All poems

宋 Song · 词 Ci lyric

水调歌头

Prelude to Water Melody

陈亮

Chen Liang

不见南师久，谩说北群空。
当场只手，毕竟还我万夫雄。
自笑堂堂汉使，得似洋洋河水，依旧只流东。
且复穹庐拜，会向藁街逢。
尧之都，舜之壤，禹之封。
于中应有，一个半个耻臣戎。
万里腥膻如许，千古英灵安在，磅礴几时通。
胡运何须问，赫日自当中。

We have not seen the southern army for long,
Idly they say the northern herd is empty.
On the spot, with a single hand,
After all, give me back the might of ten thousand.
I laugh at myself: a dignified envoy of the Han —
Should I be like the vast, vast river water,
Still only flowing east?
For the time being, I bow in the felt tent,
But I will meet them at the Gaogao Street.
The capital of Yao, the soil of Shun,
The marches of Yu —
Among them there should be,
One or two ashamed to serve the barbarians.
Ten thousand li of the rank stench as such —
Where are the heroic spirits of the thousand ages?
When will the vastness flow through?
What need to ask of the fortune of the Hu —
The blazing sun is itself in the zenith.

Listen

Meaning

A lyric of the patriotic defiance, written by Chen Liang, the most radical of the Southern Song patriots. We have not seen the southern army for long — the northern recovery has been neglected — and idly they say the northern herd — the northerners — is empty. On the spot, with a single hand, after all, give me back the might of ten thousand — the boast of the single man against the empty talk. He laughs at himself: a dignified envoy of the Han — should he be like the vast river water, still only flowing east? For the time being, he bows in the felt tent — the tent of the enemy — but he will meet them at the Gaogao Street — the street of the capital where the captured enemy were displayed. The capital of Yao, the soil of Shun, the marches of Yu — the land of the ancient Chinese kings — among them there should be one or two ashamed to serve the barbarians. Ten thousand li of the rank stench — the stench of the enemy's occupation — where are the heroic spirits of the thousand ages? When will the vastness flow through? And the close: what need to ask of the fortune of the Hu — the enemy's fortune? The blazing sun is itself in the zenith — the Chinese sun at its height. The lyric is the defiance of the patriot: the single hand against the enemy, and the blazing sun in the zenith.

不见南师北伐，已经很久了，莫说北方的马群已经空虚无人。我自可当场只手擎天，毕竟要还我万夫不敌的雄风。可笑我这堂堂的大汉使节，怎得似那洋洋河水，依旧只向东方流去。姑且再向穹庐行拜，终会有一天，在那藁街之上与其相遇。尧的都城，舜的疆土，禹的封域。这中间应该有，一个半个耻于向戎狄称臣的人。万里山河腥膻如此，千古的英雄英灵何在，那磅礴的正气几时才能贯通。胡人的国运何须多问，正如赫赫的太阳，自当悬于中天。

Appreciation

[Plain Paraphrase] We have not seen the southern army for long, idly they say the northern herd is empty. On the spot, with a single hand, after all, give me back the might of ten thousand. I laugh at myself: a dignified envoy of the Han — should I be like the vast, vast river water, still only flowing east? For the time being, I bow in the felt tent, but I will meet them at the Gaogao Street. The capital of Yao, the soil of Shun, the marches of Yu — among them there should be, one or two ashamed to serve the barbarians. Ten thousand li of the rank stench as such — where are the heroic spirits of the thousand ages? When will the vastness flow through? What need to ask of the fortune of the Hu — the blazing sun is itself in the zenith. [Structure and Thought] The lyric moves from the neglect of the southern army and the boast of the single hand, through the envoy's laugh and the bow in the felt tent, to the land of the ancient kings and the heroic spirits, and the close's defiance — what need to ask of the fortune of the Hu, the blazing sun in the zenith. [Key Technique] The poem's art is the patriotic rhetoric: the boast and the laugh, the bow and the promise of the meeting, the stench and the heroic spirits, and the final assertion of the sun in the zenith — the defiance built through the contrasts. [Emotional Tone] Bold, defiant, and patriotic: the lyric is the cry of the radical patriot, the single hand and the blazing sun, the shame of the served and the promise of the meeting at the Gaogao Street.

【白话串讲】陈亮写《水调歌头》：“不见南师久，谩说北群空”——“当场只手，毕竟还我万夫雄”——“自笑堂堂汉使，得似洋洋河水”——“尧之都，舜之壤，禹之封。于中应有，一个半个耻臣戎”——他写抗金壮志——万夫雄。【意象与手法】上阕以“不见南师久，谩说北群空”写南宋久未北伐、而耻于说北方无人，以“当场只手，毕竟还我万夫雄”写使节的气概，以“会向藁街逢”写终将雪耻的信念；下阕以“尧之都，舜之壤，禹之封”写华夏故土的尊严，以“千古英灵安在，磅礴几时通”写对浩然正气的呼唤；终以“胡运何须问，赫日自当中”写金朝必亡的信念。豪放雄健。【情感与主旨】陈亮送章德茂使虏之作，以送别为名而寄抗金之志，写华夏故土尊严与金朝必亡之信念，是南宋爱国词中的名篇。【名句点睛】常考“尧之都，舜之壤，禹之封。于中应有，一个半个耻臣戎”以尧舜禹之封写华夏尊严；“胡运何须问，赫日自当中”以赫日当中写金必亡。

Background

Chen Liang (1143–1194) was the most radical of the Southern Song patriots, the friend of Xin Qiji, famous for his unyielding advocacy of the northern recovery. This 'Prelude to Water Melody' was written in the context of the negotiations and the envoys between the Song and the Jin — the 'felt tent' of the enemy, the bow of the envoy, and the promise of the meeting at the Gaogao Street. The 'Gaogao Street' (Gaojie) alludes to the street of the Han capital where the captured enemy chieftain was displayed — the promise of the enemy's defeat. The close — the blazing sun in the zenith — is the assertion of the Chinese cause at its height.

此词为南宋词人陈亮的《水调歌头·送章德茂大卿使虏》之作，是宋词中最著名的爱国词篇之一。陈亮（1143—1194），字同甫，号龙川，婺州永康（今浙江金华）人，南宋思想家、文学家，永康学派的创立者，力主抗金北伐，反对苟安和议，与辛弃疾为挚友。他一生未得重用，五次上书孝宗力陈恢复大计而不纳，晚年中进士，未及上任而卒。此词写于南宋遣使赴金之际。宋孝宗时，南宋与金和议已成，金主生辰，南宋例须遣使祝贺，章德茂（章森）奉命出使金国。在屈辱的「贺生辰使」之外交场合，陈亮却以此词寄予深意：「不见南师久」，写南宋久未北伐；「谩说北群空」，以韩愈《送温处士赴河阳军序》「伯乐一过冀北之野，而马群遂空」之典，反用其意——莫说北方无人，我辈犹在；「当场只手，毕竟还我万夫雄」，写使节只手擎天、万夫不敌的气概；「自笑堂堂汉使，得似洋洋河水，依旧只流东」，写堂堂汉使赴金朝贺，如河水东流般无奈；「且复穹庐拜，会向藁街逢」，写姑且再向穹庐（金帐）行拜，终会有一天在藁街（汉代长安处斩蛮夷的街）与之相遇——这是以典言志的雪耻之誓；「尧之都，舜之壤，禹之封」，写中原是华夏神圣的故土；「于中应有，一个半个耻臣戎」，写中原应有耻于向戎狄称臣的志士；「万里腥膻如许，千古英灵安在，磅礴几时通」，写对浩然正气的呼唤；「胡运何须问，赫日自当中」，写金朝必亡、如赫日悬中天的信念。全词以送别为名，而寄抗金雪耻之志，是陈亮爱国思想在词中的集中体现。

Art

The lyric's art is the art of the patriotic rhetoric. The neglect of the southern army is stated first, with the idle talk of the empty north; the boast of the single hand answers it. The envoy's laugh follows: a dignified envoy of the Han, should he be like the river, still only flowing east? The bow in the felt tent is the temporary submission, answered by the promise of the meeting at the Gaogao Street. Then the land of the ancient kings — the capital of Yao, the soil of Shun, the marches of Yu — with the shame of the one or two who serve the barbarians; the rank stench of the occupation against the heroic spirits of the thousand ages. And the close asserts the cause: what need to ask of the fortune of the Hu? The blazing sun is itself in the zenith. The contrasts build the defiance — the boast against the neglect, the bow against the meeting, the stench against the spirits, and the sun against the fortune of the Hu.

此词艺术上以「豪放」与「气格雄健」为特色，在送别的框架中寄寓抗金的壮怀。上阕以「不见南师久，谩说北群空」起笔，写南宋久未北伐的现状，而「谩说北群空」反用韩愈之典，以「莫说北方无人」写我辈犹在的自信，起笔即见豪气；「当场只手，毕竟还我万夫雄」，写使节只手擎天、万夫不敌的气概，「只手」「万夫雄」，对举之间，见其气魄；「自笑堂堂汉使，得似洋洋河水，依旧只流东」，以「自笑」写无奈，以「河水东流」写使节赴金的屈辱，而「堂堂汉使」与「洋洋河水」对举，屈辱之中自见傲骨；「且复穹庐拜，会向藁街逢」，以「且复」写暂时的忍辱，以「会向」写终将雪耻的信念，「穹庐拜」与「藁街逢」对举，一辱一雪，气概凛然。下阕「尧之都，舜之壤，禹之封」，以三组对排写中原的神圣，音节铿锵，气吞山河；「于中应有，一个半个耻臣戎」，以「一个半个」写虽少犹有，正是「星星之火」的信念；「万里腥膻如许，千古英灵安在，磅礴几时通」，以「万里腥膻」写山河之痛，以「千古英灵安在」写对先烈的呼唤，以「磅礴几时通」写对浩然正气的期盼，三个问句层层推进，情感由悲而愤而盼；「胡运何须问，赫日自当中」，以「何须问」写对金朝必亡的坚定，以「赫日自当中」写如赫赫太阳悬于中天的信念，收束雄健有力。全词由现状入气概、由气概入雪耻、由雪耻入信念，层层推进而气格浑成，是南宋爱国词豪放风格的代表作。

Allusions

'The felt tent' (qionglu) is the tent of the northern enemy, where the envoy bows; 'the Gaogao Street' (Gaojie) alludes to the street of the Han capital where the captured enemy chieftain was displayed — the promise of the enemy's defeat and display. 'The capital of Yao, the soil of Shun, the marches of Yu' are the lands of the ancient Chinese kings — the claim of the occupied north as the immemorial Chinese land. 'The northern herd' (beiqun) is the contemptuous name for the northerners; 'the Hu' is the enemy of the north, and 'the blazing sun' (heri) is the Chinese sun, in the zenith.

此词用典精切，皆围绕抗金雪耻展开。「北群空」用韩愈《送温处士赴河阳军序》「伯乐一过冀北之野，而马群遂空」之典，原意写伯乐识尽良马，此词反用其意——「谩说北群空」，莫说北方无人，我辈犹在，以「北群」指代北方的人才与志士，翻用典故而自信自见。「藁街」用汉代旧典：汉元帝时，陈汤矫制发兵击匈奴郅支单于，斩其首，上疏言「宜悬头藁街蛮夷邸间」，藁街为长安城内接待外邦使节的街巷，后以「悬首藁街」写诛灭夷狄、宣示国威，此词「会向藁街逢」，写终将在此与金人相遇（算账），是雪耻之誓。「穹庐」用《敕勒歌》「天似穹庐，笼盖四野」之语，以穹庐指代金人帐幕，写暂时的屈膝朝拜。「尧之都，舜之壤，禹之封」，以尧舜禹三代圣王的中原故土，写华夏文明的神圣不可侵犯，暗含「神州陆沉」的痛惜。「腥膻」，古人以胡人的腥膻之气代指北方游牧民族，此词「万里腥膻如许」写中原沦陷于金人铁蹄之下的耻辱。「英灵」，指忠魂义魄，写对岳飞等抗金英烈的呼唤。「胡运」，指金朝的国运。这些典故，或写北方无人、或写悬首藁街、或写穹庐屈膝、或写尧舜禹之壤，皆围绕抗金雪耻这一核心，织成一张雄健的情网，正是陈亮词「以典言志、气格雄健」的特点。

Commentary

This lyric is one of the boldest of the Southern Song patriotic lyrics, quoted for its radical defiance. The boast of the single hand, the bow in the felt tent answered by the promise of the Gaogao Street, and the blazing sun in the zenith are among the most striking images of the patriotic tradition. Critics praise the lyric's boldness: the radical patriot's cry, the single hand and the sun in the zenith.

读此词，最令人震动的，是「且复穹庐拜，会向藁街逢」这十个字所写出的忍辱与雪耻。堂堂汉使，奉着屈辱的使命，向金主的穹庐行拜——这是南宋「和议」外交下，士人最不堪的耻辱；然而词人笔锋一转，「会向藁街逢」——终会有一天，我们要在藁街相见，那时，便不是你来我拜，而是我擒你于藁街。这一转，把眼前的屈辱，化为未来的雪耻，忍辱不是屈服，而是蓄势；拜穹庐不是认输，而是「卧薪尝胆」。这十个字，正是陈亮「以恢复为志」的爱国思想最凝练的表述。而全词最见豪气的，是「尧之都，舜之壤，禹之封」这九个字：中原，是尧舜禹三代圣王开辟的华夏故土，岂容「万里腥膻」？以三代圣王的名义呼唤抗金，正是「正统」与「大义」的最高召唤，其气魄直欲吞金灭虏。最动人的，则是「千古英灵安在，磅礴几时通」的呼唤——南宋积弱，和议成风，词人呼唤千古的英灵，呼唤那「磅礴」的浩然正气，正是一个孤独的爱国者，在萎靡的时局中发出的呐喊。陈亮一生力主北伐而终不得用，此词的「赫日自当中」的信念，既是他的政治预见，也是他至死不渝的爱国情怀的写照。

Prosody

Form Shuidiaogetou (Prelude to Water Melody), a long lyric词（水调歌头·双调慢词）

Rhyme The lyric rhymes on the level-tone kong, xiong, dong, feng, feng, rong, tong, zhong and zhong — the flowing, level rhyme that carries the bold defiance.此词为《水调歌头》双调慢词，上下阕各押平韵，「空」「雄」「东」「逢」「封」「戎」「通」「中」等字皆属下平一东、二冬、三江、上平二冬韵，韵脚响亮而绵长，正合词情「豪放」的声调。词中「尧之都，舜之壤，禹之封」以三组对排，音节铿锵，气吞山河；「当场只手，毕竟还我万夫雄」「且复穹庐拜，会向藁街逢」等句，句式长短错落而流利。整体声调由起句的沉郁，到「藁街逢」的凛然，再到「赫日自当中」的昂扬，一路攀升，正合抗金壮怀的词情。

Tone pattern The cadence is that of the defiance: the level opening with the neglect and the boast, the turning with the envoy's laugh and the bow, the rising with the land and the heroic spirits, and the close's assertion with the sun in the zenith.句式上，此词善用对排与顿挫：「尧之都，舜之壤，禹之封」，以三组三字对排，音节短促铿锵，如战鼓齐鸣；「当场只手，毕竟还我万夫雄」，以「当场」「毕竟」领起，顿挫而见豪情；「且复穹庐拜，会向藁街逢」，以「且复」「会向」对举，一忍一雪，转折有力；「万里腥膻如许，千古英灵安在，磅礴几时通」，以三个问句连排，情感层层推进。全词由现状入气概、由气概入雪耻、由雪耻入信念，句式随之由沉郁转凛然、由凛然转昂扬，正是陈亮词「气格雄健」的节奏美学。

Reading note The lyric's sound matches its bold defiance: the flowing level rhymes of the kong group carry the cadence of the radical patriot, and the close — 'hu yun he xu wen, heri zi dangzhong' — falls with the blazing sun in the zenith, the sound of the cause asserted at its height.作为南宋豪放词，《水调歌头》的声律之美，在于以响亮平韵与铿锵对排的句式，写出抗金雪耻的雄健情思。全词上阕由「不见南师久」的沉郁起笔，经「当场只手」的豪情，到「会向藁街逢」的雪耻之誓，声调由沉郁转凛然；下阕以「尧之都，舜之壤，禹之封」的铿锵起笔，经「千古英灵安在」的呼唤，到「赫日自当中」的昂扬结穴，声调由铿锵转昂扬。词中「当场只手，毕竟还我万夫雄」「且复穹庐拜，会向藁街逢」等句，句法多变而声情相谐，正是陈亮词「气格雄健」的体现。就全词而言，此词以雄健的笔调写抗金雪耻的壮怀，气格浑成、信念坚定，是南宋爱国词豪放风格的代表作，与辛弃疾的爱国词相辉映，也可见南宋士人「以恢复为志」的爱国情怀在这一文体中的最高表达。

Line by line

当场只手，毕竟还我万夫雄。

On the spot, with a single hand, after all, give me back the might of ten thousand.

我自可当场只手擎天，毕竟要还我万夫不敌的雄风。

Here and now, one hand can hold up the sky; after all, my ten-thousand-warrior heroism must be restored to me.

这一句写使节的气概，是此词豪情的最初爆发。「当场只手」，写当场只手擎天的气概——只身赴敌廷，如只手擎天，一个「只手」写尽孤身而雄的气魄；「毕竟还我万夫雄」，写毕竟要还我万夫不敌的雄风——「万夫雄」写万夫莫敌的英豪，「还我」二字，写夺回、恢复之意，仿佛那万夫雄的气概本是我所固有，如今要把它夺回来。以「只手」对「万夫」，一少一多、一孤一雄，对举之间，见其气魄之大；以「毕竟还我」写恢复，见其信念之坚。这一句，既是写章德茂使金的气概，也是陈亮自我豪情的流露——面对屈辱的和议外交，词人要以「只手万夫雄」的气概，撑起堂堂汉使的尊严，正是「虽千万人吾往矣」的壮怀。

This line writing the envoy's spirit, this ci's heroic feeling's first outbreak. The here-and-now-one-hand writing the on-the-spot one-hand-sky-supporting spirit — the lone journey to the enemy court, like the one-hand sky-supporting, the one word one-hand exhausting the lone-and-yet-heroic spirit; after-all-my-ten-thousand-warrior-heroism-must-be-restored-to-me writing the after-all's restoration of my ten-thorthy-unmatched heroism — the ten-thousand-warrior-hero writing the ten-thousand-foes'-unmatched hero, the restore-to-me two words writing the taking-back and recovery, as if that ten-thousand-warrior heroism was originally mine, and now taking it back. Using the one-hand set against the ten-thousand, one-few one-many, one-lone one-heroic, within the set-against seeing the spirit's greatness; using the after-all-restore-to-me for the recovery, seeing the conviction's firmness. This line, at once writing Zhang Demaou's Jin-embassy spirit, and Chen Liang's self heroic feeling's outflow — facing the humiliating peace-treaty diplomacy, the poet wants through the one-hand-ten-thousand-hero spirit to prop up the dignified Han envoy's honor, precisely the though-ten-thousand-men-I-go-forward stirring breast.

且复穹庐拜，会向藁街逢。

For the time being, I bow in the felt tent, but I will meet them at the Gaogao Street.

姑且再向金人的穹庐行拜，终会有一天，在藁街之上与之相遇。

For now, I bow again before the tent; one day, we shall meet on Gaojie street.

这一句是全词最凝练的雪耻之誓，也是忍辱与雪耻的完美对照。「且复穹庐拜」，写姑且再向穹庐行拜——「且复」写暂时的、不得已的屈服，堂堂汉使向金主的帐幕行拜，是南宋和议外交下士人最不堪的耻辱；「会向藁街逢」，写终会有一天在藁街相遇——「藁街」用汉代悬首藁街之典，是处斩蛮夷、宣示国威的地方，「会向」写终将到来的雪耻，那时便不是我来拜你，而是我擒你于藁街。以「且复」写暂时的忍辱，以「会向」写必然的雪耻，一忍一雪，正是「卧薪尝胆」的志士情怀。这一句，把眼前的屈辱转化为未来的信念，气概凛然，是南宋爱国词中最凝练、最有分量的雪耻之言，也是陈亮「以恢复为志」的思想最凝练的表述。

This line is the whole ci's most condensed shame-avenging oath, and the humiliation-and-vengeance's perfect contrast. For-now-I-bow-again-before-the-tent writing the for-now's bowing again to the dome tent — the for-now writing the temporary and the compelled submission, the dignified Han envoy's bowing to the Jin ruler's tent, the Southern Song peace-treaty diplomacy's scholar's most unbearable shame; one-day-we-shall-meet-on-Gaojie-street writing the after-all's Gaojie-meeting — Gaojie uses the Han's head-hanging-on-Gaojie allusion, the place of the barbarian's execution and the national-might's display, the will-meet writing the inevitable coming vengeance, then it is not I coming to bow you, and yet I capture you on Gaojie. Using the for-now for the temporary humiliation, using the will-meet for the inevitable vengeance, one-endurance-one-vengeance, precisely the sleep-on-brushwood-and-taste-the-bitter gall martyr feeling. This line, turning the present humiliation into the future conviction, the spirit awe-inspiring, the Southern Song patriotic ci's most condensed and most weighty shame-avenging words, and Chen Liang's recovery-as-will thought's most condensed expression.

胡运何须问，赫日自当中。

What need to ask of the fortune of the Hu — the blazing sun is itself in the zenith.

胡人的国运何须多问，正如赫赫的太阳，自当悬于中天。

The Hu's fate needs no asking; the blazing sun stands of itself at mid-heaven.

这一句是全词的结穴，写金朝必亡的信念，是此词豪情与信念的最高点。「胡运何须问」，写胡人的国运何须多问——「何须问」三字，写一种毋庸置疑的坚定：金朝的国运，注定将尽，无需多问，也无需怀疑；「赫日自当中」，写正如赫赫的太阳，自当悬于中天——以赫日写南宋的正气与国运，如太阳悬于中天，光芒万丈，不可阻挡；「自当中」的「自」字，写一种必然：太阳自会升到中天，正如正义自会战胜邪恶。以「赫日」写南宋，与「胡运」相对，一衰一盛、一暗一明，正是「邪不压正」的信念。这一结句，意象宏大明丽，气概雄健豪迈，把全词由屈辱、雪耻的对抗，推向正气必胜的高潮，是南宋爱国词中最有力量、最见信念的结尾之一。

This line is the whole ci's knot, writing the Jin's inevitable ruin conviction, this ci's heroic feeling and conviction's highest point. The-Hu's-fate-needs-no-asking writing the Hu's national fate's no-need-to-ask — the no-need-to-ask three characters, writing a no-doubt-about-it firmness: the Jin's national fate, the destined-to-end, no need to ask, and no need to doubt; the-blazing-sun-stands-of-itself-at-mid-heaven writing the blazing sun's by-nature hanging at mid-heaven — using the blazing sun for the Southern Song's righteous air and national fate, like the sun at mid-heaven, the light ten thousand zhang, the unstoppable; the stands-of-itself-at-mid-heaven's self word, writing an inevitability: the sun of itself rises to mid-heaven, precisely as righteousness of itself overcomes evil. Using the blazing sun for the Southern Song, set against the Hu fate, one decline one prosperity, one dark one bright, precisely the evil-doesn't-oppress-right conviction. This close, the imagery grand and bright, the spirit bold and unrestrained, pushing the whole ci from the humiliation-and-vengeance confrontation to the righteousness-must-win climax, the Southern Song patriotic ci's most forceful and conviction-seen closing lines.

Study

Word focus

只手 'A single hand' — the might of ten thousand in the single hand, the boast of the patriot. 「当场只手」之「只手」，写只身而雄的气概，是此词豪情的凝练。「只手」者，一只手也，以一掌之力写担当之重、气魄之大——只身赴敌廷，如只手擎天，一个「只手」写尽孤身而雄的气概。与下句「万夫雄」相对，一少一多、一孤一雄，正是「以一当万」的豪情。以「只手」写使节的气概，比「只手擎天」更见凝练，也暗含「只手难遮天」的现实的对照——纵然只手难遮南宋积弱之天，也要以只手撑起堂堂汉使的尊严。这一词，把孤身赴敌的悲壮与万夫莫敌的豪情融于二字之中，正是陈亮词「气格雄健」的代表，也是此词豪情的第一次爆发。

藁街 'The Gaogao Street' — the street of the Han capital where the captured enemy were displayed, the promise of the defeat. 「会向藁街逢」之「藁街」，用汉代悬首藁街之典，是此词雪耻之誓的关键语。「藁街」为长安城内接待外邦使节的街巷，汉元帝时陈汤斩匈奴郅支单于之首，上疏请「悬头藁街蛮夷邸间」，以宣示国威，后以「藁街」写诛灭夷狄、雪耻扬威的所在。此词「会向藁街逢」，写终将有一天在藁街与之相遇——那时便不是我来拜你，而是我擒你于藁街。以「藁街」写雪耻，比直说「报仇」更见国威与正大，正是「悬首藁街」的千年旧典在此词中的重光。这一词，把南宋士人雪耻的梦想，安放在藁街这一象征性的地点，气概凛然而典故精切，是陈亮词「以典言志」的代表，也是此词最有分量的雪耻之言。

赫日 'The blazing sun' — the Chinese sun, itself in the zenith, the assertion of the cause at its height. 「赫日自当中」之「赫日」，写赫赫的太阳，是此词信念的最高象征。「赫」写红亮、盛大之貌，「赫日」即赫赫红日，以太阳写南宋的正气与国运——如太阳悬于中天，光芒万丈，不可阻挡；「自当中」的「自」字，写一种必然：太阳自会升到中天，正如正义自会战胜邪恶。以「赫日」写南宋，与「胡运」相对，一明一暗、一盛一衰，正是「邪不压正」的信念。这一意象，宏大而明丽，把全词由屈辱、雪耻的对抗，推向正气必胜的高潮。以「赫日」写国运，气象雄健而信念坚定，是陈亮词「气格雄健」的极致，也是此词最有力量、最见信念的结尾意象。