All poems

明 Ming · 词 Ci lyric

沁园春·送春

Spring in the Garden · Seeing Spring Off

杨慎

Yang Shen

感怀reflection 咏物object-chant 伤春spring

沁园春·送春九十韶光，如驶匆匆，芳菲乱飘。
卷榆钱满地，闷怀同积，杨花扑帐，倦眼无聊。
飞燕呢喃，流莺絮聒，各抱离魂一样销。
休携酒，残红庭院，只合寥寥。
东皇乍返云桡。
叹望里、分明南浦遥。
忆兰亭聚咏，幽情暗助，平台试茗，清兴相邀。
归路无涯，行踪何著，怕听歌声连臂招。
来年会、约探梅曲坞，问柳长桥。

Ninety days of spring light, like a chariot rushing, hastily pass; fragrant blooms drift in disorder.
Rolls of elm-coin cover the ground, with my gloomy heart alike piled; willow catkins beat the curtain, weary eyes with nothing to do.
Swallow flits murmur, oriole chatters on—each holds a parting soul, the same consumed.
Do not bring wine; this courtyard of fallen red, only fit for stillness.
The Eastern Monarch just returns his cloud boat. I sigh, in the view, clearly the far South Shore.
I recall the Orchid Pavilion gathering and chant, a dark grace aiding; the terrace tasting tea, a clear pleasure inviting.
The homeward road has no end, where to rest my tracks—I fear to hear the linked-arm singing call.
Next year, I will pledge to seek plum in the winding dell, ask willow at the long bridge.

Listen

Meaning

Ninety days of spring, like a chariot rushing, hastily pass; fragrant blooms drift in disorder. Rolls of elm-coin cover the ground, piled like my gloomy heart; willow catkins beat the curtain, weary eyes with nothing to do. Swallows murmur, orioles chatter—each holds a parting soul, the same consumed. Do not bring wine; this fallen-red courtyard, only fit for stillness. The Spring God just returns his cloud boat; I sigh, the view clearly the far South Shore. I recall the Orchid Pavilion chant, a dark grace aiding; the terrace tea-tasting, a clear pleasure inviting. The homeward road has no end, where to rest my tracks—I fear to hear the linked-arm singing. Next year I pledge to seek plum in the winding dell, ask willow at the long bridge.

九十天的春光，如车马疾驰匆匆而过，芳草鲜花纷纷零落飘飞。满地卷起的榆钱，与我积郁的愁怀同样堆叠；杨花扑上帘帐，倦眼望去一片无聊。飞燕软语呢喃，流莺絮絮聒噪，都各自抱着离愁，一般销魂。且莫携酒，这落红满地的庭院，只该一片寂寥。春神刚刚乘云船归去。叹息望中，分明是南浦那样的渺远。忆昔兰亭聚会吟咏，幽情暗暗相助；平台之上试品清茗，清雅兴致相邀。归路漫无涯际，行踪何处着落，只怕听见连臂踏歌的招唤。待到来年，再约向曲坞探梅、长桥问柳。

Appreciation

Yang Shen, courtesy Yongxiu and style Sheng'an, was the Zhengde sixth-year (1511) top graduate and a first-rate Ming scholar and lyricist. The lyric spreads elm-coin, willow catkins, swallows and orioles in dense imagery to write spring's leaving, the scene steeped in 'gloomy heart' and 'parting soul'. Ninety days of spring rush by like a chariot; swallows and orioles each hold a parting soul, consumed alike. The upper part thus builds a spring-sorrow mood, while the allusions 'South Shore' and 'Orchid Pavilion' deepen the parting ache; the lower part turns from sorrow to hope, closing on next year's pledge to seek plum in the winding dell and ask willow at the long bridge — a structural turn from grief to openness.

【白话串讲】杨慎写送春：九十天的春光，匆匆就过，芳菲乱飘。“残红庭院，只合寥寥”——他把春天送走，也把人生的春天送走了。【意象与手法】上片以榆钱、杨花、飞燕、流莺等密集意象铺写春归，景中寓「闷怀」「离魂」之愁；下片由眼前转入「兰亭聚咏」「平台试茗」的往日追忆，再以「来年会」探梅问柳收束，于沉郁中见旷达。铺排而不杂乱，用典自然，秾丽沉郁兼而有之。【情感与主旨】杨慎字用修，号升庵，正德六年状元，明代第一流学者、词人。嘉靖三年（1524）因「大礼议」触怒世宗，遭廷杖几死，谪戍云南永昌卫，终身未赦。此词借送春以写远谪之悲与流年之叹，当作于投荒云南期间，是其身世之感的折射。【名句点睛】考点：①上片意象组合如何营造伤春氛围；②「南浦」「兰亭」用典的表情作用；③下片由悲转盼的结构妙处。

Background

Yang Shen, courtesy Yongxiu, style Sheng'an, the Zhengde sixth-year (1511) top graduate (zhuangyuan), Ming's first-rate scholar and lyricist. In the third year of Jiajing (1524), for the 'Great Ritual Controversy' he angered the Jiajing Emperor, was beaten near to death, and exiled to Yongchang garrison in Yunnan, never pardoned. This lyric uses seeing spring off to write the sorrow of far exile and the sigh of passing years; it was likely written during his banishment in Yunnan, a refraction of his life's feeling.

杨慎字用修，号升庵，正德六年状元，明代第一流学者、词人，与解缙、徐渭并称明代三大才子。嘉靖三年（1524），杨慎因「大礼议」触怒世宗，遭廷杖几死，谪戍云南永昌卫，终身未赦，卒于戍所。此词借送春以写远谪之悲与流年之叹，当作于投荒云南期间，是其身世之感的折射。明代自永乐后词学不振，词坛多承宋余绪而乏振起，杨慎以博学之才填词，于明词中独树一帜；其词多写身世飘零、羁旅乡愁，风格秾丽沉郁。此词上片写春归之景、下片写送春之情，以「送春」写「送华年」、写「送故国」，层层寄意，正是升庵谪戍生涯的艺术结晶，也是明词中不可多得的佳作，为明代词坛放出异彩。杨慎谪滇三十余年，其词多写云南风物与羁旅乡愁，此词虽题「送春」，实亦暗含「送年华」「送故国」的多重寄意；升庵以状元之才而终老瘴疠之地，其悲慨之深，正由此词可见一斑。明代词坛承宋元余绪而乏开拓，杨慎、王世贞、汤显祖等以才学为词，力矫明词之衰，此词正其代表；升庵词集《升庵长短句》存词三百余首，为明词第一人。

Art

The upper part spreads elm-coin, willow catkins, swallow, oriole in dense imagery to write spring's leaving, the scene holding 'gloomy heart' 'parting soul' sorrow; the lower part turns from the present to the past 'Orchid Pavilion chant' 'terrace tea-tasting' recollection, then closes with 'next year seek plum ask willow', in gloom showing openness. Spread yet not disordered, allusions natural, both lush and gloomy.

上片以榆钱、杨花、飞燕、流莺等密集意象铺写春归，景中寓「闷怀」「离魂」之愁：「九十韶光，如驶匆匆」以「如驶」喻流年之速，起笔即定伤春迟暮之调；「卷榆钱满地，闷怀同积」以榆钱之堆积写愁怀之堆积，物我同构，匠心独运；「杨花扑帐，倦眼无聊」写杨花入帐、倦眼对之，无聊之态毕现；「飞燕呢喃，流莺絮聒，各抱离魂一样销」移情于物，以禽鸟之「离魂」写人之愁绝。下片由眼前转入「兰亭聚咏」「平台试茗」的往日追忆，再以「来年会」探梅问柳收束，于沉郁中见旷达。全词铺排而不杂乱，用典自然，秾丽沉郁兼而有之，正是升庵词「藻丽而骨力遒」的本色。全词上下片结构对称而情感递进：上片四组意象（韶光、榆钱、杨花、燕莺）层层铺写春归之景，下片四层转折（叹南浦、忆兰亭、悲归路、约来年）层层推进送春之情，景愈写愈密，情愈转愈深，正见长调「铺叙展衍、回环往复」的章法之美。上片以「乱」「积」「扑」「销」四动词写春归之态，句句写景而句句含情，景语即情语；下片以「叹」「忆」「怕」「约」四字领起四层情感，由叹而忆而悲而盼，层次分明，正是长调「以虚字领句」的章法。

Allusions

'South Shore' from Jiang Yan's 'Farewell Rhapsody' 'see you off at the South Shore, how sad it is', stands for the parting place; 'Orchid Pavilion chant' uses Wang Xizhi's Lanting retreat, meaning elegant literary feast; 'Eastern Monarch' is the Eastern Lord, Spring God, from Chu Ci·Nine Songs·Eastern Monarch. The allusions melt into seeing spring off, darkly writing parting sorrow and elegant-gathering memory, thoroughly naturalized.

「南浦」典出江淹《别赋》「送君南浦，伤如之何」，代指送别之地，以「南浦遥」写送春如送别，离愁暗含其中；「兰亭聚咏」用王羲之兰亭修禊事，喻高雅文宴，暗写昔日文友唱和之乐；「东皇」即东君、春神，出《楚辞·九歌·东皇太一》，以「东皇乍返云桡」写春神乘舟归去，想象瑰丽；「平台试茗」用梁孝王平台文宴之典，写昔日清兴。「榆钱」「杨花」皆暮春典型物候，以俗物入雅词，正见升庵词「雅俗兼济」之妙。诸典融于送春，暗写离愁与雅集之忆，浑化无迹，正是升庵「以学问为词」而能不失性情的体现。「探梅曲坞，问柳长桥」以「探」「问」写春日雅事，暗含「杖藜探梅」「长桥问柳」的江南风物，与云南瘴乡对照，愈见其对故园风物的眷恋，典故之外自有深情。「榆钱」「杨花」皆俗物，升庵以之入雅词而不失其雅，正见其「点俗为雅」的功力；「榆钱满地」与「闷怀同积」，更以俗物之堆积写愁怀之堆积，物我同构，尤为别致。

Commentary

Ming lyric revived after Yuan; Sheng'an's vast works opened the Ming lyric manner. The Si Ku summary says he 'can be placed between Xin Qiji and Liu Kezhuang'. This lyric is lush and gloomy; critics say 'Sheng'an's lyric is ornate yet bony', seeing spring off writing the exiled man's sorrow to the full.

明词自元后渐振，升庵泱泱大篇，开有明一代词风。《四库提要》称其词「可以位置在辛弃疾、刘克庄间」。此词繁富沉郁，论者谓「升庵词藻丽而骨力遒」，送春一题写尽迁客之悲。杨慎谪戍云南三十余年，「七十行年，依人作客」，其词多苍凉之音；此词于秾丽中见悲慨，正是其「悲歌当哭」的写照。明代词学衰微，杨慎、王世贞诸家以学者兼词人，力振明词，此词即其代表；其以「送春」写身世的手法，上承南宋咏物词、下启清代常州词派，是明代词史上以「送春」写身世的代表作。此词与杨慎《临江仙》并为升庵词双璧，一以「滚滚长江」写历史、一以「九十韶光」写年华，皆以「逝」写悲而归于旷达；明代词学衰微之际，此词足为明词张目，也是理解明代士人贬谪心态与词坛风貌的重要文本。近人论明词，多以升庵为明词第一，此词之秾丽沉郁、章法谨严，正是其词学成就的缩影；其以「送春」写身世的手法，亦为清代词人所继承，影响及于有清一代。

Prosody

Form Lyric, 'Spring in the Garden' (Qin Yuan Chun), double-tune 114 characters词·《沁园春》双调一百十四字

Rhyme Ci Lin Zheng Yun eighth group (drift, do, boat, far, invite, call, bridge, etc.)《词林正韵》第八部（飘、聊、桡、遥、邀、招、桥等），平韵到底

Tone pattern Level rhyme throughout, long tune spreading narration平韵到底，长调铺叙，上下片各四平韵，句式长短错落

Reading note Each part four level rhymes; varied long-short lines, fit for spreading feeling.《沁园春》为双调一百十四字的长调，前片十三句四平韵，后片十二句五平韵，全词押平声韵（飘、聊、桡、遥、邀、招、桥等），一韵到底，韵脚疏朗，宜于铺陈叙事、抒写长怀。句式以四字句为主，间以五、六、七字句，如「九十韶光」「芳菲乱飘」之四字对、「各抱离魂一样销」之七字句，长短错落，节奏由整饬而流走，正合长调「铺叙展衍」之体。起句以四字对顿挫入题，中幅铺写意象，换头「东皇乍返云桡」以五字短句转承，结以「来年会、约探梅曲坞，问柳长桥」的长句收束，一放一收，章法谨严。升庵此词以长调写伤春，平韵到底而情韵流转，音节舒徐而不板滞，正见其「以学问为词而能合律」的功力，是明代长调词中声情并美的佳作。诵读此词，上片宜密集急促，如春残之景扑面；下片「东皇乍返」一顿，转入追忆，末句「探梅曲坞，问柳长桥」转清亮，方见沉郁转旷之致。

Line by line

九十韶光，如驶匆匆，芳菲乱飘

Ninety days of spring light, like a chariot rushing, hastily pass; fragrant blooms drift in disorder.

九十天的春光，如车马疾驰匆匆而过，芳草鲜花纷纷零落飘飞。

Ninety days of spring, gone like a galloping chariot, blossoms falling in disarray.

以「如驶」喻流年，起笔即定伤春迟暮之调。「九十韶光」指九十日春光，点明春之将尽；「如驶匆匆」以车马疾驰喻光阴飞逝，「匆匆」叠字写其不可留；「芳菲乱飘」写百花零落，一「乱」字写尽春残之狼藉。三句由总到分、由时到景，把春光之逝写得紧迫而惨烈，为全词定下伤春的基调，亦暗含迁客对年华流逝的敏感与惊心。「如驶匆匆」以车马喻光阴，紧迫之感扑面而来，起笔即定伤春基调。「乱飘」写春残之狼藉，一「乱」字而心绪之乱亦在其中。

The spring. Ninety days of spring, gone like a galloping chariot, blossoms falling in disarray. The ninety days and the galloping chariot and the disarrayed blossoms are the opening. To have driven spring like a chariot would be a simile; the ninety-days-of-spring-gone-like-a-galloping-chariot-blossoms-falling-in-disarray is the simile.

各抱离魂一样销

Each holds a parting soul, the same consumed.

都各自抱着离愁，一般销魂。

Each, bearing its own parting soul, melts away alike.

移情于物，以禽鸟之「离魂」写人之愁绝。「飞燕呢喃，流莺絮聒」本写燕语莺声之热闹，词人却从中听出「离魂」——飞燕将去、流莺将别，皆如人般怀抱离愁，一般销魂；「一样销」写物我同悲，禽鸟之离与人之离同其销魂。以乐景写哀、以热闹写孤寂，正是词家「反衬」之妙，亦见谪客眼中万物皆含离情的主观心境。以乐景写哀、以热闹写孤寂，禽鸟之欢反衬词人之愁，正是反衬之妙。「一样销」写物我同悲，谪客眼中万物皆含离情。

The souls. Each, bearing its own parting soul, melts away alike. The birds' shared parting souls are the transferred emotion. To have given the birds parting souls would be a personification; the each-bearing-its-own-parting-soul-melts-away-alike is the personification.

东皇乍返云桡

The spring god has just gone back in his cloud-barge.

春神刚刚乘云船归去。

The spring lord has just returned in his cloud-barge.

以春神归去写春之将尽，想象瑰丽。「东皇」即春神，「乍返」写春神方归，春去之速如神驾之骤返；「云桡」以云为船，想象春神乘云舟而去，将抽象的季节更替写得形象可感。此句为下片之枢纽：由眼前残春转入送春之叹，「乍」字写猝不及防，正见春光去之匆匆、令人怅惘，与上片「如驶匆匆」呼应，是全词由写景转抒情的关键一笔。「乍返」写春去之骤，想象瑰丽，是全词由景转情的枢纽。以春神归去写季节更替，化抽象为形象，见升庵想象之富。

The lord. The spring god has just gone back in his cloud-barge. The spring god's sudden return in his cloud-barge is the turn. To have imagined the spring god's departure would be a fantasy; the spring-god-has-just-gone-back-in-his-cloud-barge is the fantasy.

来年会、约探梅曲坞，问柳长桥

Next year, I will pledge to seek plum in the winding dell, ask willow at the long bridge.

待到来年，再约向曲坞探梅、长桥问柳。

Next year, let us meet to seek plum blossoms in the winding valley, to ask of willows by the long bridge.

于绝望中留温情期盼，章法顿挫，沉郁转旷。前文写春去之悲、归路之茫，至此笔势一转，以「来年会」作结：今春虽去，来年可期，届时再约友人探梅曲坞、问柳长桥。「探梅」「问柳」皆春日雅事，以雅事收束伤春，将悲怀化入期待，于沉郁中见旷达；「会」字写约期之笃定，结句以清丽之景收悲慨之情，正是升庵词「以雅语结沉郁」的绝妙收法，余味悠长。以雅事收悲慨，于绝望中留期盼，正是升庵「沉郁转旷」的收法。

The tryst. Next year, let us meet to seek plum blossoms in the winding valley, to ask of willows by the long bridge. The next-year tryst to seek plum and willow is the hope. To have promised next year would be a hope; the next-year-let-us-meet-to-seek-plum-blossoms-in-the-winding-valley-to-ask-of-willows-by-the-long-bridge is the hope.

Study

Word focus

卷 'Rolls of elm-coin cover the ground'—'rolls' depicts wind rolling elm-coins over the ground, a strong chosen word, multiplying the fallen, desolate feel. 「卷榆钱满地」之「卷」，状风卷榆荚满地之态，炼字劲健，倍增零落萧瑟之感。「卷」字写春风之扫荡，榆钱被风卷起又散落满地，其堆积之状正如愁怀之堆积，物我同构；「闷怀同积」以「同积」明点榆钱与愁怀之相类，一「卷」一「积」，动景与静景相生，把无形的愁写得可触可积，正是升庵词炼字「以实写虚」的功力。以风卷榆钱写愁怀堆积，物我同构，炼字劲健。

乍 'The Eastern Monarch just returns his cloud boat'—'just' says the Spring God has but left, echoing the upper 'hastily', revealing a caught-off-guard melancholy. 「东皇乍返云桡」之「乍」，言春神方去，呼应上片「匆匆」，透出猝不及防的怅惘。「乍」字写时间之骤，春神乍返、春光乍逝，一切美好都在「乍」然之间消逝，正见词人对年华流逝的敏感与惊心；以「乍」字领起下片，顿挫有力，把上片的写景自然过渡到下片的送春抒情，是词中虚字传神的典范。「乍」字写猝不及防之怅惘，虚字传神，顿挫有力。

寥 'Only fit for stillness'—'stillness' closes the fallen-red courtyard with quiet, sound and feeling answering, a dim aftertaste. 「只合寥寥」之「寥」，以寂寥收束残红庭院，声情相应，余味黯然。「寥寥」叠字，写庭院之空寂、心境之寥落，残红满地而不携酒、不招客，只合一人面对空庭；「寥」字以叠用缓其声，正合送春之怅惘，是「以声写情」的妙笔，也暗含谪居云南、无人共语的孤寂心境。叠字写寂寥，声情相应，暗含谪居无侣的孤寂。「寥寥」以叠字缓其声，暗合送春之怅惘，是「以声写情」的妙笔。