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宋 Song · 诗 Poem

春日

Spring Day

朱熹

Zhu Xi

写景Scenery 哲理Philosophy

胜日寻芳泗水滨，无边光景一时新。
等闲识得东风面，万紫千红总是春。

On a fine day I seek the spring by the River Si;
Boundless scenes and sights are all new suddenly.
I casually recognize the face of the east wind:
The myriad purples and reds are always spring.

Listen

Meaning

The poet seeks spring by the Si River, finding everything renewed. He easily perceives the east wind through the countless colorful flowers, which embody spring. This is a metaphor for the joy of suddenly comprehending the Way of the sages.

在一个美好的日子里，我到泗水边寻觅芳草，无边无际的春光景物一时间都焕然一新。轻易之间便认出了东风的面貌——那万紫千红的花朵，无一不是春天的化身。诗人借春日寻芳之景，暗喻探求圣人之道后豁然开朗的欣然，景中有理，理寓于景，是宋代理趣诗的典范。

Appreciation

The poem uses vivid spring imagery to express a philosophical insight: the ubiquitous presence of the Dao. The last two lines are celebrated for their blend of scenery and philosophy, making the abstract tangible.

【白话串讲】 “等闲识得东风面，万紫千红总是春”——朱熹在泗水边寻春，一眼就认出了春风的脸。表面上写春游，其实写的是儒家道理：万物都是春天的一部分。【意象与手法】诗由叙事（寻芳）到写景（光景一新），再到议论（识得东风），层层递进。前两句铺垫春之广远，后两句以「等闲」「总是」收束，语气笃定；「万紫千红」以繁丽意象总括春景，喻理而不枯，景理相生。【情感与主旨】朱熹此诗虽写「泗水滨」，实非记实游春。泗水为孔子讲学之地，南宋时已陷金人手中，诗人不可能亲至。故「寻芳泗水」乃借指探求孔子之道（「寻芳」喻求圣人之学），是借春景以喻理学的托寓之作，体现宋代理学诗「假象说理」的特点。【名句点睛】常考「万紫千红总是春」所寓「理一分殊」的哲思，及「泗水」的象征意义；此诗表面写春游，实则以寻芳喻求道，明丽畅达而蕴含理趣，是理学诗「理趣」美的代表。

Background

Although the poem mentions the Si River, Zhu Xi never actually visited it, as the area was under Jin control. The Si River was where Confucius taught. Thus, 'seeking spring by the Si River' is a metaphor for seeking Confucius's Way, typical of Song Neo-Confucian 'philosophical poetry'.

朱熹（1130—1200），字元晦，号晦庵，南宋理学家、教育家、诗人，理学之集大成者。此诗为朱熹七绝名篇，然其创作背景颇有深意：诗写「泗水滨」寻芳，而泗水在山东曲阜一带，是孔子设教讲学之地，南宋时淮河以北尽陷金人，泗水正在敌境，朱熹一生未曾北渡，绝不可能亲至泗水游春。故此诗绝非纪实之作，而是借「寻芳泗水」的虚拟场景托物言志：泗水是儒学的象征，孔子曾于此地聚徒讲学，「泗水」一词在宋代语境中即是圣人之道、洙泗之学的代称；「寻芳」即寻春，亦即寻求圣人之道。朱熹作为理学家，主张「格物致知」「即物穷理」，认为天理无处不在，正如春气无处不在；学者一旦识得此理，则万物之理皆可贯通，眼前万紫千红，无一不是天理流行的显现。此诗正是这一理学思想（「理一分殊」「月印万川」）的诗化表达，是宋代理学诗「假象见义、以诗说理」的典型作品，也是理学诗摆脱枯涩、臻于理趣之境的代表。

Art

The poem progresses from narration to description to reflection. The first two lines set the vast spring scene; the last two lines conclude with certainty. The image of 'myriad purples and reds' vividly summarizes spring while conveying philosophical truth.

此诗艺术上最妙处，在于把抽象的天理写得如春光般可触可感，景、理、情三者浑然一体。全诗四句，章法层层递进：首句「胜日寻芳泗水滨」叙事，点明时间（胜日）、地点（泗水滨）、事件（寻芳），「胜日」二字见出游之兴，「寻芳」二字见探求之意，一虚一实，为后文张本；次句「无边光景一时新」写景，「无边」写春景之广远，铺天盖地，「一时新」写万物更新之迅疾，如魔术般焕然一新，把春回大地的气象写得痛快淋漓；第三句「等闲识得东风面」议论，「等闲」即轻易、随便，写识春之易——不用费力追寻，随处皆是东风的面貌；末句「万紫千红总是春」总括，「万紫千红」以最繁丽的色彩写尽春之绚烂，「总是春」三字以最笃定的语气收束，把万千景象归于一理。四句由叙到景、由景到理，自然流转；后二句的议论不落言筌，因有前二句的春景作底，说理而景不枯，写景而理不空，正是理学诗「理趣」的最高境界，也是「景理交融」的典范。

Allusions

The Si River alludes to Confucius's teaching (he taught between the Zhu and Si rivers). 'East wind' traditionally symbolizes spring. Zhu Xi uses these references to symbolize the pursuit of Confucian learning.

此诗的用典与象征全在「泗水」二字，一字而牵动整个儒学的谱系。泗水在曲阜，孔子晚年于此设教，与弟子弦歌讲诵，《史记·孔子世家》载「孔子葬鲁城北泗上」，弟子及鲁人往从冢而家者百有余室，「洙泗」遂成为儒学的代称，《礼记·檀弓》亦有「吾与二三子，讲学于洙泗之上」之说。南宋理学承洙泗之传，朱熹自谓「为往圣继绝学」，故「寻芳泗水」即是寻孔颜乐处、求圣人之道，泗水之滨即是理想中的精神家园。「东风」在古诗中本为春风之代称，此处兼有「圣人之化育万物」的意味：如春风之吹拂万物，圣人之道亦化育万民；「万紫千红」则暗用「万物各得其理」「鸢飞鱼跃」的理学意象，喻理一分殊、各正性命。全诗无一字说理，而理学家读之自会心，其用典之妙，在于把理学的核心命题化入最平常的春景之中，使读者不待解说而自能领会「活泼泼」的天理流行，是「不著一字，尽得风流」在理学诗中的实现。

Commentary

The poem outwardly describes a spring outing but inwardly conveys Neo-Confucian philosophy. It was popularized by Wang Xiang's 'Thousand Poems'. Scholars have long noted the River Si is not real. The phrase '万紫千红' is still used today to describe spring's beauty.

此诗是宋代理趣诗的最高成就，历来评价极高。明人王相《千家诗》录此诗，自此广为流传，成为蒙学必读；历代注家早已指出「泗水」非实指，清人即明言「此非游春，乃喻学也」，以为朱子以寻芳喻求道、以万紫千红喻道之广大，是「借物明理」的典范。就理学诗史而言，宋代道学家之诗多主「理」而少「趣」，或流于语录体，或失之枯涩；朱熹此诗却能以春景之美写天理之明，理趣兼备、明丽畅达，故钱锺书《宋诗选注》论宋诗「以文为诗」之弊时，独于朱熹多致赞词，谓其诗「富于理趣而无理障」。今人论理趣诗，必举此诗与苏轼《题西林壁》、王安石《登飞来峰》并举，而此诗以其色彩之明丽、语气之笃定，最为平易近人。「万紫千红总是春」一语更早已脱离原诗语境，成为形容春色繁盛、生机盎然的通用成语，足见此诗艺术感染力之强，早已超越了说理的初衷，实现了「以诗证理、以理入诗」的双重价值。

Prosody

Form Seven-character quatrain七言绝句

Rhyme Lines 1, 2, and 4 rhyme in the level tone, Zhen rhyme group滨、新、春，押平声真韵（平水韵上平十一真），首句入韵。

Tone pattern Level-tone opening with rhyme on first line; lively and smooth, scenery conveying philosophy平起首句入韵式。首句「胜日寻芳泗水滨」为仄仄平平仄仄平，次句「无边光景一时新」为平平平仄仄平平，三句「等闲识得东风面」为仄平仄仄平平仄，末句「万紫千红总是春」为仄仄平平仄仄平，平仄合律，音节明快。

Reading note Outwardly a spring outing, but uses the Si River to allude to Confucian learning and spring scenery to symbolize the vastness of the sage's Way.此诗为七言绝句正格，平起首句入韵，押上平十一真韵，韵脚「滨、新、春」皆清脆响亮，声调明朗畅达，正合春日寻芳的欢快情调。全诗四句，前二句写景、后二句说理，章法上是宋诗「即景说理」的典型结构；与前人「先情后景」的唐人绝句不同，此诗以议论收束而毫不枯燥，其关键在于说理不脱离形象——「万紫千红」的繁丽意象与「总是春」的笃定语气，使抽象的理趣有了可感的着落。此诗用字平易，几乎全用常用字，而音节流转、琅琅上口，故能成为蒙学必读的篇章；「等闲」「总是」等虚字的运用，使句意于平易中见顿挫，正是理学家「平淡而山高水深」的诗学理想在格律上的实现。诵读此诗，宜以明快之音、欢畅之气行之，于「一时新」「总是春」处稍作昂扬，方能传达出寻道之乐与悟道之喜。

Line by line

胜日寻芳泗水滨，无边光景一时新

On a fair day I seek spring by the Si River shore; the boundless scene is new, all at once.

美好的日子里到泗水边寻觅芳草，无边风光一时焕然一新

On a lovely day I seek the spring colors by the Si River; the boundless scenery is fresh and new at once.

首二句叙事写景，为全诗铺垫春之广远。「胜日」即良辰吉日，点明出游时令之佳，奠定欢畅明朗的基调；「寻芳」二字最堪玩味——字面是寻觅芳草春色，深层却是寻求圣人之道，一语双关，是理学诗「托物言志」的机关所在；「泗水滨」点出地点，泗水为孔子讲学之地，暗指儒门圣境，读者须知此为虚拟而非纪实。「无边光景一时新」承上写景：「无边」写春景之广，铺天盖地、无远弗届；「一时新」写万象更新之速，仿佛春天在一瞬间降临，草木山川俱换新颜。「一时」言变化之快，「新」字写更替之鲜，二字合观，把春回大地的欢欣写得痛快淋漓。两句一叙一景，由人到物、由寻到见，为后二句「识得东风」的悟理蓄势，明丽之中已含哲思的端倪。

The first two lines narrate and write scene, preparing the spring's breadth for the whole poem. On a fair day means the fine day, marking the season's excellence, fixing the bright, glad tone; the two words seek spring are the most to be tasted — on the surface the seeking of the fragrant spring, in depth the seeking of the sage's way, one word double meaning, the mechanism of the philosophical poem's object-as-purpose; by the Si River shore marks the place, the Si River where Confucius taught, secretly pointing to the Confucian holy ground, the reader must know this is the imagined, not the record. The boundless scene is new, all at once follows writing scene: the boundless writes the spring's breadth, sky-filling, reaching everywhere; all at once writes the speed of all things' renewal, as if spring arrived in an instant, grass, trees, hills and rivers all turning new. The all at once writes the speed of change, the new the freshness of the renewal, the two read together writing the joy of spring's return to the fullest. Two lines, one narration one scene, from man to thing, from seeking to seeing, storing force for the last two lines' knowing the east wind, the philosophical hint already within the brightness.

等闲识得东风面，万紫千红总是春

Lightly I know the east wind's face; ten thousand purple, a thousand red — all is spring.

轻易便认出了东风的面貌，万紫千红之处无非都是春光

Easily I recognize the east wind's face; in all the purple and red, everything is spring.

后二句由景入理，是全诗的哲理核心。「等闲」即轻易、随便，写识春之易——不必刻意寻索，只要置身春光之中，随处都能认出东风的面貌；「识得东风面」以「识」字点出认知的豁然，正是理学「格物致知」的工夫：格物穷理，一旦贯通，则触处皆春。「万紫千红总是春」是千古名句：「万紫千红」以极繁丽的色彩写尽春之绚烂，桃花红、李花白、杏花艳，千姿百态、目不暇接；「总是春」三字以极笃定的语气总括——这万千色彩、万千姿态，无一不是春天的化身。就哲理言，此句正是「理一分殊」的形象表达：天理是一，万紫千红是万，一理散为万殊，万殊归于一本，正如春气流行，百花各得其所而皆为春色。景、理、情在此彻底交融，明丽之中见深邃，是理趣诗的绝唱。

The last two lines turn from scene to reason, the philosophical core of the poem. Lightly means easily, casually, writing the ease of knowing spring — no deliberate seeking needed, only to stand within the spring scene, and everywhere one recognizes the east wind's face; knows the east wind's face uses the word know to mark the sudden enlightenment, precisely the Neo-Confucian work of investigating things to attain knowledge: investigate the thing and fathom the reason, and once comprehended, everywhere touched is spring. Ten thousand purple, a thousand red — all is spring is the immortal line: ten thousand purple, a thousand red writes the spring's splendor through the most gorgeous color, the peach red, the plum white, the apricot bright, a thousand postures beyond the eye; all is spring three words, in the most assured tone, summing up — these ten thousand colors, ten thousand postures, every one the incarnation of spring. Philosophically, the line is precisely the image expression of the one principle and its myriad manifestations: the heavenly principle is one, the ten thousand purple and a thousand red are the myriad, the one principle scattered into the myriad manifestations, the myriad returning to the one root, as the spring breath flowing, the hundred flowers each in its place and all spring colors. Scene, reason, and feeling here fully fused, the depth within the brightness, the lay of the speculative poem.

Study

Word focus

胜日 Fine day; sets a cheerful tone. 「胜日寻芳泗水滨」之「胜日」，指美好的日子、良辰佳日，是全诗情感基调的第一个音符。「胜」有「优美、佳妙」之意，与「日」相连，写出游之日的美好，暗示诗人心情的舒畅与兴致的高昂。此词并非泛泛的修饰，而有深意存焉：一则点明时令宜人，正是寻芳踏青的好时节；二则暗含诗人对求道之行的欣然——在理学家看来，寻圣人之道正如春日出游，是赏心乐事而非苦役，此「胜日」二字已透出「寻道之乐」的意趣；三则与「寻芳」呼应，「胜日」而寻芳，良辰美景、赏心乐事，四美并具。此词虽为常见词语，经朱熹置于理学诗的语境中，便有了「乐道」的意味，可见其炼字不尚新奇而重在整体意境的浑成，这正是理学家诗「平淡而有深味」的特点。

一时新 All new at once; emphasizes sudden renewal. 「无边光景一时新」之「一时新」，是全句乃至全诗最有神采的三个字，「一时」与「新」的搭配，把春回大地的气象写得如魔术般神奇。「一时」即同时、一下子，极言变化之速——仿佛春天不是渐进地到来，而是在某一瞬间同时降临，山川、草木、花鸟，一切景物同时焕新；「新」字写更替之鲜，旧冬的枯寂一扫而空，万物以崭新的面目呈现。「一时新」三字合观，既有时间的迅疾感，又有空间的广被感：春气一到，无远弗届，无边光景在同一个瞬间全部更新，这正是天理流行、化育万物的气象。若作「渐次新」「处处新」，则或失之缓、或失之板；「一时新」以最简的三字写出最宏大的变化，气势阔大而语意浑成，为后二句「识得东风」的豁然贯通预作了感官上的铺垫，是典型的「以景写理、景中寓理」的炼字。

等闲 Casually; shows how easily the insight comes. 「等闲识得东风面」之「等闲」，意即轻易、随便、不费力，是此诗由景入理的枢机之字。「等闲」写识春之易：不必刻意寻索、不必费心经营，只要置身春光之中，随处都能认出东风的面貌——这是「容易」的表层义；而其深层，则关涉理学的认知工夫：在朱熹看来，天理无处不在，正如春风无处不在，学者格物致知，积累既久，一旦豁然贯通，则「众物之表里精粗无不到」，此时识理便如识东风一样「等闲」了。「等闲」二字写尽悟道后的从容：未悟时千寻万觅，既悟后触处皆真。此字与末句「总是」呼应，「等闲识得」与「总是春」一虚一实，共同营造出那种「得来全不费工夫」的悟道之乐，是理学诗以虚字传神的典范。

春日