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唐 Tang · 诗 Poem

山居即事

Impromptu at the Mountain Dwelling (Shan Ju Ji Shi)

王维

Wang Wei

田园Pastoral 闲适Leisure / Ease

寂寞掩柴扉，苍茫对落晖。
鹤巢松树遍，人访荜门稀。
绿竹含新粉，红莲落故衣。
渡头烟火起，处处采菱归。

In loneliness I close the brushwood gate;
vast and dim, I face the sinking light.
Crane nests fill the pine trees everywhere;
few are the visitors to my bramble gate.
Green bamboo bears a fresh dust of powder;
red lotus sheds its old robe.
At the ferry, kitchen smoke rises;
everywhere, gatherers of water-chestnut return.

Listen

Meaning

Wang Wei describes a quiet day at his mountain retreat: a shut gate, the failing light, cranes nesting in pines, and rare callers. Green bamboo and red lotus mark the small changes of the season, while ferry smoke and returning gatherers bring gentle life. The poem is a calm celebration of seclusion and the natural rhythm of a mountain home.

寂寞掩柴扉，苍茫对落晖。鹤巢松树遍，人访荜门稀。绿竹含新粉，红莲落故衣。渡头烟火起，处处采菱归。

Appreciation

[Plain Paraphrase] Alone he shuts the brushwood gate and faces the dimming sunset. Crane nests crowd the pines; few guests come to the bramble gate. Green bamboo wears fresh powder; red lotus drops its old robe. At the ferry smoke rises; everywhere people return with water-chestnuts. [Structure] The first four lines dwell in stillness and solitude; the last four turn to the small life of plants and the returning villagers. [Imagery] 'Brushwood gate' and 'crane nests' set a hermit's quiet; 'bamboo powder' and 'lotus robe' catch minute seasonal change; 'ferry smoke' and 'chestnut gatherers' add human warmth without breaking calm. The poem is 'a painting in poetry' (shi zhong you hua): stillness and motion balance, and the everyday becomes serene art.

【白话串讲】王维写《山居即事》：“寂寞掩柴扉，苍茫对落晖”——“鹤巢松树遍，人访荜门稀”——“绿竹含新粉，红莲落故衣”——“渡头烟火起，处处采菱归”——他写山居的寂静。【意象与手法】此诗写山居即事，以山居写闲适，是王维的名篇。前四句写山居之静：「寂寞掩柴扉，苍茫对落晖」写寂寞掩柴扉、苍茫对落晖——写尽山居的寂寞；「鹤巢松树遍，人访荜门稀」写鹤巢松树遍、人访荜门稀——写尽山居的幽静；后四句写山居之景：「绿竹含新粉，红莲落故衣」写绿竹含新粉、红莲落故衣——写尽山居的景物；「渡头烟火起，处处采菱归」写渡头烟火起、处处采菱归——写尽山居的烟火。全诗以山居写闲适，写尽山居的幽静与烟火，是王维的代表作。【情感与主旨】此诗写山居即事，以山居写闲适，是王维的名篇。此诗写诗人山居之日的所见所感。此诗写山居之静：寂寞掩柴扉，苍茫对落晖——写寂寞掩柴扉、苍茫对落晖，写尽山居的寂寞；鹤巢松树遍，人访荜门稀——写鹤巢松树遍、人访荜门稀，写尽山居的幽静；绿竹含新粉，红莲落故衣——写绿竹含新粉、红莲落故衣，写尽山居的景物；渡头烟火起，处处采菱归——写渡头烟火起、处处采菱归，写尽山居的烟火。全诗以山居写闲适——那「寂寞掩柴扉」写尽山居的寂寞，「处处采菱归」写尽山居的烟火，写尽山居的幽静与烟火，是理解王维山水田园诗的重要篇章。【名句点睛】常考「寂寞掩柴扉，苍茫对落晖」写山居的寂寞；「鹤巢松树遍，人访荜门稀」写山居的幽静；「绿竹含新粉，红莲落故衣」写山居的景物；以及全诗以山居写闲适、以动写静的手法。

Background

Wang Wei (701–761), courtesy name Mojie, of Hedong, was a great Tang landscape-and-pastoral poet revered as the 'Poet Buddha'. This poem likely comes from his later retirement at Wangchuan, where he lived close to nature after the turmoil of the An Lushan years. 'Impromptu' (jishi) means it was triggered by the day's sights. The work belongs to his mature style—understated, image-led, Buddhist in its quiet acceptance. It shows the retired scholar finding fullness in apparent emptiness.

此诗写山居即事，以山居写闲适，是王维的名篇。王维（701—761），字摩诘，河东蒲州（今山西永济）人，唐代伟大的山水田园诗人，人称「诗佛」。此诗写诗人山居之日的所见所感，当为晚年隐居辋川时所作。此诗写山居之静：「寂寞掩柴扉，苍茫对落晖」写寂寞掩柴扉、苍茫对落晖——写尽山居的寂寞（寂寞中掩上柴扉，苍茫中对着落晖）；「鹤巢松树遍，人访荜门稀」写鹤巢松树遍、人访荜门稀——写尽山居的幽静（鹤巢于松树遍处，人来访荜门者稀）；「绿竹含新粉，红莲落故衣」写绿竹含新粉、红莲落故衣——写尽山居的景物（绿竹含新粉，红莲落旧叶）；「渡头烟火起，处处采菱归」写渡头烟火起、处处采菱归——写尽山居的烟火（渡头烟火升起，处处采菱归来）。全诗以山居写闲适，写尽山居的幽静与烟火，是理解王维山水田园诗的重要篇章。还应注意此诗「即事」之题：即事者，就眼前之事而作也。王维晚年隐居辋川，日与山水为伴，此诗即随手写下山居一日的所见——掩扉对晖、鹤巢松遍、竹含新粉、莲落故衣、烟火渡头、采菱归人，皆日常琐细之景，而一经点染便成诗画。正因所写皆眼前实景、心中真趣，故不假雕琢而自然淡远，正是「清水出芙蓉，天然去雕饰」的审美境界。

Art

The art has four turns. First, scene-for-solitude: 'alone I close the brushwood gate; face the sinking light' states seclusion through image, not claim. Second, contrast-for-stillness: 'crane nests fill the pines; few visitors come' opposes abundant nature to scarce humanity, deepening quiet. Third, fine detail: 'bamboo bears fresh powder; red lotus sheds its old robe' observes tiny seasonal change with delicate eye. Fourth, motion-for-stillness: 'ferry smoke rises; chestnut gatherers return' uses gentle human movement to confirm, not disturb, the peace. The poem moves still-to-living; its balance of solitude and warmth is classic Wang Wei—'a painting in poetry'.

此诗的艺术特色可从四个方面解析。其一，以写景写寂寞。「寂寞掩柴扉，苍茫对落晖」以写景写寂寞——那「掩柴扉」「对落晖」写尽掩扉对晖的孤寂，以写景写尽山居的寂寞。其二，以对照写幽静。「鹤巢松树遍，人访荜门稀」以对照写幽静——那「鹤巢松树遍」写尽鹤多、「人访荜门稀」写尽人稀，以对照写尽山居的幽静。其三，以细腻写景物。「绿竹含新粉，红莲落故衣」以细腻写景物——那「含新粉」「落故衣」写尽绿竹含粉与红莲落衣，以细腻写尽山居的景物。其四，以动写静写烟火。「渡头烟火起，处处采菱归」以动写静写烟火——那「烟火起」「采菱归」写尽渡头烟火与采菱归来，以动写静写尽山居的生机。此外，此诗前四句写幽静，后四句写烟火，由静而动，正见山居「静中有动」的情趣。四重手法，使此诗以山居写闲适，写尽山居的幽静与烟火，是王维的代表作。尤可注意「落晖」与「烟火起」的时间线：首联「苍茫对落晖」写日落之时，尾联「渡头烟火起」写炊烟初升之时，首尾呼应，写尽一个由黄昏入夜的完整时段；而颈联「绿竹含新粉，红莲落故衣」的清新，恰与「寂寞掩柴扉」的幽独相映，使全诗于幽静中透出生气、于寂寞中见出生活。

Allusions

'Brushwood gate' (chaifei) is the hermit's door (cf. Liu Changqing's 'dog barks at the brushwood gate'); 'sinking light' (luohui) evokes evening's close. 'Crane nest' and 'pine' are longevity and retreat emblems; 'bramble gate' (bimen) marks a poor man's dwelling. 'Bamboo powder' and 'lotus robe' are Wang Wei's own famous images of seasonal change. 'Ferry smoke' and 'water-chestnut gatherers' picture rural life. He gathers these quiet tokens of the recluse tradition to render mountain ease without strain.

此诗的用语深植于山居与隐逸的传统。「寂寞掩柴扉」令人想到「柴扉」写柴门的意象——「寂寞掩柴扉」正是王维的名句，也令人想到「掩柴扉」写掩门的意象——「柴门闻犬吠」（刘长卿）；「苍茫对落晖」令人想到「落晖」写落晖的意象——「苍茫对落晖」正是王维的名句，也令人想到「落日故人情」的落晖；「鹤巢松树遍」令人想到「鹤巢」写鹤巢的意象——「鹤巢松树遍」正是王维的名句，也令人想到「松树」写松树的意象——「松下问童子」（贾岛）；「人访荜门稀」令人想到「荜门」写柴门的典故——荜门即荆竹所编之门，贫者所居，也令人想到「人访荜门稀」写访者稀少的意象；「绿竹含新粉」令人想到「新粉」写竹上新粉的意象——「绿竹含新粉」正是王维的名句，也令人想到「红莲落故衣」写红莲落衣的意象；「渡头烟火起」令人想到「烟火」写炊烟的意象——「渡头烟火起」正是王维的名句，也令人想到「处处采菱归」写采菱归来的意象。全诗化用柴扉、鹤巢、荜门、采菱的意象，以山居写闲适，正是王维「诗中有画」而兼善幽静、承隐逸传统写山居的本领。

Commentary

The poem is a celebrated Wang Wei pastoral and a model Tang mountain-dwelling lyric. Qing critics called it 'leisure through mountain dwelling, secluded and distant'. Modern readers prize 'green bamboo bears fresh powder; red lotus sheds its old robe' and 'ferry smoke rises; chestnut gatherers return' as its famous lines. With 'Autumn Dusk at the Mountain Dwelling' ('moon shines among the pines') it forms a paired reading of his retreat—one autumn, one impromptu. For today's reader it opens Wang Wei's late, tranquil world, where a shut gate still breathes life.

此诗历来被推为王维山水田园诗的名篇，也是唐人写山居的代表。历代论者对此诗评价极高：清人评此诗「以山居写闲适，幽静淡远」；近人更指出「绿竹含新粉，红莲落故衣」写山居的景物，「渡头烟火起，处处采菱归」写山居的烟火，是此诗的名句。在诗歌史上，此诗的特殊价值在于：它以八句的五言律诗写尽山居的幽静与烟火——那掩上的柴扉，那苍茫的落晖，那遍树的鹤巢，那稀少的荜门访客，那含新粉的绿竹，那落故衣的红莲，那渡头的烟火，那采菱的归人，都写尽了王维笔下的山居；那「渡头烟火起，处处采菱归」更以人间烟火写尽山居的生机。此诗与王维《山居秋暝》（「明月松间照」）同为山居名篇，一写「空山新雨后」的秋日山居（山居秋暝），一写「寂寞掩柴扉」的即事山居（山居即事）；又与王维「晚年惟好静，万事不关心」的隐居之志一脉相承，可见王维晚年山居生活的写照。对于今日读者，此诗是理解王维山水田园诗的窗口，也是中国诗写山居的经典——那渡头的烟火，穿越千年，仍在诉说着山居的闲适。

Prosody

Form Five-character regulated verse (Wuyan Lüshi, 五言律诗)诗·五言律诗

Rhyme Rhymes on the 'wei' vowels (hui, xi, yi, gui) in the level tone, one rhyme throughout, with balanced antithesis.五律，押「晖」「稀」「衣」「归」韵（上平五微），一韵到底，对仗工整

Tone pattern A pentasyllabic regulated poem in level tone, single rhyme, neat parallelism; its distant, even music suits the secluded mood.此诗为五言律诗，押平声韵，一韵到底，对仗工整，音节淡远，正合山居的淡远。

Reading note An eight-line wuyan lüshi: '寂寞掩柴扉…处处采菱归.' It rhymes throughout on the 'wei' category; the second and third couplets are neatly antithetical. The first couplet states solitude, the second its stillness, the third fine detail, the fourth gentle life. Read '寂寞掩柴扉' with distant calm and close '处处采菱归' with light ease.此诗为五言律诗，八句四联——「寂寞掩柴扉，苍茫对落晖。鹤巢松树遍，人访荜门稀。绿竹含新粉，红莲落故衣。渡头烟火起，处处采菱归」，押「微」韵（晖、稀、衣、归），一韵到底。颔联「鹤巢松树遍，人访荜门稀」与颈联「绿竹含新粉，红莲落故衣」对仗工整。全诗以山居写闲适：首联写山居的寂寞（寂寞掩柴扉，苍茫对落晖），颔联写山居的幽静（鹤巢松树遍，人访荜门稀），颈联写山居的景物（绿竹含新粉，红莲落故衣），尾联写山居的烟火（渡头烟火起，处处采菱归）。诵读此诗，宜以淡远的语调读「寂寞掩柴扉」的寂寞，以清新的语调读「绿竹含新粉」的景物，结句「处处采菱归」要读得轻快而有余韵，方能传达出王维的淡远自然。王维律诗以「诗中有画」著称，此诗正是其山居律诗的典范。

Line by line

绿竹含新粉，红莲落故衣

Green bamboo bears a fresh dust of powder;<br>red lotus sheds its old robe.

绿竹含着新粉，红莲落去旧叶。

Green bamboos sheathed with new bloom; red lotus flowers shedding their old sheaths.

此二句是全诗写景物的核心，以绿竹含新粉写竹，以红莲落故衣写莲，写尽山居的景物，是千古名句。「绿竹含新粉」写绿竹含着新粉——那「绿竹」写绿竹，「含新粉」写含着新粉，写尽绿竹的新生；「红莲落故衣」写红莲落去旧叶——那「红莲」写红莲，「落故衣」写落去旧叶，写尽红莲的更新。这句的深意在于：它以「绿竹含新粉」的新生与「红莲落故衣」的更新，写尽山居的景物——绿竹含着新粉，那「绿竹含新粉」写尽绿竹的新生——新竹含粉，正是竹笋初脱箨的嫩绿，那「含新粉」写尽绿竹的新生；红莲落去旧叶，那「红莲落故衣」写尽红莲的更新——红莲落去旧叶，正是荷花的新荣，那「落故衣」写尽红莲的更新；那「绿竹含新粉」写尽绿竹的新生，那「红莲落故衣」写尽红莲的更新，一写含新粉，一写落故衣，写尽山居的景物——竹含新粉、莲落故衣，正是夏日山居的清新景物；而「新」与「故」相对，写尽万物新陈代谢的生意，也正是王维以细腻笔触写山居景物的本领；此二句以含新粉、落故衣写尽山居的景物，也让此二句成为全诗写景物的核心与千古名句。若换作直说「院子里有竹子和荷花」，则失其细腻；唯以「绿竹含新粉」写竹、「红莲落故衣」写莲，写尽山居的景物，也让此二句成为全诗写景物的核心。

The two lines are the core of the poem's scenery, writing the bamboo through green bamboos sheathed with new bloom and the lotus through red lotus flowers shedding their old sheaths, exhausting the mountain-hermitage scenery, an immortal line. Green bamboos sheathed with new bloom is precisely the picture of the new bamboo's tender green after the sheath falls; red lotus flowers shedding their old sheaths precisely the picture of the lotus's fresh bloom. The deep meaning: new and old set against each other, writing the life of all things' renewal — the bamboo sheathed, the lotus shedding, precisely the fresh scenery of the summer hermitage. Were it said plainly there are bamboos and lotuses in the courtyard, the delicacy would be lost; only through the new bloom and the old sheaths is the scenery exhausted, making the lines the core of the poem.

渡头烟火起，处处采菱归

At the ferry, kitchen smoke rises;<br>everywhere, gatherers of water-chestnut return.

渡头烟火升起，处处采菱归来。

By the ferry, cooking smoke rises; everywhere, women return from gathering water chestnuts.

此二句是全诗写烟火的核心，以渡头烟火起写炊烟，以处处采菱归写归人，写尽山居的烟火与生机，是千古名句。「渡头烟火起」写渡头烟火升起——那「渡头」写渡头，「烟火起」写烟火升起，写尽渡头的炊烟；「处处采菱归」写处处采菱归来——那「处处」写处处，「采菱归」写采菱归来，写尽采菱的归人。这句的深意在于：它以「渡头烟火起」的炊烟与「处处采菱归」的归人，写尽山居的烟火与生机——渡头烟火升起，那「渡头烟火起」写尽渡头的炊烟——日暮时分，渡头升起炊烟，正是人间的烟火，那「烟火起」写尽山居的人间气；处处采菱归来，那「处处采菱归」写尽采菱的归人——处处都是采菱归来的农人，正是山居的劳作，那「处处采菱归」写尽山居的生机；那「渡头烟火起」写尽渡头的炊烟，那「处处采菱归」写尽采菱的归人，一写烟火，一写归人，写尽山居的烟火与生机——寂寞山居之中，渡头烟火、采菱归人，正是静中之动的生机；此二句以烟火、采菱写尽山居的烟火与生机，也让此二句成为全诗写烟火的核心与千古名句。若换作直说「山居里有人做饭有人回来」，则失其诗意；唯以「渡头烟火起」写炊烟、「处处采菱归」写归人，写尽山居的烟火与生机，也让此二句成为全诗写烟火的核心。

The two lines are the core of the poem's hearth-fire, writing the cooking smoke through by the ferry, cooking smoke rises and the returning gatherers through everywhere, women return from gathering water chestnuts, exhausting the hermitage's hearth and life, an immortal line. By the ferry, cooking smoke rises is precisely the picture of the dusk smoke; everywhere, women return from gathering water chestnuts precisely the picture of the toil's return. One writes the smoke, one the returners, exhausting the quiet hermitage's inner motion. Were it said plainly someone cooks and someone comes home in the mountain hermitage, the poetry would be lost; only through the smoke and the returning gatherers is the life exhausted, making the lines the core of the poem.

Study

Word focus

寂寞 Jimo ('lonely, still'): it sets the poem's quiet, solitary key. The word names the retired mood that the shut gate and dusk then embody. 「寂寞掩柴扉」之「寂寞」是写山居的关键词，一个「寂寞」写尽山居的孤寂。寂寞者，孤寂清静也。王维以「寂寞掩柴扉」写山居，这个「寂寞」至少有双重意味：其一，写山居之静——那「寂寞掩柴扉」写寂寞中掩上柴扉，那「寂寞」写尽山居的幽静——山居无人，寂寞清静，那「寂寞」写尽山居的幽静；其二，写心性之淡——那「寂寞」更是写心性——甘于寂寞，正见王维晚年淡泊的心性，那「寂寞」写尽心性的淡泊。以「寂寞」写山居，正是王维写闲适的枢纽——若换作「幽静」「清静」等词，则或失其写寂寞的意味，或失其与「掩柴扉」的配合；唯「寂寞」二字，以寂寞掩柴扉写尽山居的幽静与淡泊的心性，与「苍茫对落晖」的苍茫相合，写尽山居的闲适，也让「寂寞掩柴扉」成为全诗写山居的名句。

故衣 Gu yi ('old robe'): it means the lotus sheds its former petals like an old garment. The phrase catches seasonal change with tender, personifying detail. 「红莲落故衣」之「故衣」是写莲叶的字眼，一个「故衣」写尽红莲落衣的更新。故衣者，旧叶、旧衣裳也，喻莲花之旧叶。王维以「红莲落故衣」写莲，这个「故衣」至少有双重意味：其一，写莲之更新——那「红莲落故衣」写红莲落去旧叶，那「故衣」写尽红莲的旧叶——红莲落去旧叶，正是荷花的新荣，那「落故衣」写尽红莲的更新；其二，写物之代谢——那「故衣」更是写代谢——故衣落下，新叶方生，正见万物之代谢，那「故衣」写尽物候的更新。以「故衣」写莲叶，正是王维写景物的枢纽——若换作「旧叶」「残叶」等词，则或失其写故衣的雅致，或失其与「绿竹含新粉」的对照；唯「故衣」二字，以红莲落故衣写尽红莲旧叶的落下与万物之代谢，与「绿竹含新粉」的新粉相对照，写尽山居的景物，也让「红莲落故衣」成为全诗写景物的名句。