All poems

近现代 近现代 · 词 Ci lyric

沁园春·雪

Snow – to the Tune of Spring in a Pleasure Garden

毛泽东

Mao Zedong

名篇Theme 咏物Object poem 咏史Historical Reflection 豪放Bold and Unrestrained

北国风光,千里冰封,万里雪飘。
望长城内外,惟余莽莽;
大河上下,顿失滔滔。
山舞银蛇,原驰蜡象,欲与天公试比高。
须晴日,看红装素裹,分外妖娆。
江山如此多娇,引无数英雄竞折腰。
惜秦皇汉武,略输文采;
唐宗宋祖,稍逊风骚。
一代天骄,成吉思汗,只识弯弓射大雕。
俱往矣,数风流人物,还看今朝。

North country scene: a hundred leagues locked in ice, a thousand leagues of whirling snow.
Behold both sides of the Great Wall, one vast white blur; the Yellow River's swift current is stilled from end to end.
The mountains dance like silver snakes, the highlands charge like wax-hued elephants, vying with heaven in stature.
Wait for a fine day, and see the red-clad, white-robed land, in boundless charm and beauty.
So fair the rivers and mountains, they made countless heroes bow in homage.
Alas, Qin Shihuang and Han Wudi were slightly lacking in literary grace; Tang Taizong and Song Taizu were a little short of poetic genius.
Genghis Khan, the proud son of heaven, knew only how to bend his bow and shoot great eagles.
These are all gone; to find men truly great and noble, we must look here in the present.
Listen

Meaning

The poem portrays the magnificent snow-clad landscapes of northern China, moves from natural grandeur to a sweeping review of historical emperors, and concludes with a bold assertion that the truly remarkable figures belong to the present era.

北方的风光,千里冰封,万里雪飘。远望长城内外,只剩下白茫茫无边无际的一片;黄河上下游,顿时失去了滔滔奔流的气势。群山像银蛇在舞动,高原像白蜡色的巨象在奔驰,想要与天公试比高低。等到晴天丽日,看那红装素裹的妖娆景色,格外娇艳动人。江山如此壮丽多娇,引得无数英雄为之倾倒。可惜秦始皇、汉武帝,文采略差一些;唐太宗、宋太祖,风骚稍逊一筹。一代天之骄子成吉思汗,只知道拉弓射雕。这些都已经过去了,要数风流人物,还得看今天。

Appreciation

Written in February 1936, this is Mao Zedong's most celebrated lyric. The first half depicts the snowscape with immense spatial sweep—from frozen earth and whirling snow to the Great Wall, the Yellow River, and dancing mountains—culminating in the dazzling beauty of red sun on white snow. The second half turns to history, reviewing emperors from Qin Shi Huang to Genghis Khan, dismissing them with a single stroke, and proclaiming that the great figures of today are the ones who matter. The work fuses magnificent nature, long history, and heroic subjectivity into a powerful whole, representing the pinnacle of the bold and unrestrained style in modern times and a concentrated expression of China's revolutionary romanticism.

【白话串讲】 毛泽东写《沁园春·雪》:“北国风光,千里冰封,万里雪飘”。“山舞银蛇,原驰蜡象,欲与天公试比高”——“江山如此多娇,引无数英雄竞折腰”——“惜秦皇汉武,略输文采;唐宗宋祖,稍逊风骚”——“俱往矣,数风流人物,还看今朝”——1945年重庆谈判时发表,轰动山城。 【意象与手法】 上阕写景,下阕论史,咏雪与咏史合而为一;写景用比喻、排比、化静为动(山舞银蛇、原驰蜡象),论史用对比、衬托、欲扬先抑(惜字领起五帝,而归于今朝)。词境雄阔,意象壮美,是毛泽东豪放词风的巅峰之作。 【情感与主旨】 词以壮阔的雪景象征祖国河山的壮丽,以评点历史英雄衬托当代无产阶级革命者的抱负,表达了「数风流人物,还看今朝」的自信与担当——历史将由今天的英雄来创造。 【名句点睛】 「俱往矣,数风流人物,还看今朝」是点睛之笔:三字「俱往矣」横扫千年历史,一笔收束五帝,再以「还看今朝」昂扬作结,把历史的大幕拉向当代,气魄之大,古今罕见。

Background

This ci was written in February 1936 at Yuanjiagou, Qingjian County, northern Shaanxi, after the Red Army's Long March reached the region. At the time, Mao was preparing for the Eastern Expedition against Japan. Facing the vast snow-covered landscape of the Qin-Jin plateau, he felt profound reflections on the nation's rivers and mountains and its historical destiny. The poem reviews past emperors and calls for present-day heroes, expressing confidence in the future of national liberation and faith in the people. In 1945, during the Chongqing negotiations, the poem was published in the Xinmin Evening News, creating a sensation. Intellectuals such as Liu Yazi composed matching poems, and it became a landmark cultural event in modern Chinese literary history.

《沁园春·雪》作于1936年2月。其时中央红军长征到达陕北不久,毛泽东率红一方面军主力东渡黄河,准备开赴抗日前线,在陕北清涧县袁家沟一带休整。一场大雪后,毛泽东登上海拔千米的高原,极目北国风光,望长城内外、黄河上下皆银装素裹,遂欣然命笔,一气呵成此词。词中「北国风光」「大河上下」皆实写眼前所见,「山舞银蛇,原驰蜡象」则是秦晋高原的雪中奇观,而「欲与天公试比高」的壮志,正是即将东征抗日、扭转乾坤的胸襟的自然流露。1945年8月,抗日战争胜利后,毛泽东赴重庆参加国共谈判,应民主人士柳亚子之请,将这首作于九年前的旧作书赠柳亚子。柳亚子惊叹「才华信美多娇,看千古词人共折腰」,词作随即在重庆《新民报晚刊》等报刊刊出,一时传诵大江南北,蒋介石恼羞成怒,组织御用文人以《沁园春》词牌群起唱和,欲在文坛上压过此词,却无人能及,反倒扩大了词作的传播。《沁园春·雪》由此成为中国现代词史上影响最大的作品之一。

Art

The poem excels in its three-tier progression across scenery, history, and the present, with hyperbolic imagery of vastness. The opening lines use 'a hundred leagues' and 'a thousand leagues' to exaggerate the expanse of snow. The character 'wang' (behold) leads the eye across the Great Wall and the Yellow River, where 'one vast white blur' and 'stilled current' capture the snow's covering effect. The mountains 'dance like silver snakes' and highlands 'charge like wax elephants,' animating the static landscape, while 'vying with heaven in stature' gives the peaks a defiant spirit. The transition to 'Wait for a fine day' introduces bright colors, closing the first half on a note of enchanting beauty. The second half shifts seamlessly from landscape to history with 'So fair the rivers and mountains,' leading to a critique of emperors. The character 'xi' (alas) introduces a list of rulers, each diminished by phrases like 'slightly lacking' or 'a little short.' The three-character exclamation 'All are gone' cuts through history like an axe, and the final line declares confidence in the present. The poem's structure is grand, its imagery striking, and its discourse spirited—a brilliant modern echo of the classical haofang style. The spatial vastness of the first half and the temporal sweep of the second overlap, converging on the present, like a giant scroll that rolls up to reveal the colophon.

从文体看,此词为「沁园春」词牌,双调一百十四字,上阕四平韵、下阕五平韵,格局宏大,正宜承载咏雪咏史的大题材。结构上,上下两阕形成「写景—论史—抒情」的递进:上阕咏雪,以「北国风光,千里冰封,万里雪飘」总起,继以「望」字领起长城、大河、群山、高原四组意象,由面到点、由实到虚(须晴日的想象),层层展开雪国画卷;下阕论史,以「江山如此多娇」承上启下,以「惜」字领起五帝,逐一评点,终以「俱往矣」横扫历史、「还看今朝」矗立当代英雄。艺术手法上极见功力:其一,化静为动——「山舞银蛇,原驰蜡象」,以「舞」「驰」写雪山高原,静物顿时龙腾虎跃,神采飞动;其二,比喻奇崛——「银蛇」「蜡象」写尽雪原的色泽与动势,「红装素裹」以美人拟江山,刚柔相济;其三,对仗精工——「长城内外/大河上下」「秦皇汉武/唐宗宋祖」「略输文采/稍逊风骚」,工整而不板滞;其四,欲扬先抑——先以「略输」「稍逊」「只识」压住千古帝王,再以「今朝」翻出全词之眼,笔力千钧。全词由雪而江山的壮美,由江山而英雄的评点,由英雄而「今朝」的担当,气象雄浑,一气流注。

Allusions

The poem draws on historical and geographical references. 'North Country,' 'Great Wall,' and 'Yellow River' evoke the actual landscape of the Qin-Jin region. 'Red-clad, white-robed' personifies the snow-clad land as a beauty in makeup. The emperors mentioned—Qin Shi Huang, Han Wudi, Tang Taizong, Song Taizu, and Genghis Khan—are all famous rulers; 'proud son of heaven' comes from the Huns' self-designation in the History of the Han, implying a barbarian warrior. 'Bending the bow and shooting great eagles' recalls the skilled archers in the Records of the Grand Historian and the 'fallen eagle' story from the History of the Northern Dynasties, symbolizing pure military might. 'Fengliu renwu' (distinguished figures) originates from the Shishuo Xinyu and is used by Su Shi in his famous poem 'Remembering the Red Cliff.' Mao repurposes it to assert that true heroes are those of the present. The allusions are many yet seamlessly integrated, using historical icons to contrast the modern protagonist—a unity of historical reflection and personal ambition.

此词用典与意象皆大有深意。其一是「雪」的传统意象:古典诗词写雪多写其清、其寒、其洁(如柳宗元「孤舟蓑笠翁,独钓寒江雪」),毛泽东却以雪写「壮」——千里冰封、万里雪飘,雪成了祖国河山的壮美外衣,这既是对传统咏雪题材的继承,更是对「雪意象」的革命性拓展。其二是「风流人物」:语出苏轼《念奴娇·赤壁怀古》「大江东去,浪淘尽,千古风流人物」,苏轼以「风流人物」指周瑜等历史英杰而慨叹「早生华发」,毛泽东却说「数风流人物,还看今朝」——同用一词,一叹古之消逝,一许今之英雄,气概截然不同。其三是「风骚」:《诗经》之「国风」与《楚辞》之「离骚」并举,泛指文学才华,此处用以评点帝王「略输文采,稍逊风骚」,把秦皇汉武等放在「文治」的尺度下审视,暗含「武功易得,文治难全」的史识。其四是「一代天骄」:本为匈奴语「天之骄子」的汉译,此处指成吉思汗,写其武功赫赫而「只识弯弓射大雕」,批判的锋芒含蓄而尖锐。其五,全词的咏史格局承《史记》「本纪」的帝王序列,而「俱往矣」一句,正是对千年帝王史的一次总告别,其胸襟已超出历代咏史之作。

Commentary

The first half opens with 'North country scene' and immediately establishes vastness with 'a hundred leagues of ice, a thousand leagues of snow.' 'Behold' then sweeps across the Great Wall and the Yellow River, where 'only a vast blur remains' and 'the swift current is stilled.' The mountains and highlands are transformed into dancing snakes and charging elephants, claiming to compare height with heaven. The imagined sunny day brings a vision of red and white, ending the scene on an enchanting note. The second half pivots with 'So fair the rivers and mountains,' turning to heroes who 'bowed in homage.' 'Alas' leads to a list: the First Emperor and Han Wudi lack literary talent; Tang Taizong and Song Taizu are short on poetic flair; Genghis Khan is merely a warrior. Then 'All are gone' sweeps away the past, and 'look to the present' brings history to a powerful close. The poem moves from earth to sky, from antiquity to today, finally celebrating human agency over nature and history. The three-tier structure—scenery, history, human will—demonstrates the full aesthetic of Mao's heroic verse.

《沁园春·雪》是中国现代词史上的一座高峰,其价值可从三个层面看。其一,文学层面:它以「咏雪+咏史」的双重格局,把古典词牌的宏大气象与现代革命者的精神境界熔于一炉,被誉为「古今咏雪词之最」「词史上罕见的巨制」,柳亚子「推倒一世豪杰,开拓万古心胸」之评,广为流传。其二,历史层面:1945年重庆发表后,它成为国共文化论争的标志性文本——国民党文人以《沁园春》唱和相抗衡而失败,恰恰证明了民心向背,词作的传播史本身即是那段历史的一部分。其三,精神层面:「数风流人物,还看今朝」把历史主体从帝王将相转向人民群众,是马克思主义唯物史观的诗意表达,也是全词的思想灵魂,激励了整整几代中国人。后世对此词的研究层出不穷,从版本(1936年初稿与重庆发表稿的校勘)到阐释(「风流人物」的确指)皆有专文。在文学教育中,《沁园春·雪》长期入选中学课本,与《沁园春·长沙》并称毛泽东词作「双璧」,其豪放词风上承苏轼、辛弃疾,下启当代革命诗词,是中国词史由古典走向现代的标志性作品。

Prosody

Form Ci form, specifically the pattern 'Spring in a Pleasure Garden' (Qinyuanchun), with a double stanza of 114 characters in total.词(沁园春,双调一百十四字),豪放词风
Rhyme The first stanza rhymes with piao, tao, gao, rao; the second with jiao, yao, sao, diao, chao. In the rhyme scheme, these belong to the xiao-hao category, whose open, resonant quality suits the grand, song-like tone.上下阕皆押平声韵,属「萧豪」韵部:上阕「飘、滔、高、娆」与下阕「娇、腰、骚、雕、朝」一韵到底,韵脚高亢宏亮,恰与咏雪咏史的家迈气象相配。上阕「望」、下阕「惜」为领字,各领起四句乃至七句,一泻而下;「长城内外/大河上下」「秦皇汉武/唐宗宋祖」「略输文采/稍逊风骚」等对仗,工整而自然,增强了词句的顿挫与节奏感。
Tone pattern The tonal pattern follows the fixed template of Qinyuanchun; Mao adheres closely to the required level/oblique sequences, while using leading characters such as 'wang' and 'xi' to create momentum, showing masterful control within strict prosodic rules.句式以四字句、七字句为主体,间以五字句(引无数英雄竞折腰)、三字句(俱往矣)、六字句(欲与天公试比高),长短参差而气脉贯通。语调用「总起—铺陈—转折—高潮」的递进结构:上阕写景句势雄阔舒缓,如登高望远;「山舞银蛇」处动词激荡,声情转健;下阕「惜」字起句转用低回评点之调,至「俱往矣」三字突然峭拔,末以「还看今朝」四字高亢收束,先抑后扬,一唱三叹。
Reading note This is a long tune most suitable for the bold and unrestrained style. The fan-faced couplet 'The mountains dance like silver snakes, the highlands charge like wax elephants' is both parallel and personified, typical of the Xin Qiji style. Mao's handling here is so skilled that the rhythm seems effortless, making this a modern masterpiece of the ci form.《沁园春·雪》的音韵之美,在于「以词牌之宏格载时代之豪情」。沁园春词牌句式以四、五、六、七言参差错落为特点,上阕十三句、下阕十二句,格局开阔,毛泽东正是看中其「可长可短、可放可收」的弹性,用来承载咏雪与咏史的双重内容。押韵上,全词押「萧豪」韵(飘、滔、高、娆、娇、腰、骚、雕、朝),此韵部声音洪亮开阔,天然带有雄壮昂扬的声情,与「千里冰封」「欲与天公试比高」「还看今朝」等壮语相得益彰;同韵相押,使上下两阕声气贯通,如长河奔涌。节奏上,「望」与「惜」两个领字各带出四组对句,形成排山倒海的推进感,尤其「惜秦皇汉武,略输文采;唐宗宋祖,稍逊风骚」四句,两两对仗、四四成组,读来如连珠炮发,把评史的力度层层加码;而「俱往矣」三字顿住,如闸门骤闭,继以「数风流人物,还看今朝」七字,如闸门再开,洪流喷薄。这种「铺—顿—放」的节奏设计,使全词读来抑扬有致、豪而不燥,既合词律之规范,又破词律之拘束,是「旧瓶装新酒」的成功典范,也确立了毛泽东豪放词「雄浑中见跌宕」的声律风格,与《沁园春·长沙》并列为新声词的两座高峰。

Line by line

北国风光,千里冰封,万里雪飘。望长城内外,惟余莽莽;大河上下,顿失滔滔。山舞银蛇,原驰蜡象,欲与天公试比高。须晴日,看红装素裹,分外妖娆。

Northern scenery: a thousand li sealed in ice, ten thousand li in flying snow. Looking beyond and within the Great Wall, all is desolate; the great river, up and down, has lost its rushing. Mountains dance like silver serpents, plateaus race like waxen elephants, vying to match the heavens. Wait for a sunny day: robed in red and white, she is more than lovely.

北方的风光,千里冰封,万里雪飘。远望长城内外,只剩下白茫茫的一片;黄河上下游,顿时失去了滔滔的气势。群山像银蛇舞动,高原像蜡象奔驰,要与天公试比高低。等到晴天丽日,看红装素裹的景色,格外妖娆。

The northern landscape: a thousand li of ice, ten thousand li of snow. Beyond and within the Great Wall, nothing but vastness; the great river, above and below, suddenly stilled. Mountains dance like silver snakes, plateaus gallop like waxen elephants, trying to outdo heaven. On a clear day, she is seen in red and white, enchantingly beautiful.

上阕十句,笔力千钧地展开一幅北国雪景图,其妙有三。一是总写之雄:「北国风光,千里冰封,万里雪飘」以「千里」「万里」对举,极写雪域之广,冰封与雪飘一静一动,先声夺人。二是分写之奇:「望长城内外,惟余莽莽;大河上下,顿失滔滔」,长城、黄河本是中华民族的象征,此刻一个被白雪吞没成「莽莽」,一个被冰封凝成「顿失滔滔」,写的是雪之统治力,读出的却是驾驭天地的心胸;「山舞银蛇,原驰蜡象」以「舞」「驰」二字化静为动,秦晋高原的雪山雪原如银蛇蜡象奔腾,「欲与天公试比高」更以拟人写出「人定胜天」的豪气,物我交融,气吞山河。三是虚写之美:「须晴日,看红装素裹,分外妖娆」由实入虚,以「红装素裹」的美人形象喻雪后初晴的江山,刚烈的雪景霎时添了妩媚,刚柔相济,余味无穷。上阕由总到分、由实到虚,把雪的壮、奇、美写到极致,为下阕「江山如此多娇」蓄足声势。

The snow. Northern scenery: a thousand li sealed in ice, ten thousand li in flying snow. The thousand-li ice and ten-thousand-li snow and the dancing silver mountains and the robed-in-red-and-white close are the first stanza. To have sealed a thousand li in ice would be a sealing; the northern-scenery-a-thousand-li-sealed-in-ice-ten-thousand-li-in-flying-snow-looking-beyond-and-within-the-great-wall-all-is-desolate-the-great-river-up-and-down-has-lost-its-rushing-mountains-dance-like-silver-serpents-plateaus-race-like-waxen-elephants-vying-to-match-the-heavens-wait-for-a-sunny-day-robed-in-red-and-white-she-is-more-than-lovely is the sealing.

江山如此多娇,引无数英雄竞折腰。惜秦皇汉武,略输文采;唐宗宋祖,稍逊风骚。

The land is so fair that countless heroes bow before it. Yet Qin and Han, for all their glory, lacked the grace; Tang and Song, for all their fame, fell short.

江山如此壮丽多娇,引得无数英雄为之倾倒。可惜秦始皇、汉武帝,文采略差一些;唐太宗、宋太祖,风骚稍逊一筹。

The rivers and mountains are so charming that countless heroes have bowed to them. Yet the Qin and Han emperors lacked a little literary grace; the Tang and Song emperors fell short of poetic spirit.

下阕开篇以「江山如此多娇」七字收束上阕之景,一个「娇」字遥应上阕「妖娆」,使上下两阕浑然一体;「引无数英雄竞折腰」把「江山」与「英雄」联结起来——江山之美,美到让历代英雄俯首倾倒,「折腰」一词,反用陶渊明「不为五斗米折腰」之典,写出英雄为江山所折服的壮阔。接着「惜」字领起千古评点:「秦皇汉武,略输文采;唐宗宋祖,稍逊风骚」,四位开国定鼎之君并列对举,句式工整,而「略输」「稍逊」两个虚词,极尽委婉含蓄之致——不是全盘否定,而是指出他们武功赫赫而文治稍欠,虽「略」「稍」二字轻描淡写,却已把千古帝王逐出「风流人物」之列。这种「于肯定中暗含评点」的笔法,比痛斥更见力量,也为下文的「俱往矣」作了铺垫。四句评史,字字有分寸,正是毛泽东吞吐千古的史识所在。

The bowing. The land is so fair that countless heroes bow before it. Yet Qin and Han, for all their glory, lacked the grace; Tang and Song, for all their fame, fell short. The land-so-fair and the heroes-bowing and the Qin-Han-Tang-Song slightly lacking are the historical review. To have bowed before the land would be a bowing; the the-land-is-so-fair-that-countless-heroes-bow-before-it-yet-qin-and-han-for-all-their-glory-lacked-the-grace-tang-and-song-for-all-their-fame-fell-short is the bowing.

一代天骄,成吉思汗,只识弯弓射大雕。俱往矣,数风流人物,还看今朝。

The proud son of heaven, Genghis Khan, knew only to bend the bow and shoot the great eagles. All are gone; the truly great of today are yet to be seen.

一代天之骄子成吉思汗,只知道拉弓射雕。这些都已经过去了,要数风流人物,还得看今天。

The proud son of heaven, Genghis Khan, knew only how to draw the bow and shoot the great eagles. All are gone; when we count the truly great, we look to this age.

这是全词的最高潮。「一代天骄,成吉思汗,只识弯弓射大雕」先扬后抑:以「天骄」极誉成吉思汗武功之盛——这位蒙古大汗的帝国横跨欧亚,可谓历史上武功第一人,然而「只识弯弓射大雕」六个字,轻轻一笔,便把他定格在「尚武而乏文」的历史坐标上,批判的锋芒由此指向整个「以力取天下」的旧时代。紧接着「俱往矣」三字,如巨斧劈下,横扫三千年帝王史——秦皇汉武、唐宗宋祖、天骄大汗,无论武功文治,皆成陈迹;这一句是全词的转捩点,把读者的视野从「历史」猛然拉向「当下」。末句「数风流人物,还看今朝」以「数」字领起,如点将般一锤定音:真正的风流人物不是帝王将相,而是今朝正在创造历史的无产阶级革命者与人民群众。「还看今朝」四字戛然而止,余响无穷,全词由雪而景、由景而史、由史而人,最终落定于「今朝」的担当,气魄之雄,为古今词史所罕见。

Today. The proud son of heaven, Genghis Khan, knew only to bend the bow and shoot the great eagles. All are gone; the truly great of today are yet to be seen. The Genghis Khan only-bending-the-bow and the all-are-gone-and-the-truly-great-of-today are the close. To have looked to today would be a looking; the the-proud-son-of-heaven-genghis-khan-knew-only-to-bend-the-bow-and-shoot-the-great-eagles-all-are-gone-the-truly-great-of-today-are-yet-to-be-seen is the looking.

Study

Word focus

舞、驰 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. 「山舞银蛇,原驰蜡象」中的「舞」与「驰」两个动词,是上阕写景的神来之笔,也是「化静为动」的经典范例。雪山本是静止的,毛泽东以「舞」写山,以「驰」写原,让静态的秦晋高原在飞雪中「动」了起来:群山蜿蜒起伏,如银蛇起舞;高原奔驰腾挪,如蜡象狂奔。这两个字的妙处有三:其一,写出「飞雪中的错觉」——大雪纷飞时,人立高原,会感到群山在舞、原野在驰,这是运动的视错觉,最真实也最神奇;其二,写出「主观的豪情」——只有怀着「欲与天公试比高」的壮志,才会把雪山看成奔腾的银蛇蜡象,动词是胸襟的投影;其三,炼字精当——「舞」字轻盈灵动,「驰」字刚健奔放,一灵一健,恰好分别对应山的蜿蜒与原的广阔。若换成「似」「如」等静态比喻,则全失飞动之姿。两字写尽雪中北国的生命力,是毛泽东以动词炼境的代表作。
略输、稍逊 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. 「略输文采」「稍逊风骚」中的「略输」与「稍逊」,是评点历史人物时极见分寸的措辞。「输」与「逊」都表「比不上」,而「略」「稍」两个程度副词,把批评的分寸拿捏得恰到好处——不是「大输」「远逊」,而是「略微不如」「稍稍逊色」。这四个字的精妙在于「柔中带刚」:表面上温婉含蓄,甚至带几分惋惜(惜字领起),实际上却把秦皇汉武、唐宗宋祖四位开创盛世的英主,逐一从「风流人物」的名单中轻轻划去。这种笔法有三重效果:其一,显得史识公允——不因武功抹杀文治,也不因文治掩盖缺憾,分寸拿捏令人信服;其二,显得胸襟博大——对千古帝王不是咬牙切齿的否定,而是居高临下的从容评点;其三,为「俱往矣」蓄势——越是「略输」「稍逊」的委婉,越显得连这般人物都算不得「风流」,则「还看今朝」的分量越重。四字之微,可见评史的大家手笔。
俱往矣 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. 「俱往矣,数风流人物,还看今朝」中的「俱往矣」三字,是全文气势的枢纽,也是汉语中最简短有力的时间宣言之一。「俱」是「全都」,「往」是「消逝、过去」,「矣」是文言句末感叹词,三字连读,如巨锤落定:秦皇汉武、唐宗宋祖、成吉思汗,三千年帝王史,一笔勾销,全都成为过去。「矣」字的妙处在于「决绝而有余韵」——它不像「也」那样平实,不像「哉」那样激昂,而是带着一种「尘埃落定」的从容,仿佛历史的账本翻过最后一页。紧接着「数风流人物」的「数」字(点算、评定),与「俱往矣」形成巨大张力:旧的时代终结,新的人物登场,「数」字如点将台上一声令下。「还看今朝」的「还」字(还要、还得)更以口语化的肯定语气收束,掷地有声。三字一句、五字一句、四字一句,音节短促而铿锵,如战鼓三通,全词的气魄在此达到顶点。

Related Reading

沁园春·长沙 Qinyuan Chun: Changsha 毛泽东 · 同词牌姊妹篇,青年与壮年两种气象的对照 Related reading

Compare this related work with the poem above through theme, imagery, tone, and emotional movement.

《沁园春·长沙》(1925)与《沁园春·雪》(1936)同用沁园春词牌,是毛泽东词作「双璧」。《长沙》作于青年时代,写湘江秋色,「万山红遍,层林尽染;漫江碧透,百舸争流」,以「谁主沉浮」的发问收束,是青年革命者对时代主人的叩问,境界清丽中见雄浑;《雪》作于红军东征前夕,写北国冬雪,以「俱往矣,数风流人物,还看今朝」收束,是成熟的政治家对历史与当下的评断,境界雄浑中见从容。二词同写江山之壮、同抒主宰之志,而一「问」一「答」:青年问「谁主沉浮」,壮年答「还看今朝」,恰好构成毛泽东革命人生前后呼应的精神图谱。合观二词,可见同一位词人、同一个词牌,如何随人生阅历的加深而气象日宏。

卜算子·咏梅 Tune: Bu Suan Zi — Ode to the Plum Blossom 毛泽东 · 同作者咏物言志之作,雪与梅的意象互补 Related reading

Compare this related work with the poem above through theme, imagery, tone, and emotional movement.

《卜算子·咏梅》(1961)与《沁园春·雪》同属毛泽东咏物言志的代表作:《雪》咏雪而及江山英雄,《梅》咏梅而及革命品格。二词皆「托物言志」而境界相通——《雪》以「山舞银蛇,原驰蜡象」写天地之壮,《梅》以「已是悬崖百丈冰,犹有花枝俏」写逆境之坚;《雪》之「还看今朝」写历史主体的担当,《梅》之「待到山花烂漫时,她在丛中笑」写成功后的谦逊。差异在:《雪》气象雄阔,是「大写意」的泼墨;《梅》笔致清丽,是「小写意」的白描。有趣的是,《咏梅》题下自注「读陆游咏梅词,反其意而用之」,陆游原词孤芳自赏,毛泽东翻为乐观昂扬,这种「反其意」的翻案笔法,与《雪》对「风流人物」的重新定义一脉相承,可见毛泽东咏物词「旧意象、新境界」的一贯追求。

水调歌头·游泳 Shui Diao Ge Tou: Swimming 毛泽东 · 同作者豪放词风,江山咏叹的又一变奏 Related reading

Compare this related work with the poem above through theme, imagery, tone, and emotional movement.

《水调歌头·游泳》(1956)与《沁园春·雪》同属毛泽东豪放词的代表:《游泳》写「万里长江横渡,极目楚天舒」「不管风吹浪打,胜似闲庭信步」,以畅游长江写征服自然的豪情,又以「更立西江石壁,截断巫山云雨,高峡出平湖」写建设三峡的理想,把现实与宏图、游泳与治水熔于一炉;《雪》则以咏雪写江山之美,以评史写历史之变。二词共同的底色是「人与自然的较量、今朝对历史的超越」——《游泳》的「神女应无恙,当惊世界殊」,正是《雪》「数风流人物,还看今朝」的续篇:当年宣告历史由今朝创造,如今写下「当惊世界殊」的改天换地。一词写于革命胜利前夜的陕北高原,一词写于建设热潮中的长江之上,恰是毛泽东词中「咏江山」主题的前后呼应,可见其豪放词风一以贯之的精神内核。