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南北朝 Northern and Southern Dynasties · 诗 Poem

东飞伯劳歌

Song of the Flying Shrike

萧衍

Xiao Yan

爱情Love 离别Parting 愁思sorrow

东飞伯劳西飞燕，黄姑织女时相见。
谁家女儿对门居，开颜发艳照里闾。
南窗北牖挂明光，罗帷绮帐脂粉香。
女儿年几十五六，窈窕无双颜如玉。
三春已暮花从风，空留可怜与谁同。

The shrike flies east, the swallow west;
The Cowherd and the Weaver meet from time to time.
Whose daughter lives across the lane?
Her smile lights up the whole street.
The southern and northern windows hang bright moonlight;
The silk curtains and gauze screens smell of powder and perfume.
The girl is just fifteen or sixteen,
Lovely beyond compare, her face like jade.
But spring is over, flowers fall with the wind;
Only her charm remains—with whom can she share?

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Meaning

The poem describes a beautiful young girl living across the street, her radiant appearance and luxurious surroundings, but ends with a lament that her youth and beauty will fade, leaving her lonely.

伯劳东飞、燕子西飞，黄姑（河鼓）与织女尚能时时相见。不知谁家的女儿住在对门，展颜生辉照亮邻里。南窗北窗挂着明丽的灯光，罗帷绮帐散发着脂粉清香。那女儿年纪约莫十五六，窈窕无双、容颜如玉。如今三春已尽、落花随风，空自留下这可爱的身影，又能与谁相守？

Appreciation

This poem, an imitation of a yuefu folk song, praises a girl's beauty and then suddenly turns to sorrow over fleeting youth. It is an early example of palace-style poetry.

【白话串讲】 “东飞伯劳西飞燕，黄姑织女时相见”——梁武帝写：伯劳往东飞，燕子往西飞，各奔东西。“谁家女儿对门居，开颜发艳照里闾”——对门的女儿，“女儿年几十五六，窈窕无双颜如玉”——十五六岁，美得无双。【意象与手法】本诗以七言为主而间以散文句式，音节流转如歌。起句「东飞伯劳西飞燕，黄姑织女时相见」以天上鸟星尚能相会，反衬人间有情之隔离，兴中有比；「谁家女儿」以下四句极写少女之美：「开颜发艳照里闾」以光写色，「窈窕无双颜如玉」以玉喻肤，铺陈浓丽；末二句「三春已暮花从风，空留可怜与谁同」急转直下，由极艳入极哀。【情感与主旨】萧衍即梁武帝，雅好文艺，即位后提倡儒释，其诗多拟乐府与艳歌。《东飞伯劳歌》本为南朝乐府西曲歌名，相传始于萧衍，写男女相思、青春易逝。此诗借「对门女儿」的容华与迟暮，抒写「有情人不得相守」的普遍之憾。【名句点睛】中高考若选此诗，多考起兴手法、铺写与情感转折。要点：一、「东飞伯劳西飞燕」的起兴作用（以星鸟相会引发人间离别）；二、末二句由艳转悲的跌宕与「空」字的意味。

Background

Xiao Yan (464–549), Emperor Wu of Liang, was a patron of literature. This poem imitates Southern Dynasties folk songs, reflecting the court's fascination with feminine beauty and the melancholy of transience.

萧衍（464—549），即梁武帝，南兰陵人，南朝梁开国皇帝，博学多才，雅好文艺，工诗善书，为「竟陵八友」之一。即位后提倡儒释，崇信佛教，然亦雅好乐府艳歌，《乐府诗集》收其乐府数十首。《东飞伯劳歌》本为南朝乐府西曲歌名，相传始于萧衍（《乐府诗集》卷六十八列于「杂曲歌辞」，题梁武帝作），写男女相思、青春易逝。梁代宫廷重声色娱乐，此类歌辞多咏女性容饰与闲愁，虽涉绮靡而音节流丽。此诗借「对门女儿」的容华与迟暮，抒写「有情人不得相守」的普遍之憾，亦折射出南朝贵族宴乐文化中对青春与爱情的敏感凝视。就诗史而言，此诗为「宫体诗」之先声，然较之后来萧纲、徐陵等轻艳之作，犹存乐府古朴清新之气。萧衍为「竟陵八友」之一，早年与沈约、谢朓等游于竟陵王西邸，诗文唱和，其乐府多受江南民歌影响；即位为帝后虽崇佛，「日唯一食」，然宫廷文酒之会不辍，此诗即其拟乐府之作。梁代是「宫体诗」酝酿的时期，萧纲、徐陵等以「新变」为尚，专写女性容饰，萧衍此诗写「对门女儿」的容华与迟暮，正是这一风气的先声；然其以乐府民歌的起兴、铺陈出之，犹存「清丽如话」的古朴，与后来宫体诗的「秾丽堆砌」判然有别，可见梁武作为「开国诗坛领袖」的雅正取向，也可见南朝乐府由民歌向文人诗过渡的关键环节。

Art

The poem uses seven-character lines with fluid rhythm. It opens with a contrasting image of birds and stars to signal separation, then lavishly describes the girl's beauty and setting, and ends with a sharp shift to lament, creating a powerful emotional contrast.

本诗以七言为主而间以散文句式，音节流转如歌。起句「东飞伯劳西飞燕，黄姑织女时相见」以天上鸟星尚能相会，反衬人间有情之隔离：伯劳东飞、燕子西飞，劳燕分飞而各在一方；黄姑（河鼓）织女隔银河而「时相见」，星辰尚有会期，人竟不如星，兴中有比，突兀警动。中四句极写少女之美：「谁家女儿对门居，开颜发艳照里闾」写其居处与容光——一笑而辉光四射，照亮邻里，以光写色、化静为动；「南窗北牖挂明光，罗帷绮帐脂粉香」写其居室之华美，明光四射、帷帐飘香，以环境烘托人物；「女儿年几十五六，窈窕无双颜如玉」以直叙写其年岁与姿容，窈窕无双、肌肤如玉，铺陈浓丽。末二句「三春已暮花从风，空留可怜与谁同」急转直下：以落花喻容光之将凋，以「空留可怜与谁同」写芳华虚度、无人共守，由极艳入极哀，跌宕生姿。全诗前六句浓笔铺陈，末二句淡笔收束，浓淡相映，余情袅袅。

Allusions

The first line alludes to the folk saying 'shrike east, swallow west,' which became the idiom 'laoyan fenfei' (separated like shrike and swallow). 'Huanggu' (Cowherd) and Zhinü (Weaver) are stars who meet annually. 'Yan ru yu' (face like jade) derives from ancient poetry.

「伯劳」「燕」出自古谚「东飞伯劳西飞燕，黄姑织女时相见」，本为民间流传的离别之语，萧衍采以为题并成诗，「劳燕分飞」之成语即由此而来，影响至今。「黄姑」即河鼓星（牵牛星），与织女隔银河相望，古谚反言其「时相见」，以衬人间聚少离多。「窈窕」出《诗经·周南·关雎》「窈窕淑女，君子好逑」，指体态美好；「颜如玉」化用《古诗十九首》「燕赵多佳人，美者颜如玉」，以玉喻肤。「三春已暮花从风」暗承《楚辞·离骚》「恐美人之迟暮」与屈原「草木之零落」的意象传统。「里闾」指乡里，为汉魏乐府习语。全诗熔乐府古谚与《诗》《骚》典故于一炉，丽而不佻，正是梁代拟乐府的典型面貌。就「迟暮」母题而言，「三春已暮花从风」实集《楚辞》「恐美人之迟暮」、《古诗十九首》「伤彼蕙兰花，含英扬光辉。过时而不采，将随秋草萎」之意，而以「花从风」的落花意象出之，更为直观；「空留可怜与谁同」则暗用《诗经·陈风》「月出皎兮，佼人僚兮」的怀人传统与「窈窕淑女，君子好逑」的求偶母题——美而无人求、艳而无人赏，正是「怀春」主题的深化。全诗熔《诗》《骚》与乐府于一炉，以常语写深情，正是萧衍「雅好文艺」而「通于民俗」的体现。

Commentary

Included in 'Yuefu Poetry Collection' as a work of Xiao Yan. Later critics praise its clarity and pathos. The phrase 'dongfei bolao xifei yan' became a lasting idiom.

《乐府诗集》将此诗列入「杂曲歌辞」，题「梁武帝」，郭茂倩引《乐府解题》谓其「本出萧衍」。明人胡应麟《诗薮》称梁武拟乐府「清丽如话」。近人论六朝诗史，多以此诗为宫体诗之先声，然较后来萧纲「梦里看花」式的轻艳，此诗犹存民间歌谣的清新与朴拙。其「东飞伯劳西飞燕」一语，成为「劳燕分飞」成语之源，千百年来用于写离别，足见其流传之广。就乐府史而言，此诗与《西洲曲》等同为南朝文人学习民歌的产物，为唐人七言歌行（如张若虚《春江花月夜》起句式的乐府铺陈）准备了形式与语感，是七言诗发展史上的重要一环。就七言诗史而言，此诗具有承前启后的意义：汉魏七言多为「柏梁体」式的句句用韵（如曹丕《燕歌行》），此诗虽仍一韵到底，而句中已见平仄调谐、偶句对仗（如「南窗北牖」对「罗帷绮帐」），开初唐七言歌行（卢照邻《长安古意》、张若虚《春江花月夜》）之先声；其「以七言写闺情、以铺陈写容华」的路数，更直接影响梁陈宫体与唐代闺怨诗。今人选六朝诗，多以此诗与《西洲曲》《木兰诗》并列为「乐府新声」之代表，正因其在题材、语言、音律三方面皆开一代风气，是六朝诗歌由「古」入「新」的枢纽之作。

Prosody

Form Imitation yuefu seven-character song拟乐府七言歌行（杂曲歌辞）

Rhyme Approximate rhyme on level tones (jian/lü/xiang/yu/tong, mixed rhymes)大体押平声（见、闾、香、玉、同，鱼虞阳通押，古乐府宽韵）

Tone pattern Seven-character lines with occasional prose-like lines, smooth and song-like七言为主间杂散句，平仄流转如歌

Reading note A Liang-dynasty imitation of yuefu, flowing syllables, foreshadowing Tang seven-character songs.此诗为拟乐府七言歌行，属《乐府诗集》「杂曲歌辞」，是南朝文人拟乐府的代表作。体制上全诗十句，以七言为主体（「东飞伯劳西飞燕」「谁家女儿对门居」等），间以「谁家女儿对门居」式的散文句法，长短错落、流转如歌，正是乐府歌行「依乐而歌、随情为句」的自由形态。用韵上本诗大体押平声韵，「见、闾、香、玉、同」等字相协，属鱼虞阳等部通押的古乐府宽韵，不依后世韵书，保留了乐府用韵的朴拙；一韵到底，音调流丽悠扬，正合歌行的吟唱特质。平仄上七言歌行不拘近体声律，「女儿年几十五六」等句平仄不谐而音节自然，正是「以气驭辞」的古体本色。此诗处于五言向七言过渡的关键时期：七言句式的铺陈（如「南窗北牖挂明光，罗帷绮帐脂粉香」的工对）已见唐人歌行之雏形，而「谁家」「女儿」等口语虚词穿插又存民歌之天真，其「以七言为主、间以散句」的体制，直接为唐代七言歌行（如李白《将进酒》的杂言）准备了形式基础，是七言诗发展史上的重要一环。

Line by line

东飞伯劳西飞燕，黄姑织女时相见。

The shrike flies east, the swallow west; the Cowherd and Weaver can meet from time to time. This opening uses the folk saying to contrast the separation of lovers with the stars' meetings.

伯劳东飞、燕子西飞，黄姑与织女尚能时时相见。

The shrike flies east, the swallow west; yet the Herd-boy and the Weaver-maid still meet at times.

以星鸟反衬人间离别，起兴精警，是全诗的破题之笔。「东飞伯劳西飞燕」写伯劳东飞、燕子西飞——劳燕分飞、各在一方，正是人间的离别之象，此句暗含「离别」之题；「黄姑织女时相见」却反笔一转——牵牛织女隔银河相望，尚能「时相见」，而人间有情人竟不得相守，人不如星！两句一离一合、一悲一喜，兴中有比，将「离别之憾」与「星鸟之会」对照写出，突兀警动，为全诗「空留可怜与谁同」的结尾埋下伏笔，也是「劳燕分飞」成语的源头。

The parting. The shrike flies east, the swallow west; yet the Herd-boy and the Weaver-maid still meet at times. The shrike-east-swallow-west and the Herd-boy-Weaver-maid-meet are the contrast. To have parted east and west would be a parting; the the-shrike-flies-east-the-swallow-west-yet-the-herd-boy-and-the-weaver-maid-still-meet-at-times is the parting.

谁家女儿对门居，开颜发艳照里闾。

A girl lives across the street; her smile brightens the neighborhood. Describes her beauty.

不知谁家的女儿住在对门，展颜生辉照亮邻里。

Whose daughter lives across the door? Her bright smile lights up the whole neighborhood.

由星鸟转到人间女儿，以光写色，是全诗写美的开始。「谁家女儿对门居」以设问点出主人公——对门而居、近在咫尺，然「谁家」二字又透出陌生与距离，为后文「与谁同」的怅惘伏线；「开颜发艳照里闾」写其容光——「开颜」写展颜一笑，「发艳」写光彩焕发，「照里闾」写容光竟照亮邻里，以光写色、化静为动，极状少女之明丽。此句不写眉目肌肤，而以「照」字写其光采照人，正是乐府铺陈写美的高明处，也使这位「对门女儿」一出场便光彩夺目。

The daughter. Whose daughter lives across the door? Her bright smile lights up the whole neighborhood. The whose-daughter-across-the-door and the bright-smile-lighting-neighborhood are the introduction. To have lit the neighborhood would be a lighting; the whose-daughter-lives-across-the-door-her-bright-smile-lights-up-the-whole-neighborhood is the lighting.

南窗北牖挂明光，罗帷绮帐脂粉香。

Southern and northern windows are hung with bright light; gauze curtains and silk screens smell of perfume. Depicts her luxurious room.

南窗北窗挂着明丽的灯光，罗帷绮帐散发着脂粉清香。

South and north windows hang with bright light; silk curtains and broidered canopies breathe the scent of rouge.

以环境烘托人物，是全诗设色最浓的一联。「南窗北牖挂明光」写南北窗牖皆透出明亮的光——「明光」写华灯初上、通室通明，暗示其家境之华、夜夜笙歌之盛；「罗帷绮帐脂粉香」写罗帷绮帐飘散脂粉之香——「罗」「绮」写帷帐之华贵，「脂粉香」写居处之香艳，视觉与嗅觉并写。两句以居室之华美、光影之明丽烘托闺中之人的娇贵与青春，铺陈浓丽，正是南朝乐府「以物写人」的典型笔法，也为末二句「花从风」「与谁同」的迟暮之叹作了繁华的铺垫。

The chamber. South and north windows hang with bright light; silk curtains and broidered canopies breathe the scent of rouge. The bright-light-on-windows and the silk-curtains-rouge-scent are the splendor. To have hung with bright light would be a hanging; the south-and-north-windows-hang-with-bright-light-silk-curtains-and-broidered-canopies-breathe-the-scent-of-rouge is the hanging.

女儿年几十五六，窈窕无双颜如玉。

The girl is about fifteen or sixteen, lovely without peer, her face like jade. Praises her age and beauty.

那女儿年纪约莫十五六，窈窕无双、容颜如玉。

The girl is fifteen or sixteen, graceful beyond compare, her face like jade.

直写年岁与姿容，是全诗写美的顶点。「女儿年几十五六」以问句写其年岁——十五六岁，正是豆蔻年华、青春正盛之时；「窈窕无双颜如玉」写其体态姿容——「窈窕」出《诗经》「窈窕淑女」，写体态之美好，「无双」写举世无匹，「颜如玉」化用《古诗十九首》「美者颜如玉」，以玉喻肤之洁之润。此句以「无双」「如玉」两个极端之词写其完美，将少女之美推向极致；而极写其美，正为后文「三春已暮」「空留可怜」的凋零之叹蓄足势能，美之至极与哀之至极恰成正比。

The jade. The girl is fifteen or sixteen, graceful beyond compare, her face like jade. The fifteen-sixteen and the graceful-beyond-compare-jade-face are the peak. To have been beyond compare would be a being; the the-girl-is-fifteen-or-sixteen-graceful-beyond-compare-her-face-like-jade is the being.

三春已暮花从风，空留可怜与谁同。

Spring is over, flowers fall with the wind; only her charm remains—with whom can she share? A sudden turn to lament lost youth and loneliness.

如今三春已尽、落花随风，空自留下这可爱的身影，又能与谁相守？

Now the three springs are ending, flowers drift on the wind; left in vain, lovely—with whom shall she share it?

由艳转悲，以落花喻迟暮，是全诗情感的爆发点，也是「乐府贵在转折」的典范。「三春已暮花从风」写三春将尽、落花随风——花之凋零正是人之迟暮的象征，青春如春花，转瞬即逝；「空留可怜与谁同」写空留这可爱之人而无人共守——「空留」写芳华虚度，「可怜」写其可悯可爱，「与谁同」以反问写无人相守的孤寂。此句由前六句的浓笔铺陈陡然转入一叹，极艳与极哀对照，跌宕生姿，将「有情人不得相守」的普遍之憾和盘托出，余情袅袅，正是全诗的点睛之笔。

The falling flowers. Now the three springs are ending, flowers drift on the wind; left in vain, lovely—with whom shall she share it? The three-springs-ending-flowers-drift and the left-in-vain-with-whom-share are the turn. To have drifted on the wind would be a drifting; the now-the-three-springs-are-ending-flowers-drift-on-the-wind-left-in-vain-lovely-with-whom-shall-she-share-it is the drifting.

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照 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. 「开颜发艳照里闾」之「照」，以光写色，是全诗写美最见巧思的字。「照」本指光照、照射，此处写少女容光焕发、竟照亮邻里——「开颜」一笑、「发艳」生辉，其光采如灯如日，使整个里闾都为之明亮。「照」字将抽象的「美」化为可感的光，化静为动、以光写色，比「艳压群芳」「光彩照人」等熟语更见灵动，正是乐府诗人炼字的高明处。此字又暗含「光照」与「对照」的双重意味：少女之光照亮里闾，反衬其独居之孤；而「照里闾」之「闾」又与「对门居」呼应，为后文「与谁同」的怅惘埋下伏笔，一字而多意，耐人寻味。

空 in vain – expresses futility and loneliness, as in 'empty left lovely with whom to share'. 「空留可怜与谁同」之「空」，徒然之意，写芳华虚度、无人共守，一字写尽孤寂与无奈，是全诗由艳转悲的关键。「空」写留而无用——纵有绝世容光、无双姿色，而无人共赏、无人相守，一切美好皆归徒然；「空留」又暗含「时光空逝」之意，青春在等待中悄然流走，恰如「三春已暮」的落花。「空」字将前六句铺陈的繁华一笔勾销，由极艳转极哀，与「可怜」「谁同」相配合，写尽「有情人不得相守」的普遍之憾。此字不用「独」「徒」而用「空」，因「空」兼有「徒然」与「空寂」二义，正合少女迟暮的苍凉，是炼字见情的典范。

无双 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. 「窈窕无双颜如玉」之「无双」，独一无二、天下无匹之意，以极端之词写美之极致，是全诗铺陈的高潮词。「无双」写其体态之美举世无两——既是赞美，亦是定格：如此无双之姿，本应配无双之遇，而竟「空留可怜与谁同」，美与不幸的反差由此放大。「无双」与「如玉」连用，一写形、一写色，将少女之美推向顶点，而顶点即转折的起点——「无双」写尽之美，恰为「与谁同」写尽之憾蓄势，美之至极与哀之至极成正比，正是乐府「铺陈以蓄势、转折以见情」的章法妙用。