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先秦 Pre-Qin · 诗 Poem

关雎

Guan Ju

诗经

Shijing (Book of Songs)

爱情Love 诗经Book of Songs 民歌Folk song

关关雎鸠，在河之洲。
窈窕淑女，君子好逑。
参差荇菜，左右流之。
窈窕淑女，寤寐求之。
求之不得，寤寐思服。
悠哉悠哉，辗转反侧。
参差荇菜，左右采之。
窈窕淑女，琴瑟友之。
参差荇菜，左右芼之。
窈窕淑女，钟鼓乐之。

Guan-guan cry the ospreys, on the islet in the river.
So mild and good the lady, a fine mate for the gentleman.
Watercress grows here and there, left and right we drift for it.
So mild and good the lady, awake and asleep I seek her.
I seek her and cannot get her, awake and asleep I long for her.
Long, long I think of her, toss and turn in bed.
Watercress grows here and there, left and right we gather it.
So mild and good the lady, with lute and zither I befriend her.
Watercress grows here and there, left and right we sort it.
So mild and good the lady, with bells and drums I delight her.

Listen

Meaning

The poem describes a gentleman's admiration and pursuit of a virtuous lady, from initial attraction to sleepless longing, and finally to an imagined joyful union through music and celebration.

河洲之上，雎鸠关关和鸣，相伴相和；那文静美好的姑娘，正是君子心仪的好配偶。长短不齐的荇菜，忽左忽右随水漂流，正如君子对淑女醒来梦里都不曾停下的追求。求而不得的夜里，思念绵长，翻来覆去难以成眠。及至想象采荇相邀，以琴瑟相亲、以钟鼓相娱，欢喜便顺着乐声漫溢开来。

Appreciation

This love song begins with the harmonious cry of ospreys, evoking the gentleman's desire. It progresses through realistic pursuit and sorrow, then shifts to an imagined happy ending through music, embodying a moderate and sincere emotional journey.

【白话串讲】三千年前，黄河边一只雎鸠鸟的叫声，引出中国诗歌史上第一首情歌。“窈窕淑女，君子好逑”——中国人第一次把爱情，写进了诗歌的开篇。【意象与手法】全诗以“兴”为主，兼含“比”。首章“关关雎鸠，在河之洲”以禽鸟和鸣起兴，引出“君子好逑”，景情自然过渡【情感与主旨】《关雎》列于《诗经》之首，属“国风·周南”，约产生于西周初年的中原地区，原为民间情歌，后被采入乐府、用于礼乐【名句点睛】常考《诗经》六义中“兴”的手法（雎鸠、荇菜起兴）与重章叠句的结构作用；名句“窈窕淑女，君子好逑”的意蕴

Background

Guan Ju is the first poem in the Book of Songs, classified under 'Airs of Zhou and the South'. It likely originated as a folk song in the early Western Zhou period and was later used in court music. Traditionally interpreted as a praise of queenly virtue, it is now often seen as a pure love poem.

《关雎》为《诗经》三百篇之首，列《国风·周南》第一，产生地约在今河南西南部至湖北北部一带的周南之域，时代当西周初年至中叶。周南、召南本为南方诸侯采诗所得，故其风多婉丽而近人情。此诗原是民间的婚恋歌谣，写男子对淑女的爱慕与求而不得的辗转，及至想象琴瑟钟鼓之欢；因其辞气雅正、情感有节，后被采入王朝乐章，用于燕飨与婚礼，遂由情歌上升为礼乐之首。汉代经师说《诗》，《毛诗序》以为后妃之德也，风之始也，所以风天下而正夫妇也，将其解为歌颂后妃之德的政教之作；三家诗与后世学者则多认其本为求偶之歌。此二说的分歧构成《关雎》两千年阐释史的主线：前者重其在礼乐系统中的功能，后者重其作为民歌的本相，今人多取后说而不废前说。文本上略有异文：窈窕一作要窕，古音相近；寤寐思服之服，毛传训思之，郑笺以为思念不已；左右流之之流，毛传训求，一说通摽或作抽，谓采取。就传统脉络言，以水鸟起兴、以采摘之事为喻，是《诗经》最常见的表达程式，《汉广》《蒹葭》《泽陂》皆同此路，而《关雎》以其结构之完整、情感之中正，成为这一系列的典范。

Art

The poem uses the 'xing' (evocation) technique, starting with ospreys to introduce the theme. The repeated watercress stanzas with varying verbs (drift, gather, sort) symbolize the progression of courtship. The repetitive structure creates a gentle, lingering rhythm.

全诗五章，章法层层推进而首尾圆合。首章以关关雎鸠、在河之洲起兴，水鸟成双和鸣，自然引出窈窕淑女、君子好逑，物与情之间不加说明而气脉自通，是《诗经》六义中兴的最佳示范。二章参差荇菜、左右流之，以采荇之事再兴，荇菜随水漂荡、忽左忽右而难以把握，正与寤寐求之的求而未得相映，兴中含比。三章求之不得、寤寐思服，悠哉悠哉、辗转反侧，全用直陈，是全诗情感的最低处，也是最动人处：不言相思之苦而写卧不能寐之状，以身体的动作代替心理的陈述，含蓄而真切。四、五章忽然转入琴瑟友之、钟鼓乐之，境界由苦转乐、由现实入想象，前之辗转愈深，此之欢乐愈见其可贵。全篇以重章叠句为骨架：参差荇菜三章只易流、采、芼三字，窈窕淑女之下依次为寤寐求之、琴瑟友之、钟鼓乐之，字面变动极小而情事推进极大，这种在反复中递进的结构，是《诗经》最具音乐性的形式智慧。四言句式短促匀齐，双声叠韵如关关、窈窕、参差、辗转错落其间，声情摇曳，读之如闻雅乐。

Allusions

Ospreys are symbols of faithful pairing. Watercress was used in sacrifices, alluding to wedding rites. Lute, zither, bells, and drums are traditional wedding instruments, indicating a proper marriage.

此诗为后世无数典故之源，本身则纯用兴象而不使故实。雎鸠一名王雎，旧说以为水鸟，《毛传》称其挚而有别，谓雌雄情意专一而有分别，故以之起兴最合夫妇之义；后世遂以雎鸠、关雎径指婚姻和谐，成为固定语汇。荇菜为水生可食之草，采荇是先民日常劳作，《诗经》中采蘩、采蕨、采薇之类甚多，皆以采摘起兴而隐含求索之意，故左右流之三字既写水草之难定，又写心思之难安。琴瑟与钟鼓则关涉周代礼乐制度：琴瑟为房中之乐，宜于亲近和好，故曰友之；钟鼓为庭堂大乐，用于宴享盛礼，故曰乐之。由琴瑟而钟鼓，实暗示由私情之亲密到婚礼之隆重，用礼乐器物的等级差别写情事的进展，是极精微的笔法。训诂争议主要有三：一为窈窕，毛传训幽闲，谓性情之美，后世多兼指容貌之美，其义由内而外的扩展本身即一部审美观念史；二为流，毛传训求，郑笺以为顺水而取，一说通摷、抽，谓拔取，三说各有依据而以采取为通行；三为寤寐思服之服，或训思，或训事、行，或以为语助，未有定论。芼字训择、拔取，或训以菜杂肉为羹，二说并存。

Commentary

Confucius praised it as 'joyful without licentiousness, sorrowful without hurt' (Analects). The Mao commentary sees it as a model of queenly virtue, but modern readings emphasize its sincere courtship.

《关雎》居三百篇之首，其阐释史几乎等于一部中国经学史的缩影。《毛诗序》以为后妃之德，风之始，将其定位为教化之本；郑玄《毛诗笺》循此而益密；朱熹《诗集传》则谓此诗为文王与太姒之事，然亦承认其辞出于男女相悦之情，已启由经义回归诗情之端；清代学者考据渐密，姚际恒、方玉润一辈论《诗》多重其文学之美，方氏《诗经原始》尤称此诗音节和谐、意致缠绵。至近代，胡适、闻一多、朱自清诸家以民俗与文学的眼光重读《国风》，遂普遍认其为民间婚恋之歌，而经学旧说则被视为汉儒的政教附会。这一由经到诗的转换，是《关雎》接受史上最重大的变化，也提示我们：一首民歌之所以能被置于经典之首，正因它的情感既真挚又有节，可供不同时代作不同的解读。孔子论《诗》，谓其可以兴、可以观、可以群、可以怨，又称乐而不淫、哀而不伤，历代读者论《关雎》多引此语，以为它写爱慕而不失分寸、写苦思而不至怨怼，恰是中和之美的范本。传播上，关雎之名早已成为婚姻的代称，窈窕淑女、君子好逑更是妇孺皆知的成语，今日仍长期入选中学教材，是《诗经》中最广为人知的一篇。

Prosody

Form Shijing · Airs of Zhou · Guan Ju, four-character poem四言体，《诗经·国风·周南》乐歌，本合乐可歌，用于燕飨与婚礼

Rhyme Repetitive stanzas with changing rhymes (e.g., zhou/qiú, liú/qiú, fú/cè, cǎi/yǒu, mào/lè)各章分押：首章洲、逑为幽部；次章流、求为幽部；三章得、服、侧为之部职部相协；四章采、友为之部；末章芼、乐为宵部。隔句用韵，一章一韵，转韵而不乱

Tone pattern Four-character lines with two-beat rhythm; stanzas 4 and 5 repeat structure with minor variations.先秦诗无平仄之律，节奏取二二相顿的四言基型，间以双声叠韵与摹声词调节声情，全篇匀齐而不呆板

Reading note The xing technique initiates the love theme; emotions move from joy to longing to imagined harmony, embodying Confucian moderation.《关雎》的声律之美，历来被视为四言诗的极则。四言句以二二为节，一句两顿，短促而稳定，宜于合乐歌唱；全篇五章，每章四句或八句，章与章之间以重复的句式相扣，形成整齐的乐段结构，可以想见当时以琴瑟相和、依章反复吟唱的情形。韵的安排尤见匠心：首二章皆押幽部，音色深沉柔和，与和鸣、求索之情相称；第三章转入之部职部，得、服、侧三字收音短促而带塞音，读来微觉滞涩，恰合辗转难眠的窒闷；末章转宵部，芼、乐开口宏亮，声音一放，欢庆之意随之而出。由柔而涩而亮，韵色的变化与情感的起落完全同步，这在先秦诗中极为难得。此外，双声叠韵词的密集使用也大大丰富了声情：关关摹声，窈窕、参差为双声叠韵，辗转、悠哉各以叠语拖长音节，错落分布于各章要位，使匀齐的四言不致板滞。孔子称《关雎》乐而不淫、哀而不伤，其中和之美不仅在情感的分寸，也在这声音的节制与从容。

Line by line

关关雎鸠，在河之洲。窈窕淑女，君子好逑。

The ospreys cry harmoniously on the river islet, evoking the gentleman's wish for a virtuous lady as his mate. This uses the xing technique to set a joyful tone.

河洲之上，雎鸠关关和鸣，相伴相和；那文静美好的姑娘，正是君子心仪的好配偶

Guan-guan cry the ospreys on the islet of the river. The modest, fair maiden is the good match for our lord.

起章四句是中国诗歌中最著名的兴。前二句纯写景：河中小洲之上，一对水鸟关关相唱，声音里自带成双成对的意味；后二句忽然转到人事，说淑女正是君子的好配偶。景与情之间没有一个连接词，然而读者毫不觉其突兀，因为鸟之和鸣已先在耳中造成一种和谐相求的氛围，人事只是这一氛围的自然延伸。关关为摹声之叠字，窈窕为状貌之双声，两组叠韵词分置一二句与三句之首，声音上遥相呼应，遂使景语与情语在音节层面也结为一体，这是兴之所以能成立的隐秘机制。

The ospreys. Guan-guan cry the ospreys on the islet of the river. The modest, fair maiden is the good match for our lord. The guan-guan-ospreys-islet-river and the modest-fair-maiden-good-match-lord are the opening. To have cried guan-guan would be a crying; the guan-guan-cry-the-ospreys-on-the-islet-of-the-river-the-modest-fair-maiden-is-the-good-match-for-our-lord is the crying.

参差荇菜，左右流之。窈窕淑女，寤寐求之。

The uneven watercress drifts left and right; the gentleman seeks the lady waking and sleeping. The watercress symbolizes the elusive pursuit.

长短不齐的荇菜，忽左忽右随水漂流，正如君子对淑女醒来梦里都不曾停下的追求

The uneven duckweed, left and right they gather it. The modest, fair maiden—waking or asleep, he seeks her.

此章换一新兴象，而与首章的功能不同：雎鸠之兴取其和谐，荇菜之兴取其难得。参差写荇菜长短不齐、错落难齐；左右流之写它随波漂荡、忽此忽彼，采者伸手而它已移开。这一情景与下二句的寤寐求之恰成对应：所求者美而不易得，用力愈勤而愈觉其远。流字若依毛传训求，则采荇与求女在动作上直接叠合，兴与所兴之事融为一体。寤寐二字尤重，谓醒时梦时无一刻停歇，把爱慕写成一种持续的生命状态，而非一时的冲动。

The duckweed. The uneven duckweed, left and right they gather it. The modest, fair maiden—waking or asleep, he seeks her. The uneven-duckweed-left-right-gather and the modest-fair-maiden-waking-asleep-seeks are the seeking. To have gathered it left and right would be a gathering; the the-uneven-duckweed-left-and-right-they-gather-it-the-modest-fair-maiden-waking-or-asleep-he-seeks-her is the gathering.

求之不得，寤寐思服。悠哉悠哉，辗转反侧。

Unable to obtain her, he longs for her constantly, tossing and turning sleeplessly. 'Tossing and turning' vividly portrays his anxiety.

求而不得的夜里，思念绵长，翻来覆去难以成眠

He seeks her and cannot find her; waking or asleep, he thinks of her. Long, long the thoughts—tossing and turning he cannot sleep.

此章是全诗情感的谷底，也是最真切动人处。前三章皆有兴象，此章独去比兴而纯用直陈，笔法忽变，正见情之难以再假借外物。悠哉悠哉以叠语拖长音节，把夜之漫长、思之无尽都摊在声音里；辗转反侧四字则全写身体：不说心中如何煎熬，只写人在席上翻来覆去，而煎熬自见。以动作写心事，是《诗经》最擅长的含蓄之法，比任何直接的情语都更有分量。此章置于苦与乐之间，前之求而不得愈切，后之琴瑟钟鼓愈见其为想象中的圆满，全诗的情感落差由此形成。

The tossing. He seeks her and cannot find her; waking or asleep, he thinks of her. Long, long the thoughts—tossing and turning he cannot sleep. The seeks-cannot-find and the waking-asleep-thinks and the long-thoughts-tossing-turning are the anguish. To have sought her and not found would be a seeking; the he-seeks-her-and-cannot-find-waking-or-asleep-he-thinks-of-her-long-long-the-thoughts-tossing-and-turning-he-cannot-sleep is the seeking.

参差荇菜，左右芼之。窈窕淑女，钟鼓乐之。

The uneven water mallow, left and right we select it. The modest, fair maiden—with bells and drums we make her glad.

及至想象采荇相邀，以琴瑟相亲、以钟鼓相娱，欢喜便顺着乐声漫溢开来

The uneven duckweed, left and right they choose it. The modest, fair maiden—with bells and drums they make her glad.

末章与二、四章句式全同而只易二字，然情事已推至顶点。芼训择取、拔取，一说谓以菜杂肉为羹，无论何解，其动作都比流、采更进一层：由随水而求，到伸手而采，到择而取之、烹而荐之，采荇的进程正对应求女的进程。钟鼓为庙堂宴享之大乐，其规格远高于上章的琴瑟：琴瑟是二人相对的亲密，钟鼓则是众人共庆的隆盛，故由友之而乐之，实暗示由两心相许到婚礼告成。全诗以最欢腾的乐声收束，而这一切仍在想象之中，故欢乐里始终留着一层向往的余味。

The bells. The uneven water mallow, left and right we select it. The modest, fair maiden—with bells and drums we make her glad. The uneven-water-mallow-left-right-select and the modest-fair-maiden-bells-drums-glad are the imagined wedding. To have selected it would be a selecting; the the-uneven-water-mallow-left-and-right-we-select-it-the-modest-fair-maiden-with-bells-and-drums-we-make-her-glad is the selecting.

Study

Word focus

关关 Onomatopoeia for the harmonious cry of ospreys, evoking a joyful atmosphere. 关关为摹声叠字，写雎鸠雌雄相唱之声。《诗经》摹声之词甚多，如喈喈、嘤嘤、丁丁，而关关独以清越和缓见长：两个关字同声相叠，音节短促而余音清朗，恰似鸟鸣之一呼一应。此二字置于全诗之首，一开口便先造出和鸣相答的听觉氛围，为后文君子好逑的和谐之义预作铺垫；若换作单字或改用他声，则成双相和之意立减。更可注意的是，声音先于形象、听觉先于视觉，读者是先听见鸟鸣，再看见河洲，这种由声入景的次序使兴象格外自然，几乎不觉是修辞。

流 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. 左右流之之流，是全诗训诂争议最著者。《毛传》训流为求，则此句谓左右求取荇菜，与下文寤寐求之的求字直接呼应，兴与所兴合为一事；郑笺则以为顺水而取，重在水流之动；另有以流通摷、抽，谓拔取者。诸说虽异，而所写情状略同：荇菜在水中随波移易，采者手随之左右，欲得而未即得。此字之妙正在兼含物之漂动与人之寻求两义，一字而写足求索的姿态。三章以流、采、芼递换，动作由虚到实、由远及近，全诗情事的推进便系于这三个动词的细微差别之上。

辗转 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. 辗转二字与反侧连用，写不寐之状，是中国诗歌中最早也最传神的身体描写之一。辗本谓车轮之转，引申为身体在席上的翻动；转、反、侧三字义近而叠出，把一个夜晚反复无眠的过程写得极其具体。此四字不含任何情绪字眼，却比说愁、说苦更能使人感同身受，因为它提供的是可被身体记忆的经验：凡有过无眠之夜者，读之立刻会心。后世辗转反侧成为固定成语，专指心事重重不能入睡，其生命力之久正源于此处对细节的精确捕捉。以形写心、以动作代抒情，此为《诗经》含蓄之美的核心手段。

关雎