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唐 Tang · 诗 Poem

不致仕

Not Retiring from Office

白居易

Bai Juyi

讽刺Satire 仕宦Officialdom

七十而致仕，礼法有明文。
何乃贪荣者，斯言如不闻。
可怜八九十，齿堕双眸昏。
朝露贪名利，夕阳忧子孙。
挂冠顾翠緌，悬车惜朱轮。
金章腰不胜，伛偻入君门。
谁不爱富贵，谁不恋君恩。
年高须告老，名遂合退身。
少时共嗤诮，晚岁多因循。
贤哉汉二疏，彼独是何人。
寂寞东门路，无人继去尘。

At seventy one retires from office, and the rites and the law say so plainly.
How is it that those who crave honour turn a deaf ear to this word?
Pity the eighty and ninety, with their fallen teeth and dimming eyes.
Morning dew, they crave fame and gain; evening sun, they worry about their descendants.
They hang up their cap, yet cast a glance at its green cord; they park their carriage, yet spare the vermilion wheels.
The golden seal the waist can no longer bear, and bent double they enter the lord's gate.
Who does not love wealth and rank? Who does not cling to the favour of the sovereign?
When the years are high one must declare old age; when one's name is made one should step back.
In youth they joined in the mockery; in later years they mostly go on clinging.
Noble indeed were the two Shus of Han — what manner of man is that one?
Lonely is the road outside the eastern gate; no one follows in the dust of his going.

Listen

Meaning

Bai Juyi takes the rule that an official should retire at seventy and asks why those who crave honour simply do not hear it. He pictures the old men themselves — eighty and ninety, teeth fallen, eyes dim, bowed double, still unable to carry the golden seal — and notes that everyone loves rank and the sovereign's favour, so the habit is rarely broken. His conclusion returns to the pair of Han officials, Shuang and Shusun, who did retire in dignity, and laments that the road they left by, with no one to follow. The poem is a long, plain argument against clinging to office.

七十而致仕，礼法有明文。何乃贪荣者，斯言如不闻。可怜八九十，齿堕双眸昏。朝露贪名利，夕阳忧子孙。挂冠顾翠緌，悬车惜朱轮。金章腰不胜，伛偻入君门。谁不爱富贵，谁不恋君恩。年高须告老，名遂合退身。少时共嗤诮，晚岁多因循。贤哉汉二疏，彼独是何人。寂寞东门路，无人继去尘。

Appreciation

[Plain Paraphrase] The poem opens with a rule and a question, then spends most of its length on physical detail: old men with fallen teeth, dim eyes and a bent back, looking back at the cap they have just hung up and the carriage they have just stopped. Only after this does the poet give the reason — who does not love wealth and rank? — and only at the very end does the answer arrive in two historical names. [Structure] Eleven couplets in two movements: the behaviour of the clinging old official, and the famous example of the two Shus. The historical example comes last, so the poem's last image is also its harshest — a road with nobody on it. [Imagery] The poetry is in the small physical contradictions: a man who has hung up his cap yet glances at its green cord, a waist too weak for the gold seal, a back too bent to walk in through his own gate.

【白话串讲】白居易写《不致仕》：“七十而致仕，礼法有明文”——“何乃贪荣者，斯言如不闻”——“可怜八九十，齿堕双眸昏”——“朝露贪名利，夕阳忧子孙”——“谁不爱富贵，谁不恋君恩”——他讽刺不肯退休的贪官。【意象与手法】此诗写讽刺，以仕宦写讽刺，是白居易的名篇。前八句写贪荣：「七十而致仕，礼法有明文。何乃贪荣者，斯言如不闻。可怜八九十，齿堕双眸昏。朝露贪名利，夕阳忧子孙。挂冠顾翠緌，悬车惜朱轮。金章腰不胜，伛偻入君门」写七十而致仕、礼法有明文——写尽贪荣的恋栈；后八句写感慨：「谁不爱富贵，谁不恋君恩。年高须告老，名遂合退身。少时共嗤诮，晚岁多因循。贤哉汉二疏，彼独是何人。寂寞东门路，无人继去尘」写谁不爱富贵、谁不恋君恩——写尽汉二疏的感慨。全诗以仕宦写讽刺，写尽贪荣的恋栈与汉二疏的感慨，是白居易的代表作。【情感与主旨】此诗写讽刺，以仕宦写讽刺，是白居易的名篇。此诗为《秦中吟》十首之一，讽刺年老不退的恋栈者。致仕（退休）之礼，七十而致仕有明文规定；贪荣者却如不闻，八九十岁仍齿堕目昏而不肯退；朝露（喻年命短促）犹贪名利，夕阳（喻晚年）犹忧子孙；挂冠（辞官）顾翠緌（冠缨），悬车（致仕）惜朱轮（朱轮车）；金章（金印）腰不胜，伛偻入君门；谁不爱富贵，谁不恋君恩；年高须告老，名遂合退身；少时共嗤诮（嗤笑他人恋栈），晚岁多因循（自己却因循恋栈）；贤哉汉二疏（疏广、疏受叔侄同时辞官），彼独是何人；寂寞东门路，无人继去尘。此诗写贪荣：七十而致仕，礼法有明文——写七十而致仕、礼法有明文，写尽致仕的明文；何乃贪荣者，斯言如不闻——写何乃贪荣者、斯言如不闻，写尽贪荣的恋栈；可怜八九十，齿堕双眸昏——写可怜八九十、齿堕双眸昏，写尽齿堕的昏老；朝露贪名利，夕阳忧子孙——写朝露贪名利、夕阳忧子孙，写尽朝露的贪名；挂冠顾翠緌，悬车惜朱轮——写挂冠顾翠緌、悬车惜朱轮，写尽挂冠的顾惜；金章腰不胜，伛偻入君门——写金章腰不胜、伛偻入君门，写尽伛偻的入君；谁不爱富贵，谁不恋君恩——写谁不爱富贵、谁不恋君恩，写尽爱富的恋恩；年高须告老，名遂合退身——写年高须告老、名遂合退身，写尽告老的道理；少时共嗤诮，晚岁多因循——写少时共嗤诮、晚岁多因循，写尽晚岁的因循；贤哉汉二疏，彼独是何人——写贤哉汉二疏、彼独是何人，写尽二疏的贤德；寂寞东门路，无人继去尘——写寂寞东门路、无人继去尘，写尽东门的寂寞。全诗以仕宦写讽刺——那「斯言如不闻」写尽贪荣的恋栈，「无人继去尘」写尽汉二疏的感慨，写尽贪荣的恋栈与汉二疏的感慨，是理解白居易讽刺诗的重要篇章。【名句点睛】常考「七十而致仕，礼法有明文」写致仕的明文；「贤哉汉二疏，彼独是何人」写二疏的贤德；以及全诗以仕宦写讽刺、以用典写感慨的手法。

Background

Bai Juyi (772–846) served in the Tang administration for most of his life and wrote a great many satirical poems in the mid-Tang manner, usually on public subjects — the hardship of soldiers and peasants, the luxury of the great households. This piece takes an entirely private subject, old officials refusing to retire, and treats it with the same plain, exhortative tone. The rule of retiring at seventy came in the rites; the two Shus were Shuang and Shusun,.princes of the Han who, having reached the highest offices, resigned together and returned home, where the roads were said to be lined with people who had come to watch them go. Bai Juyi wrote it in a period when the court was full of aging officials defending their positions.

此诗写讽刺，以仕宦写讽刺，是白居易的名篇。白居易（772—846），字乐天，号香山居士，又号醉吟先生，下邽（今陕西渭南）人，唐代诗人，与元稹并称「元白」，为新乐府运动代表，为唐代存诗最多的诗人。此诗为《秦中吟》十首之一，讽刺年老不退的恋栈者。致仕（退休）之礼，七十而致仕有明文规定；贪荣者却如不闻，八九十岁仍齿堕目昏而不肯退；朝露（喻年命短促）犹贪名利，夕阳（喻晚年）犹忧子孙；挂冠（辞官）顾翠緌（冠缨），悬车（致仕）惜朱轮（朱轮车）；金章（金印）腰不胜，伛偻入君门；谁不爱富贵，谁不恋君恩；年高须告老，名遂合退身；少时共嗤诮（嗤笑他人恋栈），晚岁多因循（自己却因循恋栈）；贤哉汉二疏（疏广、疏受叔侄同时辞官），彼独是何人；寂寞东门路，无人继去尘。此诗写贪荣：「七十而致仕，礼法有明文」写七十而致仕、礼法有明文——写尽致仕的明文（七十而致仕，礼法有明文）；「何乃贪荣者，斯言如不闻」写何乃贪荣者、斯言如不闻——写尽贪荣的恋栈（何乃贪荣者，斯言如不闻）；「可怜八九十，齿堕双眸昏」写可怜八九十、齿堕双眸昏——写尽齿堕的昏老（可怜八九十，齿堕双眸昏）；「朝露贪名利，夕阳忧子孙」写朝露贪名利、夕阳忧子孙——写尽朝露的贪名（朝露贪名利，夕阳忧子孙）；「挂冠顾翠緌，悬车惜朱轮」写挂冠顾翠緌、悬车惜朱轮——写尽挂冠的顾惜（挂冠顾翠緌，悬车惜朱轮）；「金章腰不胜，伛偻入君门」写金章腰不胜、伛偻入君门——写尽伛偻的入君（金章腰不胜，伛偻入君门）；「谁不爱富贵，谁不恋君恩」写谁不爱富贵、谁不恋君恩——写尽爱富的恋恩（谁不爱富贵，谁不恋君恩）；「年高须告老，名遂合退身」写年高须告老、名遂合退身——写尽告老的道理（年高须告老，名遂合退身）；「少时共嗤诮，晚岁多因循」写少时共嗤诮、晚岁多因循——写尽晚岁的因循（少时共嗤诮，晚岁多因循）；「贤哉汉二疏，彼独是何人」写贤哉汉二疏、彼独是何人——写尽二疏的贤德（贤哉汉二疏，彼独是何人）；「寂寞东门路，无人继去尘」写寂寞东门路、无人继去尘——写尽东门的寂寞（寂寞东门路，无人继去尘）。全诗以仕宦写讽刺，写尽贪荣的恋栈与汉二疏的感慨，是理解白居易讽刺诗的重要篇章。

Art

The poem's method is to make the argument visible rather than to make it. The central device is the physical contradiction — the cap hung up yet gazed at, the carriage parked yet the vermilion wheels spared, the gold seal too heavy for the waist, the back too bent for the gate — so that the greed is shown in the body and not in the mind. The rhetorical questions in the fifth and seventh couplets ('Who does not love wealth and rank?') widen the complaint from a few old men to everyone, and the last two couplet turn sharply back to the specific: only the two Shus ever did it, and now nobody follows their road. The plain iambic rhythm of the five-syllable old-style verse, with no antithesis to soften it, gives the whole the tone of a sermon.

此诗的艺术特色可从四个方面解析。其一，以对比写恋栈。「七十而致仕」以对比写恋栈——那「七十致仕」「贪荣不闻」写尽明文与恋栈的对比，以对比写尽贪荣的恋栈。其二，以直抒写感慨。「谁不爱富贵」以直抒写感慨——那「谁不」写尽人同此心的直抒，以直抒写尽爱富的恋恩。其三，以用典写贤德。「贤哉汉二疏」以用典写贤德——那「汉二疏」用疏广疏受辞官典写贤德，以用典写尽二疏的贤德。其四，以景语写寂寞。「寂寞东门路」以景语写寂寞——那「东门路」写尽东门的寂寞，以景语写尽无人继尘的感慨。此外，此诗前八句写贪荣的恋栈，后八句写汉二疏的感慨，由讽及慨，正是秦中吟「以刺写慨」的写法。四重手法，使此诗以仕宦写讽刺，写尽贪荣的恋栈与汉二疏的感慨，是白居易的代表作。此诗还善于以「可怜八九十，齿堕双眸昏」的「可怜」写昏老之状——那「齿堕」「双眸昏」写尽老迈的昏聩，正是以白描写恋栈，以「可怜」写尽贪荣的恋栈。又善以「少时共嗤诮，晚岁多因循」的对照写讽——少时嗤诮而晚岁因循，以对照写尽恋栈的自相矛盾。

Allusions

The rule of retiring at seventy is from the Book of Rites, which states that an official should hand over his office at seventy. 'The golden seal' is the seal of the high official, whose ribbon was green. 'Hanging up the cap' and 'parking the carriage' (a carriage kept at court) are the two standard images of resigning. The two Shus of Han are Shuang and Shusun, brothers and princes of the early Han who held the highest offices under Emperor Xuan and then resigned together, sold their estates to found a school, and returned to their province; their departure was so celebrated that the roads were said to be blocked by spectators. 'The road outside the eastern gate' refers to the east gate of the capital, the way out by which retirees and exiles left.

此诗的用语深植于讽刺与仕宦传统。「致仕」令人想到「致仕」写退休的意象——《礼记》「七十致政」，也令人想到「致仕悬车」的意象；「朝露」令人想到「朝露」写年命短促的意象——也令人想到「譬如朝露，去日苦多」（曹操）的意象；「挂冠」令人想到「挂冠」写辞官的意象——也令人想到「挂冠归去」的意象；「悬车」令人想到「悬车」写致仕的意象——《白虎通》「七十悬车」，也令人想到「悬车之年」的意象；「金章」令人想到「金章」写金印的意象——也令人想到「腰悬金印」的意象；「汉二疏」用《汉书·疏广传》疏广疏受辞官典——二疏于东门祖道而归，也令人想到「二疏」的意象。全诗化用致仕、朝露、挂冠、悬车、金章、汉二疏的意象典故，以仕宦写讽刺，正是白居易「平易」而善用典、承秦中吟传统写感慨之本领。「汉二疏」典出《汉书·疏广传》——疏广、疏受叔侄同时辞官，公卿祖道于东都门外，后世以二疏写急流勇退；「东门路」令人想到「东门」写东门的意象——二疏去时公卿送于东门，也令人想到「东门饯别」的意象，以东门写无人继尘的寂寞。

Commentary

The poem has been read since the Tang as a piece of social satire in the new-yuefu manner applied to the poet's own kind — officials — rather than to peasants or soldiers, and later commentators admired its lack of elegance: it argues, it nearly scolds, and it ends on a road with nobody walking it. The closing image of the empty eastern road is the part that has lasted, because it describes the price of a thing no one wants to lose. Modern readers also hear the poet talking to himself: Bai Juyi served past seventy and evidently found the subject close to home.

此诗历来被推为白居易讽刺诗的名篇，也是新乐府写仕宦恋栈的代表。历代论者对此诗评价极高：清人评此诗「以仕宦写讽刺，深切著明」；近人更指出「贤哉汉二疏，彼独是何人」写二疏的贤德，是此诗的名句。在诗歌史上，此诗的特殊价值在于：它以二十句的古体写尽贪荣的恋栈与汉二疏的感慨——那七十，那而致仕，那礼法，那有明文，那何乃，那贪荣者，那斯言，那如不闻，那可怜，那八九十，那齿堕，那双眸昏，那朝露，那贪名利，那夕阳，那忧子孙，那挂冠，那顾翠緌，那悬车，那惜朱轮，那金章，那腰不胜，那伛偻，那入君门，那谁不，那爱富贵，那恋君恩，那年高，那须告老，那名遂，那合退身，那少时，那共嗤诮，那晚岁，那多因循，那贤哉，那汉二疏，那彼独，那是何人，那寂寞，那东门路，那无人，那继去尘，都写尽了白居易笔下的不致仕；那「无人继去尘」更以景语写尽东门的寂寞。此诗与白居易《秦中吟·歌舞》同为秦中吟名篇，一写「中有冻死囚」的民生（歌舞），一写「无人继去尘」的仕宦（不致仕）；又与《汉书·疏广传》二疏辞官的典故传统一脉相承，可见中国诗写致仕的传统。对于今日读者，此诗是理解白居易讽刺诗的窗口，也是新乐府写仕宦的经典——那寂寞的东门路，穿越千年，仍在诉说着无人继尘的感慨。

Prosody

Form Five-character old-style poem (wu yan gu shi), twenty-two lines诗·五言古体

Rhyme One long run of level rhymes on the 'zhen/wen' group (wen, wen, hun, sun, lun, men, en, shen, xun, ren, chen), carried without change throughout.五古，押「文」「闻」「昏」「孙」「轮」「门」「恩」「身」「循」「人」「尘」等韵（上平十一真/十二文），一韵到底

Tone pattern Unmetred five-syllable lines with the standard caesura; no antithesis and no tonal play, so the verse keeps the flat, argumentative pace of a sermon.此诗为五言古体，押平声韵，一韵到底，音节沉痛，正合讽刺的沉痛。

Reading note Twenty-two lines, and the rhyme never moves, which makes the poem feel like one long breath of complaint. The rhymes, all level, should be allowed to ring out flat and unhurried; do not quicken for the rhetorical questions, and let the closing couplet close slowly, since the empty road is meant to stay in the ear.此诗为五言古体，二十句——「七十而致仕，礼法有明文。何乃贪荣者，斯言如不闻。可怜八九十，齿堕双眸昏。朝露贪名利，夕阳忧子孙。挂冠顾翠緌，悬车惜朱轮。金章腰不胜，伛偻入君门。谁不爱富贵，谁不恋君恩。年高须告老，名遂合退身。少时共嗤诮，晚岁多因循。贤哉汉二疏，彼独是何人。寂寞东门路，无人继去尘」，押平韵（文、闻、昏、孙、轮、门、恩、身、循、人、尘），一韵到底，音节沉痛。全诗以仕宦写讽刺：前八句写贪荣的恋栈（七十而致仕、伛偻入君门），后八句写汉二疏的感慨（谁不爱富贵、无人继去尘）。二十句短章，前写恋栈，后写感慨，以「无人继去尘」写尽东门的寂寞，正见白居易「平易」的本色。诵读此诗，宜以沉痛的语调读「斯言如不闻」的贪荣，以感慨的语调读「无人继去尘」的寂寞，结句要读得沉痛而有余韵，方能传达出白居易的深切著明。白居易古体以「平易」著称，此诗正是其讽刺诗的典范。

Line by line

贤哉汉二疏，彼独是何人

Noble indeed were the two Shus of Han — what manner of man is that one?

贤哉汉二疏，彼独是何人。

How noble were the two Shu of Han! Who then are these others?

此二句是全诗写贤德的核心，以贤哉汉二疏写汉二疏，以彼独是何人写是何人，写尽二疏的贤德，是千古名句。「贤哉汉二疏」写贤哉汉二疏——那「贤哉汉」写贤哉汉，「二疏」写二疏，写尽二疏的贤德；「彼独是何人」写彼独是何人——那「彼独」写彼独，「是何人」写是何人，写尽彼独的何人。这句的深意在于：它以「贤哉汉二疏」的汉二疏与「彼独是何人」的是何人，写尽二疏的贤德——贤哉汉二疏，那「贤哉汉二疏」写尽二疏的贤德——贤哉汉二疏，正是贤哉二疏的写照，那「汉二疏」写尽二疏的贤德；彼独是何人，那「彼独是何人」写尽彼独的何人——彼独是何人，正是彼为何人的写照，那「是何人」写尽二疏的贤德；那「贤哉汉二疏」写尽二疏的贤德，那「彼独是何人」写尽彼独的何人，一写贤哉，一写何人，写尽二疏的贤德——二疏独贤而彼恋栈，正是贤与贪的对照；此二句以贤德、何人写尽二疏的贤德，也让此二句成为全诗写贤德的核心与千古名句。若换作直说「汉朝的二疏真是贤德，他们才是真君子」，则失其对照；唯以「贤哉汉二疏」写汉二疏、「彼独是何人」写是何人，写尽二疏的贤德，也让此二句成为全诗写贤德的核心。

The two lines are the core of the poem's praise of integrity, writing the two Shu of Han through how noble were the two Shu of Han! and the asking of the others through who then are these others?, exhausting the nobility of the two Shu. How noble were the two Shu of Han! is precisely the picture of the two Shu's noble retirement; who then are these others? precisely the picture of the questioning of the present officials. The deep meaning: the two Shu alone noble and the others clinging to office, precisely the contrast of the noble and the greedy. One writes the noble praise, one the question, exhausting the integrity. Were it said plainly the two Shu of Han were truly noble, the contrast would be lost; only through the noble praise and the question is the integrity exhausted, making the lines the core of the poem.

七十而致仕，礼法有明文

At seventy one retires from office, and the rites and the law say so plainly.

七十而致仕，礼法有明文。

At seventy one lays down office; the rites and the laws have it in plain writing.

此二句是全诗写恋栈的核心，以七十而致仕写致仕，以礼法有明文写明文，写尽贪荣的恋栈，是千古名句。「七十而致仕」写七十而致仕——那「七十而」写七十而，「致仕」写致仕，写尽七十的致仕；「礼法有明文」写礼法有明文——那「礼法」写礼法，「有明文」写有明文，写尽礼法的明文。这句的深意在于：它以「七十而致仕」的致仕与「礼法有明文」的明文，写尽贪荣的恋栈——七十而致仕，那「七十而致仕」写尽七十的致仕——七十而致仕，正是七十退休的写照，那「致仕」写尽贪荣的恋栈；礼法有明文，那「礼法有明文」写尽礼法的明文——礼法有明文，正是礼有明文的写照，那「有明文」写尽贪荣的恋栈；那「七十而致仕」写尽七十的致仕，那「礼法有明文」写尽礼法的明文，一写七十，一写礼法，写尽贪荣的恋栈——七十当退而礼有明文，正是恋栈者的对照；此二句以致仕、明文写尽贪荣的恋栈，也为下文的贪荣作铺垫，也让此二句成为全诗写恋栈的核心与千古名句。若换作直说「按礼法七十就该退休」，则失其对照；唯以「七十而致仕」写致仕、「礼法有明文」写明文，写尽贪荣的恋栈，也让此二句成为全诗写恋栈的核心。

The two lines are the core of the poem's clinging to office, writing the retirement through at seventy one lays down office and the plain writing through the rites and the laws have it in plain writing, exhausting the grasping of honors. At seventy one lays down office is precisely the picture of the age for retirement; the rites and the laws have it in plain writing precisely the picture of the written rule. The deep meaning: seventy is the age to retire and the rites say so in plain writing, precisely the contrast against those who cling. One writes the age, one the rites, exhausting the grasping. Were it said plainly by the rites one should retire at seventy, the contrast would be lost; only through the retirement and the plain writing is the clinging exhausted, preparing the later lines on greedy honors and making the lines the core of the poem.

Study

Word focus

贪 Tan, 'to crave, to be greedy for'. In 'those who crave honour' it is the poem's single moral word, and it is chosen rather than 'love' or 'like' so that the behaviour is named as appetite; the whole poem's judgement hangs on it. 「何乃贪荣者」之「贪」字是写恋栈的关键词，一个「贪」字写尽贪荣的恋栈。贪者，贪恋、贪求也。白居易以「何乃贪荣者」写恋栈，这个「贪」字至少有双重意味：其一，写荣之贪——那「何乃贪荣者」写何乃贪荣者，那「贪」字写尽贪荣的恋栈——贪荣者，正是贪恋荣禄的写照，那「贪」字写尽贪荣的恋栈；其二，写情之讥——那「贪」字更是写讥——贪，正见对恋栈者的讥刺，那「贪」字写尽白居易的讽刺。以「贪」字写恋栈，正是白居易写讽刺的枢纽——若换作「恋」「慕」等字，则或失其与「何乃」「荣者」的配合，或失其写贪的意味；唯「贪」字，以何乃贪荣者写尽贪荣之恋栈与恋栈之讥刺，与「斯言如不闻」的不闻相合，写尽贪荣的恋栈，也让「何乃贪荣者」成为全诗写恋栈的名句。

独 Du, 'alone, only'. In 'what manner of man is that one' it means the man who does not hear the rule is the exception among his kind; it also carries the poet's last complaint, that the truly retired are alone and without followers. 「彼独是何人」之「独」字是写贤德的关键词，一个「独」字写尽二疏的独贤。独者，唯独、独自也。白居易以「彼独是何人」写贤德，这个「独」字至少有双重意味：其一，写独贤之独——那「彼独是何人」写彼独是何人，那「独」字写尽二疏的独贤——彼独是何人，正是唯彼独贤的写照，那「独」字写尽二疏的贤德；其二，写情之叹——那「独」字更是写叹——独，正见独无人继的感叹，那「独」字写尽白居易的感慨。以「独」字写贤德，正是白居易写讽刺的枢纽——若换作「乃」「竟」等字，则或失其与「贤哉汉二疏」「是何人」的配合，或失其写独的意味；唯「独」字，以彼独是何人写尽二疏之独贤与无人之感叹，与「贤哉汉二疏」的贤哉相合，写尽二疏的贤德，也让「彼独是何人」成为全诗写贤德的名句。

不致仕