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清 Qing · 诗 Poem

论诗·其二

On Poetry (II)

赵翼

Zhao Yi

论诗On Poetry 创新Innovation 文学批评Literary Criticism

李杜诗篇万口传，至今已觉不新鲜。
江山代有才人出，各领风骚数百年。

Li Bai and Du Fu's poems are praised by thousands,
But today they no longer feel fresh.
From age to age new talents emerge,
Each leading literary trends for centuries.

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Meaning

The poem argues that even the greatest poets like Li Bai and Du Fu must give way to new talents, as every era produces its own literary geniuses who dominate for a time.

李白杜甫的诗篇被千万人传诵，可时至今日已让人觉得不再新鲜。江山代代都会涌现杰出的才士，各自引领文坛风骚数百年。

Appreciation

The poet first acknowledges Li Bai and Du Fu's towering reputation, then boldly declares that their works now seem stale. He then proclaims that each generation has its own geniuses who lead the literary world for centuries. The poem uses straightforward language but conveys a powerful message about literary evolution.

【白话串讲】赵翼说：李白杜甫的诗传唱万口，到今天也觉得不够新鲜了。“江山代有才人出，各领风骚数百年”——每个时代都有自己的诗人，别只盯着古人。【意象与手法】此诗为清赵翼之作，精要赏析详见下方深度赏析。【情感与主旨】赵翼（1727—1814），字云崧，号瓯北，清代史学家、诗人【名句点睛】考点常为名句默写、观点理解与比较。须默“江山代有才人出，各领风骚数百年”

Background

Zhao Yi (1727–1814) was a Qing-dynasty historian and poet. This poem is the second of five 'On Poetry' pieces, written after he retired to focus on scholarship. It was a response to the prevailing trend of blindly imitating ancient poets, especially Li Bai and Du Fu.

赵翼（一七二七—一八一四），字云崧，一字耘松，号瓯北，江苏阳湖（今常州）人。乾隆二十六年成进士，相传殿试时本拟置一甲第一，因故改列第三，遂以探花及第；此后历官翰林院编修、广西镇安知府、广东广州知府、贵西兵备道，中年即以亲老引疾归里，主讲安定书院，专力著述数十年。其学问以史为根本，所著《廿二史札记》以考辨史实、贯通古今得失见称，与钱大昕、王鸣盛并为清代考史三家；诗文则有《瓯北集》，诗论有《瓯北诗话》，专论历代大家的得失源流。诗坛上他与袁枚、蒋士铨并称乾隆三大家，主张诗须自出新意，反对一味摹拟前人，与当时格调、肌理诸说异趣。本篇出自其《论诗》五首，是以七言绝句论诗这一传统体式中的名作，作年一般定在其归里著述的中晚年。此组诗五首意脉相贯：第一首以满眼生机转化钧、天工人巧日争新立论，指出天地人事无一日不新，又谓预支五百年新意、到了千年又觉陈，把新与陈的相对性说透；本篇承其意而落到具体的文学史判断上，故读此诗须与组诗同观，方不至误解其意。就文学脉络言，以绝句论诗始于杜甫的《戏为六绝句》，中经元好问《论诗三十首》而蔚为大国，赵翼此组正是这一传统在清代的延续，而所论之重心已由品评具体作家转向阐明文学演进的规律。

Art

This poem uses argumentation within poetic form without becoming dry. The first two lines present a contrast, while the last two expand the view to historical continuity. The language is plain yet forceful, embodying a clear literary theory.

此诗二十八字，纯是议论，而毫无枯燥之感，其法值得细究。前二句以一个近乎大胆的判断起手：李杜诗篇万口传，先立起最高的权威——李杜为唐诗双峰，其作品传诵之广至于万口，这是无人能否认的事实；至今已觉不新鲜，随即抛出一个与权威相左的观感，语气平常如闲话，而内容却足以震动。两句一扬一抑，先把读者引到共识之上，再当头一转，遂造成极强的张力，这是议论文字最难得的开局。后二句不作辩解，而径直给出理由与结论：江山代有才人出是从天地生人立说，谓每一时代自有其杰出者，不必也不能由前代包办；各领风骚数百年则给出每一代人的位置与限度——领是引领、主盟，风骚指《国风》《离骚》所代表的诗歌正统，数百年既是荣宠的期限，也是必然的期限。至此，前二句所谓不新鲜便得到了解释：不是李杜之诗变坏了，而是任何一家的领袖地位都有其时限，新意须由后来者接续生发。全诗以事实起、以观感转、以通则结，三步而理足；语言平易到近乎口语，无一典实、无一藻饰，而气象开阔、断制有力。其力量来源不在辞采，而在识见，故为清人议论诗中最耐读的一路。

Allusions

'Fengsao' (风骚) originally refers to the 'Airs of the States' in the Book of Songs and Li Sao in the Chu Ci, later denoting literary tradition. Here, Zhao Yi uses it to mean literary leadership, implying that each era has its own representative writers.

本篇用语平实，然其中两处名目皆有渊源。李杜并称，自唐已然：韩愈《调张籍》有李杜文章在、光焰万丈长之句，力排当时诋议二家的浅见，此后李杜并举遂成定说，成为唐诗以至整个古典诗歌的最高标尺；元稹为杜甫作墓系铭时曾比较李杜异同，宋人更有优李劣杜、优杜劣李之争，李杜一词因此不只是两个作者，而是一整套价值秩序的代称。赵翼说其至今已觉不新鲜，所触动的正是这一秩序，故语气虽淡而分量极重。风骚二字则指《诗经》之国风与《楚辞》之离骚，二者为中国诗歌的两大源头，一以温厚敦朴著称，一以奇丽悲慨见长，合称风骚遂成诗坛正统与文学盛业的通称，如古人言风骚之体、风骚未坠皆是此义；此处各领风骚，谓在诗坛主盟，非指风流骚雅之情态，读者不可误解。江山一词亦有讲究：其义兼指国土与山川，古人以为山川之灵秀能钟聚而生人才，所谓地灵人杰，故江山代有才人出一句所本者是天地生生不息之理，与组诗第一首满眼生机转化钧同一根柢。字词训诂上最须辨明者是不新鲜三字：此语非谓李杜之诗不好，亦非贬其价值，而是就读者的接受感觉立说——传诵既久，人人成诵，其惊创之力自然递减，此为审美接受的常态，与作品的高下无关。若以此句为轻薄前贤，则全诗之意尽失，而后两句亦无从安顿。

Commentary

Zhao Yi, along with Yuan Mei and Jiang Shiquan, was one of the 'Three Greats of Qianlong'. His literary criticism is noted for its historical insight. This 28-character poem encapsulates the dynamics of literary change, praised by Qian Zhongshu for its incisive argument.

此诗在清代诗论中的地位，主要由其观点的通达而确立。赵翼论诗一贯反对以古为限，《瓯北诗话》遍论李白、杜甫、韩愈、白居易、苏轼、陆游诸家，皆能指出其各自的独造与局限，不以时代先后定优劣，其识见即从本篇所说的道理中来。评者一般以为此组诗最可贵者有二：一是敢于对至高权威作平心之论。前人尊李杜者多矣，訾李杜者亦有之，而赵翼既不尊之为不可逾越，亦不轻之为不足称，只指出一切经典皆有其被熟悉、被凝固的命运，此论不激不随，最见史家眼光——他以治史之法治诗史，故能于变中见常。二是把文学演进说成一个代代接续的过程。江山代有才人出、各领风骚数百年二句，既承认高峰的存在，又否认高峰的独占，故既非拟古，也非非古，而是为后来者留出位置，其中含着一种朗然的自信与雅量。传播史上，此诗在清代随《瓯北集》流布，为论诗者所熟知；近世以来更因其明白如话、道理透彻而被大量选入通行读本与教材，江山代有才人出、各领风骚数百年二句遂脱离原诗，广泛用于称美人才辈出、事业代有承续之处，几成通语。这种流播中最常见的偏失，是把后二句单独引用而弃去前二句，于是只剩人才辈出的赞叹，而失掉了此诗的核心命题——一切新鲜终将陈旧，故文学必须不断更新。读者若能前后合观，方知这两句名言是从一个略带凉意的洞察里生长出来的。

Prosody

Form Seven-character quatrain (仄起首句入韵)七言绝句，属《论诗》五首之一，为以绝句论诗的议论体七绝

Rhyme Rhymes in level tone: chuan, xian, nian (下平一先)首句入韵，韵脚为传、鲜、年三字，同属平水韵下平一先部，一韵到底

Tone pattern Argumentative yet fluent, representing the rational style of Qing poetry.平仄依七绝仄起首句入韵格：李杜诗篇万口传为仄仄平平仄仄平，至今已觉不新鲜为仄平仄仄仄平平，江山代有才人出为平平仄仄平平仄，各领风骚数百年为仄仄平平仄仄平；黏对大体合律，语气则一句一顿，纯以议论行之

Reading note Part of a series of five poems on poetry by Zhao Yi, reflecting the Qianlong era's push for innovation.以绝句论诗，是中国文学批评中一个极特殊的体式。它的难处在于：绝句只二十八字，而所论者往往是整部文学史的判断，故必须以最省的字句作最断然的论断，不能铺陈论证，只能以警句取胜。杜甫《戏为六绝句》开其端，元好问《论诗三十首》成其大，赵翼此组则是清人的接续。本篇的格律安排颇能助成议论之势：前二句一句一意，第一句纯是叙述、语气平缓，第二句以至今二字领起而语气微顿，转折即在句首完成；第三句起联以平声开头，音气开张，正合其宏阔的立论；末句以仄仄平平仄仄平的常格收束，节奏稳定，如一锤定音。押韵取下平一先部，传、鲜、年三字皆细而长，收音悠远不促，读来有绵延不尽之感，恰与所论的代代相续、数百年递嬗之意相合；若换用短促之韵，则结句压不住这数百年的时间跨度。又议论诗最忌语滞，此诗四句皆散行，无一处用对偶，句法如口语相接，故虽通篇说理而气脉流畅，读之不觉其为论。可见格律于此不是装饰，而是使抽象之理获得声情的凭借。

Line by line

李杜诗篇万口传，

Li Bai and Du Fu's poems are praised by thousands—

李白杜甫的诗篇被千万人传诵

The poems of Li Bai and Du Fu are on ten thousand lips,

起句先立一个无人可以否认的事实，为下文的转折备足势头。李杜并称自韩愈以来已成定论，二人代表着古典诗歌所能达到的最高处；万口传三字则从传播的广度着眼——不是一二知音的赏爱，而是万人成诵，家弦户诵。此语纯是称许，且称许得毫无保留，故读者读到此处，心中已备好一套仰慕的姿态。妙在作者用如此坚实的共识开篇，正是为了下一句的翻转能落到实处：若前句稍存贬抑，则后句只是顺势的挑剔；唯前句推得极高，后句方能成其惊人。议论之文，起手须让人无从反驳，此句即是范例。

The opening first sets a fact no one can deny, storing full momentum for the turn to come. The pairing of Li and Du has been settled since Han Yu; the two represent the highest reach of classical poetry. The three words on ten thousand lips look to the breadth of spread — not the appreciation of one or two kindred spirits, but ten thousand mouths reciting, every household chanting. The words are pure praise, and praise without reserve, so that the reader, reaching here, has already prepared a posture of admiration. The beauty lies in the author opening with so solid a consensus, precisely that the overturn of the next line may land on solid ground: if the first line held any belittling, the next would be but a carping that follows naturally; only when the first is pushed to the highest can the second become startling. In argumentative prose, the opening must leave no room for rebuttal; this line is the model.

至今已觉不新鲜。

But today they no longer feel fresh.

可时至今日已让人觉得不再新鲜。

yet to this day they no longer feel fresh.

此句是全诗最需辨明处。至今二字点出时间的推移，已觉三字表明这是接受者的感受而非作品的品质判断，不新鲜则以极家常的口语说出一个不易承认的事实：凡传诵万口者，必已被人人熟知；凡被人人熟知者，其初读时的惊创之力必然递减。作者并未说李杜不好，只说人对其已不觉新鲜，一字之别而立论的性质完全不同。语气上尤其平淡，如同随口道来，然正因平淡才无从辩驳。此句的胆气不在贬前贤，而在敢于说出所有人心里都有而不便言的经验，并由此引出后二句的通则——文学史的更新正由这种必然的钝化所推动。

The line is what most needs discerning in the poem. The two words yet to this day mark the passage of time; the three words no longer feel show this is the receiver's feeling, not a judgment on the work's quality; and no longer fresh states, in the most everyday speech, a fact men find hard to admit: whatever is recited on ten thousand lips must already be known to all; and whatever is known to all must have its first-sight force of novelty diminished. The author does not say Li and Du are not good, only that men no longer feel them fresh; the difference of one word changes the nature of the thesis. In tone it is especially plain, as if spoken at random, yet precisely because it is plain it cannot be rebutted. The daring of the line lies not in belittling the ancients, but in daring to speak the experience all men have in their hearts yet find inconvenient to say, and so leading to the general law of the last two lines — the renewal of literary history is driven precisely by this inevitable blunting.

江山代有才人出，

From age to age new talents emerge,

江山代代都会涌现杰出的才士

Every age brings forth its own gifted men,

第三句转入正面立论，且立论的根基不在文坛而在天地。江山兼指国土与山川，古人以为山川灵秀之气钟聚而生人才，故说江山代有，意即天地生生不息，人才之出如草木之春秋代谢，不待前人许可，也不因前人极盛而绝。代字最有分量：一代自有一代之人，一代自有一代之诗，前代的完满不构成后代的障碍。此句语气从容宏阔，全无争胜之意，而唯物之理已足以推倒任何以古限今的说法。与前二句合看，前者说旧者必将变陈，此者说新者必将继起，一往一来，文学史的运动便完整了。

The third line turns to the positive thesis, and its foundation lies not in the poetry world but in heaven and earth. Rivers and hills mean at once the country and the mountains; the ancients held that the spirit of the mountains and rivers gathers to bring forth talent, hence saying every age has its men means that heaven and earth, endlessly generating, send forth talent like the waxing and waning of grass and trees, not waiting for the ancients' permission, nor ending because the ancients reached their peak. The word each age carries the most weight: each age has its own men, each age its own poetry, and the perfection of the former is no obstacle to the latter. The tone is leisurely and vast, without a trace of rivalry, yet the materialist truth is enough to overturn any saying that limits the present by the past. Read with the first two lines: the former says the old must turn stale, this says the new must follow; one outgoing, one incoming, and the motion of literary history is complete.

各领风骚数百年。

Each leading literary trends for centuries.

各自引领文坛风骚数百年。

each leading the fashion of poetry for several hundred years.

结句既是荣宠的许诺，也是限度的宣告，故最有回味。风骚指《国风》《离骚》所代表的诗歌正统，领即主盟、引领，各领二字承上句代有而来，谓每一代的杰出者都能在其时执诗坛之柄。妙在数百年三字：它给出的是一个可观而有限的期限——足以称盛，却不足以永占。既如此，则李杜之被觉不新鲜，正是这一规律的应验，而后来者之当出，也正是这一规律的必然。全诗至此圆合无隙。语气上则宽阔坦然，无一毫嫉前之意，亦无一毫自夸之态，只是把事情的道理说明白，其自信与雅量同时可见，这是史家论文最难得的气度。

The closing is at once the promise of glory and the announcement of a limit, hence the most to be savored. Feng-sao means the poetic orthodoxy represented by the Airs of States and the Li Sao; lead means to preside, to lead; the words each lead follow on every age, saying the outstanding of each generation can, in their own time, hold the handle of the poetry world. The beauty lies in the three words several hundred years: they give a term observable yet finite — enough to be called glorious, yet not enough to occupy forever. That being so, then Li and Du's being felt no longer fresh is precisely the fulfillment of this law, and the coming forth of later men precisely its necessity. The poem closes here, round and without seam. In tone, broad and at ease, without a trace of envy of the ancients, without a trace of self-praise, merely stating the reason of things plainly; his confidence and his magnanimity are both visible at once — this is the rarest bearing of the historian writing on letters.

Study

Word focus

万口传 Praised by thousands—emphasizes widespread acclaim. 万口传三字从传播的角度立言，是全诗立论的前提。它所写不是作品的高妙，而是作品被接受的状况：万人之口皆能诵之。作者选择这一角度极有深意——若从艺术高下着眼，则李杜无可议；唯从接受着眼，方能引出下句的不新鲜，因为熟悉本身就是新鲜感的消耗。故万口传既是最高的称许，也暗藏着后文转折的机关：正因传得太广、诵得太熟，其惊创之力才不得不递减。此三字又与各领风骚数百年遥相呼应，一言其广，一言其久，共同界定了经典的两个维度。以传播说经典，是极现代的眼光，而赵翼于二百余年前即以七字道之。

不新鲜 Not fresh—a bold everyday term to challenge authority. 不新鲜是全诗最招误解也最见胆识的三字。其为口语，本用于食物之陈旧，移以评诗，语气近乎轻慢，故常有读者据此责其轻薄李杜。然细读已觉二字，可知所写乃接受者的主观感受，而非作品的客观价值；作者所指出的，是一切被反复传诵之作必将由惊奇变为熟习、由熟习变为陈常的规律，此规律不因作品之高下而有例外。用最俗的语汇说最严肃的道理，一则见其不肯故作庄重的性情，二则使这一论断带上不容置辩的常识感——正如食物之陈是自然之事，经典之陈亦是自然之事。若易作乏新意、少新奇，语虽稳而锋芒尽失。

代 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. 代字是后二句的枢机。它既指世代、时代，又含更替、接续之义，江山代有才人出与各领风骚数百年皆由此一字贯通。代之为言，首先承认时间的分段：一代有一代之境遇、一代有一代之情性，故必有一代之诗，此即后世所谓一代有一代之文学的意思。其次含有更替的必然：既是代有，则前者必让位于后者，无人能长占其位。以代字立论，遂使文学史成为一个流动的序列，而非以某一高峰为终点的静止格局。赵翼长于治史，最重通变之理，此字正是史家眼光落入诗论的痕迹，一字而全篇之骨立。

风骚 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. 风骚为《诗经》之国风与《楚辞》之离骚的合称，二者分别代表温厚敦朴与奇丽悲慨两大诗歌源头，合而指代诗坛正统与文学盛业，如古人言风骚之体、风骚未坠皆是此义，读者不可误作风流骚雅解。此处以领风骚言主盟诗坛，用意有二：一是把每一代才人的成就上溯到风骚这一最高谱系，表明所争者非一时之名而是文学正脉；二是以风骚之古老衬出数百年之短暂——源头亘古而领袖轮替，则任何一家的独尊皆无从成立。二字既显庄重，又暗含其限度，与末三字数百年配合，语气恰好在称美与警醒之间。