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先秦 Pre-Qin · 楚辞 Chu Ci

九章·涉江

The Nine Chapters: Crossing the River

屈原

Qu Yuan

隐逸/忧愤Seclusion/Grief 咏物/品格Objects/Character

余幼好此奇服兮，年既老而不衰。
带长铗之陆离兮，冠切云之崔嵬。
被明月兮佩宝璐。
世混浊而莫余知兮，吾方高驰而不顾。
驾青虬兮骖白螭，吾与重华游兮瑶之圃。
登昆仑兮食玉英，与天地兮同寿，与日月兮同光。
哀南夷之莫吾知兮，旦余济乎江湘。
乘鄂渚而反顾兮，欸秋冬之绪风。

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余幼好此奇服兮，年既老而不衰。
带长铗之陆离兮，冠切云之崔嵬。
被明月兮佩宝璐。
世混浊而莫余知兮，吾方高驰而不顾。
驾青虬兮骖白螭，吾与重华游兮瑶之圃。
登昆仑兮食玉英，与天地兮同寿，与日月兮同光。
哀南夷之莫吾知兮，旦余济乎江湘。
乘鄂渚而反顾兮，欸秋冬之绪风。
步余马兮山皋，邸余车兮方林。
乘舲船余上沅兮，齐吴榜以击汰。
船容与而不进兮，淹回水而疑滞。
朝发枉陼兮，夕宿辰阳。
苟余心其端直兮，虽僻远之何伤。
入溆浦余儃佪兮，迷不知吾所如。
深林杳以冥冥兮，乃猿狖之所居。
山峻高以蔽日兮，下幽晦以多雨。
霰雪纷其无垠兮，云霏霏而承宇。
哀吾生之无乐兮，幽独处乎山中。
吾不能变心而从俗兮，固将愁苦而终穷。
接舆髡首兮，桑扈臝行。
忠不必用兮，贤不必以。
伍子逢殃兮，比干菹醢。
与前世而皆然兮，吾又何怨乎今之人！
余将董道而不豫兮，固将重昏而终身！
乱曰：鸾鸟凤皇，日以远兮。
燕雀乌鹊，巢堂坛兮。
露申辛夷，死林薄兮。
腥臊并御，芳不得薄兮。
阴阳易位，时不当兮。
怀信侘傺，忽乎吾将行兮！

From my youth I have loved this strange attire,
And still in age I do not tire.
With a long sword that gleams in the air,
And a lofty crown, the Cloud-Cutting Cap, I wear.
Moon-bright pearls I carry, and precious jade stones.
The world is muddy—none know me,
So I soar aloft, unseeing, free.
I drive green dragons and white serpents in pair,
With Chonghua I roam in the garden of jade fair.
I mount Kunlun, eat jade blossoms bright,
To live as long as heaven and earth, and share the sun and moon's light.
Alas, the southern barbarians know me not,
At dawn I cross the river Jiang and Xiang's lot.
Climbing E'zhu, I look back with a sigh,
For the autumn wind still blows, cold and high.
I let my horse walk on the hillside bare,
And stop my carriage in the forest square.
In a skiff I go up the Yuan's stream,
Waving Wu oars to break the current's gleam.
The boat lingers and will not go,
Caught in the eddies, moving slow.
At dawn I start from Wangzhu's shore,
At dusk I rest at Chenyang's door.
If my heart is upright and true,
What harm if I am exiled far from view?
Entering Xupu, I wander, lost,
Bewildered, I know not where to cross.
The deep forest is dark and dim,
It is the home of apes and gibbons' hymn.
The mountains steep hide the sun's ray,
Below, dark and rainy, night and day.
Snow and sleet fall without bound,
Clouds and mists join the sky around.
Alas, my life has no delight,
I live alone in mountains' night.
But I cannot change my heart to follow the crowd,
So I must remain sorrowful and poor, unbowed.
Jieyu shaved his head, and Sanghu walked naked,
Loyal men are not always used, wise men are taken not, we take it.
Wu Zixu met calamity, Bi Gan was minced fine,
So it has been through all time—why should I resent this line?
I will hold to the right path without irresolution,
And so I will live in darkness all my life's motion.
Envoi:
The phoenix and the simurgh, day by day, fly far away;
The sparrows and the crows nest in the hall and the temple's array.
The fragrant herbs and flowers die in the thicket's shade,
The foul and vile are offered, but the pure cannot be made.
Yin and Yang change places—the season is not right,
I hold faith but am thwarted—I will go on my flight!

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Meaning

The poem recounts Qu Yuan's journey into exile across rivers and through mountains, expressing his unwavering integrity and grief at being misunderstood by a corrupt world.

我自幼就喜爱这奇特的服饰啊，年纪虽老而爱好不减。腰间佩着长长的宝剑啊，头戴高高的切云冠。身披明月珠啊佩戴美玉。世道混浊无人理解我啊，我正要高飞不顾而去。驾着青龙啊以白龙为骖，我与舜帝同游那瑶圃。登上昆仑啊餐食玉英，与天地同寿，与日月同光。可哀啊南方蛮夷无人知我，清晨我渡过江湘。登上鄂渚而回头眺望啊，叹息秋冬的余风。让我的马漫步山皋，把我的车停驻方林。乘着小船逆沅水而上啊，齐摇吴桨击水。船徘徊不进啊，困在回流中停滞。清晨从枉陼出发，傍晚宿于辰阳。只要我心端直啊，虽处僻远又有何伤。进入溆浦我彷徨啊，迷惘不知去向。深林幽暗渺茫啊，是猿猴居住的地方。山高峻遮蔽太阳啊，山下幽暗多雨。雪珠纷飞无边啊，云气霏霏连接屋宇。可哀啊我一生无欢乐，幽独处身山中。我不能变心而随俗啊，本当愁苦而穷困终身。接舆剃发啊，桑扈裸行。忠臣未必被用啊，贤人未必得进。伍子胥遭祸啊，比干被剁成肉酱。与前世都是如此啊，我又何必怨恨今人！我将守正道而不犹豫啊，本当重重昏蔽而终身！乱辞：鸾鸟凤凰，日益远去啊。燕雀乌鹊，筑巢于堂坛啊。露申辛夷，枯死林薄啊。腥臊并陈，芬芳不得近啊。阴阳错位，时运不济啊。怀抱忠信而失意，恍惚间我将远行啊！

Appreciation

This is a key piece from Qu Yuan's late works, recording his exile route from crossing the Jiang and Xiang rivers to entering Xupu. The 'strange attire' symbolizes his noble character. The description of the dark forest and endless snow reflects his lonely, firm spirit. The poem blends travel narrative with emotional outcry, using historical and mythical allusions to contrast the virtuous with the corrupt.

【白话串讲】 “世混浊而莫余知兮，吾方高驰而不顾”——屈原说：世界混浊没人懂我，那我就高飞远走，头也不回。他带着剑、戴着高冠，走向自己的理想。【意象与手法】诗以纪行为经、抒情为纬。起笔“奇服”“长铗”“切云”“明月宝璐”以衣饰象德，绚烂高洁【情感与主旨】《涉江》为屈原《九章》之一。约作于顷襄王时屈原再迁江南、溯沅水入溆浦之际。诗人借纪行抒怀【名句点睛】考点：一、“奇服”的象征意义（高洁品格）；二、纪行与抒情结合的结构；三、景物描写（深林、霰雪）对心境的烘托

Background

Written during Qu Yuan's second exile under King Qingxiang of Chu, as he traveled southward along the Yuan River. It is a realistic record of his exile route and a powerful statement of his refusal to compromise with corruption.

《涉江》收在《九章》之中。《九章》之名始见于刘向整理《楚辞》之时，共九篇，多非一时一地之作，是后人辑录屈原各期作品而成的一组。关于《涉江》的作年，学界主流看法是作于顷襄王时期屈原再迁江南之际。王逸《楚辞章句》题解谓此篇为屈原被放逐后所作，具体路线与篇中所写行程吻合：诗写「旦余济乎江湘」「乘鄂渚而反顾」「乘舲船余上沅」「朝发枉陼兮，夕宿辰阳」，又云「入溆浦余儃佪」，这条由鄂渚溯沅水、经枉陼辰阳而入溆浦的水路，正是楚国南境沅湘流域的实有地名。蒋骥《山带阁注楚辞》对此篇行程有详尽考订，认为屈原放逐江南时确有由郢都南行、渡江入湘、复溯沅入溆的行迹。溆浦在今湖南西部，古为黔中地，战国时为楚之荒远边地，篇中「深林杳以冥冥」「山峻高以蔽日」「霰雪纷其无垠」的阴晦景致，正是这一带真实的山林气候。篇中「哀南夷之莫吾知兮」一句，古人或解「南夷」为楚南蛮夷之地，或谓指溆浦当地土人，无论何说，都坐实了屈原身处荒服、与世隔绝的境遇。屈原的生平阶段亦可由此推知：此时他已由初放汉北进入再迁江南的晚年，前此的《离骚》《九章》诸篇多为政治失意之初的激切之词，而《涉江》虽仍志节不改，语气却多了行旅纪实的成分与幽处山中的孤寂况味，显示出从「怨」到「隐」的过渡。版本异文方面，此篇与《哀郢》等《九章》各篇在传本中文字略有出入，如「被明月兮佩宝璐」句，有的本子作「被明月兮佩宝璐」，与「带长铗」「冠切云」连读，皆以服饰起兴，各本差异不大，不影响大意。

Art

The poem interweaves journey narrative with lyrical emotion. It opens with a magnificent self-portrait in symbolic attire, then shifts to a mythical flight. The middle section describes the harsh landscape—deep forests, high mountains, endless snow—mirroring his inner desolation. The final envoi uses bird imagery to contrast worthy men and petty sycophants, creating a powerful, tragic effect.

此篇在《九章》中别具一格，原因在于它把纪行与抒情熔铸一体，形成「以行踪为经、以感慨为纬」的章法。起笔不写行旅，先写服饰：「余幼好此奇服兮，年既老而不衰」，以「奇服」总领，次第铺排「长铗」「切云」「明月」「宝璐」四物。这种以衣饰象德的手法源自《离骚》「扈江离与辟芷兮，纫秋兰以为佩」，但《涉江》写得更凝练，四物皆取高洁、锋利、光明之义，是诗人人格的外化。接着以「世混浊而莫余知兮，吾方高驰而不顾」一转，由写物转入抒情，再引出驾青虬、骖白螭、游瑶圃、登昆仑、食玉英的神游之辞，把现实的行旅升华为超现实的遨游，暗含「重华」（舜帝）这一理想明君形象，是《离骚》「吾将从彭咸之所居」同类的精神逃逸。第三层转入纪行实写，从「旦余济乎江湘」到「入溆浦余儃佪」，用「朝发……夕宿」的纪程句式，一程一景，节奏舒缓，景语即情语。末尾的「乱曰」以四字句为主，排比香草与恶鸟两类意象——鸾鸟凤皇远去、燕雀乌鹊巢堂、露申辛夷死林、腥臊并御芳不得薄，用对比意象收束全篇，笔力千钧。炼字上，「高驰」「陆离」「崔嵬」「疑滞」等词皆古雅而精准，尤其「淹回水而疑滞」七字，写船困回旋、欲进不得，实是诗人处境的自况。全篇情景相生，浪漫与现实交织，故朱熹《楚辞集注》谓其章法井然而笔力雄健，深得后人推重。

Allusions

The 'strange attire' (long sword, high cap, pearls and jade) echoes the tradition in Li Sao of using adornments to symbolize virtue. Chonghua (Shun) represents a sage ruler; Kunlun and jade blossoms are mythical realms of purity. Jieyu shaving his head and Sanghu walking naked are examples of ancient worthies who feigned madness. Wu Zixu and Bi Gan are martyred loyalists from history. These allusions reinforce the theme of unrecognized loyalty.

此篇用典极密，且多取自上古传说与历史人物。其一为舜帝：篇中「吾与重华游兮瑶之圃」，重华即帝舜之名。《离骚》「济沅湘以南征兮，就重华而陈词」已开屈原向舜陈情之端，《涉江》则更进一步，幻想与舜同游于昆仑瑶圃。舜在楚辞系统中是被放逐贤臣的精神依托，屈原借以自明所守之道与古圣王同源。其二为昆仑与玉英：「登昆仑兮食玉英」用《山海经》一类昆仑神话——昆仑为西王母所居、群神所会之山，玉英是仙人所食之物，食之可与天地同寿、日月同光。这组意象把诗人的高洁操守推向与宇宙同构的高度，是《离骚》「折琼枝以为羞兮，精琼爢以为粻」的延续。其三为接舆、桑扈：接舆是楚狂人，曾歌「凤兮凤兮」以讽孔子；桑扈（即桑户）是古代隐者。篇中「接舆髡首兮，桑扈臝行」并举二人，言其以毁形自放而不肯同流合污，是屈原自比。其四为伍子胥与比干：「伍子逢殃兮，比干菹醢」，伍子胥忠谏吴王夫差而赐死，比干谏纣王被剖心，二事皆为忠而见害的典型，屈原用以证明「忠不必用兮，贤不必以」是前世通例。香草恶鸟的意象系统则承《离骚》「鸾鸟凤凰，日以远兮」本即《涉江》乱辞，燕雀乌鹊喻谗佞小人，露申辛夷喻芳洁之士，皆自《离骚》的「兰芷变而不芳」一脉而来。学界对「南夷」歧解、「乱曰」是否为屈原原作等问题亦多讨论，然意象源流清晰可辨。

Commentary

Wang Yi (Han dynasty) said: 'Crossing the River was written by Qu Yuan... it tells of his extraordinary clothing and high aspirations.' Zhu Xi (Song dynasty) commented: 'This poem uses 'I' and 'my' repeatedly to state the purity of his will and the hardship of his times.' Modern scholars regard it as the finest of Qu Yuan's exile travel poems.

《涉江》历来是《九章》中最受选家青睐的篇目之一。王逸《楚辞章句》逐句作注，首次系统笺释此篇，其「奇服」注以服饰喻德行高洁，奠定了后世解读基调。朱熹《楚辞集注》将此篇与《哀郢》《怀沙》等并列，称其「忠义之发」，以为屈原九章之作皆出于孤忠。明代汪瑗《楚辞集解》、清代蒋骥《山带阁注楚辞》、戴震《屈原赋注》均对篇中地理、用典有细密考订，蒋骥尤以考行程著称。近人闻一多、郭沫若、游国恩等各有训释，游国恩《楚辞概论》视《涉江》为屈原晚年行吟江潭的实录，将纪行与抒情并观。在传播史上，「苟余心其端直兮，虽僻远之何伤」「吾不能变心而从俗兮，固将愁苦而终穷」数语被反复征引，成为士人守节不屈的座右铭。当代中学与高校教材多选此篇，其「奇服」的象征意义、纪行与抒情结合的结构、深林霰雪对心境的烘托，已成为通行的教学要点。值得注意的是，《涉江》与《哀郢》行程相近，古人有将二篇合并考订者，现代学者多主张分篇别观，此一编次与系年问题仍是楚辞研究中的一个争论点。此外，《涉江》中「奇服」的象征意蕴，现代学者多从楚地服饰文化与屈原人格自塑的关系切入，钱锺书《管锥编》亦曾拈出「奇服」与《离骚》服饰描写的互文，使此篇的研究由地理考订延伸到了文化心理的层面。

Prosody

Form Chuci·Jiuzhang (Sao style)楚辞（骚体）

Rhyme Lines rhyme in pairs with shifting rhymes, e.g., -ai, -ang, -in, -ong, etc.全篇以「兮」字为节奏枢纽，韵脚随段落转换，纪行段多用幽暗低回的韵部，乱辞段改用嘹亮斩截的韵脚，声情与文情相生。

Tone pattern Irregular (Sao style uses 'xi' as a rhythmic pause)楚辞无近体格律之平仄定式，其声调之美在于句中「兮」字与上下文的抑扬配合，以及骚体句「□□□□□□兮」与乱辞四字句的交替所造成的疾徐变化。

Reading note Irregular line lengths with the exclamatory 'xi'; the envoi (luan) sums up the theme.《涉江》是典型的骚体诗，其形制有几点值得细究。其一是「兮」字的用法：本篇「兮」多置于句中偏后，如「余幼好此奇服兮」「世混浊而莫余知兮」，读时于「兮」处自然一顿，前六字连读，末字作长音收束，形成「六三」或「六二」的节奏单位，舒缓而回荡，与近体诗的整齐平仄判然有别。其二是句式的整散变化：篇首写服饰、神游诸段用整齐的骚体长句，至「入溆浦余儃佪」以下，纪行写景，句式渐趋参差；而篇末「乱曰」陡然换作「鸾鸟凤皇，日以远兮」的四四句式，每句短促，两两对举，如鼓点骤急，把全篇情感推至高潮后戛然而止。这一「乱」的形制是乐章尾声，楚辞中《离骚》《哀郢》皆有，但《涉江》的乱辞用恶鸟香草的对比意象作结，尤见铿锵。其三是韵脚的换转：纪行段落的韵多收于低沉幽暗之音，配合「疑滞」「冥冥」「多雨」「无垠」等字，读来如入寒林；乱辞换韵则转趋清亮，与「阴阳易位，时不当兮」的悲慨交织。这种以声调传情的手法，正是楚辞区别于《诗经》四言体的一大特色，也是后世辞赋体「六朝声律」的远源之一。

Line by line

余幼好此奇服兮，年既老而不衰

From my youth I have loved this strange attire, / And still in age I do not tire.

我自幼就喜爱这奇特的服饰啊，年纪虽老而爱好不减。

From youth I loved this strange attire; now that I am old, the love has not waned.

开篇以服饰自况，是全篇立意之纲。「奇服」非实指某一装束，而是诗人自铸的高洁人格符号，与世俗的「混浊」相对。一个「幼」字与「老」字对举，跨度一生，说明此志非一时兴起，而是与生俱来、历久弥坚的禀性。「不衰」二字尤见筋骨，衰者，衰减也，诗人不言「不改」而言「不衰」，强调的是岁月风霜不能消磨其初志。这句与《离骚》「扈江离与辟芷兮，纫秋兰以为佩」同旨，但少了几分铺陈，多了斩截之力，为下文神游昆仑、行吟溆浦的种种奇行张本。

The attire. From youth I loved this strange attire; now that I am old, the love has not waned. The youth-loved-strange-attire and the old-love-not-waned are the opening. To have loved the attire would be a loving; the from-youth-i-loved-this-strange-attire-now-that-i-am-old-the-love-has-not-waned is the loving.

登昆仑兮食玉英，与天地兮同寿，与日月兮同光

I mount Kunlun, eat jade blossoms bright, / To live as long as heaven and earth, and share the sun and moon's light.

登上昆仑啊餐食玉英，与天地同寿，与日月同光。

I climb Kunlun and eat the jade flowers; my life matches heaven and earth, my light equals sun and moon.

三句一气而下，是全诗浪漫精神的高峰。昆仑是神话中的众神之山，玉英是仙人之食，登昆仑、食玉英，即是要挣脱尘世樊笼，与天地日月相始终。这并非消极的出世之想，而是屈原以「精神不死」对抗「身之放逐」的宣言——现实中的他被放逐南荒，精神上却要超升于日月之上。三句中「同寿」「同光」叠用「同」字，层层加码，声调昂扬，与篇中纪行段落的阴郁低沉形成鲜明对照，一放一收之间，诗人内心的两个世界——理想的高蹈与现实的重压——被完整地呈现出来。

The Kunlun. I climb Kunlun and eat the jade flowers; my life matches heaven and earth, my light equals sun and moon. The climb-Kunlun-eat-jade-flowers and the life-matches-heaven-earth and the light-equals-sun-moon are the transcendence. To have climbed Kunlun would be a climbing; the i-climb-kunlun-and-eat-the-jade-flowers-my-life-matches-heaven-and-earth-my-light-equals-sun-and-moon is the climbing.

苟余心其端直兮，虽僻远之何伤

If my heart is upright and true, / What harm if I am exiled far from view?

只要我心端直啊，虽处僻远又有何伤。

If my heart is upright and straight, what harm in being far and solitary?

此句是纪行段落中突然迸出的自白，也是全篇情感的枢纽。「苟」字领起假设，「虽」字作让步，一抑一扬，逻辑极简而意志极坚。「端直」是屈原道德的核心词，端者正也，直者不屈也，与「变心从俗」截然对立。「僻远」指身所处的地之荒远，也暗指政治上的被弃；而「何伤」二字以反问出之，轻描淡写间见出将穷通置之度外的气度。它在行旅纪实中插入，如林间一隙天光，使读者在幽晦的景物描写中，仍能看见诗人那颗不肯屈折的心。

The upright. If my heart is upright and straight, what harm in being far and solitary? The heart-upright-straight and the what-harm-far-solitary are the resolve. To have been upright would be a being; the if-my-heart-is-upright-and-straight-what-harm-in-being-far-and-solitary is the being.

霰雪纷其无垠兮，云霏霏而承宇

Snow and sleet fall without bound, / Clouds and mists join the sky around.

雪珠纷飞无边啊，云气霏霏连接屋宇。

The sleet and snow fly without bound; the clouds press thick upon the eaves.

两句写溆浦山中的冬日景象，是楚辞中写景最工的名句之一。「霰雪纷其无垠」写纵向，雪珠漫天，视界为之阻断，一个「无垠」把囚居之地的荒寒推向极致；「云霏霏而承宇」写横向，云雾低垂，与屋檐相接，天地间仿佛只剩一方逼仄的斗室。景语背后俱是情语：霰雪的纷乱正是心绪的纷乱，云雾的蔽塞正是前路的蔽塞。诗人不直说愁苦，而愁苦已从这无边无际的雨雪云雾中渗出来，此种以景写心、不着一字而尽得风流的笔法，后世杜甫「无边落木萧萧下」、柳宗元「孤舟蓑笠翁」皆受其沾溉。

The snow. The sleet and snow fly without bound; the clouds press thick upon the eaves. The sleet-snow-fly-unbound and the clouds-thick-eaves are the desolation. To have flown without bound would be a flying; the the-sleet-and-snow-fly-without-bound-the-clouds-press-thick-upon-the-eaves is the flying.

Study

Word focus

陆离 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. 「陆离」形容长铗（长剑）的光彩斑驳、修长美好，是楚辞中特有的联绵词。《离骚》有「纷总总其离合兮，斑陆离其上下」，与本篇同出一源。此处「带长铗之陆离」一句，「陆离」置于「长铗」之后作补语，写剑光流转之貌，把一件佩饰写得有声有色。剑在古人象征尚武与刚直，陆离的光彩又添一层光明磊落之意，与「切云之崔嵬」的巍峨冠冕、「被明月」「佩宝璐」的珠玉辉映，共同构成一组光华夺目的人格图景，暗示诗人志行之高洁明丽，非尘俗所能掩。

高驰 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. 「高驰」出「吾方高驰而不顾」句，与上文「世混浊而莫余知」紧相承接。「高」是方位词转用的妙笔，非言驰之速，而言驰之境界——不是落荒而逃，而是向更高处超升；「驰」则有决绝迅疾之势，写诗人一旦决计便义无反顾。「不顾」二字与之呼应，更见其去意之坚。三字连读，声调由平而急，一种昂然高举、不肯俯就世俗的姿态跃然纸上。这一「高驰」的神态，正是下文驾虬骖螭、游圃登昆的精神准备，是全篇由实入虚的关键动作。

董道 to hold fast to the right path 「董道」出「余将董道而不豫兮」句，是全篇精神的最强音。「董」训为正、督正之意，「董道」即守正而行、以正道自持。「不豫」是不犹豫、不动摇，二字斩钉截铁。这一句与前文「不能变心而从俗」互为表里，一从反面说（不能变），一从正面说（将董道），正反相济，把诗人的选择说得无一丝游移。值得注意的是，此句之后紧接「固将重昏而终身」，明知守道将终身沉沦于昏暗，却仍以「固」字（本当如此）坦然受之，正是这「董道」二字所蕴含的殉道精神。