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南北朝 Northern and Southern Dynasties · 民歌 Folk song

西洲曲（节选）

Song of the Western Island (Excerpt)

南北朝民歌

Anonymous (Northern and Southern Dynasties folk song)

爱情相思love and longing 江南采莲lotus gathering in Jiangnan

忆梅下西洲，折梅寄江北。
单衫杏子红，双鬓鸦雏色。
西洲在何处？
两桨桥头渡。
日暮伯劳飞，风吹乌臼树。
树下即门前，门中露翠钿。
开门郎不至，出门采红莲。
采莲南塘秋，莲花过人头。
低头弄莲子，莲子清如水。
置莲怀袖中，莲心彻底红。
忆郎郎不至，仰首望飞鸿。
鸿飞满西洲，望郎上青楼。
楼高望不见，尽日栏杆头。
南风知我意，吹梦到西洲。

Remembering plum blossoms, I go down to the Western Island,
Break a plum branch and send it to the north of the river.
A single gown apricot-red,
Twin temple locks like young crow's hue.
Where is the Western Island?
Two oars reach the ferry by the bridge.
At dusk the shrike flies,
Wind blows the tallow tree.
Under the tree is my gate,
From the gate gleams my emerald hairpin.
I open the gate, my lover comes not,
I go out to gather red lotus.
Gathering lotus in South Pond in autumn,
Lotus blooms above my head.
I bow my head and play with the lotus seeds,
Lotus seeds clear as water.
I place lotus in my bosom,
The lotus heart is deep red all through.
Remembering my lord, he comes not,
I lift my head and watch the flying swans.
Swans fill the Western Island,
Looking for my lord, I climb the green tower.
The tower is high, I cannot see,
All day long I lean on the railing.
The south wind knows my heart,
Blows my dream to the Western Island.

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Meaning

This poem narrates a woman's deep longing for her absent lover, woven through the changing seasons. It begins with a memory of plum blossoms, moves to gathering lotus in autumn, and ends with a wish that the southern wind carry her dream to the Western Island where her beloved is. The recurring imagery of lotus—a pun on 'to love'—underscores her pure and persistent affection.

想起梅花便下西洲，折下梅枝寄往江北。杏红色单衫衬着乌黑双鬓。西洲在何处？两桨便到桥头渡。日暮伯劳飞去，风吹乌臼树。树下就是门前，门中露出翠钿。开门情郎未至，出门去采红莲。秋日采莲在南塘，莲花高过人头。低头拨弄莲子，莲子清亮如水。把莲藏入怀袖，莲心通红到底。思念情郎他不至，抬头望飞鸿。鸿雁飞满西洲，望郎登上青楼。楼高望不见，整日倚着栏杆。南风知我心意，吹梦直到西洲。

Appreciation

The poem masterfully employs puns (e.g., 'lian' for 'lotus' and 'to love'), vivid seasonal imagery, and a looping structure that mirrors the woman's restless heart. The closing line 'The south wind knows my heart, blows my dream to the Western Island' is celebrated for its romantic fantasy, transforming longing into a tangible, wind-borne dream. This folk song represents the pinnacle of Southern Dynasties love poetry, blending natural beauty with heartfelt emotion.

【白话串讲】一个江南女子，从春天折梅到秋天采莲，一直在等一个人。“采莲南塘秋，莲花过人头”——南朝民歌的极致之作，把等待写得又美又长。【意象与手法】此诗为南北朝南北朝民歌之作，精要赏析详见下方深度赏析。【情感与主旨】《西洲曲》收录于南朝徐陵编《玉台新咏》，一般认定为南朝乐府民歌（或经文人润色），约产生于齐梁时期【名句点睛】高频考点为“莲”谐“怜”的谐音双关及“莲子清如水”“莲心彻底红”的深层意；亦考顶真句式的作用（音律连绵、情思回环）

Background

Collected in 'New Songs from a Jade Terrace' (Yutai Xinyong) compiled by Xu Ling of the Southern Dynasties, this poem is generally considered a Southern Dynasties folk song (possibly polished by literati). It originates from the area south of the Yangtze River, reflecting the love songs and lotus-gathering scenes common in Jiangnan culture during the Qi-Liang period. Its extended lyrical form and seasonal structure had a profound influence on later narrative poetry.

《西洲曲》是南朝乐府民歌的代表作，约产生于齐梁时期，最早见于徐陵所编《玉台新咏》，后收入郭茂倩《乐府诗集》卷七十二《杂曲歌辞》。关于作者，或以为是南朝文人拟作、或以为经文人润色的民歌，但就其语言风味与表现手法看，它根植于南朝吴声、西曲的民间爱情歌传统，是六朝儿女情歌的集大成者。全诗以一位江南女子的口吻，写她对远在江北情郎的四季相思：从折梅寄远、采莲忆郎到登楼望鸿、南风寄梦，情思回环、意象绵密。此节选涵盖了全诗的精华段落。在文学传统上，南朝乐府（吴声歌曲如《子夜歌》《读曲歌》，西曲歌如《石城乐》）本以抒写男女相思、多用谐音双关著称，篇幅短小；《西洲曲》则把这种短章的情调延展为长篇的抒情画卷，熔民歌的清新与文人的藻丽于一炉，标志着南朝情歌由里巷短章走向铺陈抒情的成熟。它对唐代张若虚《春江花月夜》、李白《长干行》及温庭筠、李清照一脉的婉约抒情皆有深远影响。版本上此诗文字基本稳定，唯个别字词传世有异，今从通行本。

Art

The poem excels in the use of puns: 'lian' (lotus) puns on 'lian' (to love), so 'lotus seeds clear as water' suggests love's purity, and 'lotus heart deep red' conveys deep sincerity. Structurally, it follows a seasonal progression from spring (plum) to autumn (lotus) to winter (swans), with the top-stitching technique (e.g., 'wind blows the tallow tree / under the tree is my gate') creating a smooth, cyclic rhythm typical of folk songs. The shifting scenes—by the gate, in the pond, on the tower—act like cinematic montage, all unified by the woman's yearning.

《西洲曲》的艺术冠绝六朝，其章法之妙在以女子的步履与季节为线索，将相思由冬经秋再回到梦，情随景转、景以情融。全诗最醒目的技法为顶真（联珠）：如西洲在何处—两桨桥头渡、树下即门前—门中露翠钿、出门采红莲—采莲南塘秋、低头弄莲子—莲子清如水、置莲怀袖中—莲心彻底红、忆郎郎不至—仰首望飞鸿、鸿飞满西洲—望郎上青楼、楼高望不见—尽日栏杆头，句句钩连、环环相扣，如藕丝不断，既造成音律的连绵，又写出情思的回环往复、无有已时。其次是意象的绵密设色：单衫杏子红、双鬓鸦雏色写人如画；伯劳飞、乌臼树、红莲、飞鸿、青楼、栏杆，景物随季节次第展开，由梅（冬）而莲（秋）而鸿（秋深）而梦（不论时），色彩明丽而情调幽婉。再次是叙事与抒情的水乳交融：全诗几乎无一句直说相思之苦，而通过下西洲、折梅、开门、采莲、登楼、望鸿一连串动作，把思念写得历历在目。语言上五言为主、间以七言，清丽如话又婉转如歌，是南朝唯美抒情诗的巅峰，故沈德潜虽严于持论亦赏其情韵。

Allusions

The act of breaking a plum branch to send to a loved one alludes to Lu Kai's poem 'To Fan Ye' (c. 5th century), where a plum blossom is sent as a token of friendship. The 'shrike' (伯劳) references the 'East-flying Shrike' song, symbolizing separation. 'Green tower' (青楼) in the Southern Dynasties meant a lady's dwelling, not a brothel—as seen in Cao Zhi's poetry. 'Tallow tree' (乌臼) is a common Jiangnan tree. These images are standard in Southern Dynasties yuefu.

《西洲曲》深得南朝乐府谐音双关与比兴传统之髓，用典多在意象脉络而归于民歌风味。其一为莲谐怜，这是全诗最核心的修辞：莲子即怜子（爱你之人）、莲心即怜心（爱意），低头弄莲子，莲子清如水以莲子之清写怜爱之纯，置莲怀袖中，莲心彻底红以莲心通红写爱意之深——皆承《乐府诗集》吴声《子夜歌》雾露隐芙蓉，见莲不分明、及《读曲歌》的以莲喻情传统。其二为折梅寄远，折梅赠远本为六朝风习（陆凯《赠范晔》折梅逢驿使，寄与陇头人），此处忆梅下西洲，折梅寄江北以梅寄相思，渊源自《诗经》投我以木桃的赠答之谊与江南折梅遗远的风俗。其三为伯劳，伯劳为秋去之鸟（古有伯劳东飞之典），日暮伯劳飞暗点时令之晚、归期之渺，亦含东飞伯劳西飞燕的离别意象。其四为飞鸿，用《汉书·苏武传》雁足系书之典，望鸿即望书，写盼郎音信。其五为青楼，此指女子居处的妆楼（古义，与后世妓馆无涉），望郎上青楼写登楼凝望。其六为南风，用《论语》南风之薰兮的典故意象，吹梦到西洲以风为媒寄梦，想象奇绝。整体而言，它把六朝民歌的谐音双关、赠物寄情、候鸟盼书等传统熔铸为一篇完整的相思长卷。

Commentary

Shen Deqian in 'Sources of Ancient Poetry' praised the poem for its 'continuous weaving, joint to joint, calyx to calyx, swaying without end,' admiring its lingering charm. Wen Yiduo in 'Annotations on Yuefu Poems' analyzed its punning technique, stating that 'lotus' equals 'love'. This poem, merging folk sincerity with literati refinement, is often hailed as the crown of Southern Dynasties yuefu and a pair with 'Mulan's Song' among the two greatest folk songs of the Northern and Southern Dynasties.

《西洲曲》自《玉台新咏》著录以来，被誉为南朝乐府之冠，历代评赏不绝。明代胡应麟《诗薮》称其清丽委婉，为六朝之情绝；清人沈德潜《古诗源》虽主温柔敦厚，亦录之并谓续续相生，情味无尽。近世学者多以为此诗标志着南朝民歌由短章走向长篇抒情诗的成熟，王国维虽未专评，而其境界说之无我之境亦可于此女的痴望中得之。在传播史上，此诗的影响极为深远：张若虚《春江花月夜》的景物随情流转、李白《长干行》的女子口吻与季节推移、温庭筠词的小径红莲、李清照《一剪梅》的雁字回时，皆可溯及西洲的莲、鸿、楼、梦之意象血脉。现代教育中，顶真手法与莲谐怜的双关成为修辞教学的经典范例，采莲南塘秋、南风知我意等句广为传诵。其经典地位，在于以最柔婉的江南嗓音、最绵密的意象，把中国人对相思的那种婉转、执拗、无望而仍怀抱希望的痴情，写到了极致——它不喊痛，却字字是痛；不说爱，却处处是爱。

Prosody

Form Southern Dynasties folk song (miscellaneous line ancient verse); originally a long poem, this excerpt does not follow regulated verse patterns.南朝乐府民歌（《乐府诗集·杂曲歌辞》，或经文人润色）

Rhyme Lines vary in length with flexible rhyme changes; sections rhyme on -in/en, -ou, -ong, etc., as emotion dictates—a yuefu characteristic of 'responding to sorrow and joy, arising from events'.全诗以五言为主、间以七言，用韵转换频繁、随情而移，极近南朝吴声西曲的柔婉；北、色（职韵）、渡、树、钿（遇霰）、莲、前、水、红、鸿、楼、头、洲等随段落换韵，声情绵密，不求一韵到底。

Tone pattern Predominantly five-character lines with occasional seven-character lines; uses rhetorical questions ('Where is the Western Island?') and catenation ('Remembering my lord, he comes not') typical of folk songs, creating a circular effect.乐府民歌不绳以近体平仄黏对，句式以五言为主、间以七言（如忆梅下西洲，折梅寄江北），随歌呼吸；最显著者为顶真（联珠）手法的连用，句句钩连，造成音律的连绵回环，最宜曼声歌唱。

Reading note The entire poem uses the 'lian' pun to express longing, a hallmark of Southern Dynasties 'Wu songs' and 'Western melodies'.此曲体制特殊：它是一首南朝乐府抒情长歌，既保留民歌的清新本色（谐音双关、口语设色），又带有文人润色的藻丽（意象绵密、章法完整），代表了六朝情歌由短章走向长篇的成熟。其格律上最值得注意的是顶真（联珠）的密集运用——西洲、树下、采莲、莲子、莲心、飞鸿、青楼、栏杆等词前后钩连，形成如藕丝不断的声情结构，这既是修辞，也是章法：它使全诗情思回环、无有断处，恰与女子缠绵无尽的相思同构。用韵上它不追求唐人律绝的严谨，而随内容频繁换韵，北色之低回、莲水之清亮、鸿楼之悠远，声情各肖其境。句式长短随事，五言为主而间出七言，舒缓如诉。这种以歌行自由之体、顶真连绵之格写相思长卷的体制，直接启迪了唐代张若虚《春江花月夜》的景物随情流转与李白《长干行》的女子口吻，是南朝唯美抒情诗对后世最珍贵的馈赠之一。

Line by line

采莲南塘秋，莲花过人头。低头弄莲子，莲子清如水。

Gathering lotus in autumn, the blooms are tall; she bows to play with seeds, clear as water—a pun on 'lian' (lotus/ love), suggesting pure affection.

秋日采莲在南塘，莲花高过人头。低头拨弄莲子，莲子清亮如水。

Gathering lotuses at the south pond in autumn, the flowers rise above my head. Bending low, I play with the lotus seeds; the seeds are clear as water.

这是全诗的华彩段落，也是南朝乐府谐音双关艺术的集中展示。采莲南塘秋点明时地——秋日南塘，正是采莲的节候；莲花过人头以夸张写莲叶荷花之盛，画面明丽而略带秋深的寥落。低头弄莲子，莲子清如水则由景入情、由物及心：女子低头拨弄莲子，莲子清亮如水，表面写莲子之莹澈，实则以莲谐怜、以莲子之清喻怜爱之纯——她弄的哪里是莲，分明是心中那一汪清如水的相思。这一双关的妙处，在于物我浑融：莲的物理属性（清、红、藏袖）被一一对应为情的心理属性（纯、深、珍藏），景语即情语，不著一思字而思意满纸。同时，此句以顶真钩连（采莲—莲子、莲子—清如水），声情如珠走盘，正合民歌的回环之趣。它与下联置莲怀袖中，莲心彻底红构成递进：清如水写爱之纯，彻底红写爱之深，由外而内、由浅入深，把一份秋日采莲中的相思写得既鲜活又沉挚，是六朝情歌含蓄蕴藉一面的巅峰之笔。

The seeds. Gathering lotuses at the south pond in autumn, the flowers rise above my head. Bending low, I play with the lotus seeds; the seeds are clear as water. The south-pond-autumn-lotuses and the bending-playing-clear-seeds are the wordplay. To have played with the seeds would be a playing; the gathering-lotuses-at-the-south-pond-in-autumn-the-flowers-rise-above-my-head-bending-low-i-play-with-the-lotus-seeds-the-seeds-are-clear-as-water is the playing.

忆梅下西洲，折梅寄江北。

Remembering plum blossoms, she goes to the Western Island, breaks a branch, and sends it north—a gesture of love across distance, initiating the poem's longing.

想起梅花便下西洲，折下梅枝寄往江北。

Thinking of the plum, I go down to West Islet; break a sprig and send it north of the river.

这是全诗的开篇起笔，以折梅寄远这一极具江南风味的动作，奠定了全篇相思的基调。忆梅下西洲写女子因思念而来到西洲（相传为情人旧游之地），下字写出她情不自禁的脚步；折梅寄江北则折下梅枝，要寄往江北的情郎处——梅在此既是实有的花木，更是寄情的信物。这一意象的渊源极深：陆凯《赠范晔》有折梅逢驿使，寄与陇头人，可见六朝已有折梅赠远的风习；此处化用之，把赠友变为寄情人，更添婉曲。忆与寄二字，一内一外，写尽思念由心及物的流转：心忆其人不已，遂折梅以寄，仿佛梅枝能替自己走到江北。这两句起得极轻、极淡，却如投石入水，涟漪遍及全篇——此后所有的采莲、登楼、望鸿、寄梦，都是这一枝梅的延伸。它不直说如何思念，而用下洲、折梅两个动作把思念具象化，是南朝乐府以动作写心理、以物事寄深情的典型笔法，开后人鱼雁传情、折梅寄远无数篇章之先。

The plum. Thinking of the plum, I go down to West Islet; break a sprig and send it north of the river. The thinking-plum-goes-West-Islet and the broken-sprig-sent-north-river are the opening. To have thought of the plum would be a thinking; the thinking-of-the-plum-i-go-down-to-west-islet-break-a-sprig-and-send-it-north-of-the-river is the thinking.

南风知我意，吹梦到西洲。

The south wind knows her heart and blows her dream to the Western Island—a personification that transforms yearning into a vividly imagined reunion, a famous ending of enchanting grace.

南风知我心意，吹梦直到西洲。

South wind, if you know my heart, blow my dream to West Islet.

这是全诗的收束与诗眼，也是中国古典诗歌中最绮丽的结句之一。南风知我意，吹梦到西洲以拟人收篇：女子的思念无处投递（郎不至、望不见），于是把最后的希望托付给南风——风若有情，当知我意，便请它把我的梦吹到西洲情郎的身旁。这一结句的妙处有三：一是想象奇绝，以风为媒、以梦为舟，把现实中无法跨越的江水和距离，在梦中轻巧地逾越；二是情感由实入虚、由苦转痴，前文的折梅、采莲、登楼、望鸿皆实写动作，至此忽作虚笔，情思陡然升华，余韵悠长；三是呼应开篇，西洲既是起笔的下洲之处，也是结句的梦归之所，首尾环合，如梦如环，相思终无断处。南风一词用《论语》南风之薰兮的典故意象，本含和畅温厚之意，此处更添温柔的痴绝。寥寥十字，把中国人对相思的那种无望而仍怀抱希冀、身不能至而梦魂可往的执拗深情，写到了极处，故能穿越千载，依然动人。

The dream. South wind, if you know my heart, blow my dream to West Islet. The south-wind-knows-heart and the blow-dream-West-Islet are the close. To have known the heart would be a knowing; the south-wind-if-you-know-my-heart-blow-my-dream-to-west-islet is the knowing.

Study

Word focus

莲 Lotus—a pun on 'lian' (to love); the central image that ties the poem together, typical of Southern Dynasties homophonic wordplay. 低头弄莲子，莲子清如水与置莲怀袖中，莲心彻底红中的莲字，是全诗也是南朝乐府最精微的修辞核心——它利用了莲与怜（爱怜、情爱）的谐音双关。在南朝吴声歌曲中，莲几乎已成爱的隐语（如《子夜歌》雾露隐芙蓉，见莲不分明，以莲代怜），此诗把它发展为一套完整的意象系统：莲子即怜子（我所爱之人），莲心即怜心（我的爱意）。诗人借莲的物理属性一一比附情感：莲子清如水，以莲子的澄澈写爱情的纯洁；莲心彻底红，以莲心的殷红写爱意的深挚；置莲怀袖中，则以珍藏莲子写把这份爱藏在心头。这种双关的妙处，在于它使景物与情思二而为一——女子的采莲动作，表面是农事或游戏，内里全是相思的独白，景语即情语，含蓄而深厚，毫无直露之嫌。一个莲字，承载着六朝民歌以物喻情、谐音寄意的全部智慧，也是《西洲曲》能由里巷情歌升华为抒情长卷的关键修辞支柱。

伯劳 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. 日暮伯劳飞，风吹乌臼树之伯劳，是全诗点明时令与离愁的物候意象，含意颇深。伯劳是一种习性特殊的鸟，《礼记·月令》载仲夏之月，鵙（伯劳）始鸣，且古有东飞伯劳西飞燕（乐府《东飞伯劳歌》）之句，伯劳西去、燕子东飞，遂成离别分散的象征。此处日暮伯劳飞，既点出日暮时分、秋深节晚，暗示女子独立久候、归期渺茫；又暗含伯劳一去不返的离别隐喻，与后文的开门郎不至、望郎上青楼构成情绪的递进——从候人到望人、从白日到日暮。同时，伯劳飞与风吹乌臼树对举，一鸟一树、一动一静，写出日暮原野的苍茫与女子心头的萧瑟，景中寓情。这个意象的选用，显示诗人深谙六朝物候比兴的传统：不直说伤离，而借伯劳之飞写出离散之悲，含蓄蕴藉。一个伯劳，把节候、景物、离愁三者绾合，是南朝情歌善用自然物象承载人情的一例精致笔法。

青楼 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. 鸿飞满西洲，望郎上青楼之青楼，是诗中易被误读、却极见时代用字之趣的一个词。在今人语汇中，青楼多指妓馆，但在六朝及唐前，青楼本指涂饰青漆的华美楼房，尤指女子（贵家女子）的居处或妆楼，全无贬义（如曹植《美女篇》青楼临大路，高门结重关）。此处望郎上青楼，写女子登上自家的妆楼远望情郎，是闺阁凝盼的典型场景，与后世妓馆义绝不相干。这个词的深意，在于它提示我们读古诗当依其时代语义：青楼在此既写出女子居处的精致，也以楼高望不见反衬相隔之远、相思之深——她登得愈高，望得愈切，却愈望不见，楼高与不见形成张力，把无望的等待写得极具画面感。它与前文开门郎不至、后文尽日栏杆头相勾连，构成一组登楼盼归的连续动作。一词之义随世而变，青楼在《西洲曲》中的本义，恰是读懂六朝女性抒情语境的一把钥匙。