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明 Ming · 诗 Poem

题画

Inscription on a Painting

沈周

Shen Zhou

咏物Object-chanting 山水Landscape

碧水丹山映杖藜，夕阳犹在小桥西。
微吟不道惊溪鸟，飞入乱云深处啼。

Azure water and cinnabar hills reflect the staff,
The setting sun still hangs west of the small bridge.
A soft chant unknowingly startles the creek birds,
They fly into deep chaotic clouds and cry.

Listen

Meaning

The poem depicts a scene from a painting: an old man leaning on a staff walks against azure water and red hills; the setting sun lingers west of the small bridge. The poet softly chants, inadvertently startling the creek birds, which fly into layered chaotic clouds and cry.

碧绿的水、丹红的山，映照着拄杖漫步的老者；夕阳还悬挂在小桥以西。我低声吟咏，不知不觉惊动了溪边的飞鸟，它们振翅飞入层层乱云的深处，啼鸣不已。

Appreciation

This poem is a masterpiece of painting-inscription. The first two lines depict a serene landscape with vivid colors, while the last two lines add dynamic movement through the poet's chant startling the birds, turning a static painting into a lively scene. The poem reflects Shen Zhou's leisurely and reclusive life.

【白话串讲】沈周给画题诗：碧水丹山映着拄杖的老人，夕阳还挂在小桥西边。他轻轻吟诗，惊得溪鸟飞进乱云深处——画中有诗，诗中有画。【意象与手法】此诗艺术妙处在'活画'。前两句铺陈画境：碧水、丹山、杖藜、夕阳、小桥，构图简洁而色彩对比鲜明【情感与主旨】沈周（1427—1509），字启南，号石田，长洲（今苏州）人，明中期吴门画派开创者【名句点睛】中考赏析常聚焦于'动静结合'与'题画诗'的特质。命题点：（1）后两句'惊溪鸟''飞入乱云'如何化静为动？

Background

Shen Zhou (1427–1509), courtesy name Qinan, art name Shitian, was a native of Changzhou (now Suzhou) and the founder of the Wu School of painting in the mid-Ming dynasty. His painting-inscription poems often create a separate artistic conception beyond the picture. This poem was probably written during his leisurely life in Suzhou, painting and enjoying himself. The old man with a staff in the poem may be a self-portrayal of the artist, reflecting his indifference to fame and wealth and his love for nature.

沈周（1427—1509），字启南，号石田，晚号白石翁，长洲（今江苏苏州）人。他是明代中期吴门画派的开创者，与文徵明、唐寅、仇英并称明四家，而沈周居其首。沈周终身未仕，隐居乡里，以书画自娱，其诗亦清雅闲淡，与其画相表里。吴门画派的一个重要特征，是诗、书、画三者合一，画上题诗遂成文人画的定制，沈周正是这一传统的奠基人之一。此首《题画》即为其自题画作之诗，所题为何画已难确考，然从诗中「碧水丹山」「小桥」「溪鸟」等意象看，当是一幅青绿设色的山水小景。沈周山水画有粗笔、细笔两路，其早年学杜琼，后宗董源、巨然，又出入元四家（黄公望、吴镇、倪瓒、王蒙），终成自家面貌。此诗以诗写画，又不止于写画——前两句写画面之静，后两句写画外之动，以诗补画，正是文人题画诗「诗中有画，画中有诗」的典型。创作年月不详，观其笔意之闲淡，或为沈周中年以后、隐居吴门、徜徉山水时的作品。沈周一生不仕，以布衣终老，然其学养、画艺、诗才皆冠绝一时，四方求画者踵门，文徵明、唐寅、祝允明、仇英诸人，皆出其门下或与之游，吴门一派由是而兴。沈周画上题诗，诗画相发，此首《题画》正是其诗中有画、画中有诗的实例。沈周的题画诗，与其画相为表里，画以诗传，诗以画显，二者相辅相成，遂使吴门一派诗画合一的传统，绵延至于明末清初而不绝。

Art

The artistic brilliance of this poem lies in 'bringing the painting to life'. The first two lines lay out the scene: azure water, red hills, staff, setting sun, small bridge – a simple composition with vivid color contrast. The last two lines take a sudden turn: the faint chant startles the creek birds, which fly into chaotic clouds and cry, instantly adding motion and sound to the static picture. By turning stillness into movement, the poem opens up infinite poetic space within the limited scroll, full of Zen wit and leisurely charm.

此诗的艺术妙处在「活画」二字。前两句铺陈画境：「碧水丹山」四字，一碧一丹，冷暖两色对举，先声夺人地写出画面的设色之丽；「映杖藜」三字，在碧水丹山之间添一个拄杖而立的老者，「映」字写水光山色倒映、交映于杖藜之人，人景相融。「夕阳犹在小桥西」一句，为画面补上时间——夕阳西斜，仍挂在小桥以西，光与影、明与暗的交界由此分明。两句写景，构图简洁，色彩明丽，是一幅完整的画。后两句则由画面宕开，写画外之趣：「微吟不道惊溪鸟」，诗人低声吟咏，不觉惊动了溪边的飞鸟，这是画中未必有的声音与动态；「飞入乱云深处啼」，飞鸟振翅，投入层层乱云的深处，啼鸣之声渐远。这一「惊」一「飞」一「啼」，把静止的画面陡然激活，使读者由画中的瞬间，想见画外的绵延。章法上，前二句是画，后二句是画外，由静入动，由色入声，由有限之景引入无限之趣。炼字上，「映」「犹」「乱」「啼」四字各尽其妙，而以「乱云」的「乱」字最见精神。以画理言，前二句是画的构图与设色，碧水丹山为背景，杖藜之人为点缀，夕阳小桥为近景，层次分明，疏密有致；后二句则是画外的生意，鸟之惊飞、啼之入云，皆为画面所不能尽，而诗能补之，此正是苏轼所谓诗中有画、画中有诗的境界。这种以诗补画、化静为动的笔法，正是沈周题画诗的高处。

Allusions

This poem has no obvious allusions, relying on plain description. The image of 'staff' (杖藜) is a common symbol of a reclusive old man, not a specific allusion. The poem uses simple language yet achieves profound artistic conception, showing Shen Zhou's pursuit of 'natural charm' without relying on classical references.

此诗用典不显，而其意象皆有深厚的画学与传统渊源。「碧水丹山」一语，字面是青绿山水画的红绿设色，其词亦可溯源至道教名山武夷山的别称「丹山碧水」，古来文人以丹碧并称，写山水之明丽，如南朝江淹「碧水丹山」之语已见于文。就画学言，青绿设色是中国山水画最古老的画法，唐李思训、李昭道父子以青绿山水名世，至宋王希孟《千里江山图》臻于极盛，沈周虽以水墨浅绛为主，然亦能青绿，此诗「碧水丹山」正见其对青绿一路的会心。「杖藜」写老者，藜杖为隐者之具，杜甫「杖藜徐步立芳洲」、苏轼「杖藜随水转东冈」，皆以杖藜状闲适野逸之致，沈周用之，自许为画中徜徉山水的隐者。「溪鸟」「乱云」则出于山水诗画的常见母题，鸟之惊飞，云之乱叠，皆以动衬静。末句「飞入乱云深处啼」，其神韵可追唐人钱起「曲终人不见，江上数峰青」的余音袅袅，亦可想见王维「月出惊山鸟，时鸣春涧中」的以动写静，沈周融汇前人，而归于自家题画的清雅。题画诗的传统，自唐杜甫《画鹰》发端，至宋苏轼《惠崇春江晚景》而大备，元明文人画大兴，题画遂成画上不可分割的部分。沈周此诗承此传统，而以其清雅闲淡，别开吴门一派的面目。其笔致之清雅，尤得唐人情韵，故后世论题画诗，多推重之。

Commentary

Shen Zhou's poems are like his paintings: plain and natural. Qing critic Shen Deqian praised his poems as 'unadorned yet naturally lofty'. Although this quatrain is short, it seamlessly blends painting and poetry. Wang Shizhen regarded Shen Zhou as a master of Wu poetry, and this poem is a model for later painting-inscription poems.

沈周在明四家中年辈最长，文徵明、唐寅皆尝从其游，吴门画派的题画诗传统实由他奠定。明人论沈周诗画，多称其「诗中有画，画中有诗」，此首《题画》正是这一评价的注脚。清人编《明诗别裁集》，于沈周诗亦有所取，其小传称沈周「诗亦挥洒淋漓，自写天趣」，虽未确指此篇，而「自写天趣」四字，恰可移评此诗。此诗在题画诗的传统中亦有位置：题画诗自唐杜甫《画鹰》《戏题王宰画山水图歌》开创以来，至宋苏轼《惠崇春江晚景》而大备，元明文人画大兴，题画诗遂成画上不可分割的部分。沈周此诗，不似杜甫题画之沉雄、苏轼题画之理趣，而纯以清闲之笔写清幽之景，与画面相发，是文人题画诗中「以诗为画」的平和一路。后世题画诗，凡写山水小景、闲适野趣者，多受此格调沾溉。此诗又因其短小清丽，常被选入明清乃至近人的诗画选本，作为明代题画诗的代表之一，与唐寅、文徵明的题画诗并读，可见吴门一派诗画相融的共同风尚。清人论沈周，多称其诗画相发。其门人文徵明尝称其自食其力、不慕荣利，其诗亦如其人。后世选本，如钱谦益《列朝诗集》小传、明清《石田集》诸选，多录其题画诗，此首《题画》以其短小清丽，尤为传诵，几与王维《画》诗并称题画之双璧。其传播之广，于此可见。

Prosody

Form Seven-character quatrain七言绝句

Rhyme Pingshui rhyme: Upper level 8 Qi (li, xi, ti rhyme)平水韵上平八齐韵，「藜」「西」「啼」三字相押，首句入韵，一韵到底

Tone pattern First line enters rhyme, level tone start with first line rhymed此诗为七绝仄起首句入韵式。首句「碧水丹山映杖藜」为仄仄平平仄仄平，次句「夕阳犹在小桥西」为仄平平仄仄平平（「夕」为入声仄），三句「微吟不道惊溪鸟」为平平仄仄平平仄，末句「飞入乱云深处啼」为平仄仄平平仄平。全篇平仄合律，无失粘失对。

Reading note All four lines end with level tone, clear and bright, matching the tranquil scene.此诗为七绝仄起首句入韵的正格，韵脚「藜」「西」「啼」同属平水韵上平八齐。「齐」韵属齐齿呼，音色细而清，与诗中碧水丹山、夕阳小桥的清丽之景正相合。首句「碧水丹山映杖藜」，两个入声字「碧」「丹」之间，平仄交替，读来有设色铺陈的节奏；「映杖藜」三字仄仄平，收束处一顿，恰如老者拄杖伫立。次句「夕阳犹在小桥西」，「夕阳」二字一入一平，声音先抑后扬，如夕阳西沉而又悬于桥西的一顿。末句「飞入乱云深处啼」，「乱云深处」四字仄平平仄，声调起伏，似云层的叠荡，末一「啼」字平声收束，悠长绵邈，正合鸟鸣渐远、余音不绝的意境。全诗声调之清越与画面之明丽互为表里，读之如观一幅有声之画。沈周七绝不尚奇崛，而于平易中见声律之稳，此诗可证。此诗以「齐」韵之清，写山水之幽，声画相发，读之如见石田之画。声画相发，于此可见。

Line by line

碧水丹山映杖藜

Azure water and red hills reflect the staff-holding old man.

碧绿的水、丹红的山，映照着拄杖漫步的老者

Green water and red hills are mirrored in the staff of a leaning old man.

首句七字，兼写色与景与人。「碧水丹山」四字，一「碧」一「丹」，冷暖二色对举，以最经济的笔墨点出画面的青绿设色，先以色彩夺人。「映」字是此句之眼，它不写人看山水，而写山水映人，水光山色交映于拄杖的老者身上，主客之间的界限由此消融，人仿佛不是立于画中，而是化入画中。「杖藜」即藜杖，代指老者，这老者正是画中的人物，抑或是沈周的自画像——一位杖藜漫步、徜徉山水的隐者。一个「映」字，把「碧水丹山」的清丽与「杖藜」者的闲适打成一片，为全诗定下平和清幽的基调。

The mirror. Green water and red hills are mirrored in the staff of a leaning old man. The green water and red hills mirrored in the leaning man are the opening. To have mirrored the man in the hills would be a mirroring; the green-water-and-red-hills-are-mirrored-in-the-staff-of-a-leaning-old-man is the mirroring.

夕阳犹在小桥西

The setting sun still lingers west of the small bridge.

夕阳还悬挂在小桥以西

The setting sun still hangs west of the small bridge.

次句为画面补上时间的维度。「夕阳」点出黄昏，「小桥」点出地点，「西」字标明方位，三者合观，是一幅夕阳西斜、桥影横陈的暮景。「犹在」二字最耐寻味：夕阳本是西沉的，说它「犹在」，是捕捉到它尚未落尽、仍悬于小桥以西的一瞬，这一瞬正是画师取景定格之时。一个「犹」字，把动态的日落凝为静止的画面，写出了绘画以瞬间写永恒的特质。同时，「夕阳」「小桥」是传统山水画与田园诗的经典母题，马致远「小桥流水人家」即以小桥入曲，此句则以南朝谢朓、唐人王维以来「落日」「小桥」的意象，营造出安详宁谧的暮色，为下文的惊鸟之动预作反衬。

The sun. The setting sun still hangs west of the small bridge. The still-hanging setting sun west of the small bridge is the time. To have still-hung the sun would be a capture; the setting-sun-still-hangs-west-of-the-small-bridge is the capture.

微吟不道惊溪鸟

A soft chant unknowingly startles the creek birds.

我低声吟咏，不知不觉惊动了溪边的飞鸟

Softly chanting, I did not know I had startled the stream birds.

此句是全诗的转笔，由写画转入写画外之趣。「微吟」是低声吟诗，声音极轻，诗人本不欲扰物；「不道」是「不料、不意」之意，写这轻吟竟意外地惊动了溪边的飞鸟。一个「不道」，写尽了诗人当时的浑然不觉与事后的莞尔，语气轻松而有余韵。「惊溪鸟」三字，是全诗由静入动的关捩——前两句的碧水、丹山、夕阳、小桥，皆是无声的静景，此句忽然以「惊」字点破，画面的沉寂被一声轻吟与鸟的骚动打破。然而这「惊」不是喧闹的，而是以微吟之轻，衬出山溪之幽，鸟因微吟而惊，愈见此地之静，是典型的以动衬静。

The chant. Softly chanting, I did not know I had startled the stream birds. The soft chant that unwittingly startled the birds is the turn. To have startled the birds by chanting would be a startle; the softly-chanting-I-did-not-know-I-had-startled-the-stream-birds is the startle.

飞入乱云深处啼

They fly into deep chaotic clouds and cry.

它们振翅飞入层层乱云的深处，啼鸣不已

They fly into the depth of the wild clouds, crying.

末句写惊鸟的归宿，是全诗最有神韵的一笔。「飞入」写鸟的动作，「乱云深处」写鸟的去向——层层叠叠的乱云，深不可测，鸟飞入其中，渐没于云影；「啼」字殿后，写鸟虽隐于云深，而啼声犹在，余音袅袅。这一句妙在「乱云深处」的「深处」二字，鸟飞入云深，画面由此向画外无限延伸，读者的目光与想象，也随那啼声一同没入云海，诗的境界遂从一幅有限的画，扩展为一片无垠的天地。此句与王维「月出惊山鸟，时鸣春涧中」同一以动衬静之法，而王诗以月惊鸟，沈诗以吟惊鸟，王诗鸟鸣在涧，沈诗鸟啼入云，一实一虚，各有其致。全诗以此句收束，由画入诗，由实入虚，余味不尽。

The cry. They fly into the depth of the wild clouds, crying. The birds flying into the deep wild clouds and crying are the close. To have closed on the birds' cry in the clouds would be a close; the they-fly-into-the-depth-of-the-wild-clouds-crying is the close.

Study

Word focus

映 The character '映' merges mountain, water, and man into a harmonious whole, reflecting both light and mood. 「映」字是全诗炼字的枢纽，见于首句「碧水丹山映杖藜」。此字不作「照」而作「映」，妙在写出山水与人的交相辉映，而非单向的照射。「照」是光自上而下，人只是被动的承受；「映」则是水光山色与杖藜之人相互映发，人在景中，景因人活，主客交融。这一个「映」字，把「碧水」「丹山」的清丽，一并折射到拄杖的老者身上，使老者不再是画面上的孤影，而是与山水浑然一体的存在。沈周论画主「写意」，此诗以一个「映」字，正写出其画中人与景相融的意趣，一字而兼摄画理与诗心。

犹 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. 「犹」字见于次句「夕阳犹在小桥西」，是一个易被忽略而实有深意的虚字。「犹」是「仍然、尚且」之意，写夕阳尚未落尽、仍悬于小桥以西的状态。这一字把「夕阳」从名词性的静物，还原为一个仍在进行的动态过程——太阳本在沉落，诗人偏在它「犹在」的瞬间将其定格。以画理言，这正是绘画的特性：以某一瞬间的「犹在」，写出永恒的静美；以诗理言，一个「犹」字又暗含了某种对流光易逝的怜惜，夕阳「犹在」而终将逝去，只是画家在它尚未逝去时留住了它。一字之中，画意与诗情兼得。

乱 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. 「乱」字见于末句「飞入乱云深处啼」，是写云的神来之笔。云本无「乱」不「乱」之分，诗人以「乱」字状之，是写暮色中云层的层层叠叠、疏密错落，如被风吹乱、被霞染乱。这一个「乱」字，与前三句的「碧」「丹」「夕阳」的明丽工整形成对照——前面是画家的设色经营，此处是自然的无意纷披。「乱云深处」四字连读，又生出一种迷离幽深之感，为惊鸟的消失提供了无尽的纵深。鸟飞入乱云，遂与云俱乱、俱深、俱隐，只余啼声，余韵无穷。「乱」字虽小，却是全诗由画境通向诗境的点睛之笔。

题画