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宋 Song · 词 Ci lyric

青玉案·元夕

Green Jade Cup · Lantern Festival Night

辛弃疾

Xin Qiji

元宵Lantern Festival 爱情Love

东风夜放花千树。
更吹落，星如雨。
宝马雕车香满路。
凤箫声动，玉壶光转，一夜鱼龙舞。
蛾儿雪柳黄金缕。
笑语盈盈暗香去。
众里寻他千百度。
蓦然回首，那人却在，灯火阑珊处。

East wind at night makes a thousand trees bloom; it blows down stars like rain.
Fine horses and carved carriages fill the road with fragrance; phoenix flutes sound, jade pot's light turns, all night fish and dragons dance.
Moth-shaped pins, willow-like tassels, golden threads; with laughter and fragrance they pass away.
Among the crowd I search for her a thousand times.
Suddenly turning back, there she is, in the dim light of the lanterns.

Listen

Meaning

The first stanza vividly portrays the grand Lantern Festival: east wind blossoms thousands of lanterns, stars fall like rain, carriages and music fill the air, and fish-dragon lanterns dance all night. The second stanza describes women passing with laughter; the poet searches for his beloved a thousand times, and suddenly finds her alone in the dimly lit corner, symbolizing aloofness.

东风在夜里吹开了千树繁花，又把如雨的星火吹落人间。宝马雕车驶过，一路幽香弥漫。凤箫声起伏悠扬，明月在空中流转，整夜里鱼形龙形的彩灯翻舞不歇。游女们插戴着蛾儿、雪柳、黄金缕的头饰，笑语盈盈地从眼前走过，只留下一缕淡淡暗香。我在熙攘人海中千百次地将她寻觅，忽然回过头去，她却独自站在灯火稀疏的角落里。

Appreciation

The metaphors (lanterns as flowers and stars) are novel, animating static lanterns. The contrast between the bustling crowd and the solitary 'her' highlights the poet's aloofness and refusal to follow the crowd. The famous last line is praised by Wang Guowei as the third realm of great achievement.

【白话串讲】元宵夜的灯像花一样炸开，人群挤满整条街，可辛弃疾要找的那个人，偏偏在最冷清的角落。“众里寻他千百度，蓦然回首”——这句被唱了一千遍的歌词，原来藏着一个词人最不肯说破的心事。【意象与手法】上片纯用赋笔铺陈，以“花千树”“星如雨”喻灯，化静为动【情感与主旨】此词约写于南宋淳熙年间，时辛弃疾闲居临安或上游一带。南宋都城临安（今杭州）元宵极盛，士女出游、彻夜狂欢【名句点睛】常考“东风夜放花千树，更吹落、星如雨”以花、星喻灯的比拟手法

Background

This poem is written around the Chunxi period of the Southern Song dynasty, when Xin Qiji was living in Lin'an or nearby. The capital celebrated Lantern Festival with great splendor. The poem ostensibly describes searching for a woman, but is traditionally interpreted as having deeper meaning: Xin Qiji's ambition to recover lost territory was frustrated, and he used 'that person' as a self-metaphor for his lonely integrity amidst the bustling world.

此词约作于南宋淳熙年间，时辛弃疾闲居临安（今杭州）或江西一带。南宋都城临安元宵灯俗极盛，据吴自牧《梦粱录》、周密《武林旧事》载，元夕之夜「终夕天街鼓吹不绝」，鳌山灯海、鱼龙漫衍，士女倾城出游，彻夜狂欢，是为偏安朝廷粉饰太平的盛景。辛弃疾身历北宋沦亡、南宋苟安，少年时曾陷金占区、聚众抗金南归，一生以恢复为志，却长期投闲置散。在此灯红酒绿、举国欢腾的元宵夜里，词人却于喧阗人海中寻访那位「灯火阑珊处」的孤高之人，其寓意历来颇多解读：或以为寄托政治理想，以不随波逐流、自甘寂寞的高洁自况；或以为寄托对理想的执拗追寻。词牌《青玉案》调名本于汉张衡《四愁诗》「美人赠我锦绣段，何以报之青玉案」，案为盛食器皿，调名本含相思寄托之意，亦为全词「寻人」之旨埋下线索。此词将节俗盛景与孤高情怀对举，时代繁华与词人孤愤互为表里。词人闲居临安时值壮年，报国无门而强作欢游，元夕灯山之下其孤高之意愈显；此词遂非单纯节俗之作而含身世之感，置于南渡词以乐景写哀的传统中，别具一种冷眼观热闹的清醒。

Art

The first stanza uses descriptive writing with metaphors (lanterns as flowers and stars), while the second stanza contrasts the noisy crowd with the solitary figure. The phrase 'suddenly turning back' is a key technique, shifting from extravagance to a lonely shadow, creating a strong contrast. The whole poem integrates scene and emotion with profound allegory.

此词结构分明，上片写灯，下片写人，而以「寻」字绾合，章法细密。上片纯用赋笔铺陈元夕灯月之盛：「东风夜放花千树，更吹落、星如雨」以花、星喻灯，化静为动，想象奇绝；继以宝马雕车、凤箫玉壶、鱼龙舞，多感官铺排，声色香光交叠，画出一幅火树银花、彻夜欢腾的临安元夕盛景图。下片由景及人，「蛾儿雪柳黄金缕」写游女盛妆，「笑语盈盈暗香去」以动写众人之喧；至「众里寻他千百度」笔锋陡转，于万头攒动中独寻一人；结以「蓦然回首，那人却在，灯火阑珊处」，由极闹归于极静，反差强烈。全词以浓衬淡、以闹衬孤，铺垫愈盛，愈显「那人」之孤高脱俗。意象经营上，灯火之「闹」与阑珊之「静」形成对照，象征世俗繁华与独立人格的张力，是辛词中寄托遥深、风神蕴藉之作。下片以「寻」字为脉，由万灯闹市独觅一人，以浓衬淡、以动衬静，铺垫愈盛愈显那人孤高。全词景、人、情三层递转，意象经营上灯火之闹与阑珊之静形成象征性对照，是辛词中寄托遥深、风神蕴藉的别调。全词设色浓淡相济，上片极写灯火之闹，下片于喧阗中转出寻觅之孤，章法如绘画之留白，热闹处愈满孤静处愈空，这种以满衬空的笔法使那人形象获得极强的精神聚焦，是辛词刚柔相济的又一印证。

Allusions

The hair ornaments 'e'er, xueliu, and golden thread' were typical of Song dynasty women during Lantern Festival. 'Jade pot' may refer to the moon or a clepsydra. 'That person' is generally seen as the poet's self-symbol, representing a person of noble character who does not follow the crowd. The poem uses the festival's bustle to contrast the aloofness of 'that person', with deep allegory beyond surface meaning.

词中意象多有所本，亦多生新。「花千树」「星如雨」化用唐苏味道《正月十五夜》「火树银花合，星桥铁锁开」及卢照邻「缛彩遥分地，繁光远缀天」之意，而以「东风夜放」「更吹落」点活，别开生面。「蛾儿、雪柳、黄金缕」为宋代元夕妇女头饰，《武林旧事》载元夕「妇人皆戴珠翠、闹蛾、玉梅、雪柳」，词中写实中见风习。「玉壶」一说指明月（唐朱华诗「的的连星出，亭亭向月新」以壶喻月），一说指玉制灯。《诗经·郑风·出其东门》「出其东门，有女如云……匪我思存」之「出其东门」已有众中独慕一人之意，此词「众里寻他」实承其脉。王国维《人间词话》更将「蓦然回首，那人却在，灯火阑珊处」列为古今成大事业大学问者之第三重境界，谓之「众里寻他千百度」的豁然贯通，是意象被赋予新解的经典例证。字词上「阑珊」本义零落、将尽，此处言灯火稀疏冷落处。「玉壶」一说指明月，一说指玉灯，千年聚讼；「蛾儿雪柳黄金缕」则本《武林旧事》元夕妇女头饰实录。王国维更以「蓦然回首」句为成大事业第三境，使原本情词、寄托词升格为哲理名句，意象被赋予新解而生命力愈盛。星如雨除喻灯外亦暗含节物更替、时光流逝之叹；众里寻他之他历来或指情人、或指理想、或指同道，歧解纷呈反而证明其意蕴之丰厚，正是优秀词作开放性象征的典型。

Commentary

Liang Qichao commented: 'Feeling lonely, a man with a wounded heart has a different embrace.' Wang Guowei used the line 'Thousands of times I search for her, suddenly turning back, she is there in the dim light' to describe the third realm of achieving great undertakings or scholarship—after long pursuit, insight comes unexpectedly. This line turns a love poem into a philosophical statement.

此词自南宋以来即为元夕词之绝唱，与欧阳修「月上柳梢头，人约黄昏后」、李清照「中州盛日」诸作并传。其最著者，在于南宋末周密《武林旧事》虽极写元夕之盛，而辛词以「那人」独立于阑珊处，寄托之深远为诸家所不及。清人谭献《谭评词辨》谓「稼轩心胸发其才气，牟尼珠光照大千」，亦赏其超逸。近世王国维《人间词话》拈出「众里寻他千百度，蓦然回首，那人却在，灯火阑珊处」为人生第三境界，遂使此句由情词、寄托词升格为哲理名句，传播面远超词学圈。今人则多重其「不随波逐流」的人格象征：在举国欢腾的元宵夜里独守寂寞，恰是辛弃疾不与偏安苟合之精神写照。此词兼具节俗画卷与人格寓言双重价值，中学教材多选以见辛词柔婉蕴藉之一面，与豪放悲壮之作互为补充。此词与欧阳修、李清照元夕诸作并传，而寄托之远为诸家不及。清谭献赏其超逸，近世王国维拈出第三境界说，遂使其传播远超词学圈。今人多重其不随波逐流的人格象征，中学教材多选以见辛词柔婉蕴藉之一面，与豪放悲壮之作互补。自宋以来此词常与欧阳修元夕词并读，欧写今年元夜时月与灯依旧的物是人非，辛写灯火阑珊处的孤高自守，一婉约一沉郁，恰可见北宋至南宋节俗词情感指向的迁变与时代心理的差异。

Prosody

Form Ci form 'Green Jade Cup' (double-stanza, 67 characters, oblique rhyme)词·青玉案（双调六十七字）

Rhyme Rhymes with the 4th rhyme group of Ci-lin Zheng-yun (yu, yu, yu, etc.) with rhyme characters 'yu, lu, wu, qu, du, chu'此词上片押御韵（树、雨、路、舞），下片换押语韵与遇韵（缕、去、度、处，古音同属鱼模部可通押），一韵到底，韵脚清越，宜写幽情远韵。

Tone pattern Long tune; first stanza describes bustling lantern festival, second stanza describes searching; transition from noisy to quiet, with 'suddenly turning back' as a pause.双调六十七字，上下片各六句五仄韵。句式长短错落，多用三字、四字短句（更吹落、星如雨；蓦然回首、那人却在），节奏轻灵跌宕，与元夕热闹而结以幽静的情调相合。

Reading note Extreme heat contrasts extreme cold; 'She is there in the dim light' reflects aloofness; Wang Guowei cites this as the third realm for great achievers.《青玉案》调名源于张衡《四愁诗》「何以报之青玉案」，本含相思寄托之意，与词中「寻人」之旨暗合。辛词此篇用仄韵而声情清远，上片句句写灯，铺排繁丽，韵脚树、雨、路、舞连绵而下，写出元夕欢腾；下片转写游女与寻觅，缕、去、度、处诸韵一气流走，至结句「处」字戛然而止，声情由闹归静。长短句的交错尤其见于「蓦然回首，那人却在，灯火阑珊处」一句之内三顿，将顿悟的节奏感表现得淋漓尽致。全词依调布景，声情与词境浑然相生。上片句句写灯，铺排繁丽，韵脚树、雨、路、舞连绵而下，写出元夕欢腾；下片转写游女与寻觅，缕、去、度、处诸韵一气流走，至结句处字戛然而止，声情由闹归静。长短句交错尤见于蓦然回首一句内三顿，将顿悟节奏表现得淋漓尽致，依调布景而声情与词境浑然相生。

Line by line

东风夜放花千树。更吹落，星如雨。

The east wind in the night makes a thousand trees bloom, and blows down stars like rain. This uses metaphors of flowers and stars to describe lanterns, creating a vivid scene of the lantern festival.

东风在夜里吹开了千树繁花，又把如雨的星火吹落人间。

The east wind at night sets ablaze a thousand trees of blossoms, and blows them down again, stars like rain.

开篇二句写元夕灯火，奇思横出。元宵本无花，词人却说东风夜放千树繁花，实是以花喻灯；更进一层，说东风把如雨之星火吹落人间，实是以星喻满天灯火。花与星皆非真景，却比真景更绚烂，化静为动，将满城灯彩写得有生命、有气象。一「放」一「落」，动词灵动，仿佛天地同庆。此二句脱胎于唐人元宵诗句而能翻新出奇，是全词华美基调的奠定，亦见稼轩不但能豪，亦能绮丽。

The opening two lines write the Lantern Festival lanterns, the wondrous thought bursting forth. The Lantern Festival by nature flowerless, and the poet says the east wind at night sets ablaze a thousand trees of blossoms, in truth the flowers figuring the lanterns; and one layer further, says the east wind blows down the star-like sparks to earth, in truth the stars figuring the skyful of lanterns. The flowers and stars both not the real scene, and yet the more brilliant than the real, turning the still into motion, writing the whole city's lantern color as alive and bearing. One releases one falls, the verbs lively, as if heaven and earth rejoicing together. These two lines born of the Tang writers' Lantern Festival lines and yet able to turn out the novelty, the whole ci's gorgeous tone's foundation, also showing Jiaxuan's not only the heroic, and the ornate.

众里寻他千百度。蓦然回首，那人却在，灯火阑珊处。

In the crowd I sought her a thousand times; suddenly I turned my head, and there she was, where the lanterns' light was thinning.

我在熙攘人海中千百次地将她寻觅，忽然回过头去，她却独自站在灯火稀疏的角落里。

In the dense crowd I have sought her a thousand times; suddenly I turn my head, and there she stands alone, where the lanterns' glow is sparse.

此是全词之眼，也是千古名句。「众里寻他千百度」极写寻觅之执、之难、之久；「蓦然回首」四字笔势一转，由苦寻的焦灼忽入顿悟的惊喜。而所寻之人不在灯山鳌海之盛处，偏在「灯火阑珊」的冷落角落，以极闹衬极静，以众人之趋炎反衬此人之孤高自守。字面写爱情寻觅，其实寄托遥深：或喻政治理想之独守，或喻学问境界之豁然。王国维更以此喻成大事业者百转千回后之顿悟，使其兼具情、志、理三重意蕴，一字不可移易。

This is the ci's eye, and a famous line through the ages. In the crowd I sought her a thousand times extreme-writing the seeking's persistence, difficulty, and length; suddenly I turned my head, four characters' brush turn, from the bitter-seeking's anxiety suddenly into the enlightenment's surprise. And the sought person not in the lantern-mountain-and-turtle-sea splendor place, but precisely in the lanterns'-light-thinning cold corner, setting the extreme bustle against the extreme stillness, setting the crowd's heat-seeking against this person's lofty self-keeping. The surface writing the love-seeking, in truth the far-reaching lodging: at once figuring the political ideal's lone keeping, or the learning realm's sudden enlightenment. Wang Guowei further using this to figure the great-achievement man's enlightenment after the thousand-turnings, hence carrying the triple meaning of feeling, will, and reason, not one character movable.

Study

Word focus

蓦然 Suddenly, capturing the unexpected moment of discovery. 「蓦然回首」之「蓦然」意为忽然、骤然，是词中关键的转捩之字。前文「众里寻他千百度」极写寻觅的漫长与执着，情绪在焦灼中累积；一个「蓦然」如电光石火，将积郁之张力瞬间释放为顿悟式的惊喜。若无此二字，则「回首」只是寻常动作，便无由生出由苦寻到得遇的戏剧性转折。它使全词的节奏由緾绵顿入豁朗，也让「那人却在」的出现具有「踏破铁鞋无觅处，得来全不费工夫」的审美效果，是结构上的枢纽性虚词。

阑珊 Dim, sparse; describes the lonely corner, contrasting with the bustling scene. 「灯火阑珊处」之「阑珊」本义为稀疏、零落、将尽（如「春意阑珊」）。词人偏将所倾慕之人安置于此冷落之地，与上文「花千树」「星如雨」「一夜鱼龙舞」的极盛灯火形成强烈反差。这一词的选择极有分量：若作「灯火辉煌处」则俗滥无寄托，唯「阑珊」二字能写出不趋喧闹、自甘寂寞的孤高品格。它既是实景（角落灯稀），更是象征（独立于世俗繁华之外），一词而兼写实与寄托，足见炼字之精。