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宋 Song · 诗 Poem

书湖阴先生壁

Written on the Wall of Master Huyin

王安石

Wang Anshi

写景landscape 题壁wall inscription 隐逸reclusive life

茅檐长扫净无苔，花木成畦手自栽。
一水护田将绿绕，两山排闼送青来。

The thatched eaves are swept clean, no moss is seen;
Flowers and trees in plots, all planted by him.
A stream guards the fields, wrapping green around;
Two mountains push the door, bringing green in.

Listen

Meaning

The poem describes the clean courtyard of Master Huyin, with flowers and trees planted by himself. Outside, a stream encircles the fields, and two mountains seem to push the door open to bring in green scenery—expressing admiration for the owner's refined and reclusive life.

茅草檐下的院子经常打扫，干净得连青苔都不生；一畦畦花木都是主人亲手栽种。一条溪水像在护卫田畴，把那一片绿意环绕起来；两座青山仿佛推门而入，把青翠的颜色径直送进院来。

Appreciation

The poem uses personification to animate nature: the stream 'protects' the fields, the mountains 'push the door' to deliver greenness. The contrast between human effort (sweeping, planting) and nature's vitality creates a harmonious picture of seclusion.

【白话串讲】王安石夸邻居的院子：茅檐扫得干干净净，花木都是自己种的。最妙是“一水护田将绿绕，两山排闼送青来”——连山和水都抢着来送风景。【意象与手法】此诗艺术最著处在拟人化写景。「一水护田将绿绕，两山排闼送青来」中，「护田」赋予溪水以殷勤守护之情，「排闼」写青山如推门而入的来客，把静物写得勃勃有生气；前两句以白描写人之勤洁，后两句以山水写物之情，由人及景、由静到动，浑然一体。【情感与主旨】湖阴先生名杨骥，字德逢，是王安石晚年退居金陵（今南京）时的邻居，隐居不仕，性情高洁。此诗约作于元丰年间（1078—1085）王安石第二次罢相、闲居半山园期间，写友人庭院的清幽，实是借他人之境安顿自己罢相后的心境。【名句点睛】常考「一水护田将绿绕，两山排闼送青来」的拟人手法与对仗特色。

Background

Wang Anshi wrote this after retiring to Jinling (Nanjing) during the Yuanfeng era (1078–1085). Master Huyin (Yang Ji) was his neighbor, a hermit of noble character. The poem was inscribed on the wall of his friend's house, reflecting the poet's own longing for a quiet life after political setbacks.

湖阴先生名杨骥，字德逢，是王安石晚年退居金陵（今南京）时的邻居，隐居不仕，性情高洁。此诗约作于元丰年间（1078—1085），时王安石第二次罢相，闲居钟山半山园，与杨骥为邻，常相往还，诗酒酬唱。据宋人记载，杨骥居所依山傍水、花木成畦，王安石为之题壁二首，此为其一。诗人一生两度拜相、锐意变法，晚年因新法受挫、爱子早逝而退居林下，心境复杂：既有功成身退的淡泊，也有壮志未酬的沉郁。此诗表面写友人庭院的清幽雅洁，实则是诗人借他人之境，安顿自己罢相后的心境——写杨骥的躬耕自适，正是写自己向往的隐逸归宿；写山水的有情送青，正是写自然对这位退居者的温柔接纳。人境相融，寄托遥深，明写湖阴先生，暗写半山老人，是题壁诗中托物言志的典范。又宋人笔记记杨骥居钟山侧，王安石与之比邻而居，诗中「一水护田」「两山排闼」正是其居所实景的提炼，题壁之作遂成写景绝唱，其人其地因诗而传。

Art

The most striking feature is the personification of nature in the last two lines. 'Guards' and 'push the door' give human intentions to water and mountains, turning static scenery into dynamic, friendly presences. The parallelism is precise: 'one water' vs 'two mountains', 'green' vs 'green' (implied color contrast).

此诗艺术最著处在拟人化写景，而全篇又自有章法。前两句「茅檐长扫净无苔，花木成畦手自栽」以白描写人之勤洁：茅檐之下、庭院之中，一「长扫」见主人常扫不辍，一「净无苔」见其洁净不染，一「手自栽」见花木皆亲植，由环境之洁写到主人之高，暗见其高洁脱俗的品格。后两句「一水护田将绿绕，两山排闼送青来」转入拟人：溪水如卫士环绕田畴，殷勤护持，是「护」字之妙；青山如推门而入的莽客，把青翠直送眼前，是「排闼」之奇。两句对仗精严，「一水」对「两山」、「护田」对「排闼」、「将绿绕」对「送青来」，名词对名词、动词对动词，色彩清丽（绿、青），动静相映（绕、送），把死静的山水写得活灵活现。全诗由人及景、由静到动、由实到虚，前实后虚、浑然一体，是王安石题壁诗中炼字与章法的双绝之作。尤妙在「送青来」之「来」字，写山色由远及近、破空而至，化空间为时间，把静态的景写成流动的势，笔力千钧，正是全诗拟人写景的点睛之笔。

Allusions

'排闼' (push the door) alludes to the story of Fan Kuai in the 'Records of the Grand Historian', who boldly pushed open the door to see Emperor Gaozu. Wang Anshi innovatively applies it to mountains, making them bold visitors bringing greenery. '护田' is a common term for protecting farmland, but here personified.

「排闼」典出《史记·樊哙传》：刘邦病卧宫中，下令不准群臣入见，樊哙「乃排闼直入」，排闼即推门而入。王安石以「两山排闼送青来」化用此典，将静态的青山比作推门直入、殷勤送景的来客，用典而不见典痕，翻新出奇，是点铁成金的范例。「护田」二字亦暗用古语：汉代有护田之制（护田校尉之类），泛指守护田亩之意，此处赋予溪水以主动护持之情，与「排闼」一动一静相映成趣。全诗不以僻典为工，而善将常见语词（闼、护、青、绿）点化为活笔，体现宋诗「以才学为诗、化熟为生」的特质；「茅檐」「花木」「畦」等田园意象则承陶渊明以来隐逸传统而来，暗含对田园生活的向往，用典与白描相融无间，典故为活笔服务，正是宋人炼字用典的最高境界。「护田」一词亦有来历，汉世有护田之官，后世遂以护田称守护田亩，王安石取此常语而赋以情意，正是「以故为新」的典型，用典之妙在于化熟为生。

Commentary

Qian Zhongshu in 'Song Poetry Selections' praised Wang Anshi for 'bringing dead things to life'. Chen Yan in 'Essence of Song Poetry' called it 'refined yet natural'. This poem represents the elegant and unadorned style of Wang Anshi's later years.

王安石绝句「雅丽精绝」（刘攽语），此诗正是其晚年七绝的代表。钱锺书《宋诗选注》谓其「把死东西写活了」，正指「护田」「排闼」的拟人妙笔；近人陈衍《宋诗精华录》亦赞其「矜炼之至，而出以自然」。此诗之妙，在于炼字而不露痕迹：一个「护」字、一个「排」字，皆有来历而似信手拈来，对仗工稳而气韵流动，是宋诗「无一字无来处」与「自然天成」的完美结合。从诗歌史看，此诗是宋人题壁诗的典范，也是王安石从变法宰相到退隐诗人心态转换的见证——其晚年绝句一洗早年新法的锋芒，归于平淡清空，而观察之细、炼字之工不减当年，正见其「看似寻常最奇崛，成如容易却艰辛」的创作理想；后世论王安石诗者，多以晚年绝句为第一，此诗即是明证。清人评王安石绝句「工于写景，妙于用典」，此诗足当之；后人题壁、咏居之作，鲜有出其右者，其影响遍及后世园林题咏与文人雅集，堪称题壁诗的典范。

Prosody

Form Seven-character quatrain (qiyan jueju)七言绝句（平起首句入韵）

Rhyme Rhyme on level-tone rhyme category 'tai'：苔, 栽, 来押平水韵上平十灰韵：苔、栽、来（苔、栽、来同属上平十灰）

Tone pattern Level-tone pattern with optional first-line rhyme首句「茅檐长扫净无苔」平平平仄仄平平，平起入韵；二句「花木成畦手自栽」平仄平平仄仄平，与首句相对；三句「一水护田将绿绕」仄仄仄平平仄仄，四句「两山排闼送青来」仄平平仄仄平平，粘对合律。

Reading note The last couplet is a perfect parallel couplet with personification, typical of Wang Anshi's refined style.此诗为七言绝句，平起首句入韵，「苔、栽、来」同押上平十灰韵，一韵到底，音节舒朗从容。章法上两句写人、两句写景，前实后虚：前两句以白描写庭院之洁、花木之盛，为后两句山水拟人蓄势；后两句以工对写山水之有情，「一水」对「两山」、「护田」对「排闼」、「将绿绕」对「送青来」，词性、结构、色彩两两相配，对仗精严而气韵流动，读来有板有眼却不觉板滞。这种前散后骈的布局，是王安石题壁诗炼字与结构的范例；诗中「护」「排」「送」等动词皆安置于仄仄平平的节奏关键处，声情与辞情相称，于稳健中见灵动。就体例而言，题壁诗须即景而作、随兴而题，此诗却能于即兴中见经营，正见王安石晚年绝句举重若轻的功力，亦合主人居所之清幽与山水之生趣。

Line by line

茅檐长扫净无苔，

The thatched eaves are always swept so clean that no moss grows.

茅草檐下的院子经常打扫，干净得连青苔都不生。

The thatched eave's courtyard is swept clean, no moss at all;

「茅檐」点出居所之朴素，茅草为檐，是隐者身份的最初暗示；「长扫」写主人常年勤扫不辍，非一日之功；「净无苔」写庭院洁净得连青苔都不生——青苔本是潮湿阴暗处所生，庭院无苔，既见主人勤于洒扫，更见其居处向阳干燥、清朗高洁，环境的洁净即是品格的映照。首句由物及人，以最寻常的洒扫之事，暗写主人高雅脱俗的品格，起笔平淡而意味深远；「长扫」与「净无苔」因果相承，一勤一洁，为全诗定下清幽洁净的基调，也为后两句山水拟人的「有情」预设了人格前提。

The thatched eave naming the dwelling's simplicity, the thatch for the eave, the recluse identity's first hint; the long-swept writing the host's year-round unremitting sweeping, not one day's work; the clean-no-moss writing the courtyard's cleanness to the point of no moss — the moss by nature the damp-dark place's growth, the courtyard's no-moss at once seeing the host's diligent sprinkling-and-sweeping, and the dwelling's sun-facing dryness and the clear loftiness, the environment's cleanness i.e. the character's mirror. The opening line from thing to person, using the most ordinary sprinkling-and-sweeping affair, secretly writing the host's elegant-and-unsullied character, the opening plain and yet the meaning far-reaching; the long-swept and the clean-no-moss cause-and-effect inheriting, one diligent one clean, setting the whole poem's quiet-cleanness tone, and storing the personality premise for the below's two lines' mountains-and-waters' personified feeling.

花木成畦手自栽。

Flowers and trees are arranged in rows, all planted by his own hand.

一畦畦花木都是主人亲手栽种。

The flowers and trees, planted in rows by his own hand.

「成畦」写花木按畦整齐栽种，一行行、一畦畦，见主人经营之精心；「手自栽」三字尤重——花木皆亲力亲为，非雇人代植，见出隐逸者躬耕自适、与自然相亲的生活态度。由「长扫」到「手自栽」，一洒扫一栽植，主人的勤洁与自足并见，隐者形象由环境而及行为，逐渐丰满；花木成畦之美，既是主人劳作的成果，也是其审美与心性的外化。此句为后两句山水的「有情」作了人格上的铺垫——唯有如此高洁勤勉之主，方配得上护田之水、送青之山，人境相得，妙合无间。

The in-rows writing the flowers-and-trees' row-by-row orderly planting, row after row and bed after bed, seeing the host's management's care; the self-planted three characters the weight the more — the flowers-and-trees all the personal hand, not the hired man's planting, seeing the recluse's plowing-and-self-ease and the nature's nearness life attitude. From the long-swept to the self-planted, one sweep one planting, the host's diligence-cleanness and self-sufficiency together seen, the recluse image from environment to behavior, gradually full; the flowers-in-rows' beauty, at once the host's labor's fruit, and his aesthetics-and-mind's externalization. This line storing the personality groundwork for the below two lines' mountains-and-waters' feeling — only such lofty diligent host, worthy of the field-guarding water and the green-sending hills, the person-and-realm's meeting, the fusion without seam.

一水护田将绿绕，

A stream protects the fields, encircling the green crops.

一条溪水像在护卫田畴，把那一片绿意环绕起来。

One stream, as if guarding the fields, winds the green around;

「护田」本是守护田亩之意，此处移用于溪水，赋予其殷勤守护之情——溪水仿佛通人性，不舍昼夜地环绕着绿油油的田畴，如卫士、如慈亲；「将绿绕」三字以「绿」代禾苗，色彩鲜明，把抽象的青翠写得可触可感，「绕」字写水流之蜿蜒盘旋、回环往复，动态十足。此句化静为动、化景为情，水有了情意，田畴有了色彩，田园景象因之充满生机；一个「护」字，把无情的流水写成有心的守护者，正是宋人「以我观物，故物皆著我之色彩」的典型，也是全诗拟人写景的上半幅。

The field-guarding by nature the guarding-the-fields meaning, here transferred to the stream, entrusting it the attentive-guarding feeling — the stream as if understanding human nature, unceasing day and night winding the green fields, like the guard and like the loving parent; the winds-the-green-around three characters using the green for the seedlings, the color vivid, writing the abstract verdure as the touchable, the winding word writing the water's meandering circling and the looped return, the motion full. This line turning stillness to motion and scene to feeling, the water's gaining feeling, the fields' gaining color, the pastoral scene hence the vitality full; the one word guard, turning the feelingless flowing water into the intentional guardian, precisely the Song people's using-my-eye-to-view-things-hence-things-all-wearing-my-color typical, and the whole poem's personified-scene-writing upper half.

两山排闼送青来。

Two mountains push the door open, sending green scenery inside.

两座青山仿佛推门而入，把青翠的颜色径直送进院来。

Two green hills, as if pushing the gate, bring the verdure straight in.

「排闼」用《史记·樊哙传》「排闼直入」之典而活用之，写两座青山像不请自来的莽客，推开门扉，把满山的青翠直送进院子——山成了主动献景的嘉宾，莽撞而热情；「送青来」三字承接其势，「青」字点出山色，「来」字写景致由远及近、扑面而至，仿佛满山青翠正源源不断地涌入院中。此句把静的青山写得神采飞扬、活灵活现，与上句「护田」之水的温柔形成一动一静、一莽一柔的对照，山水皆活、物我皆亲，正是宋诗拟人写景的巅峰之笔，也是「把死东西写活了」（钱锺书语）的绝佳注脚。

The pushing-the-gate uses the Records of the Grand Historian's Fan Kuai biography's push-the-door-and-enter allusion and yet the living use, writing the two green hills like the uninvited rough guests, pushing the door open, bringing the mountainside's verdure straight into the courtyard — the hill becoming the active-offering-scene guest, rude and yet warm; the bring-the-verdure-straight-in inheriting the momentum, the green word naming the mountain color, the come word writing the scenery's from-far-to-near and the face-rushing arrival, as if the mountainside's verdure continuously surging into the courtyard. This line writing the still green hills as the spirit's flying and the vividly alive, forming the motion-and-stillness and the rough-and-soft contrast with the above's field-guarding water's tenderness, the mountains-and-waters both alive and the thing-and-self both near, precisely Song poetry's personified-scene-writing peak stroke, and the dead-thing-written-alive (Qian Zhongshu's words) superb footnote.

Study

Word focus

长扫 always swept (implies diligence) 「长扫」写庭院常扫不辍。「长」作「经常、长久」解，非一时之扫，而是日复一日的坚持，见主人之勤；「扫」字朴实无华，却与「净无苔」相承——正因长扫不辍，方得无苔之净，一勤一洁，因果分明。二字以最寻常的动作写主人高雅勤洁、不同流俗的品格，白描之中见深意，不起波澜而品格自见；与「手自栽」的躬亲呼应，隐者之勤、之洁、之自足，尽在洒扫栽植的日常中流露，正是王安石「看似寻常最奇崛」炼字观的体现。

手自栽 planted by one's own hand (implies personal care) 「手自栽」写花木成畦皆亲手所植。「手自」强调亲自，「栽」字见种植之劳，三字写出隐士躬亲自然、自适其乐的生活态度——不假仆役、不慕荣利，唯以栽花种树为乐。与「长扫」呼应，一洒扫一栽植，主人之高洁与自足并见，隐者形象由环境而及行为逐渐丰满；也为后两句山水「有情」作了人格铺垫——山水的拟人正因主人的真淳，方显得自然可信。三字平实无华，而躬耕之趣、高洁之性俱在其中，是白描中见品格的典范。

护 protect (personification) 「一水护田」之「护」拟人，是本诗诗眼之一。护，守护也，本用于人对人之情，此处移于溪水，写溪水温柔地环绕田畴，如卫士、如慈亲，不舍昼夜；一「护」字使无情的流水有了情意，化静为动、化景为情，田园遂成有情世界。与「排闼」之「送」对举，一护一送，山水皆有情于我：水护其田，山送其青，自然成了主人的知音，正是诗人晚年心境的外化——退居林下者，唯山水不弃，唯田园有情。一字之拟，景与情、物与我浑融无间，是宋诗炼字传神的典型。

排闼 push the door open (from historical allusion) 「两山排闼送青来」之「排闼」用樊哙排闼直入之典而翻新，是本诗最奇警的一笔。「排」为推，「闼」为门，二字连用，写青山如人推门而入，莽撞而热情；「送青来」接其势，青翠之色扑面而至，山成了主动献景的嘉宾。此典用得活、用得巧：樊哙排闼是为谏主，青山排闼是为送景，用典而不泥于典，化静为动、化远为近，把呆板的远景写得生动鲜活；与「护田」之「护」对举，一动一静、一刚一柔，正是宋人「以故为新」的典范，奇警生姿而终归于自然，是王安石晚年绝句炼字用典的代表作。