines are especially brilliant: after the tune, she looks at the moon over Qinghai and, in a moment of delusion, takes it for the moon of Han palace. Using the moon as a link between Han and Xiongnu, the poem shifts from reality to illusion. Without direct commentary, the sorrow emerges naturally, subtle and profound, inheriting the essence of Tang quatrains.

全诗二十八字，截取昭君出塞途中的一个静止片刻，以小见大，以简驭繁。首句「天山雪后北风寒」七字连用天山、雪后、北风、寒四个寒冷意象，层层叠加，写尽塞外苦寒。「雪后」是时间的提示，说明大雪初霁，天地一色；「北风」是听觉与触觉的交织，风从北来，挟雪裹寒；「寒」字殿后收束，把前六个字写出的雪景与风声凝结为一个冷的整体。这一句不写人而人已在其中，是典型的以景起兴。次句「抱得琵琶马上弹」转写人物，「抱得」二字见出琵琶贴身而近，是昭君形影不离之物；「马上弹」三字并置，马在行走而人在弹奏，颠簸之中强作音声，凄楚自见。琵琶本是汉宫乐器，今入胡地马背，乐器与场景的错位，先已暗伏末句「汉宫」之思。三句「曲罢不知青海月」写曲终之后的神思恍惚，「曲罢」承次句，「不知」转出心理，琵琶声歇，四野寂然，惟见青海之上明月孤悬，而昭君竟浑然不知身在何处。四句「徘徊犹作汉宫看」是全诗之眼，「徘徊」写其踟蹰不去，「犹作」写其执迷不返，把青海的月亮仍当作汉宫的月亮来看，时空在此错位，塞外的月与宫中的月叠合为一。章法上前二句实写，后二句虚写，由景到人，由动作到心理，一气贯注。炼字精当：寒、抱、罢、犹四字各安其位，寒定基调，抱见情态，罢转节奏，犹出深情。意象的对照尤为工巧：天山对汉宫，青海月对汉宫月，琵琶与明月一近一远，一音一色，共同织就昭君无言的悲凉。

Allusions

The 'Consort Ming' refers to Wang Zhaojun. To avoid the personal name of Emperor Yuan of Jin, 'Zhaojun' was changed to 'Mingjun' and later 'Mingfei'. The story is recorded in 'Xijing Zaji' and 'Houhanshu'. The image of 'playing pipa on horseback' is a legend; 'Han palace' symbolizes the homeland; 'Qinghai' refers to the Tuyuhun region, a frontier place. The poem juxtaposes the moon over Qinghai with the moon over Han palace, highlighting that although the moon is the same, the land is different, deepening the sorrow of leaving home.

昭君怀抱琵琶出塞的形象，本非正史所有。《汉书》《后汉书》记昭君事，皆不及琵琶，琵琶是后世逐步附会并固定下来的。石崇《王明君辞》为现存最早咏昭君之作，其序云「王明君者，本是王昭君，以触文帝讳，改焉」，诗中亦未言琵琶。至唐，琵琶与昭君的关联始密，杜甫《咏怀古迹》其三「千载琵琶作胡语，分明怨恨曲中论」遂成定谳，琵琶自此成为昭君怨恨的化身。攀龙此诗「抱得琵琶马上弹」，正是杜诗此脉的延续。月的意象则可上溯谢庄《月赋》「隔千里兮共明月」，月为异地相思之媒介；张九龄「海上生明月，天涯共此时」同此意脉。昭君望月而思汉，前人已有成例，李白《王昭君》「汉月还从东海出，明妃西嫁无来日」，以「汉月」与「明妃」对举，写其去国之痛。攀龙「青海月」与「汉宫看」的对举，正是从李白「汉月」一路化出，而翻进一层：李诗言汉月仍出而明妃不返，攀龙则写昭君执意把青海月当作汉宫月，思念之深、执迷之切，较李白更婉转。青海一地，唐人边塞诗屡见，王昌龄「青海长云暗雪山」、杜甫「君不见青海头，古来白骨无人收」，皆以青海状边地之远、战地之苦。攀龙借青海代指昭君所至之塞北，取其荒远。至于「汉宫」二字，既指昭君未得见御的深宫，又是故国之代称，一层怨，一层思，交织难分。学界于此诗主旨或有歧说，一以为纯咏昭君，一以为借昭君自寓失意，今人笺注多两存之，不主一端。

Commentary

Li Panlong's poem is considered a masterpiece among his seven-character quatrains. Shen Deqian in 'Mingshi Biecai' commented: 'No direct commentary, yet deep sorrow naturally emerges, capturing the essence of the Shijing.' Modern critics praise the last line 'still taking it as the Han palace moon' as deeply poignant, ranking it alongside Wang Anshi's famous line about Zhaojun's expression, representing the subtle style of Ming historical quatrains.

李攀龙在后七子中主盟坛坫，其诗宗盛唐，七绝尤为时人所重。明人胡应麟《诗薮》论七绝，于本朝独推攀龙，谓其得唐人气韵。此首《和聂仪部明妃曲》虽非攀龙最著名之作，然在昭君题咏的漫长谱系中自有位置。明代昭君诗多承唐人余绪，攀龙此作以七绝出之，凝练处近于盛唐诸公，末句「徘徊犹作汉宫看」尤有李白《静夜思》「低头思故乡」般的朴拙深沉。清人论昭君诗，常以数家并提：沈德潜论诗主温柔敦厚，于杜甫「画图省识春风面，环佩空归月夜魂」推为含蓄之至；于王安石「意态由来画不成，当时枉杀毛延寿」许其翻案；而如攀龙此篇，则走的是杜诗含蓄一路，不着一怨字而怨自深。此诗的传播，较之王安石、欧阳修诸家相去甚远，然因其篇幅短小、意象清警，仍多见于明清人咏昭君诗的选编与笺注。其价值不在翻案立意之新，而在以极简笔法写出一种普遍性的故国之思与身份错位——昭君把异乡月认作故乡月，这种「认错」背后，是人一旦离乡便再难回返的永恒哀感。后世咏昭君者，或悲其红颜薄命，或刺元帝之昏，或翻毛延寿之案，而攀龙独取「望月」一节，写昭君于荒寒之中仍不肯放下的故国之念，此一层深情，是诸家所未到者。近人陈衍、钱仲联诸家选明诗，于攀龙七绝皆多致意，此篇虽为和人之作，而气格之高华、情味之深挚，足以代表其七绝一体的成就，故常与《挽王中丞》诸篇并见称引。

Prosody

Form Seven-character quatrain (qiyan jueju)七言绝句

Rhyme Pingshui rhyme, upper level 14 Han (han, dan, kan – rhyme with han and shan)平水韵上平十四寒韵，「寒」「弹」「看」三字相押，首句入韵，一韵到底

Tone pattern Level tone opening, first line rhymed, turning and ending sweeping open此诗为七绝平起首句入韵式。首句「天山雪后北风寒」为平平仄仄仄平平，次句「抱得琵琶马上弹」为仄仄平平仄仄平，两句平仄相对；三句「曲罢不知青海月」为仄仄仄平平仄仄，末句「徘徊犹作汉宫看」为平平平仄仄平平。全篇平仄合律，无一拗处，「得」「不」「月」等入声字皆用为仄声，读来顿挫分明。

Reading note A fine historical quatrain of the Ming 'Later Seven Masters' revivalist school, capturing the spirit of Tang.此诗格律谨严，是标准的七绝平起首句入韵格。韵脚「寒」「弹」「看」同属平水韵上平十四寒，其中「看」字须读平声（音近堪），方协韵，这是七绝中习见的用字。「寒」「弹」「看」三韵，声母一为喉音、二为舌音、三为牙音，开口度由洪而细，读来自有起伏。就声情论，首句「天山雪后北风寒」连用平声字「天山」「风寒」而间以仄声「雪后北」，平仄相间如风过雪原；次句「抱得琵琶马上弹」以两个入声字「得」「不」——此处「得」字——夹于平声之间，模拟琵琶弹奏的断续顿挫；末句「徘徊犹作汉宫看」五平二仄，平声绵长，恰合昭君望月徘徊、思绪绵邈之情。李攀龙论诗宗盛唐，七绝最重声调，此诗虽为和人之作，格律无一字失粘失对，可见其功力。明人七绝多病于声调浮滑，攀龙独能于平易中见整饬，于此篇可见一斑。若以攀龙论诗之「格调」二字衡之，此诗声调之雅正、格力之高华，正与其「诗必盛唐」的主张互为印证，虽为唱和应酬之作，亦不肯稍降其格，此正后七子宗尚之精神所寄。

Line by line

天山雪后北风寒

After snow on the Tianshan, the north wind is bitter.

天山雪后北风寒冷

After snow on the Heavenly Mountains, the north wind is cold.

首句七字，无一字写人，而昭君出塞的苦寒已扑面而来。「天山」点出方位，是汉地之外的极边；「雪后」点出时节与气候，雪霁之后天地封冻，比落雪时更冷；「北风」继以听觉与触觉，风从北方来，是刀割般的干冷；末一「寒」字收束全句，把雪、风都凝成一股寒气。四层叠加，层层递进，为全诗布下惨栗的底色。此句以景起兴，笔力全在客观的渲染，然昭君身处其中、驱车或驱马西行的身影已呼之欲出。这样的开篇，与李白「燕支长寒雪作花」、王昌龄「青海长云暗雪山」同一机杼，皆以边地苦寒先声夺人，为下文人物的悲情蓄势。

The cold. After snow on the Tianshan, the north wind is bitter. The snow, the Tianshan, the north wind are the frontier cold. To have described the frontier cold would be scenery; the after-snow-on-the-Tianshan-the-north-wind-is-bitter is the scenery.

抱得琵琶马上弹

Clasping the pipa, she plays on horseback.

王昭君抱着琵琶在马背上弹拨

Clasping the pipa to her, she plays it on horseback.

此句由景转人，写昭君怀抱琵琶于马上弹奏。「抱得」二字最见情态，琵琶贴身而抱，形影不离，是昭君在陌生边地唯一可凭依的旧物；「马上弹」三字，马行不止而琴声断续，颠簸中的弹奏愈显凄惶。琵琶本是汉宫之器，今入胡地马背，乐器的身世恰是昭君身世的缩影——同是从汉宫流落塞外的「旧物」，同在颠沛中强作音声。唐人写昭君，或写其「满面胡沙满鬓风」（白居易），或写其「环佩空归月夜魂」（杜甫），攀龙独取「马上弹」这一动态，不写容貌，不写魂魄，而一个怀抱琵琶、随马西去的孤影已然如在目前。

The pipa. Clasping the pipa, she plays on horseback. The held pipa and the playing on horseback are Wang Zhaojun's figure. To have described the playing on horseback would be a detail; the clasping-the-pipa-she-plays-on-horseback is the detail.

曲罢不知青海月

The song done, she does not know the Qinghai moon.

曲子弹完，不觉望着青海的明月

When the tune ends, she is unmindful of the Qinghai moon.

此句是全诗的转折枢纽。「曲罢」承接上句「弹」字，写一曲终了；「不知」二字陡然转出心理的恍惚，弹罢之后四野沉寂，昭君失神之际，猛然望见青海之上孤悬的明月，竟一时不知身在何处。「不知」既写其神思昏昏，又暗含一种不愿知、不忍知的心境——若清醒地知道自己已远在塞外，那份乡愁便无从排遣，故宁可在恍惚中不愿认清现实。青海月的「青」字与上句琵琶的无声、首句雪的惨白，色调清冷，融为一体。这一句由听觉转入视觉，由声音的停止转入月光的显现，节奏一顿，为末句的深情张本。

The moon. The song done, she does not know the Qinghai moon. The finished song and the unknowing moon-gazing are the trance. To have described the trance at the song's end would be a moment; the song-done-she-does-not-know-the-Qinghai-moon is the moment.

徘徊犹作汉宫看

She lingers, still taking it for the palace moon of Han.

仍徘徊着把它当作汉宫的月亮来看

She lingers, still gazing at it as the Han palace moon.

末句是全诗之眼，写昭君徘徊不去，把青海的月亮仍当作汉宫的月亮来看。「徘徊」写其踟蹰流连之态，「犹作」写其执迷不返之心，一个「犹」字分量极重，说明她明知眼前是塞外之月，却偏要认作汉宫之月，这种自欺式的错认，比直说思乡更为沉痛。月本无二，普天同照，然昭君偏以「汉宫」二字限定，则此月已非彼月，她的全部故国之思都寄托在这一场错认之中。时空在此错位：身已在塞，心仍在汉，青海的月与汉宫的月叠合为一，写尽了离人最深处的心事。此句与谢庄「隔千里兮共明月」同源而异趣——谢庄言共此明月可慰相思，攀龙则言错认明月以慰相思，翻进一层，愈见悲凉。

The mistake. She lingers, still taking it for the palace moon of Han. The lingering and the mistaking the frontier moon for the palace moon are the close. To have mistaken the moon for home would be a mistake; the she-lingers-still-taking-it-for-the-palace-moon-of-Han is the mistake.

Study

Word focus

寒 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. 「寒」字殿于首句之末，是全诗的情感基调。它收束了天山、雪后、北风三个意象，把视觉的雪、触觉的风、空间的天山一并凝成一个冷的整体。这一个字看似写景，实则是写昭君的身世之感：边塞的寒，也是离宫的寒，是去国之痛的体感化。若换作「吹」「生」等字，只写风雪的动态，而「寒」字独能写出一种浸入肌骨的、持续的状态，与昭君心境的凄冷相通。李白「燕支长寒雪作花」以寒字状边地，杜甫「长天寒日暮」以寒字状愁绪，攀龙此处的「寒」，兼得二者，既状景，又传情，一字而总全篇。

抱 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. 「抱」字写昭君持琵琶的姿势，与常见的「持」「携」迥异。「持」是随意，「携」是携带，皆不涉情感；「抱」则双臂环护，将琵琶贴近胸前，见出琵琶之于昭君，不只是乐器，更是从汉宫带出的唯一旧物，是故国的化身，故须以「抱」字护之。「抱得」二字连读，还有一种珍重而无奈的语气——能抱住的只有这把琵琶，抱不住的却是回不去的汉宫。这一个动词，把昭君在陌生边地对旧物的依赖、对故国的眷恋，尽数写出，是本诗炼字最见情致的一处。

犹 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. 「犹」字见于末句「徘徊犹作汉宫看」，是点明全诗深情所在的虚字。它本是一个表示持续的副词，用在此处，却承担了双重的心理重量：其一，写昭君明知道眼前是塞外之月，却「仍然」把它当作汉宫之月，一种明知故犯的执迷；其二，写这种执迷持续不断，徘徊良久而不肯放下，乡愁不是一时的触动，而是长久的煎熬。一个「犹」字，把昭君望月这一动作，从瞬间的错觉升华为一种恒久的、无法自解的心境，全诗的分量，大半系于此字。