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先秦 Pre-Qin · 楚辞 Chu Ci

橘颂

Ode to the Orange Tree

屈原

Qu Yuan

咏物Object Lyric 品格Character

后皇嘉树，橘徕服兮。
受命不迁，生南国兮。
深固难徙，更壹志兮。
绿叶素荣，纷其可喜兮。
曾枝剡棘，圆果抟兮。
青黄杂糅，文章烂兮。
精色内白，类任道兮。
纷缊宜修，姱而不丑兮。
嗟尔幼志，有以异兮。
独立不迁，岂不可喜兮？
深固难徙，廓其无求兮。
苏世独立，横而不流兮。
闭心自慎，终不过失兮。
秉德无私，参天地兮。
愿岁并谢，与长友兮。
淑离不淫，梗其有理兮。
年岁虽少，可师长兮。
行比伯夷，置以为像兮。

O royal tree of earth and sky,
The orange comes to serve on high.
By nature's law it cannot move,
Born in the southern land to prove.
Deep-rooted, hard to shift its place,
With single mind it keeps its grace.
Green leaves and blossoms white are seen,
How rich and lovely the whole scene!
Layered boughs with sharp spines grow,
Round fruits in clusters tightly glow.
Mixed green and gold, a splendor bright,
With radiant pattern and pure light.
Bright skin, white flesh within,
Like one who bears the Way akin.
Fragrant and fair, well-groomed and neat,
Lovely and flawless, so complete.
Alas, your youthful will so grand,
From common ways you take your stand.
Alone, unmoved, how can we not
Rejoice in this your noble lot?
Deep-rooted, hard to move or sway,
With spacious heart you have no greed.
Awake to the world, alone you stay,
Across the stream you will not speed.
With closed heart, cautious and true,
No fault or error comes to you.
Holding virtue without a stain,
You join the heaven and earth's domain.
I wish to fade with passing years,
And be your friend through joys and tears.
So fair, not lascivious or base,
With upright trunk and reasoned grace.
Though young in years, you are a guide,
Your deeds like Boyi's stand with pride.
I set you up as a model true,
To emulate in all I do.

Listen

Meaning

The poem praises the orange tree for its immutable nature, growing only in the southern lands, and draws a parallel to an ideal person of steadfast virtue, independence, and inner purity. Qu Yuan expresses his own loyalty and noble character through the orange.

皇天后土间嘉美的树，橘树生来就适应这方水土。禀受天命不可迁移，只生长在南方。根深蒂固难以迁徙，志向专一。绿叶白花，繁盛可喜；层叠的枝条尖刺凛然，圆圆的果实团团。青黄相间，文采灿烂；外色精鲜内瓤洁白，类乎任道之君子。香气纷郁、修饰得宜，美好而不丑陋。赞叹你少年之志与众不同：独立不迁，岂不可喜？深固难徙，豁达而无贪求；清醒独立于世，横逆而不随波逐流。内省自慎，终无过失；秉持美德无私，可参配天地。愿与岁月同谢、与你长相为友；善美而不放纵，枝干梗直而有理。你年岁虽少，却足为师长；德行可比伯夷，立你为榜样。

Appreciation

The poem is divided into two parts: the first describes the orange tree's form—its ordained immobility, deep roots, green leaves, white blossoms, and bright fruits; the second praises its spirit—youthful ambition, independence, self-discipline, and virtue. Through personification and moral analogy, the orange embodies the poet's own integrity.

【白话串讲】屈原写橘树：“受命不迁，生南国兮”——生在南国，就绝不迁移。他借橘树立誓：我要像橘树一样，扎根故土，坚守不移。这是中国第一首咏物言志诗。【意象与手法】此诗为先秦屈原之作，精要赏析详见下方深度赏析。【情感与主旨】《橘颂》为屈原《九章》之首篇(一说独立成篇)，约作于屈原早年任楚怀王左徒、志洁行芳之时【名句点睛】此诗为先秦屈原之作，精要赏析详见下方深度赏析。

Background

Composed during Qu Yuan's early years as a minister in the Chu court, 'Ode to the Orange Tree' is the first chapter of the 'Nine Chapters' (or an independent piece). The orange, native to Chu, symbolizes Qu Yuan's loyalty to his homeland and his refusal to serve other states. It is the first complete object-lyric poem in Chinese literature.

《橘颂》是屈原《九章》中的一篇，通常列为《九章》首篇，一说原为独立成篇的早年作品。关于其创作年代，学界主要有两说。一说作于屈原早年任楚怀王左徒、志洁行芳之时，此说以郭沫若为代表，认为《橘颂》乃屈原青年时代借咏橘以自励之作，全篇朝气蓬勃、明朗乐观，与《离骚》《九章》其他篇章的悲愤沉痛风格迥异，故当系早年。另一说认为作于屈原放逐江南之后，以橘之「受命不迁」自誓对故土的忠贞，王逸《楚辞章句》即主此说，谓「屈原自喻才德如橘树」。二说各有据，今之选本多从早年说。橘树「受命不迁」「生南国」，据《考工记》「橘逾淮而北为枳」之说，橘树只能生长于南方，逾淮则化为枳，这一物性正与屈原对故国楚地的忠贞相合，故诗人托橘自况。此诗全用四言为主的整饬句式，近于《诗经》体，是《九章》中形式最整饬、情调最明朗的一篇，也是中国文学史上咏物诗之祖。《橘颂》的「颂」体之名亦由此篇得义，王逸《楚辞章句》谓「美橘之有是德，故曰颂」，可见其以「颂」名篇，实为赞颂橘树之美德。此篇在《九章》中的编次与创作年代，历来是楚辞研究的一桩公案，而无论早年晚年之说，其托橘自况、以物明志的宗旨则无异议。橘树「深固难徙」「受命不迁」的物性，与屈原「受命不迁」的忠贞，在诗中浑然合一，使这篇咏物之作成为屈子人格的自我写照。

Art

The poem progresses from outer form (leaves, flowers, fruits) to inner virtue (immobility, independence, purity), using personification and analogy throughout. The four-character line with 'xi' particles gives a rhythmic elegance. The dual meanings of 'unmovable' and 'awake to the world' create a powerful blend of object and self.

《橘颂》的艺术特色在于托物言志、人橘合一，开创了后世咏物诗的先河。全诗前半咏橘之形质，后半颂橘之品格，由外及内、由形及神，层层深入。前半「后皇嘉树」总起，赞其为天地所生的嘉美之树；「受命不迁，生南国兮」写其禀性坚贞；「深固难徙，更壹志兮」写其根深志一；「绿叶素荣，纷其可喜兮」写其叶花之繁盛；「曾枝剡棘，圆果抟兮」写其枝果之形；「青黄杂糅，文章烂兮」写其色采之斑斓；「精色内白，类任道兮」写其内质之洁白，至此已由写树转入写人，为后半的颂扬作铺垫。后半「嗟尔幼志」一转，直呼橘而赞其志，「独立不迁」「深固难徙」「苏世独立，横而不流」「闭心自慎」「秉德无私」等句，句句咏橘，句句写人，橘之品格即屈原之品格。结以「行比伯夷，置以为像兮」，以古贤伯夷为喻，立橘为楷模。全篇以四言为主，间以「兮」字，句式整饬，节奏明快，与所颂之坚贞明朗相副。此篇在结构上「前咏其形、后颂其神」的双层写法，开后世咏物诗「物我分写、终归合一」的先河。前半从根、叶、花、枝、果、色、质诸端层层写橘，是「体物」之工；后半转入「嗟尔幼志」，直呼橘而颂其德，是「写志」之切。由体物到写志，由橘之形质到人之品格，过渡自然、浑然无迹。全篇四言整饬、语言古雅，「后皇嘉树」「绿叶素荣」「文章烂兮」诸句，色彩明丽而气象庄重，把咏物与颂德、写实与象征熔于一炉，是屈原咏物艺术的最高体现。

Allusions

The line 'By nature's law it cannot move' alludes to the saying from the 'Zhuangzi' that oranges grown south of the Huai become trifoliate oranges elsewhere. Boyi (Bo Yi) was a virtuous prince who starved rather than betray his principles, used here as a model of loyalty.

《橘颂》的意象与用典皆有渊源。「后皇」即皇天后土，指天地，《左传》及《楚辞》他篇多见此语，以天地并称赞橘之禀赋非凡。「橘徕服兮」的「服」训「习」，谓橘树习服南土的水土，暗用「橘逾淮而北为枳」的古语，此说见于《周礼·考工记》与《晏子春秋》，屈原借橘的「不迁」以喻自己坚守故国的节操。「伯夷」典出《史记·伯夷列传》与《论语》，伯夷、叔齐不食周粟、采薇而死的孤忠，与屈原的忠贞形成同构，故诗以「行比伯夷」收束，立伯夷为橘、亦为己的人格标尺。「苏世独立，横而不流」的「苏」训「寤」、清醒之意，「横」训「逆」、横逆之意，二句谓清醒独立于浊世、横逆而不随波逐流，与《渔父》「举世皆浊我独清」同一怀抱。「秉德无私，参天地兮」的「参天地」，源自《中庸》「赞天地之化育」「与天地参」的儒家理想，以德配天、与天地并立，可见屈原思想中儒家的成分。全篇以橘为喻，把物性、德性、人性融为一体，是其「香草美人」象征体系之外，另一路以嘉树自况的咏物先声。「后皇」一语，本指天地，《左传·昭公二十九年》「官宿其业」注引古语有「后皇嘉树」，屈原则取其语以赞橘树之禀赋，可见「后皇嘉树」四字自有更古的语源。「橘徕服兮」的「徕」训「来」，「服」训「习」，谓橘树来而习服南土，暗用《晏子春秋》「橘生淮南则为橘，生于淮北则为枳」的古语，此说又见《周礼·考工记》，屈原借橘之「不迁」以自誓，其典源之古、用意之深，皆可考见。全篇以橘喻人，把物性、德性、人性三者打通，是「香草美人」体系之外的又一象征路数。

Commentary

Wang Yi's 'Chuci Zhangju' says, 'Qu Yuan wrote this to praise the orange's virtue.' Zhu Xi adds that Qu Yuan compared his own integrity to the orange. Lin Yunming of the Qing dynasty noted that every line praises the orange yet every line is not about the orange alone—Qu Yuan and the orange become one.

《橘颂》在中国咏物诗史上具有开创地位。刘勰《文心雕龙·辨骚》论楚辞，虽未专评《橘颂》，然其「朗丽以哀志」之语可移评此篇之朗丽。王逸《楚辞章句》注《橘颂》，谓「美橘之有是德，故曰颂」，「颂」体之名正由此篇得义。朱熹《楚辞集注》谓此篇「原自喻其才德」，其说为后世主流。清代林云铭《楚辞灯》、蒋骥《山带阁注楚辞》皆推此篇为屈原早年明志之作，赞其「通篇以橘字为经，德字为纬」。就文体史而言，《橘颂》以咏物而寄人格，上承《诗经·关雎》的比兴、下启后世无数咏物言志之作，陆游咏梅、于谦咏石灰，皆可溯其源。此篇四言整饬、情调明朗，在《楚辞》中以「颂」体独树一帜，被今人选入多种教材，是楚辞中较少见、而最能见屈子早岁高洁之志的作品。《橘颂》在中国咏物诗史上的开创地位，历来为论者所公认。刘勰《文心雕龙·颂赞》论「颂」体，谓「美盛德而述形容」，正可移评此篇。王逸、朱熹以来的注家，皆谓此篇为屈原自喻其才德，其说已成定论。清代林云铭《楚辞灯》赞此篇「通篇以橘字为经，德字为纬」，蒋骥《山带阁注楚辞》亦推为早年明志之作。就影响而言，此篇「托物言志」的写法，下启后世无数咏物之作，陆游咏梅、于谦咏石灰、郑燮咏竹，皆可溯其源。此篇以「颂」为体、以橘为喻、以四言为式，在《楚辞》中独树一帜，既见屈原对《诗经》传统的承继，又见其自铸伟辞的创造，是理解楚辞文体多样性的关键之作。

Prosody

Form Chuci · Jiuzhang (Sao style with xi particles)楚辞（骚体），四言为主，全篇共三十六句，分前后两段

Rhyme Irregular rhyme groups: fu/guo, zhi/xi, tuan/lan/dao, yi/xi/qiu/liu, shi/shi/di, you/li/zi/xiang全篇隔句用韵、频繁换韵，韵脚服、国、志、喜、棘、黄、烂、白、丑、异、喜、求、流、失、地、友、理、师、像等，属上古音韵部（职、之、觉、元、阳等部），依楚音相押

Tone pattern Mainly four-character lines with intermittent longer lines, not strictly parallel, emphasizing rhythmic expressiveness.此篇以四言句为主，间以五言，每句末缀「兮」字，句式整齐近于《诗经》四言，而无平仄之律。节奏以二二顿为主，如「后皇嘉树」「受命不迁」，读来庄重铿锵，与《离骚》的长句咏叹风格不同。

Reading note The first complete object-lyric poem in Chinese literature, establishing the tradition of 'tuo wu yan zhi'.《橘颂》是《九章》中形式最整饬的一篇，全诗三十六句，以四言为主，如「后皇嘉树」「绿叶素荣」「深固难徙」「秉德无私」，间以五言如「橘徕服兮」前的四字加「兮」的结构，句式整齐，近于《诗经》四言体的庄重古朴，而与《离骚》《九歌》的长句参差迥异。每句末缀「兮」字，如「受命不迁，生南国兮」，「兮」字作语气顿宕，使四言的整饬中又添楚辞特有的悠扬摇曳，所谓「四言其体，楚声其调」。用韵方面，全篇隔句押韵而频繁换韵，如首章「服」「国」属职部，「志」属之部（之职对转），「喜」属之部，次章换「棘」「黄」诸韵，皆上古音韵部，依楚地方音而押，非后世平水韵所能范围。此篇无平仄格律，其声情之美全在四言句式的铿锵与「兮」字的顿宕，庄重而不板滞、明快而不轻浮。作为楚辞中唯一全篇四言的「颂」体，它在《诗经》四言与楚辞骚体之间架起桥梁，上承《诗经》之雅正，下启汉魏四言之端绪，其体式在楚辞诸篇中独树一帜。

Line by line

后皇嘉树，橘徕服兮

Fair tree of earth and heaven, the orange is native here.

皇天后土间嘉美的树，橘树生来就适应这方水土。

Fair tree of the earth and heaven, the orange is born native to this soil.

「后皇」指天地，开篇即以天地并称，赋予橘树以崇高而神圣的出身。「嘉树」的「嘉」字总评其美，是全篇的纲领。「橘徕服兮」写橘树生来便习服这方水土，「服」训「习」，既写其物性之自然，又暗含其志节之坚定。以「后皇」领起，气象庄重；以「徕服」作结，点出橘与南国的不可分离。四言二句，句式整饬而气韵古雅，为全篇的咏橘奠定了既庄重又亲切的基调，是咏物诗中「立其总纲」的典范起笔。以「后皇」之尊写「橘」之微，先扬其格，为全篇的颂扬定下高格。

The tree. Fair tree of earth and heaven, the orange is native here. The fair-tree-earth-heaven and the orange-native-here are the opening. To have been fair would be a being; the fair-tree-of-earth-and-heaven-the-orange-is-native-here is the being.

苏世独立，横而不流兮

Awake, it stands alone, upright and not swept along.

清醒独立于世，横逆而不随波逐流。

Awake to the age, it stands alone, upright and not swept downstream.

「苏世独立」的「苏」训「寤」、清醒，谓橘树（亦谓诗人）清醒独立于浊世，不为世俗所污；「横而不流」的「横」训「逆」，谓虽处横逆之中而不随波逐流。「独立」与「不流」对举，一写其立身之孤，一写其守志之坚，是全篇人格精神的核心所在。此二句既写橘树挺立南国、不随水土而迁的物性，更是屈原自誓其坚守节操、不与浊世同流的宣言，与《渔父》「举世皆浊我独清」异曲而同工，是《橘颂》中最见风骨的名句。此语既咏橘之根性，亦咏人之节操，物我之间，几不可辨。

The upright. Awake, it stands alone, upright and not swept along. The awake-stands-alone and the upright-not-swept are the integrity. To have stood alone would be a standing; the awake-it-stands-alone-upright-and-not-swept-along is the standing.

秉德无私，参天地兮

Holding virtue without self, it stands equal with heaven and earth.

秉持美德无私，可参配天地。

Holding virtue without selfishness, it stands equal with heaven and earth.

「秉德无私」写橘之德性，谓其秉持美德而无一己之私；「参天地兮」写此德的至高境界，谓可与天地并立而三。「参天地」源自《中庸》「赞天地之化育」「与天地参」的儒家理想，屈原以此评橘，实则自明其志——以无私之德立于天地之间，这是古代士人最高的道德期许。由咏橘的「精色内白」写到「秉德无私」，由物性进于德性，再由德性进于与天地参的宇宙境界，层层升腾，把咏物诗推向了人格理想的高度。「参天地」三字，遂使咏物诗的境界由物及天，臻于极致。

The virtue. Holding virtue without self, it stands equal with heaven and earth. The holding-virtue-without-self and the stands-equal-heaven-earth are the height. To have held the virtue would be a holding; the holding-virtue-without-self-it-stands-equal-with-heaven-and-earth is the holding.

行比伯夷，置以为像兮

Its conduct matches Boyi; I set it as my model.

德行可比伯夷，立你为榜样。

Its conduct matches Boyi; I set it up as my model.

结句以古贤伯夷为喻，收束全篇。伯夷不食周粟、饿死首阳，是孤忠守节的典范，屈原以「行比伯夷」评橘，既赞橘之坚贞如伯夷之孤忠，也以伯夷为自身的楷模。「置以为像」谓立橘（亦立伯夷）为榜样，「像」训「法」「榜样」，一个「像」字点出全篇的写作宗旨——咏橘非为橘，乃为立一可供效法的品格之像。以古贤收束，使咏物与明志最终合一，人橘浑然莫辨，是全篇托物言志的最终完成，也是中国咏物诗「言在此而意在彼」的开山示范。

The model. Its conduct matches Boyi; I set it as my model. The conduct-matches-Boyi and the set-as-model are the close. To have matched Boyi would be a matching; the its-conduct-matches-boyi-i-set-it-as-my-model is the matching.

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Word focus

嘉 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. 「嘉」字是《橘颂》的总纲领，开篇「后皇嘉树」即以「嘉」评橘，总领全篇。嘉者，美也，善也，一字兼摄橘树的形质之美与品格之善。后世咏物诗多以「嘉」字立骨，正溯于此。屈原以「嘉」评橘，与《离骚》以「修」「姱」评己一脉相承，皆见其对「美善相兼」的追求。此字居于篇首，如文章之「立意」，先立其总，而后「素荣」「文章」「精色内白」「秉德无私」诸般形容，皆此一「嘉」字的具体展开，一字立骨而全篇纲举目张。以「嘉」领起，如文章之立意，先立其总，而后层层敷陈。

不迁 Unmovable; a key phrase implying both the orange's inability to grow elsewhere and the poet's unwavering loyalty. 「不迁」是全篇反复咏叹的核心语词，「受命不迁」「独立不迁」两见。橘树「逾淮而北为枳」，只生南国、不可迁移，这一物性经屈原点化，成为坚守故土、矢志不移的人格象征。「不迁」二字，写橘树之根深难徙，亦写诗人对楚国的忠贞不二，物性与心志在此叠合。全篇咏橘，实咏此「不迁」之节；后世「受命不迁」遂成节士守志的成语，其源正在此篇。二字平仄相谐、声调斩截，读来掷地有声，与所颂之坚贞正相副。物性与心志的叠合，正赖此二字完成，是咏物明志的关键。

参 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. 「参」字见于「参天地兮」，训「并立」「参合」，谓橘树之德可与天地并立而三。「参」本为「叁」的通假字，含「三」义，天地为人、人亦参天，即《中庸》「与天地参」之意。一个「参」字，把橘树从草木之微提升到与天地并列的宇宙高度，完成了咏物诗由物及人、由人及天的精神飞跃。以「参」字写德之极致，既见屈原儒家思想的根底，也见其炼字的举重若轻——一字而尽得「德配天地」的宏大境界。「参」之境界，遂使全篇由咏物升华为明道，是屈子胸襟的终极写照。

橘颂