南北朝 Northern and Southern Dynasties · 乐府 Yuefu ballad
有所思
One I Think Of
谁言生离久，适意与君别。
衣上芳犹在，握里书未灭。
腰中双绮带，梦为同心结。
常恐所思露，瑶华未忍折。
It feels as if I left you but yesterday.
The fragrance on my robe still lingers,
the letter in my hand not yet faded.
The two silk sashes at my waist —
in dreams they knot into a lover's tie.
I ever fear my longing will show,
and cannot bear to pluck the jade flower.
Meaning
A woman protests that her parting feels but a moment, clings to lingering scent and unread letters, and dreams of a love-knot — yet dares not let her longing show, nor pluck the flower to send.
谁说生离已经很久， 我只觉得刚刚才与你分别。 衣上留下的香气还在， 手中握着的书信字迹未灭。 腰间系着的那两条绮带， 在梦里结成了同心结。 只怕心中的相思泄露出来， 那一枝瑶华终究不忍去折。
Appreciation
The opening rhetorical question overturns expectation — instead of the pain of long separation, she says it feels like yesterday, which only deepens the ache. The middle four lines move from outer things to dream: robe-fragrance and letter are touchable, the paired sashes and love-knot are hoped-for in sleep, the real and the imagined feeding each other. The closing 'cannot bear to pluck' holds back, words unspoken, leaving the feeling unfinished.
【白话串讲】 梁武帝写《有所思》：“谁言生离久，适意与君别”。“衣上芳犹在，握里书未灭”——衣服上的香气还在，手里的信还没灭。“腰中双绮带，梦为同心结”——她连做梦都想结同心。 【意象与手法】 起句以反问翻空而入，不写别久之苦，偏说别如昨日，愈见思之切。中四句由外物入梦境：衣香、书信是可触之物，双带、同心结是梦中之愿，虚实相生。结句以未忍折三字收住，欲言又止，含蓄不尽。 【情感与主旨】 全篇写相思而不着一个思字，写深情而处处克制。所恐者非情之不真，而是情之泄露；所以不折瑶华，正因珍重太过。这种幽微的心理刻画，代表了齐梁文人乐府由艳趋雅、以细腻见长的一路。 【名句点睛】 常恐所思露，瑶华未忍折——不写相思如何炽烈，只写唯恐被人看见，一层退让，反显得情深无底。
Background
Xiao Yan is Emperor Wu of Liang, founder of the Southern Liang and an important author of the Qi-Liang literary world; he composed the seven Jiangnan Melodies and much innovated in the new-style yuefu. One I Think Of is one of the eighteen Han yuefu Warrior Songs, named for its first line, originally a woman's grief at parting from her lover; in the Southern Dynasties Liu Hui, Wang Rong, the Crown Prince Jianwen, Wang Yun and others wrote imitations, and Xiao Yan's is one, collected in the New Lyrics of the Jade Terrace.
萧衍即梁武帝，南朝梁之开国之君，亦是齐梁文坛的重要作者，雅好文艺，尝制江南弄七曲，又于新体乐府多所创制，对永明声律与宫体诗风皆有推动。有所思本为汉乐府铙歌十八曲之一，以首句名篇，原写女子与情人诀别、毁物绝思之悲，情辞激烈。自汉魏以降，此题为后世文人反复拟作，南朝齐梁间尤为盛行：齐有刘绘、王融，梁有简文帝萧纲、王筠、沈约等皆有拟篇，或写离思、或写闺情，渐由铙歌之刚健转为吴声之婉媚。萧衍此篇即其拟作之一，收于徐陵所编玉台新咏，与同期拟作同属齐梁体细腻婉转一路。梁武帝以帝王之尊而亲为乐府，既可见当时上层文坛对闺情小诗的耽嗜，也可见汉魏古题在六朝文人手中被重新雅化、内向化的时代风气，此篇正是这一转型中清丽含蓄的标本。梁武帝以帝王之尊而亲为乐府，既可见上层文坛对闺情小诗的耽嗜，亦可见汉魏古题在六朝文人手中被重新雅化、内向化的时代风气。
Art
It begins with a rhetorical question that flips the whole poem; the middle four lines deepen through robe-fragrance, letter, sash, dream-knot, from real to imagined; it closes on 'would pluck yet does not,' leaving room. Eight five-character lines, the feeling and event both in detail — a representative of the delicate, turning Qi-Liang manner.
此诗章法极巧，以反问发端，一句翻转全篇，不写别久之苦，偏说别如昨日，愈见思之切。中间四句由外物入梦境，衣上芳犹在、握里书未灭写可触之实——衣香未散、书信犹温，皆证明其离别之近、记忆之新；腰中双绮带、梦为同心结则由实入虚，写腰间双带在梦中竟绾成同心之结，痴愿宛然。末以常恐所思露、瑶华未忍折收束，由炽热转为克制，欲折而不忍折，留有无穷之余地。全诗五言八句，情事俱在细节，无一字直说相思，而相思之深自在言外，是齐梁体以细腻婉转、含蓄不尽见长的典型代表。其结构由不应相思写起，而层层 disclose 出愈深之思，欲扬先抑、欲语还休，于短章中具见尺水兴波之妙，故能于众多拟作中独标隽品。其结构由不应相思写起，而层层 disclose 出愈深之思，欲扬先抑、欲语还休，于短章中具见尺水兴波之妙，故能于众多拟作中独标隽品。此种以细节写心理、以克制写深情的手法，最见齐梁乐府由艳趋雅、以微妙心理取胜之轨迹。
Allusions
One I Think Of is a Han yuefu Warrior Song title, originally a woman's grief at breaking with her lover; later imitations mostly take parting-longing as theme. Lover's knot is a diamond-linked, reversible knot of brocade ribbon, an ancient symbol of unchanging love. Jade flower, i.e. the qiong flower, from the Chu Ci 'pluck the sparse hemp, the jade flower, to send to the one who dwells apart' — the ancients plucked flowers to send to the far-off, here standing for the one longed for.
有所思为汉乐府铙歌曲名，古辞本写女子与情人决绝之悲，闻君有他心则毁其珍、摧烧扬灰，情烈而决；后世拟作多取其离思之题而改其决绝之调，萧衍此篇即以婉约写相思，可见六朝文人对古乐府的雅化改造。同心结用锦带绾成的菱形连环回文之结，古人以之象征恩爱不移、心心相印，梁武帝 Himself 亦曾作有所思同心结相关语，此处以梦为同心结写梦中犹结同心，痴念难断。瑶华即琼花美玉之花，本于楚辞九歌大司命「折疏麻兮瑶华，将以遗兮离居」，古人折芳以赠远，借指所思之人或寄远之情；此处瑶华未忍折，则以不折芳草写不敢、不忍直露相思，把一腔深情压在纸背。三典或承汉铙歌、或本楚辞、或取民俗，经诗人熔铸，皆服务于幽微心理的刻画。同心结象征恩爱不移，瑶华本楚辞折芳赠远之草，三典或承汉铙歌、或本楚辞、或取民俗，经诗人熔铸，皆服务于幽微心理的刻画。
Commentary
The New Lyrics of the Jade Terrace includes this piece; critics have long judged it cleverly conceived, beginning from 'should not long' yet revealing longing the deeper — a gem among Qi-Liang short poems.
此篇录于玉台新咏，历来论者以为构思巧妙，由不应相思写起而愈见相思之深，是齐梁小诗中的隽品。钟嵘诗品虽未专评此篇，而论齐梁诗每讥其浮靡，独此类以细腻心理见长者能免其讥，正见萧衍于艳科之中亦有清远一笔。后人读此诗，多赏其层层翻转、欲折未折之妙：起以谁言生离久之反问破题，中以衣芳书在、绮带同心之细节蓄势，终以瑶华未忍折之克制收魂，通篇不著一思字而思入骨髓。这种写情而处处节制、不使一览无余的手法，代表了齐梁文人乐府由艳趋雅、以微妙心理取胜的一路，较之汉铙歌原篇的决绝呼号，别开一种婉约内敛的江南情韵，对后世闺情小诗影响甚深。这种写情而处处节制、不使一览无余的手法，代表了齐梁文人乐府由艳趋雅、以微妙心理取胜的一路，对后世闺情小诗影响甚深。其不著一思字而思入骨髓，尤显六朝文人写情之含蓄蕴藉，足为后世闺情小诗之范，影响历久而不衰。
Prosody
Line by line
谁言生离久，
Who says our parting has been long?
谁说生离已经很久，
Who says living parting has been long,
起笔谁言生离久以反问翻空而入，是全诗构思最巧处。常理写相思，多从别久苦多落墨，诗人却反其道而行，先假设有人言生离已久，随即以谁言二字断然否定，仿佛在说：在我心里，这离别哪里算久。这种破题法不写久别之痛，偏说别如昨日，愈见思之切、念之新。一个久字本是旁人视角的客观时间，被谁言轻轻推翻后，时间便回到了抒情主人公主观的、凝滞的此刻。此句先声夺人，为后文衣香未散、书信犹温的近在咫尺之感作好逻辑铺垫，是齐梁小诗以巧思取胜的典型起法。
The who says. Who says living parting has been long. The who-says-living-parting-long is the opening question. To have said it was long would be a saying; the who-says-living-parting-has-been-long is the saying.
适意与君别。
It feels as if I left you but yesterday.
我只觉得刚刚才与你分别。
it seems but just now that I parted from you.
适意与君别紧承上句，把谁言生离久的主观否定落实为具体的心理时间。适意本有称心、恰在此刻之意，此处写别时之感仿佛就在适意之间、如刚发生，与前句久形成强烈反跌。别字是全诗情感的根，本该引出怅惘，诗人却以适意写其新鲜如初，仿佛离别从未真正完成，人虽去而气息犹在。这一句看似平淡，却以时间的错觉写出相思的浓度——正因思念不休，记忆才不肯老去。它与首句构成一问一答、一破一立，把抽象的久暂之辩化为可感的痴情，章法之妙在不接悲语而悲已深。
The just now. It seems but just now that I parted from you. The just-now-parted-from-you is the correction. To have parted just now would be a parting; the it-seems-but-just-now-that-i-parted-from-you is the parting.
衣上芳犹在，
The fragrance on my robe still lingers,
衣上留下的香气还在，
The fragrance on my garment still lingers,
衣上芳犹在以可触之物证离别之近，是诗中由虚入实的第一个细节。芳指衣上熏染的香气，本是相爱者相处时留下的温度与气息；犹在的犹字极重，写香气未散、仿佛人犹在侧，以嗅觉的残留抵抗时间的流逝。古人衣香每与丽情相系，此处不写泪不写梦，单拈一缕余芳，便把深情的缱绻写得极淡极真。这一句与下句握里书未灭对举，一写身之所余、一写手之所持，皆以物的未变反衬心的不移，是齐梁诗以物写情、于琐细处见深衷的高明笔法，亦为后文梦结、未折的递进蓄势。
The fragrance. The fragrance on my garment still lingers. The garment-fragrance-still-lingers is the detail. To have still lingered would be a lingering; the the-fragrance-on-my-garment-still-lingers is the lingering.
握里书未灭。
the letter in my hand not yet faded.
手中握着的书信字迹未灭。
the letter in my hand, its ink not yet faded.
握里书未灭与衣上芳犹在同为实证别近的细节，由嗅觉转入视觉与触觉。书指情人来信，握里写其常置掌心、摩挲不舍；未灭则指墨迹未淡、字字清晰，仿佛对方的话语犹在眼前。灭字与犹字呼应，一写香之未散、一写字之未磨，皆言时间之短、记忆之新，正应首句生离未久之意。书信在古典诗词中本是相思的物化，此处以握字写其亲昵，以未灭写其鲜活，把一个不敢或忘、时时展读的痴人姿态写得极静极深。两句合看，外物愈真切，内情愈汹涌，为下文由实入虚的梦境转折作好铺垫。
The letter. The letter in my hand, its ink not yet faded. The hand-held-letter-ink-not-faded is the detail. To have not faded would be a not-fading; the the-letter-in-my-hand-its-ink-not-yet-faded is the not-fading.
腰中双绮带，
The two silk sashes at my waist —
腰间系着的那两条绮带，
The double silken sash at my waist,
腰中双绮带由外物细节转入自身服饰，是诗中由实入虚的过渡。绮带即丝织的衣带，双字最堪玩味——两条带子成双成对，而系带之人却孤身独处，物的成双反衬人的孤孑，暗伏同心之愿。绮为华美之丝，暗示所系非寻常，而与情爱相关。这一句表面上只是写腰间之物，实则把抒情主人公的形体与心事悄然系紧：那双带既是实有的衣裳部件，也是即将在梦中绾结的情感符号。诗人于此不着一情字，只以双绮带三字埋下伏笔，使下文梦为同心结的痴想水到渠成，章法之绵密如是。
The sash. The double silken sash at my waist. The double-silken-sash-waist is the detail. To have worn the double sash would be a wearing; the the-double-silken-sash-at-my-waist is the wearing.
梦为同心结。
in dreams they knot into a lover's tie.
在梦里结成了同心结。
in a dream I knotted it into a love-knot.
梦为同心结是诗中由实入虚的关键一笔，把前面衣香书信的清醒思念，推入梦境的痴愿。同心结为古人象征恩爱不移的锦带回文之结，此处写白日里成双的绮带，竟在梦中自行绾成同心，物随心动，痴念难断。为字写梦境之自然生成，非人力强求，恰见相思之入骨。这一句将实处（双绮带）与虚处（梦）绾合，情因梦而得其形，梦因情而得其结，虚实相生。较之前四句的克制，此句稍露痴狂，却又止于梦中，依旧含蓄。它是全诗情感的小小高潮，也为结尾欲折未折的再度收敛形成一波三折的跌宕。
The knot. In a dream I knotted it into a love-knot. The dream-knotted-love-knot is the dream. To have knotted the love-knot would be a knotting; the in-a-dream-i-knotted-it-into-a-love-knot is the knotting.
常恐所思露，
I ever fear my longing will show,
只怕心中的相思泄露出来，
Ever I fear my longing will show,
常恐所思露由梦的痴狂陡然收束为清醒的矜持，是诗中情绪的另一重翻转。恐字写其时时戒惧，所思露则指深藏心中的相思惟恐被人窥破。常字见此惧之持久，并非偶一念及，而是无日无之的心理习惯。这一句微妙之处，在于它揭示的并非情之不真，而是情之太真、太珍重，故而怕被人看破、怕这份心事失了分量。由梦结的放纵一变而为恐露的收敛，写尽深情者外冷内热的矛盾。它使前面所有的衣芳、书在、绮带、梦结都有了被压抑的底色，也为结尾瑶华未忍折的不忍作好了心理逻辑。
The fear. Ever I fear my longing will show. The ever-fear-longing-will-show is the restraint. To have feared would be a fearing; the ever-i-fear-my-longing-will-show is the fearing.
瑶华未忍折。
and cannot bear to pluck the jade flower.
那一枝瑶华终究不忍去折。
the jade flower I cannot bear to break.
瑶华未忍折以欲折未折收束全篇，是神来之笔。瑶华本楚辞中折以赠远的芳草，古人折芳寄情，此处抒情主人公却终不忍折——不是无情，恰是因情太重：折花寄远便坐实了相思，而她所恐者正在所思之露，故宁可把这份情压在心底，不让它形之于外。未忍二字把一腔炽情压在纸背，极尽含蓄之能事。三个字收住前面所有的反问、实证、梦境与恐惧，留有无穷余味，恰如琴弦将断未断之一颤。全诗不著一思字，而此一句的退让，反显得情深无底，是齐梁体欲语还休、以不尽尽之的极致，亦为此篇能列隽品的灵魂所在。
The flower. The jade flower I cannot bear to break. The jade-flower-cannot-bear-break is the close. To have been unable to break would be an inability; the the-jade-flower-i-cannot-bear-to-break is the inability.
Study
Word focus
Related Reading
Xie Tiao writes unspoken grievance through 'at dusk she lowers the pearl blind'; Xiao Yan writes unspoken longing through 'cannot bear to pluck the jade flower.' Both Qi-Liang pieces, both winning by restraint.
谢朓玉阶怨写「夕殿下珠帘，流萤飞复息」，以不言之怨写长门寂寞，无一怨字而怨自深；萧衍有所思则以「瑶华未忍折」写不言之思，无一思字而思入骨。同是齐梁体，皆以含蓄取胜、以景（物）结情，一写宫怨之寂、一写闺情之怯。谢诗浑成而萧诗细腻，谢以省净胜、萧以曲折胜，合观可见南齐至梁代小诗由谢朓的天然清俊向萧衍的婉转工细之演变，亦见齐梁文人于短章中炼意炼句的一脉相承。
相思 Longing 王维 · 同以折芳寄远写相思 Both write parting-longing by plucking flowers to send afarWang Wei urges more gathering of red beans — sending feeling through the object; Xiao Yan says he cannot bear to pluck the jade flower — showing feeling through not sending. One takes, one withholds, each to perfection.
王维相思劝「愿君多采撷，此物最相思」，是以物寄情、劝人采撷的明朗恳切；萧衍有所思却说「瑶华未忍折」，是以不寄见情、终不忍折的幽咽克制。一取一舍，各极其妙：王诗如春阳温润，萧诗如秋水微澜；一写相思之可寄、一写相思之难言。王维虽为唐人，其红豆小诗实承齐梁闺情余韵，与萧衍此篇正可对照，看出折芳寄远这一意象从六朝的敛抑到盛唐的舒展之流变。