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宋 Song · 词 Ci lyric

杏花天影

The Shadow of the Apricot Blossom Day

姜夔

Jiang Kui

绿丝低拂鸳鸯浦。
想桃叶、当时唤渡。
又将愁眼与春风，待去。
倚兰桡、更少驻。
金陵路。
莺吟燕舞。
算潮水、知人最苦。
满汀芳草不成归，日暮。
更移舟、向甚处。

The green threads lowly brush the Yuanyang shore.
Thinking of the peach leaf, at the time, calling for the crossing.
Leaving the boat to the east, the west of the sorrowful,
The south and the north of the song,
It is already the evening of the dust and the silk.
Counting that the tide water knows the most bitter of the man,
Not a word, the tide returns.
The full sandbank of the fragrant grass, not becoming the return, the day dusk,
Laying the boat, and playing the flute, where to return?
Listen

Meaning

A lyric of the parting and the wandering, written by Jiang Kui. The green threads lowly brush the Yuanyang shore — thinking of the peach leaf, at the time, calling for the crossing — the green willows of the shore and the remembered peach leaf of the past. Leaving the boat to the east, the west of the sorrowful, the south and the north of the song — it is already the evening of the dust and the silk — the wandering of the boat and the years of the dust. Counting that the tide water knows the most bitter of the man — not a word, the tide returns — the tide knowing the bitterness, returning without the word. The full sandbank of the fragrant grass, not becoming the return, the day dusk — laying the boat, and playing the flute, where to return? — the close's not yet return and the flute. The lyric is the parting and the wandering: the remembered peach leaf, the tide without the word, and the close's flute where to return.

绿丝低拂鸳鸯浦。想桃叶、当时唤渡。又将愁眼与春风，待去。倚兰桡、更少驻。金陵路。莺吟燕舞。算潮水、知人最苦。满汀芳草不成归，日暮。更移舟、向甚处。

Appreciation

[Plain Paraphrase] The green threads lowly brush the Yuanyang shore. Thinking of the peach leaf, at the time, calling for the crossing. Counting that the tide water knows the most bitter of the man, not a word, the tide returns. The full sandbank of the fragrant grass, not becoming the return, the day dusk, laying the boat, and playing the flute, where to return? [Structure and Thought] The lyric moves from the green willows and the remembered peach leaf of the past, through the wandering of the years and the tide knowing the bitterness, to the close's fragrant grass of the not yet return with the flute and the question of the return. [Key Technique] The lyric's art is the tide of the bitterness: the tide water that knows the most bitter of the man, returning without the word; and the close's full sandbank of the fragrant grass, not becoming the return — the parting and the wandering gathered in the tide and the close's question. [Emotional Tone] Sorrowful, wandering, and questioning: the lyric is the parting and the wandering, the remembered peach leaf and the close's flute where to return.

【白话串讲】 姜夔写《杏花天影》：“绿丝低拂鸳鸯浦。想桃叶、当时唤渡”——“又将愁眼与春风，待去。倚兰桡、更少驻”——“金陵路。莺吟燕舞。算潮水、知人最苦”——“满汀芳草不成归，日暮。更移舟、向甚处”——他写漂泊——满汀芳草不成归。 【意象与手法】 “绿丝低拂鸳鸯浦。想桃叶、当时唤渡”以桃叶典写怀人；“又将愁眼与春风，待去。倚兰桡、更少驻”写愁眼春风；“金陵路。莺吟燕舞。算潮水、知人最苦”以潮水知苦写苦；结以“满汀芳草不成归，日暮。更移舟、向甚处”写移舟何往。含蓄空灵。 【情感与主旨】 姜夔写怀人羁旅之作，写漂泊途中对桃叶式恋人的追忆与“满汀芳草不成归”的漂泊之叹，是白石词中清空骚雅的代表。 【名句点睛】 常考“绿丝低拂鸳鸯浦。想桃叶、当时唤渡”以桃叶唤渡写怀人；“满汀芳草不成归，日暮。更移舟、向甚处”以移舟何往写漂泊。

Background

Jiang Kui (c. 1155–1221), the master of the lyric of the Southern Song, wrote this 'Shadow of the Apricot Blossom Day' of the parting and the wandering — the boat and the memory. The green willows lowly brushing the Yuanyang shore and the remembered peach leaf calling for the crossing, the wandering of the east and the west with the years of the dust and the silk, the tide water knowing the most bitter of the man and returning without the word, and the close's full sandbank of the fragrant grass with the flute and the question of the return — the lyric gathers the sorrow of the wandering, the tide and the close's question. The lyric is one of the famous works of the master.

《杏花天影》为南宋词人姜夔所作词。姜夔（约1155—约1221），字尧章，号白石道人，饶州鄱阳（今江西鄱阳）人，南宋词人、音乐家，词风清空骚雅，开「清雅词派」之先。此词写怀人羁旅。词中「绿丝低拂鸳鸯浦。想桃叶、当时唤渡」写桃叶唤渡；「又将愁眼与春风，待去。倚兰桡、更少驻」写愁眼春风；「金陵路。莺吟燕舞」写金陵莺燕；「算潮水、知人最苦」写潮水知苦；「满汀芳草不成归，日暮。更移舟、向甚处」写更移舟向甚处。姜夔此词以怀人羁旅、更移舟向甚处写其羁旅之情，含蓄空灵，是姜夔词中的名篇。此篇《杏花天影》在历代选本中多被收录，其艺术价值与流传之广，正可见此诗在同类题材中的重要地位。诗人以匠心独运之笔写寻常之情事，遂使此作历千载而犹有生气，为后人所称赏不绝。此篇《杏花天影》在历代选本中多被收录，其艺术价值与流传之广，正可见此诗在同类题材中的重要地位。诗人以匠心独运之笔写寻常之情事，遂使此作历千载而犹有生气，为后人所称赏不绝。

Art

The lyric's art is the art of the wandering. The scene opens: the green threads lowly brush the Yuanyang shore — the green willows of the shore, lowly brushing; thinking of the peach leaf, at the time, calling for the crossing — the remembered peach leaf of the past, calling for the crossing. The wandering follows: leaving the boat to the east, the west of the sorrowful, the south and the north of the song — it is already the evening of the dust and the silk — the wandering of the boat, the years of the dust and the silk. The tide: counting that the tide water knows the most bitter of the man — not a word, the tide returns — the tide knowing the bitterness, returning without the word. And the close gathers the question: the full sandbank of the fragrant grass, not becoming the return, the day dusk — laying the boat, and playing the flute, where to return? — the fragrant grass of the not yet return, the flute and the question of the return — the parting and the wandering, the tide and the close's question, gathered in the lyric.

此词艺术上以「含蓄空灵、以景写情」见长。全词上片写桃叶唤渡与愁眼春风，下片写金陵莺燕与更移舟向甚处。上片「绿丝低拂鸳鸯浦。想桃叶、当时唤渡」写桃叶唤渡：绿丝低拂鸳鸯浦，想桃叶、当时唤渡；「又将愁眼与春风，待去。倚兰桡、更少驻」写愁眼春风：又将愁眼与春风，待去，倚兰桡、更少驻。下片「金陵路。莺吟燕舞。算潮水、知人最苦」写金陵莺燕：金陵路，莺吟燕舞，算潮水、知人最苦；「满汀芳草不成归，日暮。更移舟、向甚处」写更移舟向甚处：满汀芳草不成归，日暮，更移舟、向甚处。全词含蓄空灵，以景写情，是姜夔词中的名篇。通篇以少总多之法出之，章法严谨而用意深曲，意象凝练而情韵悠长，读之愈久，愈觉其构思之精与笔力之健，堪称同类诗作中不可多得之佳篇，足见诗人炉火纯青的艺术功力。通篇以少总多之法出之，章法严谨而用意深曲，意象凝练而情韵悠长，读之愈久，愈觉其构思之精与笔力之健，堪称同类诗作中不可多得之佳篇，足见诗人炉火纯青的艺术功力。

Allusions

'The Yuanyang shore' (Yuanyang pu) is the shore of the mandarin ducks — the shore of the green willows; 'the peach leaf' (tao ye) is the peach leaf of the past — the remembered beloved of the past, the calling for the crossing; 'the dust and the silk' (chen si) are the dust and the silk — the years of the wandering; 'the fragrant grass' (fang cao) is the fragrant grass of the sandbank — the grass of the not yet return; 'the laying of the boat' (yi zhou) is the laying of the boat — the mooring of the boat, the close's boat laid.

词中「绿丝低拂」「鸳鸯浦」「想桃叶」「当时唤渡」「愁眼」「春风」「待去」「兰桡」「少驻」「金陵路」「莺吟燕舞」「潮水知人最苦」「满汀芳草」「不成归」「日暮」「更移舟」「向甚处」等语，皆含典故故实。「绿丝低拂」写绿柳丝低拂；「鸳鸯浦」写鸳鸯戏水之浦；「想桃叶」用晋王献之《桃叶歌》「桃叶复桃叶，渡江不用楫」之典，写桃叶；「当时唤渡」写当时唤渡；「愁眼」写含愁之眼；「春风」写春风；「待去」写将去；「兰桡」写兰木之桨；「少驻」写稍作停留；「金陵路」写金陵之路；「莺吟燕舞」写莺燕歌舞；「潮水知人最苦」写潮水知人最苦；「满汀芳草」写满汀之芳草；「不成归」写不能归去；「日暮」写日暮；「更移舟」写更移舟；「向甚处」写去向何处。词人以桃叶渡江、鸳鸯浦、莺吟燕舞、满汀芳草、移舟何向等语入词，不着痕迹，而把怀人羁旅之情写得真切可感，是善于熔铸典故的体现。此等用典之法，熔铸古今而不着痕迹，既不炫博以示学，亦不拘泥于旧解，正见诗人学养之深与运思之巧。读者于此等处尤当细心玩味，方能领会其言外之旨与味外之味。

Commentary

This lyric is one of the famous works of Jiang Kui, quoted for the tide of its middle and the question of its close. The tide water knowing the most bitter, and the flute of the where to return, are among the admired passages of the master's lyrics. Critics praise the lyric's wandering: the parting gathered from the peach leaf and the tide, to the close's question of the return.

这首《杏花天影》，是姜夔写怀人羁旅之作，写绿丝低拂、想桃叶、潮水知苦之情，含蓄空灵。上片写桃叶唤渡与愁眼春风：「绿丝低拂鸳鸯浦。想桃叶、当时唤渡」——绿丝低拂鸳鸯浦，想桃叶、当时唤渡。写桃叶唤渡：绿丝低拂鸳鸯浦、想桃叶当时唤渡（用王献之桃叶歌之典）——绿柳低拂鸳鸯浦、想桃叶唤渡；「又将愁眼与春风，待去。倚兰桡、更少驻」——又将愁眼与春风，待去，倚兰桡、更少驻。写愁眼春风：又将愁眼与春风、待去，倚兰桡、更少驻——将愁眼付与春风、待去，倚兰桡少驻。下片写金陵莺燕与更移舟向甚处：「金陵路。莺吟燕舞。算潮水、知人最苦」——金陵路，莺吟燕舞，算潮水、知人最苦。写金陵莺燕：金陵路、莺吟燕舞，算潮水知人最苦——金陵路莺吟燕舞、算潮水知人最苦；「满汀芳草不成归，日暮。更移舟、向甚处」——满汀芳草不成归，日暮，更移舟、向甚处。写更移舟向甚处：满汀芳草不成归、日暮，更移舟、向甚处——满汀芳草不成归、日暮移舟向何。这「满汀芳草不成归，日暮。更移舟、向甚处」，是全词之结：以更移舟向甚处写其漂泊。全词含蓄空灵，以景写情，正是姜夔词中的名篇。

Prosody

Form Xinghuatianying (The Shadow of the Apricot Blossom Day), a short lyric词（杏花天影，小令）
Rhyme The lyric rhymes on the oblique-tone words of the group — the turning, oblique rhyme that carries the wandering sorrow.此词为《杏花天影》调，小令五十四字，上片下片各五句。押仄声韵：「浦」「渡」「去」「驻」「路」「舞」「苦」「暮」「处」押遇部韵。词体依词谱而定，句式长短错落，音节随情起伏，正与写怀人羁旅的含蓄空灵相称，也见其以词写羁旅的自然。
Tone pattern The cadence is that of the wandering: the level opening with the willows and the memory, the turning with the tide and the bitterness, and the close's fall with the question of the return.句式上，上片「绿丝低拂鸳鸯浦。想桃叶、当时唤渡」写桃叶唤渡，音节清丽；「又将愁眼与春风，待去。倚兰桡、更少驻」写愁眼春风，音节低回；下片「金陵路。莺吟燕舞。算潮水、知人最苦」写金陵莺燕，音节明快；「满汀芳草不成归，日暮。更移舟、向甚处」写更移舟向甚处，音节怅惘。全词音节由清丽而低回、由明快而怅惘，正合词体「长短句」之妙，读来如怀人羁旅、更移舟向甚处之音，含蓄而动人。
Reading note The lyric's sound matches its wandering: the short, turning cadence of the boat, and the close — 'man ting fang cao bu cheng gui, ri mu' — falls with the not yet return, the sound of the dusk of the wandering.此词为《杏花天影》调，是姜夔写怀人羁旅之作，也是其词中的名篇。全词的艺术特色在于「含蓄空灵、以景写情」：上片「绿丝低拂鸳鸯浦。想桃叶、当时唤渡」写桃叶唤渡、「又将愁眼与春风，待去。倚兰桡、更少驻」写愁眼春风；下片「金陵路。莺吟燕舞。算潮水、知人最苦」写金陵莺燕、「满汀芳草不成归，日暮。更移舟、向甚处」写更移舟向甚处。全词含蓄空灵，以景写情。尤为精妙者，是「想桃叶、当时唤渡」用王献之桃叶歌之典写怀人；而「满汀芳草不成归，日暮。更移舟、向甚处」以更移舟向甚处写其漂泊，正是姜夔词「清空骚雅」的典范，为历代词选所常收。

Line by line

绿丝低拂鸳鸯浦。

The green threads lowly brush the Yuanyang shore.

绿丝低拂鸳鸯浦。

Green willow threads droop and brush the mandarin-duck shore.

首句写绿丝低拂，起笔即见其景。「绿丝低拂鸳鸯浦」写绿丝低拂鸳鸯浦，「绿丝」写绿柳丝、「低拂」写低垂轻拂、「鸳鸯浦」写鸳鸯戏水之浦。一句以「绿丝」写柳丝、以「低拂」写其低垂、以「鸳鸯浦」写其地，写尽绿柳低拂鸳鸯浦之景。以景起兴，含蓄而清丽，是「以景起兴」的妙笔。此句以寥寥数语写尽深意，情韵兼胜，正是全诗点睛之笔。其于字句之间暗藏波澜，于平易之中寄寓曲折，尤当反复涵泳，方能得其三昧。

The opening line writes the green threads' low brushing, the first stroke at once seeing the scene. The green-willow-threads-droop-and-brush-the-mandarin-duck-shore writing the green willow threads, the low brushing, and the mandarin-duck shore. One line using the green threads for the willow silk, the low brushing for the drooping, and the mandarin-duck shore for the place, exhausting the willow's low brush over the shore. Using the scene's uprising, reserved and fresh, the scene-uprising wondrous brush.

想桃叶、当时唤渡。

Thinking of the peach leaf, at the time, calling for the crossing.

想桃叶、当时唤渡。

I think of Taoye, calling the ferryman in those days.

此二句写桃叶唤渡，是全词写怀人的关键。「想桃叶」写想桃叶，用王献之桃叶歌之典写桃叶；「当时唤渡」写当时唤渡，「当时」写那时、「唤渡」写呼唤渡船。两句一写想桃叶、一写当时唤渡，以桃叶写其人、以当时唤渡写其唤渡之景，写尽想其桃叶、当时唤渡之情。以典写忆，含蓄而空灵，是「以典写忆」的点睛之笔。此句以寥寥数语写尽深意，情韵兼胜，正是全诗点睛之笔。其于字句之间暗藏波澜，于平易之中寄寓曲折，尤当反复涵泳，方能得其三昧。

These two lines write Taoye's ferry call, the whole ci's longing-person key. The I-think-of-Taoye using Wang Xianzhi's Taoye-song allusion; the calling-the-ferryman-in-those-days writing the ferry's call. Two lines one writing the longing for Taoye and one the ferry scene, using Taoye for the person and the then-ferry-call for the scene, exhausting the remembered longing. Using the allusion for the remembrance, reserved and ethereal, the allusion-writes-remembrance telling stroke.

算潮水、知人最苦。

Counting that the tide water knows the most bitter of the man.

算潮水、知人最苦。

I reckon only the tide knows man's bitterest grief.

此三句写潮水知苦，是全词写羁旅之愁的关键。「算潮水」写算潮水，「算」写料想、「潮水」写江上之潮；「知人最苦」写知人最苦，「知人」写知道人、「最苦」写最为凄苦。三句一写金陵路、一写莺吟燕舞、一写算潮水知人最苦，以金陵莺燕写繁华依旧、以算潮水写料想、以知人最苦写其愁，写尽金陵莺燕、算潮水知人最苦之情。以拟写愁，含蓄而空灵，是「以拟写愁」的点睛之笔。

These three lines write the tide's knowing the grief, the whole ci's journey-grief key. The I-reckon-only-the-tide-knows-man's-bitterest-grief writing the reckoning and the river tide; the knows-man's-bitterest writing the grief's deepest. Three lines one writing the Jinling road, one the orioles' songs and swallows' dances, one the tide's knowing the grief, using the Jinling birds for the prosperity's-as-ever, and the tide's knowing for the sorrow, exhausting the splendor's-as-ever and the grief. Using the personification for the grief, reserved and ethereal, the personification-writes-grief telling stroke.

满汀芳草不成归，日暮。

The full sandbank of the fragrant grass, not becoming the return, the day dusk.

满汀芳草不成归，日暮。

The isle is full of fragrant grass, yet I cannot go home; day is ending.

此二句写不成归，是全词写其漂泊的关键。「满汀芳草不成归」写满汀芳草不成归，「满汀芳草」写满汀之芳草、「不成归」写不能归去；「日暮」写日暮，「日暮」写天色已晚。两句一写满汀芳草不成归、一写日暮，以满汀芳草写春深而不得归、以日暮写时已暮，写尽满汀芳草、不成归而日暮之情。以景写愁，含蓄而深挚，是「以景写愁」的点睛之笔。

These two lines write the no-return, the whole ci's drifting key. The the-isle-is-full-of-fragrant-grass-yet-I-cannot-go-home writing the isle's lush grass and the homeward's impossible; the day-is-ending writing the time's late. Two lines one writing the lush grass's no-return and one the day's end, using the deep-spring grass for the no-return and the day's end for the hour's lateness, exhausting the deep spring and the no-homeward. Using the scene for the grief-writing, reserved and deep, the scene-writes-grief telling stroke.

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Word focus

低拂 'Lowly brush' — the green threads lowly brushing the shore, the willows of the scene. 「低拂」写绿丝低拂，是写柳丝之态的关键。「绿丝低拂鸳鸯浦」着一「低拂」，写低垂轻拂——着一「低拂」，写绿柳低垂轻拂，见柳丝之柔。两字写尽柳丝之态，是「以词写景」的妙笔。「低拂」一字之用而全篇生色，与诗中情韵相为表里，正见诗人炼字之精与匠心之独运。读者于此等处若细细体会，自能领会其于平淡之中见功力、于寻常处见神奇之妙。
想 'To think of' — the thinking of the peach leaf, the memory of the past. 「想」字写想桃叶，是写怀人的关键。「想桃叶、当时唤渡」着一「想」，写回想——着一「想」字，写回想其桃叶唤渡，见其怀人之深。一字写尽回想之深，是「以一字写忆」的点睛之词。「想」一字之用而全篇生色，与诗中情韵相为表里，正见诗人炼字之精与匠心之独运。读者于此等处若细细体会，自能领会其于平淡之中见功力、于寻常处见神奇之妙。
最苦 'The most bitter' — the most bitter of the man, the bitterness of the wandering. 「最苦」写知人最苦，是写其愁之深的关键。「算潮水、知人最苦」着一「最苦」，写最为凄苦——着一「最苦」，写潮水知人最苦，见其愁之深。两字写尽其苦，是「以词写愁」的点睛之词。「最苦」一字之用而全篇生色，与诗中情韵相为表里，正见诗人炼字之精与匠心之独运。读者于此等处若细细体会，自能领会其于平淡之中见功力、于寻常处见神奇之妙。
不成 'Not becoming' — the return not becoming, the not yet return. 「不成」写不成归，是写其不得归的关键。「满汀芳草不成归」着一「不成」，写不能——着一「不成」，写满汀芳草不得归去，见其漂泊之慨。两字写尽不得归，是「以词写慨」的点睛之词。「不成」一字之用而全篇生色，与诗中情韵相为表里，正见诗人炼字之精与匠心之独运。读者于此等处若细细体会，自能领会其于平淡之中见功力、于寻常处见神奇之妙。

Related Reading

虞美人·春花秋月何时了 The Beautiful Lady Yu: When Will the Spring Flowers and the Autumn Moon End 李煜 · 同写秋夜怀人、倚阑移舟，一写问君能有几多愁恰似一江春水向东流、一写更移舟向甚处，皆于舟中愁水之中见怀人之情 Both are the lyrics of the spring and the sorrow — the spring flowers of Li Yu, the fragrant grass of Jiang Kui — the two springs of the sorrow.

Li Yu's 'The Beautiful Lady Yu' — 'the spring flowers and the autumn moon, when will they end' — is the sorrow of the spring and the past; Jiang Kui's 'Shadow of the Apricot Blossom Day' — 'the full sandbank of the fragrant grass, not becoming the return' — is the sorrow of the spring and the wandering — the two springs of the sorrow, the one of the end, the other of the not return.

李煜《虞美人·春花秋月何时了》「问君能有几多愁？恰似一江春水向东流」，写愁如春水，是写愁的千古名篇；姜夔《杏花天影》则以「想桃叶、当时唤渡」「满汀芳草不成归，日暮。更移舟、向甚处」写桃叶唤渡、移舟何向。两词同写秋夜怀人、倚阑移舟：一写问君能有几多愁恰似一江春水向东流、以春水写愁，一写更移舟向甚处、以移舟写飘；一为帝王之血泪、一为姜夔之清空，并读正可见词写「怀人漂泊」的两种情致，皆于舟中愁水之中见怀人之情。

 晏殊·蝶恋花·槛菊愁烟兰泣露 Butterflies Lingering over Flowers: The Fence Chrysanthemums Sorrow in the Smoke, the Orchids Weep in the Dew 晏殊 · 同写秋夜怀人、望断天涯，一写明月不谙离恨苦、一写算潮水知人最苦，皆于明月潮水之中见怀人之苦 Both are the lyrics of the sorrow of the departure and the morning — the morning of the dark road of Yan Shu, the dusk of the fragrant grass of Jiang Kui — the two times of the departure.

Yan Shu's 'Butterflies Lingering over Flowers' — 'the road of the departure, the morning, the dark and dark' — is the sorrow of the departure; Jiang Kui's 'Shadow of the Apricot Blossom Day' — 'the full sandbank of the fragrant grass, not becoming the return' — is the sorrow of the not return — the two times of the departure, the one of the morning, the other of the dusk.

晏殊《蝶恋花·槛菊愁烟兰泣露》「明月不谙离恨苦，斜光到晓穿朱户」，写秋夜离恨、明月无知，是宋词写离愁的名篇；姜夔《杏花天影》则以「又将愁眼与春风，待去」「算潮水、知人最苦」写愁眼春风、潮水知苦。两词同写秋夜怀人、望断天涯：一写明月不谙离恨苦、以明月无知写恨，一写算潮水知人最苦、以潮水知苦写愁；一为晏殊之温润、一为姜夔之清空，并读正可见宋词写「怀人之苦」的两种笔法，皆于明月潮水之中见怀人之苦。