南北朝 Northern and Southern Dynasties · 赋 Fu rhapsody
别赋
Fu on Separation
黯然销魂者，唯别而已矣！
况秦吴兮绝国，复燕宋兮千里。
或春苔兮始生，乍秋风兮暂起。
是以行子肠断，百感凄恻。
风萧萧而异响，云漫漫而奇色。
舟凝滞于水滨，车逶迟于山侧。
棹容与而讵前，马寒鸣而不息。
掩金觞而谁御，横玉柱而沾轼。
居人愁卧，怳若有亡。
日下壁而沉彩，月上轩而飞光。
见红兰之受露，望青楸之离霜。
巡层楹而空掩，抚锦幕而虚凉。
知离梦之踯躅，意别魂之飞扬。
（节选）
For Qin and Wu are distant lands, Yan and Song a thousand miles apart.
Or when spring moss begins to grow, or autumn wind suddenly rises,
The traveler's heart is torn, a hundred sorrows overwhelm.
The wind moans with a strange sound, the clouds spread with a weird hue.
The boat lingers by the shore, the carriage crawls on the hillside.
The oars move slowly, unwilling to go forward; the horses shiver with cold, neighed unceasingly.
They hide the golden goblet—who will drink? They set down the jade zither, tears wet the rail.
Those left behind lie in sorrow, dazed as if having lost something.
The sun sets behind the wall, sinking its colors; the moon rises above the balcony, shedding its light.
They see the red orchids bathed in dew, gaze at the green catalpas covered with frost.
They walk through layers of pillars, empty doors closed; they touch the brocade curtains, chillingly cold.
They know the wanderer's dream is restless, and feel his departing spirit flying away.
Meaning
The poet laments that nothing is more soul-crushing than parting, depicting the sorrow of both the traveler and the one left behind through vivid imagery and parallel prose.
最令人黯然神伤的，莫过于离别了！何况秦吴相隔绝远，燕宋相距千里。或值春苔初生，或当秋风乍起，行子肠断、百感凄恻。风声萧萧别样凄凉，云色漫漫异样惨淡；舟滞水滨，车缓山侧，桨迟不行，马寒长鸣。掩杯无人共饮，抚瑟泪沾车轼。居人愁卧若有所失，日沉月升，见红兰沾露、青楸覆霜，空掩层楹、虚凉锦幕，知离梦徘徊、别魂飞扬。
Appreciation
The fu opens with the famous line 'What melts the spirit and wrings the soul? Only parting!' It employs elaborate parallelism and vivid descriptions of nature to evoke the universal grief of separation. The imagery of stagnating boats, slow carriages, and desolate landscapes conveys the inner torment. The piece is a masterpiece of the lyrical fu, blending emotion and ornate style.
【白话串讲】 “黯然销魂者，唯别而已矣”——最让人黯然销魂的，只有离别。江淹这篇《别赋》，把各种离别写了个遍，从此“黯然销魂”成了中国人写离别的最高表达。 【意象与手法】 赋体铺张扬厉，此篇以「黯然销魂者，唯别而已矣」提挈全篇，先泛写时空与节候中的离愁，再分写行子、居人两边。大量运用对偶、排比与拟人（「舟凝滞」「车逶迟」「马寒鸣」），辞藻华美而不失情韵；以惨淡物色烘托凄恻心绪，情景交融，将抽象离愁具象化为可感画面，体现南朝抒情小赋「情采兼备」的成就。 【情感与主旨】 江淹为南朝梁文学家，《别赋》与《恨赋》为姊妹篇，约作于其仕途起伏、阅历离乱之际。南朝战乱频仍、士大夫迁转无常，离别成为时代普遍体验；江淹总括各类离别（富贵、任侠、从军、去国等），以赋体铺陈其哀，既是个人的生命感悟，也是时代离乱之音的集中投射，将「伤别」主题系统化、典律化。 【名句点睛】 默写易错：「黯然销魂者」之「黯」（àn，深黑，勿作「暗」）；「舟凝滞于水滨」之「滞」（zhì，停留）；「怳若有亡」之「怳」（huǎng，恍惚）；常考「黯然销魂」的凝练、「风萧萧而异响」的以景写情手法与「行子、居人」双写的铺陈结构。
Background
Jiang Yan was a Liang dynasty writer. 'Fu on Separation' and 'Fu on Resentment' are companion pieces written during a time of personal and political turmoil. The Southern Dynasties period was marked by frequent wars and displacement, making separation a common experience. This fu generalizes all types of parting, reflecting both personal sorrow and the era's collective melancholy.
江淹（444—505），字文通，济阳考城（今河南民权）人，历仕宋、齐、梁三朝，官至金紫光禄大夫，封醴陵侯，为南朝文坛领袖。其《别赋》与《恨赋》为姊妹篇，约作于其仕途起伏、阅历离乱之际。南朝时期政权更迭频繁、战乱频仍，士大夫或迁转、或流离、或从军，离别成为时代普遍的生命体验；加之南方水陆交通发达，宦游、赴任、戍边皆须远行，江淹总括各类离别（富贵之别、任侠之别、从军之别、去国之别等），以赋体铺陈其哀。《别赋》结构宏大：首段总写「黯然销魂」的普泛之悲，次段写行子、居人两边的离愁，中段分写七类离别，末段以「别虽一绪，事乃万族」总收，节选部分即其首段与次段，写离愁之普泛与深挚。江淹出身孤寒，早年仕途蹭蹬，晚年位极人臣，尝尽离合悲欢，故其写别情能探骊得珠，此赋既是个人生命感悟的结晶，也是时代离乱之音的集中投射。就文体源流而言，赋体本以铺陈为能事，六朝抒情小赋尤重辞采与情韵，《别赋》正是这一文体在「伤别」主题上的集大成之作；江淹出身孤寒而位至通显，其一生阅尽世态，故写离别能兼写行子与居人、富贵与贫贱，处处入微，篇篇中的。
Art
This fu is characterized by elaborate parallelism and personification. It begins with the thematic statement 'Only parting!' then expands to describe both traveler and stay-at-home. The use of natural imagery (wind, clouds, boats) to mirror emotions is central. The language is ornate yet emotionally resonant, showcasing the achievements of Southern Dynasties lyrical fu.
《别赋》艺术之妙，首在以「黯然销魂者，唯别而已矣」破题立骨，一语道尽天下离愁，提挈全篇。节选部分先泛写离别的时空与节候：秦吴绝国、燕宋千里写空间之远，春苔始生、秋风暂起写节候之感，行子肠断、百感凄恻总写离人之悲；继而分写两边：写行子，则「风萧萧而异响，云漫漫而奇色」以异响奇色写其心绪的异变，「舟凝滞于水滨，车逶迟于山侧」以舟车的不忍前行写其留恋，「棹容与而讵前，马寒鸣而不息」以棹之徘徊、马之寒鸣写其踯躅，「掩金觞而谁御，横玉柱而沾轼」以无人共饮、泪沾车轼写其伤感；写居人，则「居人愁卧，怳若有亡」写其失魂落魄，「日下壁而沉彩，月上轩而飞光」以日沉月升写时间流逝中相思的煎熬，「红兰受露、青楸离霜」以物色之变写节候迁移，「巡层楹而空掩，抚锦幕而虚凉」以空掩虚凉写人去楼空，「知离梦之踯躅，意别魂之飞扬」以梦与魂的徘徊飞扬写别后的牵挂。全段对偶排比层见叠出，拟人化物、情景交融，将抽象的离愁铺展为可感可触的画面，是南朝抒情小赋「情采兼备」的极致。
Allusions
The phrase '黯然销魂' derives from Chu Ci and Song Yu's 'Gaotang Fu'. '风萧萧' echoes the 'Yishui Song' of Jing Ke. The imagery of orchids and catalpas draws from the Chu Ci tradition of fragrant herbs and autumn lamentation. Jiang Yan synthesized earlier allusions to systematize the theme of parting.
《别赋》用典精审，熔铸屈宋辞赋与传统意象于一体。「黯然销魂」一语，承《楚辞·九歌》「望美人兮未来，临风怳兮浩歌」的怅望之情与宋玉《高唐赋》「魂乎无东」的销魂之思，江淹以「黯然」状其神色、「销魂」状其魂魄离散，四字凝练，遂成写离愁的千古范式。「风萧萧而异响」化用《易水歌》「风萧萧兮易水寒，壮士一去兮不复还」的离别悲音，荆轲易水送别正是中国文学最著名的离别场景，江淹拈来以写行子眼中风声的异样，悲凉倍增。「红兰之受露」「青楸之离霜」暗用《楚辞》香草美人的传统与宋玉悲秋之意：兰受露、楸离霜，物色摇落，正衬离人的憔悴与时光的催逼。「秦吴绝国、燕宋千里」以春秋战国时的绝远之地写空间阻隔，「绝国」一词本于《战国策》「越王勾践栖于会稽之上……寡人使大夫种厚币遗吴太宰嚭以请和」的悬绝之思；「玉柱」指琴瑟之柱，代指乐器，承楚辞「奏九歌而舞韶」的乐舞传统。江淹将这些典故化入铺陈的辞句，不见堆砌而自有典重之美，是六朝骈赋用典的典范。
Commentary
Historically, Jiang Yan was known for his early brilliance but later decline. Zhu Xi praised the fu but considered it too ornate. Xu Qian called it 'supreme among parting poems'. Lu Xun admired its elegant emotion.
《别赋》《恨赋》为江淹赢得极高声誉，而其「江郎才尽」之说尤添传奇色彩：《南史·江淹传》载江淹晚年梦郭璞索还五色笔，才思遂退，然《别赋》正作于其才华鼎盛之时，足证其「少以文章显」的盛名。历代评家于此赋推崇备至：朱熹评「江淹《别赋》甚佳，只是太雕刻」，虽病其雕琢，亦许其甚佳；清许梿《六朝文絜》评此赋「无限离别，于此一篇尽之，可谓前无古人」，正就其对离别主题的集大成而言；鲁迅在《汉文学史纲要》中论六朝小赋「情采斐然」，此篇可为的评。此赋在文学史上的意义，在于将「伤别」这一主题系统化、典律化：此前写离别，或见于《诗经》行役之诗，或见于《楚辞》去国之辞，皆零散未成体系；江淹总括万殊、以赋体巨制铺陈，使离别成为中国文学最经典的母题之一。后世柳永《雨霖铃》、王实甫《西厢记·长亭送别》皆承其精神，可见其沾溉之深广。还要指出的是，《别赋》虽为骈赋，而其情不假雕饰、直指人心，这正是它超越一般骈文「为文而造情」之处；后世戏曲中的「长亭送别」、小说中的「折柳赠别」，莫不笼罩于「黯然销魂」四字的余荫之下，可见此文影响之深且广，实为中国文学离别母题的源头活水。
Prosody
Line by line
黯然销魂者，唯别而已矣！
The line that melts the spirit and wrings the soul: only parting! It sets the theme and establishes the emotional intensity of the entire piece.
令人心神沮丧、魂魄离散的，唯有离别罢了！
What breaks the spirit with grief is parting, and parting alone.
开篇破题，是全赋的立骨之句，也是千古传诵的名句。「黯然」写神色之惨淡，「销魂」写魂魄之离散，四字将离别的杀伤力写得惊心动魄：不是寻常的难过，而是神为之夺、魂为之销的深刻痛苦。「者……唯……而已矣」的句式顿挫有力，「唯」字排除其余一切，「而已矣」双语气词收束，斩钉截铁，把「别」推为天下第一伤心事。此句之妙，在于以最高级的判断写最普遍的情感：人人皆有离别之痛，而江淹一言道破，遂成千古共鸣。更妙的是，全赋此后铺写万种离别，皆由此句生发，故评家以「黯然销魂」四字为「一篇之骨」。此句既是抒情的高潮，又是结构的纲领，开篇即立于不败之地，为整篇赋体铺陈立下情感的制高点，是中国文学中破题立骨的典范。
The opening. What breaks the spirit with grief is parting, and parting alone. The spirit-breaking grief and the parting-alone are the thesis. To have broken the spirit would be a breaking; the what-breaks-the-spirit-with-grief-is-parting-and-parting-alone is the breaking.
况秦吴兮绝国，复燕宋兮千里。
For Qin and Wu are distant lands, Yan and Song a thousand miles apart. It emphasizes the spatial distance that makes parting even more painful.
何况秦吴相隔绝远之国，燕宋又有千里之遥。
Moreover Qin and Wu are sundered states, and Yan and Song a thousand li apart.
此二句写离别的空间阻隔，为「黯然销魂」张本。「况」字承上递进：离别已自伤人，何况是「绝国」「千里」的远别？「秦吴」指春秋时的秦国（今陕西）与吴国（今江苏），「燕宋」指燕国（今河北）与宋国（今河南），皆当时相去绝远的国家，「绝国」写其悬绝不通，「千里」写其道途迢递，两句以地理的辽阔写离别的艰难，为后文「行子肠断」预埋伏笔。「兮」字是楚辞体的标志语气词，此处用在骈赋中，使句式摇曳生姿，兼得《楚辞》的抒情韵味。「或春苔兮始生，乍秋风兮暂起」紧承其后，写离别的节候：春苔始生是春别，秋风暂起是秋别，春秋代序、岁时迁移，离别便有了时间的维度。四句分写空间与时间，离愁自此成为贯穿时空的普泛之悲，章法谨严。
The distance. Moreover Qin and Wu are sundered states, and Yan and Song a thousand li apart. The Qin-Wu-sundered and the Yan-Song-thousand-li are the space. To have sundered would be a sundering; the moreover-qin-and-wu-are-sundered-states-and-yan-and-song-a-thousand-li-apart is the sundering.
风萧萧而异响，云漫漫而奇色。
The wind moans with a strange sound, the clouds spread with a weird hue. This depicts the traveler's inner turmoil through altered natural scenery.
风声萧萧发出异样的声响，云色漫漫呈现奇异的昏暗。
The wind sighs with an alien sound; the clouds spread in strange hues.
此二句写行子眼中景物的异变，是「以景写情」的妙笔。「风萧萧」化用《易水歌》「风萧萧兮易水寒」的悲音，本已有别离的底色，江淹更着「而异响」三字：风还是那阵风，听在离人耳中却成了异样的声响——声音本无变异，变异的是听者的心境，这便是「移情」的极致。「云漫漫而奇色」同理：云色本平常，看在多愁的离人眼中却成了奇异的惨色。「异」「奇」二字是全句的句眼，写景物因人心而异化：不是风异、云异，而是离人之心异。两句对仗工整（风—云、萧萧—漫漫、异响—奇色），以叠字状声状色，音节舒缓而情调惨淡，将行子「百感凄恻」的心绪外化为可感的物色，情景交融，为下文舟车马棹的铺陈定下凄恻的基调。
The wind. The wind sighs with an alien sound; the clouds spread in strange hues. The wind-alien-sound and the clouds-strange-hues are the imagery. To have sighed with an alien sound would be a sighing; the the-wind-sighs-with-an-alien-sound-the-clouds-spread-in-strange-hues is the sighing.
舟凝滞于水滨，车逶迟于山侧。
The boat lingers frozen by the water's edge; the cart drags slowly beside the hill.
船停滞在水边，车迟缓在山侧。
The boat is stalled by the water's edge; the cart drags slowly beside the hill.
此二句以拟人写行子不忍离去，是赋体铺排的精彩段落。「舟凝滞于水滨」写船停滞岸边不走，「车逶迟于山侧」写车在山侧缓缓迟行：「凝滞」本写液体凝结不流，移以写舟，则船之停泊不是自然的停靠，而是像被什么粘住了一般滞在水滨，仿佛船也懂得留恋；「逶迟」本写道路迂回绵延，移以写车，则车之缓行不是路难，而是行得一步三回头，把车的慢写得富有情致。下文「棹容与而讵前，马寒鸣而不息」续写：船桨徘徊不肯向前，马在寒风中长鸣不止，仿佛代主人悲鸣。舟、车、棹、马四物皆被赋予人的情态，共同构成一幅「不忍离别」的动态图景：物犹如此，人何以堪？此段极尽赋体铺陈之能事，以四组对偶写同一情感而不觉重复，反觉缠绵悱恻、情致愈深。
The boat. The boat lingers frozen by the water's edge; the cart drags slowly beside the hill. The boat-frozen-by-water-edge and the cart-dragging-by-hillside are the personification. To have lingered frozen would be a lingering; the the-boat-lingers-frozen-by-the-water's-edge-the-cart-drags-slowly-beside-the-hill is the lingering.
居人愁卧，怳若有亡。
The one left at home lies sorrowful, as if something were lost.
留在家中的愁卧不安，恍然若有所失。
The one who stays behind lies in sorrow, as if bereft of something.
此二句由写行子转写居人，是全赋结构的关键转折，也开启「居人」一面的铺陈。「居人愁卧」写送别后独居之人愁卧不起，「怳若有亡」写其恍恍惚惚、若有所失：「怳」即恍惚，「有亡」即失魂落魄，四字写尽居人别后的精神真空——人虽留下，魂已随行者而去。下文「日下壁而沉彩，月上轩而飞光」以日沉月升写时间流逝：日光西沉、彩影敛去，月光东上、飞光满轩，一「沉」一「飞」，昼夜交替而相思不绝，居人独对日月的煎熬尽在其中；「见红兰之受露，望青楸之离霜」又以物色之变写节候迁移，「巡层楹而空掩，抚锦幕而虚凉」以空掩虚凉写人去楼空。由行子写到居人，离愁便不再是一方的，而是双向的、共同的：行者舟车踯躅，居者愁卧若亡，两地相思、一般凄恻，正是《别赋》高于一般送别诗的地方。
The bereft. The one left at home lies sorrowful, as if something were lost. The sorrowful-lying and the as-if-something-lost are the turn. To have lain sorrowful would be a lying; the the-one-left-at-home-lies-sorrowful-as-if-something-were-lost is the lying.
Study
Word focus
Related Reading
Jiang Yan's 'Fu on Separation' uses parallel prose to depict universal parting sorrow, while Liu Yong's 'Rain Bell' focuses on a lover's farewell in ci form. Both are masterpieces of the parting theme in Chinese literature.
柳永《雨霖铃·寒蝉凄切》「寒蝉凄切，对长亭晚，骤雨初歇……执手相看泪眼，竟无语凝噎」与《别赋》同写离愁别恨，是中国文学离别主题的双璧。相同处：皆以惨淡物色烘托离情（江淹「风萧萧而异响，云漫漫而奇色」，柳永「寒蝉凄切，对长亭晚」），皆写难舍难分的缠绵（江淹「舟凝滞于水滨」，柳永「留恋处，兰舟催发」），皆以「分别之后的想象」深化离愁（江淹「居人愁卧」，柳永「今宵酒醒何处？杨柳岸，晓风残月」）。不同处：江淹是赋体，铺陈万种离别，写离愁的普泛性与典律性，情感是「全景」的；柳永是词体，专写情人的一次离别，写离愁的具体性与个人性，情感是「特写」的。一为时代的总结，一为个人的绝唱；一以铺排胜，一以白描胜。二作并读，可见「伤别」母题由赋入词、由普泛到具体的演进。
白雪歌送武判官归京 Song of White Snow in Farewell to Secretary Wu Going Back to the Capital 岑参 · 同写送别 Both are farewell poemsJiang Yan's fu abstracts the grief of parting, while Cen Shen's poem uses concrete images of snow and cold to portray a frontier farewell. One is generalized, the other specific, yet both evoke deep emotions.
岑参《白雪歌送武判官归京》「忽如一夜春风来，千树万树梨花开……山回路转不见君，雪上空留马行处」与《别赋》同写送别，而文体、情调迥异，可见赋与诗写离别的不同路径。《别赋》以赋体抽象铺陈离别之哀，不写具体的送别对象与场景，而以「舟凝滞」「车逶迟」等意象写离愁的普遍性，是「泛写」；岑参诗以歌行体具体实写一次边塞送别，以「胡天八月即飞雪」的奇景、「雪上空留马行处」的实景写离思，是「具写」。江淹的离愁是「黯然销魂」的沉郁，岑参的离愁是「纷纷暮雪下辕门」的壮阔，一哀一壮。然二作皆以景物写离情：江淹以风云异色写心绪，岑参以雪景写别绪，皆情景交融之笔。比较二作，可见中国文学写离别从六朝赋的铺陈到盛唐诗的具象的审美转变，亦可体会「赋体泛写」与「诗歌具写」各自的抒情优势。