All poems

宋 Song · 诗 Poem

四时田园杂兴·其一

Four Seasons of Rural Life, I

范成大

Fan Chengda

田园pastoral 农事farming 生活life

昼出耘田夜绩麻，村庄儿女各当家。
童孙未解供耕织，也傍桑阴学种瓜。

By day weeding, by night spinning hemp,
Village men and women each tend their home.
Grandchildren too young to plough or weave,
Under mulberry shade, they learn to plant melons.

Listen

Meaning

This poem portrays a summer rural scene: adults work hard from dawn to dusk, each taking charge of their tasks; children, though too young for actual farm work, imitate the adults by planting melons under a mulberry tree, showing the natural transmission of rural life and the innocence of childhood.

白天出门到田里除草，夜晚回家还要搓捻麻线，村庄里的男男女女各自担当起家里的营生。小孩子们还不懂怎样从事耕田织布，却也凑在桑树荫下，学着大人的模样种起瓜来。

Appreciation

The poem uses plain language and contrasting imagery to create a vivid picture of rural harmony. The first couplet emphasizes the diligence of adults with a contrast of day and night. The second couplet introduces a playful twist: the children's innocent imitation of farming. This contrast between serious work and lighthearted play brings warmth and vitality to the scene, highlighting the continuity of tradition and the charm of rustic life.

【白话串讲】大人白天耕田、晚上搓麻，孩子还小不会干活，也学着在桑树下种瓜。范成大写农村，把一家人的分工写得热气腾腾。【意象与手法】此诗纯用白描，章法简净而层次分明：前两句以「昼」「夜」时间对举、男女分工并写，概括成人之勤；后两句以「未解」与「也傍」对照，写童孙模仿大人的天真，于繁重农事中宕开一笔，童趣天成。语言如话，却以细节见神，是范诗「晓畅平易而意味深长」的范例。【情感与主旨】范成大晚年退居苏州石湖，于淳熙十三年（1186）前后作《四时田园杂兴》六十首，分春、夏、秋、冬四组，系统描绘江南农村风物。此为其一，写乡村昼夜劳作与童稚学耕之景，在写农事之勤的同时，更以儿童的天真点出田园生活的生趣，体现诗人对农村生活的熟悉与温情。【名句点睛】常考「昼出耘田夜绩麻，村庄儿女各当家」所写的农忙景象与「各当家」的内涵；「童孙未解供耕织，也傍桑阴学种瓜」中「未解」「也傍」对照的童趣与白描手法。

Background

Fan Chengda retired to his hometown Shihu in Suzhou and wrote the series 'Four Seasons of Rural Life' around 1186. This poem is from the summer group. The series is notable for breaking the tradition of pastoral poetry that focused on reclusive idylls; instead, it systematically records the real lives of farmers, earning it the reputation of a 'poetic history of pastoral life.'

范成大（1126—1193），字致能，号石湖居士，吴郡（今江苏苏州）人，南宋中兴四大诗人之一。他晚年退居故乡苏州石湖，自号石湖居士，于淳熙十三年（1186）前后写下《四时田园杂兴》六十首，分春日、晚春、夏日、秋日、冬日五组，每组十二首，系统描绘江南农村的风物、农事与风俗，是其一生诗歌创作的高峰。此诗为「夏日田园杂兴」之其一，写乡村昼夜劳作与童稚学耕之景。在此之前，田园诗多写隐逸闲适，或经陶渊明之手化为士大夫的精神家园，很少正面书写农家的真实生计；范成大此组诗打破传统，首次以组诗形式全面记录农家的耕种、纺织、收获、节庆，被誉为「田园诗史」。组诗语言平易如话，而观察入微、情趣盎然，钱锺书《宋诗选注》称其「算得中国古代田园诗的集大成」，正是就此开创之功而言。更值得注意的是，此组诗的创作正值南宋中期，江南农村相对安定，稼穑之利、蚕桑之盛皆远过前代，范成大以退居之身亲历田园，方能写出如此真切的风土人情；组诗以「杂兴」名之，一诗一事、随兴所至，正是对陶渊明《归园田居》、王维《辋川集》田园传统的继承与超越。

Art

The poem employs pure white description with a simple structure. The first couplet contrasts day and night, and the division of labor between men and women, to summarize adult diligence. The second couplet uses 'too young' and 'also near' to create a contrast, adding a touch of childlike innocence to the heavy farm work. Language is colloquial yet precise, exemplifying Fan's style of 'plainness with profound meaning.'

此诗艺术之妙，在于以极简的白描写出乡村生活的全景与生趣。章法上分两层：前两句「昼出耘田夜绩麻，村庄儿女各当家」写成人，后两句「童孙未解供耕织，也傍桑阴学种瓜」写儿童。首句以「昼」「夜」对举，写白天耘田、夜里绩麻，一天十二时辰没有闲暇，概括成人之勤；次句「村庄儿女各当家」由个体推及全村，写男耕女织、各司其职，「各当家」三字凝练有力，写出乡民主体的责任感与自立精神。后两句笔锋一转，由成人写到儿童：童孙尚不懂耕织之事，「也傍桑阴学种瓜」——模仿是儿童的天性，这「学」字写尽孩童的可爱，于繁重农事中宕开一笔，顿生无限生趣。全诗纯用白描，无一形容词、无一修饰语，语言如话，却以「各当家」的凝练、「未解」与「也傍」的对照见出功力，以细节见神、以平易见深，是范成大「晓畅平易而意味深长」诗风的典范，也是宋人田园诗「以俗为雅」的标本。此诗还善用「以少总多」之法：短短二十八字，既写了昼夜两时的劳作，又写了成人与儿童两个群体，还暗含农事传承的古今之思，字字有着落、句句有分寸；儿童之「学种瓜」，既是全诗的生趣所在，也是「各当家」的农家风气最好的注脚，前后呼应，浑然一体。

Allusions

The words 'yun tian' (weeding) and 'ji ma' (spinning hemp) originate from the Book of Songs, linking the poem to ancient agricultural traditions. Fan Chengda consciously revives this tradition, bringing pastoral poetry back to a focus on real farmers rather than reclusive escapes.

诗中「耘田」「绩麻」皆古农事之称，接通了中国诗歌源远流长的农事传统。「耘」为除草，《诗经·小雅·甫田》「或耘或耔」即写田间除草培土；「绩麻」即缉麻成线，《诗经·陈风·东门之池》「可以沤麻」「可以沤苎」写沤麻绩线之工，可见「男耕女织」的图景自《诗经》时代即是中华农耕文明的底色。《豳风·七月》更以「七月流火，九月授衣……昼尔于茅，宵尔索绹」写农人昼夜劳作，与「昼出耘田夜绩麻」同写昼夜不息的勤劳，一脉相承。「桑阴」之桑是古代农桑之本，江南养蚕缫丝之地桑树遍野，桑阴下学种瓜的孩童，正是农桑文化代代相传的生动写照；「种瓜」亦见《诗经》「七月食瓜」的瓜果传统。范成大以《诗经》农事传统为骨，将「男耕女织」这一古老图景写入组诗，无意用典而处处接通农事诗之源，使田园诗重新回到「写真实农人」的轨道上，是其高于一般士大夫田园诗之处。就意象传统而言，「桑」在中国文学中又是家园与农桑的象征，《诗经·魏风·十亩之间》「桑者闲闲兮」写采桑之乐，汉乐府《陌上桑》写采桑之女，桑阴之下历来是乡村生活最富温情的角落；范成大让童孙在桑阴下学种瓜，正是对这一传统意象的日常化运用，于无意中接通了千年农桑诗脉。

Commentary

Qian Zhongshu praised the series as 'the culmination of ancient Chinese pastoral poetry.' Wang Shizhen noted its resonance with the 'Bin Feng' (Odes of Bin) spirit. By expanding pastoral poetry from reclusive idyll to a realistic record of farm life, Fan Chengda profoundly influenced later poets.

《四时田园杂兴》问世后，历来评价甚高。钱锺书《宋诗选注》称范成大此组诗「算得中国古代田园诗的集大成」，又说它「把一年四季的田园风光和农家生活写得非常真实生动」；清人王士禛《带经堂诗话》谓其「有《豳风·七月》之意」，正指出其与《诗经》农事诗一脉相承的实录精神。此组诗的意义，在于将陶渊明式的隐逸田园，拓展为记录真实农事的「诗史」：陶诗中的田园是士大夫的精神家园，范诗中的田园则是农人日夜劳作的现实舞台，其中既有「昼出耘田夜绩麻」的辛劳，也有「童孙学种瓜」的温情，写农事而不失诗意，写诗意而不失真实。后世翁卷《乡村四月》、杨万里田园小诗皆承其风，清人田园诗亦多受其影响。就儿童题材而言，「也傍桑阴学种瓜」与辛弃疾「最喜小儿亡赖，溪头卧剥莲蓬」并为宋诗中可爱的村童剪影，影响及于后世无数写童趣的诗篇。此诗之妙还在「以小见大」：儿童学种瓜，看似琐事，实则写出了农家生活代代相传的韧性与温情——劳动不仅是生计，也是一种家风与文化的延续。千百年来，中国乡村的勤劳与淳朴，正是经由这样一代代「学种瓜」的童孙而绵延不绝，此诗因此获得了超越时代的普遍意义。

Prosody

Form 七言绝句（仄起首句入韵）七言绝句（仄起首句入韵）

Rhyme 押平水韵下平六麻韵：麻、家、瓜。押平水韵下平六麻韵：麻、家、瓜

Tone pattern 前两句叙事沉稳，后两句以儿童之趣收束，平易如话而生活气息浓郁。首句「昼出耘田夜绩麻」仄仄平平仄仄平，仄起首句入韵；前两句叙事沉稳，后两句以儿童之趣收束，平易如话而生活气息浓郁。

Reading note 此诗为范成大《四时田园杂兴》组诗之一，以白描写尽宋代乡村男耕女织的风俗画卷。此诗为七言绝句，仄起首句入韵，首句「昼出耘田夜绩麻」仄仄平平仄仄平，合律无拗；押下平六麻韵「麻、家、瓜」，韵字皆开口洪亮之音，读来明快响亮，正与乡村生活明朗开阔的情调相称。绝句章法上，此诗前两句与后两句呈「写实—写趣」的双层结构：前两句以对偶（昼出—夜绩、耘田—绩麻）写成人劳作的整饬，节奏沉稳；后两句转写孩童，「未解」与「也傍」形成虚实的照应，语气轻快，节奏遂显活泼，声情与辞情相凑。全诗语言平易如话，几乎全用口语词（村庄、儿女、童孙、种瓜），却无一字多余，是宋诗「以俗为雅」的典范。范成大此组诗以「组诗」形式系统写田园，一诗一事、一事一景，各首独立而又互相关联；就单首论，此诗平仄合律、对偶自然、虚实相生，于规矩中见自由，正是南宋诗人「以才学为诗」而归于平淡的代表，也是《四时田园杂兴》中流传最广、最见生趣的一首。

Line by line

昼出耘田夜绩麻，

Weeding by day, spinning hemp by night – describes the round-the-clock diligence of farm work.

白天出门到田里除草，夜晚回家还要搓捻麻线，

Out at dawn to weed the fields, at night coming home to twist hemp thread,

首句写农人一天的生活，是全景式的概括。「昼出耘田」写白天到田间除草，「夜绩麻」写夜晚灯下缉麻成线，一天十二时辰无片刻闲暇，以「昼」「夜」对举，写出农事之繁、农人之勤。耘田是室外重活，绩麻是室内细工，一重一轻、一外一内，两句只七个字便写尽农家昼夜不息的劳作节奏。此句妙在不动声色：不叹苦、不言累，只以平实的叙述写事实，而勤劳之态自见。与《诗经·豳风·七月》「昼尔于茅，宵尔索绹」同一机杼，皆以昼夜对举写农人无闲，可见范成大深得农事诗传统；「昼」「夜」二字又是全诗时间的总纲，为后文「桑阴」的日间场景定下基准，章法严谨而不露痕迹。

The opening line writes the farmer's day, the panoramic summary. The out-at-dawn-to-weed-the-fields writing the daytime's field weeding, the at-night-twist-hemp-thread writing the night's lamp-lit hemp-spinning, the day's twelve double-hours no moment's leisure, using the day and night's parallel, writing the farm-work's abundance and the farmer's diligence. The weeding the outdoor heavy work, the hemp-twisting the indoor fine craft, one-heavy-one-light, one-outside-one-inside, two lines only seven characters and exhausting the farm household's day-and-night-unceasing toil rhythm. This line's wonder in the no-sound: not sighing the bitterness, not speaking the weariness, only the plain statement for the fact, and yet the diligent pose self-seen. With the Book of Songs's July's by-day-you-gather-thatch-by-night-you-twist-ropes's same loom, both using day-night parallel for the farmer's no-leisure, seeing Fan Chengda's deep grasp of the farming-poem tradition; the day and night two words again the whole poem's time master plan, establishing the standard for the below mulberry-shade daytime scene, the craft rigorous and yet the trace invisible.

村庄儿女各当家。

Each adult in the village takes charge of their own household tasks.

村庄里的男男女女各自担当起家里的营生。

The village men and women each run their own household's livelihood.

此句由个体推及全村，写整个村庄的劳作分工。「村庄儿女」泛指村中的男女老少，「各当家」写每人各自主持一摊生计：男耕女织、各有其职，人人自立、家家勤勉。「各当家」三字是全句的句眼：一则写分工之明，农村社会男耕女织的秩序井然；二则写责任之重，「当家」即挑起一家生计的重担，非浮泛的「劳作」可比；三则写自立之风，村中儿女皆能自食其力，无闲人、无懒汉，一个「各」字见出人尽其力的饱满气象。两句并读，「昼出耘田夜绩麻」是具体描写，「村庄儿女各当家」是概括提升，一实一虚、一叙一议，将农家辛劳而有序的生活写得既真实又有力度。此句也是全诗由「写景叙事」转入「点明主旨」的枢纽，为下文童孙学种瓜的余韵蓄势。

This line from the individual extending to the whole village, writing the whole village's toil division. The village-men-and-women broadly meaning the village's men-women-old-and-young, the each-run-their-own-household writing each person's presiding over one livelihood: the men-plough-women-weave, each with its duty, everyone's self-reliance, every household diligent. The each-run-their-own-household three words the whole line's eye: one writing the division's clarity, the rural society's men-plough-women-weave order's orderly; two writing the responsibility's weight, the running-a-household i.e. shouldering the whole-family-livelihood heavy burden, not the floating toil's compare; three writing the self-reliance air, the village's children's all able to feed themselves, no idler and no lazy, the each word seeing the everyone's-giving-strength full weather. Two lines read together, the out-at-dawn-to-weed-the-fields-at-night-to-twist-hemp-thread the concrete description, the village-men-and-women-each-run-their-own-household the summary elevation, one-real-one-abstract, one-narrative-one-commentary, writing the farm household's toiling-and-yet-orderly life both real and forceful. This line also the whole poem's scene-and-narrative-turn-to-theme-pointing hinge, storing the ground for the below grandchild-learning-to-plant-melons aftertone.

童孙未解供耕织，

The grandchildren are still too young to understand ploughing or weaving.

小孩子们还不懂怎样从事耕田织布，

The small children do not yet know how to plough and weave,

此句由成人转到儿童，是全诗的转折。「童孙」指孙辈孩童，「未解」即不懂、不会，「供耕织」指从事耕田织布之事。三个字写尽孩童的天真：他们还不到承担劳作的年龄，尚不懂稼穑之艰、纺织之繁。此句看似闲笔，实则匠心独运：前两句写成人昼夜劳作，气氛是紧张忙碌的，此句「未解」一宕，将镜头移向天真的孩童，气氛顿显轻松；「未解」又与下句「也傍」呼应——正因为「不解」，才只是「学」，以「不解」写稚气，以「学」写可爱，一正一反，童趣全出。同时，「未解供耕织」也暗写农事传承的必然：孩童终将学会耕织，接过大人的担子，这「不解」是暂时的，而田园的劳作是永恒的。此句于章法上是「先抑后扬」，为结句的精彩蓄足势头。

This line from the adult turning to the child, the whole poem's turn. The small-grandchild meaning the grandchild-generation children, the cannot-yet i.e. not-knowing, the plough-and-weave matter meaning the ploughing-and-weaving undertaking. Three words exhausting the child's innocence: they are not yet at the shouldering-toil age, still not knowing the farming's hardship and the weaving's complexity. This line seeming the idle brush, and yet the deliberate craft: the above two lines writing the adults' day-and-night toil, the atmosphere tense-and-busy, this line's cannot-yet one letting-fall, moving the lens to the innocent child, the atmosphere at once relaxed; the cannot-yet again echoing the below's yet-in — precisely because of the not-understanding, and yet only the learning, using the not-understanding for the childishness, using the learning for the loveliness, one-positive-one-reverse, the child-delight all out. At the same time, the cannot-yet-plough-or-weave also secretly writing the farming transmission's necessity: the child will finally learn to plough-and-weave, taking over the adults' burden, this not-understanding's temporary, and yet the pastoral toil's eternal. This line in the craft the first-suppression-then-lift, storing the full force for the closing line's brilliance.

也傍桑阴学种瓜。

Yet they imitate the adults, learning to plant melons under the mulberry shade.

却也凑在桑树荫下，学着大人的模样种起瓜来。

Yet they crowd beneath the mulberry shade, learning to plant melons like the grown-ups.

结句是全诗最富生趣的一笔，也是千古传诵的名句。「也傍」二字是全句之眼：「也」写出孩童不甘旁观、凑热闹的急切，「傍」写出他们依傍在桑树荫下的姿态——桑阴是乘凉之地，也是学艺之所，一「傍」字既写实景，又暗示耳濡目染的传承。「学种瓜」三字尤其传神：孩童不解耕织，却学着大人的样子种瓜，动作稚拙而神情认真，滑稽可爱中见出农家风气对下一代的浸润。此句之妙，在以儿童的天真点活全诗：前文写劳作的紧张，到此化为会心一笑；「不解」与「学」的对照，将「模仿」这一儿童天性写得如在目前。全诗以「学种瓜」收束，举重若轻，田家的勤、稚童的趣、生活的暖交织在一起，使这首写农事的诗有了温度，这正是范成大高于一般田园诗人的地方。

The closing line is the whole poem's most living-interest stroke, and the through-the-ages famed line. The yet-in-the-mulberry-shade two words the whole line's eye: the yet word writing the child's not-bear-to-watch and join-in eagerness, the shade word writing their leaning beneath the mulberry shade's pose — the mulberry shade the cool-seeking place, and the learning place, the one shade word at once writing the real scene, and hinting the ear-and-eye transmission. The learn-to-plant-melons three words especially vivid: the child not-understanding plough-and-weave, and yet learning the adults' manner of planting melons, the movement's childish-clumsiness and the expression's earnestness, the laughable-loveliness and yet seeing the farm air's next-generation soaking. This line's wonder, in using the child's innocence for the whole poem's enlivening: the above's toil tension, to here turning into the knowing smile; the not-understanding and the learning's contrast, writing the imitation child-nature's as-in-present-eye. The whole poem closing on the learn-to-plant-melons, the heavy-weight-lifted-light, the farm's diligence, the child's charm, the life's warmth interwoven, making this farming poem have warmth, precisely Fan Chengda's surpassing the ordinary pastoral poet place.

Study

Word focus

昼出 / 夜 A key expression in this poem; read it with the Chinese note below. 「昼出耘田夜绩麻」以「昼」「夜」对举，是全句的骨架。「昼出」写白天的外出劳作，「夜」字领起夜晚的家内女工，一昼一夜，时间的连续写尽劳作的持续；「出」字尤见分寸——耘田需到田间，故曰「出」，写出农人早出晚归的奔波；「夜」下接「绩麻」，写灯下缉线，空间由田间转入室内，劳作却不曾停止。二字（昼、夜）以时间的完整覆盖写辛劳的无所不在，比直写「勤劳」高明百倍：不说苦而苦自见，不说勤而勤自显。且「昼出」对「夜绩」，「耘田」对「绩麻」，对偶自然工整，语序如话，无一点雕琢痕迹。此二字定下全诗时间框架，与结句「桑阴」的白日场景暗相呼应，可见范成大炼字炼在整体布局上，不在孤立的奇字上。

各当家 each in charge of the household; self-sufficient division of labor. 「村庄儿女各当家」之「各当家」三字，是概括农家秩序的关键词。「当家」本指主持家政、挑起生计，此处写村中儿女各自主持一份营生，比「劳作」「耕织」更重——「当家」意味着责任、自立与主见，非被动做工，而是主动持家；「各」字写分工：男有男职、女有女任，各尽其力而秩序井然，一个「各」字见出村庄里无闲人、无越位，人尽其力、家各其业的饱满气象。三字凝练有力，以最口语化的词语写出最深厚的道理：农业社会男耕女织的自足结构，靠的就是这「各当家」的普遍责任感。若写作「儿女尽勤劳」则空泛，写作「男女各营生」则生硬，唯「各当家」三字贴切自然，既见生活的分量，又带乡土的亲切，是范诗「以俗为雅」「平易而精深」的典型例证。

也傍桑阴 also near the mulberry shade; imitating adults with playful earnestness. 「也傍桑阴学种瓜」之「也傍」二字，是童趣的所在。「也」字写孩童的凑热闹心理：大人耘田绩麻，孩童插不上手，却也闲不住，也要学样，「也」字活画出孩童不甘寂寞、跃跃欲试的神态；「傍」字写依傍桑阴的姿态，桑树荫下是阴凉之地，孩童傍树而坐、就地学艺，一「傍」字既有画面的清凉，又暗示农事风气的耳濡目染——孩童不去远处玩耍，偏在桑阴下学种瓜，正是受大人劳作熏染的结果。「也傍」连读，语感轻快，如见孩童蹦跳而来、依树而蹲的情状。若作「亦向」「且于」皆板滞，唯「也傍」二字口语化极强，与全诗如话的语言风格统一，于不经意间点出童趣与传承，是炼字「大巧若拙」的体现，也使这首写农事的诗生出一层温情的亮色。