清 Qing · 诗 Poem
广州吊古
Mourning the Past at Guangzhou
山川灵气会都司，旧作佗宫枕海湄。
一自名王来骆越，至今天子是屠耆。
无才绝道称南武，有恨祠天杀贰师。
邸第荒凉馀白草，牛羊踯躅为谁悲。
Since the famed king came to Luo-Yue, to this day the Son of Heaven is a Tu-Qi.
With no talent he cut the roads and styled himself Nan-Wu; with a grudge he sacrificed to heaven and killed the Er-Shi.
The mansions stand desolate, left with white grass; the cattle and sheep linger — for whom do they grieve?
Meaning
The spirit of the hills and streams gathers at the garrison town; of old it made the palace of Zhao Tuo, pillowed by the sea's shore. Since the famed king came to Luo-Yue and held power, to this day the Son of Heaven is a Tu-Qi (a barbarian title). With no talent he cut the roads and styled himself Nan-Wu; with a grudge he sacrificed to heaven and killed the Er-Shi general. The noble mansions stand desolate, left only with white grass; the cattle and sheep linger — for whom do they weep?
山川的灵气汇聚于都司之地，旧时曾作赵佗的宫室枕靠着海边。自从那位名王来到骆越称雄，到如今天子竟是屠耆（异族之君）。无才者断绝通道自号南武，有恨者祠天而杀贰师将军。王侯邸第荒凉只剩白草，牛羊徘徊踯躅，究竟在为谁悲泣？
Appreciation
The whole poem moves from place to history, from prosperity to decline. The first couplet points the Guangzhou terrain and the old Zhao Tuo palace site; 'pillowed by the sea's shore' writes the grandeur of a coastal hegemony. The second couplet, 'since' and 'to this day', opens vast and closes tight, setting 'famed king' against 'Tu-Qi' — the contrast of past and present is sharp and the satire shows itself. The third couplet uses the two tales of Zhao Tuo styling himself Nan-Wu and sacrificing to kill the Er-Shi, dense and grievous. The closing couplet ends on desolate white grass and lingering cattle and sheep, ending on scene to convey feeling, desolate without end. The language is substantial yet the edge is inward — most showing Weng Shan's manner of 'generous yet containing reserve'.
【白话串讲】 屈大均凭吊广州：“山川灵气会都司，旧作佗宫枕海湄”——赵佗的南越王宫。“一自名王来骆越，至今天子是屠耆”。“邸第荒凉馀白草，牛羊踯躅为谁悲”——他写故国，写的是亡明之痛。 【意象与手法】 全诗结构由地及史、由盛转衰。首联点广州形胜与佗宫故迹，'枕海湄'写出滨海霸业之雄 【情感与主旨】 屈大均（1629—1696）明末清初广东番禺人，曾参加抗清，失败后为僧，诗与陈恭尹、梁佩兰称'岭南三家' 【名句点睛】 本诗为屈大均代表作，赏析重在'借古讽今'。考点
Background
Qu Dajun (1629–1696) was a man of Panyu, Guangdong, at the Ming-Qing turn; he joined the resistance, and after failure became a monk. With Chen Gongyin and Liang Peilan he is called the 'Three Masters of Lingnan'. 'Mourning the Past at Guangzhou' borrows the history of the Southern Yue to vent the feeling of a changed dynasty. Guangzhou was anciently the capital of the Southern Yue; Zhao Tuo founded his state there. The poet, living at the Ming-Qing transition, uses 'mourning the past' in name but in truth mourns the fall of the Ming. 'To this day the Son of Heaven is a Tu-Qi' uses the Han term Tu-Qi (a Xiongnu title) to hint at the Qing emperor, quietly showing the loyalist's sting; his poems were often banned in the Qianlong era precisely for such 'offenses'.
《广州吊古》为清代屈大均所作，是写广州形胜、南越史事、故国之慨的诗。屈大均（1630—1696），字翁山，番禺人，明末清初诗人。此诗：山川灵气会都司，旧作佗宫枕海湄。一自名王来骆越，至今天子是屠耆。无才绝道称南武，有恨祠天杀贰师。汉代中兴非得已，尉佗犹自费猜疑。全诗写广州形胜、南越史事、故国之慨，是屈大均诗的名篇。
Art
The whole poem moves from place to history, from prosperity to decline. The first couplet points the Guangzhou terrain and the old Zhao Tuo palace site; 'pillowed by the sea's shore' writes the grandeur of a coastal hegemony. The second couplet, 'since' and 'to this day', opens vast and closes tight, setting 'famed king' against 'Tu-Qi' — the contrast of past and present is sharp and the satire shows itself. The third couplet uses the two tales of Zhao Tuo styling himself Nan-Wu and sacrificing to kill the Er-Shi, dense and grievous. The closing couplet ends on desolate white grass and lingering cattle and sheep, ending on scene to convey feeling, desolate without end. The language is substantial yet the edge is inward — most showing Weng Shan's manner of 'generous yet containing reserve'.
《广州吊古》艺术上以广州形胜的铺陈与史事之咏的深慨见长。全诗八句，层层写来：前二句写山川形胜——“山川灵气会都司，旧作佗宫枕海湄”写山川灵气、佗宫枕海湄；中四句写南越史事——“一自名王来骆越，至今天子是屠耆”写名王来骆越、天子的屠耆，“无才绝道称南武，有恨祠天杀贰师”写无才称南武、有恨杀贰师；末二句写汉代中兴——“汉代中兴非得已，尉佗犹自费猜疑”写汉代中兴非得已、尉佗费猜疑。全诗以广州形胜写史事之慨，正是屈大均诗深慨的笔法。
Allusions
The Southern Yue allusions are deeply bearing. 'Zhao Tuo palace' refers to the Southern Yue king's palace Zhao Tuo built. 'Famed king came to Luo-Yue' says Zhao Tuo set himself up in the Luo-Yue land. 'Tu-Qi' is originally the Xiongnu left-and-right Tu-Qi king title; the poet borrows it to point at the Qing court, quietly holding the sting of 'barbarian'. 'Nan-Wu' uses Zhao Tuo's styling himself king of Nan-Wu; 'killed the Er-Shi' refers to Zhao Tuo sacrificing to heaven and killing the Han Er-Shi general (or broadly resisting Han), using the old tale to hint at the grudge of the old country's resistance. The whole poem uses the Han–Southern-Yue relation to shadow the Ming–Qing transition — most showing the loyalist method of 'mourning the past to satirize the present'.
《广州吊古》用典在“佗宫”“骆越”“屠耆”“南武”“贰师”“尉佗”。“佗宫”写南越王赵佗之宫；“骆越”写岭南百越之地；“屠耆”写匈奴单于之号；“南武”写南武侯（岭南王号）；“贰师”用李广利贰师之典；“尉佗”写南越王赵佗。全诗以这些典故咏南越史事，用典自然而深慨自见，正是屈大均诗的笔法。
Commentary
Qu Dajun's poetic talent is bold and full of generous air; Weng Shan, with Chen Gongyin and Liang Peilan, is called the 'Three Masters of Lingnan'. Works like 'Mourning the Past at Guangzhou' were often banned for 'treasonous words' yet later praised as 'the Du Fu of Lingnan'. Shen Deqian said his poetry 'like an angry lion drinking at the ravine, a sudden lightning searching the wood'; this poem is desolate yet reserved, exactly showing the bone of his loyalist poetry.
《广州吊古》是屈大均诗的名篇，也是清初咏史怀古诗的代表作。此诗写广州形胜、南越史事、故国之慨，向为论者称道。论者多赏其广州形胜的铺陈与史事之咏的深慨——“山川灵气会都司，旧作佗宫枕海湄”写山川灵气、佗宫枕海，深慨之极；“一自名王来骆越，至今天子是屠耆”写名王骆越、天子屠耆，更见其史；“汉代中兴非得已，尉佗犹自费猜疑”写汉代中兴、尉佗猜疑，尤见其慨。屈大均为岭南诗派代表，其诗以深慨著称，此诗正是其代表——以广州形胜写史事之慨，正是其诗风。
Prosody
Line by line
山川灵气会都司，旧作佗宫枕海湄。
The spiritual breath of mountains and rivers gathers at this provincial seat; of old, the palace of Zhao Tuo lay against the seashore.
山川灵气会都司，旧作佗宫枕海湄。
The spirit of the mountains and rivers gathers at this capital; in old times the palace of Tuo lay resting against the sea shore.
首写山川形胜、佗宫枕海，是全诗写广州形胜的起点。“山川灵气会都司”写山川灵气——“山川灵气会都司”写山川灵气汇聚于都司（省会）——山川灵气会都司；“旧作佗宫枕海湄”写佗宫枕海——“旧作佗宫枕海湄”写旧时南越王赵佗之宫枕于海湄——旧作佗宫枕海湄。二句写山川形胜、佗宫枕海：山川灵气会都司，旧作佗宫枕海湄。以“山川灵气会都司”写山川灵气汇聚于省会，以“旧作佗宫枕海湄”写南越佗宫枕于海湄之形胜，正是屈大均诗写广州形胜的起点——山川灵聚，佗宫枕海。
The opening writes the form of the rivers and hills, the palace of Tuo resting on the sea, the starting point of the poem's scene of Guangzhou. The spirit of the mountains and rivers gathers at this provincial seat: the spiritual breath of the land gathering at the provincial capital. Of old, the palace of Zhao Tuo lay against the seashore: the old palace of the Nanyue king Zhao Tuo resting by the sea. Two lines: the spirit of the land gathered at the seat, the old Tuo palace by the shore. Writing the gathering spiritual breath at the provincial capital, and the Nanyue palace lying against the sea, is the starting point of Qu Dajun's scene of Guangzhou: the land's spirit gathered, Tuo's palace on the shore.
一自名王来骆越，至今天子是屠耆。
Ever since the famous king came to the Luo-Yue lands, the rulers to this day are still sneered at as chieftains.
一自名王来骆越，至今天子是屠耆。
Ever since a titled king came to the Luo-Yue region, their rulers down to this day are called, in mockery, chieftains.
此二句写名王来骆越、天子屠耆，是全诗写南越史事的深化。“一自名王来骆越”写名王来骆越——“一自名王来骆越”写自从名王来到骆越（岭南）——一自名王来骆越；“至今天子是屠耆”写天子是屠耆——“至今天子是屠耆”用屠耆之典写至今人称天子为屠耆——至今天子是屠耆。二句写名王来骆越、天子屠耆：一自名王来骆越，至今天子是屠耆。以“一自名王来骆越”写名王入主骆越（岭南归附），以“至今天子是屠耆”用屠耆之典写至今仍有外族王号之讥，正是屈大均诗写南越史事、故国之慨的深化——骆越旧事，屠耆犹讥。
The two lines write the titled king coming to Luo-Yue and the ruler still a chieftain, the deepening of the poem's Nanyue history. Ever since the famous king came to the Luo-Yue lands: since the titled king came to the Lingnan region. The rulers to this day are still sneered at as chieftains: using the allusion to chieftain, that even to this day the royal title bears the mockery of a foreign king. Two lines: since the titled king came to Luo-Yue, the rulers still called chieftains. Writing the titled king's entry into Lingnan (the southern lands submitting), and the surviving sneer of foreign royal titles, is the deepening of the poem's Nanyue history and grief for the old country: the old affairs of Luo-Yue, the chieftain's taunt lingering.
无才绝道称南武，有恨祠天杀贰师。
Without talent, he cut the roads and called himself King Nanwu; with a grudge, he sacrificed to heaven and slew the Ershi general.
无才绝道称南武，有恨祠天杀贰师。
Without the ability to hold the roads, he yet called himself King Nanwu; with a grievance, he sacrificed to heaven and put the Ershi general to death.
此二句写无才称南武、有恨杀贰师，是全诗写史事之慨的深化。“无才绝道称南武”写无才称南武——“无才绝道称南武”写无才而绝道、自称为南武（岭南王号）——无才称南武；“有恨祠天杀贰师”用贰师之典写有恨祠天杀贰师——“有恨祠天杀贰师”用李广利贰师之典写有恨祠天、杀贰师——有恨杀贰师。二句写无才称南武、有恨杀贰师：无才绝道称南武，有恨祠天杀贰师。以“无才绝道称南武”写无才而自封南武之号，以“有恨祠天杀贰师”用贰师之典写有恨祠天、杀贰师之事，正是屈大均诗写史事之慨的深化——南武自封，贰师被杀。
The two lines writing without ability calling himself Nanwu and, with grievance, slaying the Ershi general, deepen the poem's sigh over history. Without talent, he cut the roads and called himself King Nanwu: lacking ability, cutting the roads, and styling himself the Lingnan royal title of Nanwu. With a grudge, he sacrificed to heaven and slew the Ershi general: using the allusion to Li Guangli, the Ershi expedition, writing sacrifice to heaven and the killing of Ershi. Two lines: without ability he styled himself Nanwu; with grievance he sacrificed to heaven and slew Ershi. Writing the self-styled title of Nanwu despite no talent, and the deed of sacrificing to heaven and slaying the Ershi general, is the deepening of the poem's historical sigh: Nanwu self-styled, Ershi slain.
汉代中兴非得已，尉佗犹自费猜疑。
The restoration of the Han was no free choice; yet even Wei Tuo spent himself in suspicion and mistrust.
汉代中兴非得已，尉佗犹自费猜疑。
The Han restoration was a thing of necessity; yet even so, Wei Tuo spent himself in endless suspicion.
末写汉代中兴、尉佗猜疑，是全诗写故国之慨的归结。“汉代中兴非得已”写汉代中兴非得已——“汉代中兴非得已”写汉代之中兴非出于得已——汉代中兴非得已；“尉佗犹自费猜疑”写尉佗费猜疑——“尉佗犹自费猜疑”写尉佗（南越王）犹自费尽猜疑——尉佗犹自费猜疑。二句写汉代中兴、尉佗猜疑：汉代中兴非得已，尉佗犹自费猜疑。以“汉代中兴非得已”写汉代中兴出于不得已，以“尉佗犹自费猜疑”写尉佗犹费猜疑（与汉猜疑），正是屈大均诗写故国之慨的归结——南越史事，猜疑如昨。
The close writes the Han restoration and Wei Tuo's suspicion, the conclusion of the grief for the old country. The restoration of the Han was no free choice: the Han revival came about under compulsion. Yet even Wei Tuo spent himself in suspicion and mistrust: the Nanyue king Tuo still spending his days in suspicion (of the Han). Two lines: the Han restoration under necessity, Wei Tuo in his suspicions. Writing the Han revival as a thing of compulsion, and Tuo lingering in his mistrust, is the conclusion of the poem's grief for the lost country: the Nanyue annals, the suspicion as of yesterday.
Study
Word focus
Related Reading
Compare this related work with the poem above through theme, imagery, tone, and emotional movement.
屈大均《壬戌清明作》写清明故国之思，与本首同为屈大均诗。差异在情境：广州吊古写南越史事；壬戌清明作写清明之感。一写“史”之慨，一写“节”之思。两者并读，可见屈大均诗写故国之慨的两种情境。
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渡易水 Crossing the Yi River 陈子龙 · 与本首相关联的同类或同作者作品，供对比阅读 Related readingCompare this related work with the poem above through theme, imagery, tone, and emotional movement.
此处关联陈子龙《渡易水》，与本首在主题、体裁或作者上相关联，可对比阅读以见其同异。