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宋 Song · 诗 Poem

送张郎中赴阙

Seeing Off Secretary Zhang to the Capital

张方平

Zhang Fangping

愁思Melancholy

明公才气本雄杰，晚戴儒冠腰拖绅。
讲劔妙传色践术，工书兼得伯英筋。
外台共叹郎潜久，中检行膺帝命新。
司列不烦询治状，几州栾社有遗仁。

Your Excellency's talent is heroic by nature;
In late years you donned the scholar's cap and trailing sash.
In sword discourse, you marvelously transmitted the art of Se Jian;
In calligraphy, you gained the very sinews of Bo Ying.
All at the outer terrace lament your long seclusion as a lang;
The inner chancery will soon confer a fresh decree from the throne.
The Ministry of Ranks need not ask about your governance;
In several prefectures, your lingering kindness is honored at Luan's shrines.

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Meaning

This poem praises Secretary Zhang's outstanding talent and military-and-literary accomplishments, acknowledges his long years of patient service at provincial posts, and celebrates his summons to court. It also highlights the benevolent governance he left behind in the regions he administered.

明公才气本来雄杰，晚年才戴上儒冠、腰间拖着绅带。讲论剑术妙传那色践的技艺，工于书法又兼得张芝伯英的筋骨。外台同僚共叹你为郎官沉潜已久，中书省此番当承受帝王的新命。吏部不必烦劳去查问治状，那几州栾社还留着你遗留的仁政。

Appreciation

The poem opens with a direct assertion of Zhang's heroic nature, then illustrates his versatility through two arts—swordsmanship and calligraphy. The allusions to Yan Si (long service without promotion) and Luan Bu (a virtuous official remembered by the people) frame his career as one of endurance and eventual recognition. The closing couplet tactfully asserts that his reputation does not require official review, since the people's memory is the strongest testimony. This is a model of decorous praise in Song dynasty occasional verse.

【白话串讲】张方平送张郎中赴京：“明公才气本雄杰，晚戴儒冠腰拖绅”。“讲劔妙传色践术，工书兼得伯英筋”——“司列不烦询治状，几州栾社有遗仁”——他赞张郎中。【意象与手法】诗以「雄杰」立骨，中段以剑、书二艺为象写其才兼文武，尾以「栾社遗仁」结其政声，用孔融、张芝、颜驷（郎潜）、栾布诸典，典重而温厚，是宋人投赠中称美不谀的典范。【情感与主旨】称美张郎中才气雄杰、文武兼长、久淹终用，并念其旧治遗爱，表达对这位文兼武备、德政俱优的友人赴阙的欣贺与推重。【名句点睛】「讲劔妙传色践术，工书兼得伯英筋」以二艺写才兼文武，对仗精警；「几州栾社有遗仁」以遗爱收束，含蓄而厚重。

Background

Little is known of Secretary Zhang, the addressee. The poem tells us that he took up a literary career only late in life, served long as a lang (court gentleman) in the provincial supervision circuit, and was now being summoned to the capital. The allusion to Yan Si (who served three emperors without promotion) underscores his prolonged obscurity. The reference to Luan Bu's shrine indicates his earlier postings had won lasting popular affection. Zhang Fangping, himself an advocate of civil–military balance, highlights Zhang's swordsmanship and calligraphy to show a rare combination of talents. In the Northern Song, such letters of recommendation were often embedded in poems.

此诗送张郎中赴阙。张郎中其人今已难详，从「晚戴儒冠」「外台共叹郎潜久」「中检行膺帝命新」等句看，当是一位由武弁或布衣晚乃儒服、久任外台（地方监司）郎官，今蒙召入朝的士大夫。北宋重文抑武，然亦奖拔「才兼文武」之士，张方平本人即主张「文武并用」，故此诗特以剑术、书法并称，显其不局于一途。诗中「郎潜久」用颜驷之典（汉武帝时郎官颜驷，文帝时为郎，历文景武三世不遇，白发仍郎），写其沉滞之久而终得移用；「栾社遗仁」用栾布故事（栾布为燕相，爱民，卒后燕齐间立社祭祀，号栾公社），写其旧治遗爱。张方平作此诗，既贺其入朝，亦彰其政绩，暗含「如此人才，外台岂可久淹」的激扬之意。背景之中，可见北宋中期「久任」与「骤擢」并行的铨选实态，以及张方平作为前辈对「实才」的由衷推重。进一步细究，「赴阙」二字是全诗的关节：北宋官制，外台郎官任满例须入京考课，或得内擢，故「赴阙」既是职务的例行更替，也往往意味着仕途的转机。张方平以「中检行膺帝命新」点明此意，即谓其中书省将奉新命，超擢在望。诗中「晚戴儒冠」与「郎潜久」相映，尤可见宋初「以武入文」「久淹始迁」一类士人的真实遭际——他们或由武弁改业、或由隐入仕，起步既晚、沉滞又久，一旦得荐，最需有人为之张目。张方平此诗，正是以老成宿望的身份为后进作「无形之荐」，其称美愈实，愈见其荐人之诚。北宋士大夫重「荐贤」，此诗可作一纸诗化的荐章来读。

Art

The poet maintains a measured, historical tone: he praises with concrete evidence rather than flattery. The middle couplets are perfectly balanced: sword vs. calligraphy, outer service vs. inner court, neglect vs. new appointment. The final couplet uses the negative 'need not inquire' to emphasize the people's enduring gratitude. Diction is precise—words like 'ben' (inborn), 'jin' (sinews), 'yi' (left-over), and 'ying' (receive) carry weight and economy.

此诗艺术上最见宋人投赠「称美不谀」的分寸。起手「明公才气本雄杰」，开门见山，不绕虚套，一个「本」字坐实其才非偶得；「晚戴儒冠腰拖绅」补写其入仕之晚与儒服之仪，暗含「大器晚成」的敬意。颔联「讲剑妙传色践术，工书兼得伯英筋」，以剑、书二艺对举，写其文武兼资——色践（或指越女、袁公之剑术传承）写武，伯英（张芝）写文，一刚一柔，对仗精警，是全诗最亮的一笔。颈联「外台共叹郎潜久，中检行膺帝命新」，以「外台之叹」对「中检之新」，写出由沉滞到超擢的转折，叙事中见欣贺。尾联「司列不烦询治状，几州栾社有遗仁」，以「无须查考」反衬「遗爱自在」，收得含蓄厚重。全诗用典五处而密不乱，人称、官称、艺称、政称层层递加，结构如荐章而兼诗趣，是宋人「以文为诗」投赠体的佳作。若细按章法，尚可见其对仗背后的「虚实相生」之巧：颔联以「剑」与「书」写才，是一实一实的具体绝艺；颈联以「外台之叹」与「中检之新」写境遇，是一沉一浮的仕宦迁转；尾联以「无须询」与「自有」写政声，是一虚一实的遗爱反衬。三联各以不同角度称美，却同归于一「实」字——实才、实淹、实政，无一处空言。尤其尾联「不烦询治状」以否定句式作反衬，把吏部考课的程序化与百姓记忆的恒久性并置，含蓄中见机锋，是宋人投赠「以反写正」的高妙。通篇无一处直接夸「贤」，而「贤」字自见于剑书、郎潜、栾社的层层实证之中，正合其「称美有据」的命意。

Allusions

Se Jian's art refers to the legendary sword technique derived from Yue Woman and Yuan Gong, symbolizing mastery in martial arts. Bo Ying is the courtesy name of Zhang Zhi, the Eastern Han master of cursive script; 'Bo Ying's sinews' means obtaining his powerful brushwork. 'Lang qian' alludes to Yan Si, a Han official who remained a lang for three reigns without advance. 'Luan she' refers to Luan Bu, a Han prime minister of Yan whose loving government led the people to build a shrine in his honor. These allusions map neatly onto Zhang's biography: skill, obscurity, promotion, and benevolent rule.

诗中用典凡五，皆围绕「才—淹—用—政」。一、色践术：用越女剑客、袁公「白猿公」一脉剑术传承（见《吴越春秋》），或泛指精妙剑法，写张郎中武艺之妙。二、伯英：东汉张芝字伯英，草书之圣，人称「匆匆不暇草书」，诗中「伯英筋」谓书法得张芝之骨力。三、郎潜：用颜驷三世为郎、白发不遇事（见《汉武故事》），写其外台沉滞之久。四、中检：中书省（中台）掌诏命，此指将受朝命。五、栾社：用栾布为燕相、爱民、卒后立社事（见《史记》），写其旧治遗爱。五典由「艺」而「淹」而「用」而「政」，构成一条「才士—久淹—超擢—遗爱」的完整叙事。张方平使事，密而有序，每典皆落于称美，无一闲置，足见其「资书以为诗」的熟巧与投赠体制的从容。若再作一番考察，可见此五典在源流上实有「儒武杂糅」的意味：色践术出《吴越春秋》，属剑客之技；伯英筋出张芝，属书家之艺；郎潜出《汉武故事》，属文吏之淹；栾社出《史记》，属循吏之德；中检则本汉唐台省之制。张方平将武侠、书圣、郎官、循吏、台省五者绾于一诗，恰好对应张郎中「由武而文、由淹而迁、由政而名」的完整履历，使事之密，实是「因人制典」——每一典皆为其人生平某一侧面量身而取。这种以典为传、以典为评的写法，须有深厚的经史腹笥方能为，且贵在能「驱典」而不「为典所驱」。较之后来江西诗派刻意为工、或有堆垛之讥者，张方平此处用典虽亦繁密，却因紧扣对象而流转自如，是宋人投赠诗中使事得法的典范。

Commentary

This poem exemplifies the Northern Song tradition of 'praise grounded in facts.' Zhang Fangping writes as a senior statesman offering a poetic recommendation. The poem avoids the emotional self-representation common in Tang farewell verses and instead focuses on the recipient's objective merits. It is a fine specimen of Song occasional poetry that blends historical allusion, personal testimony, and dignified restraint.

张方平此诗，可与其《乐全集》中荐士之书参看——北宋重臣投赠赴阙者，往往兼作「无形之荐章」，此诗即然。清人编《宋诗钞》虽未多录张氏，然近人论北宋「以文为诗」的投赠体，每举欧阳修、苏轼，张方平实为之先声。诗中「外台共叹郎潜久」一句，直承颜驷「三世不遇」之叹，而翻作「共叹」，可见时人对淹滞之共情；「几州栾社有遗仁」则本于《史记》栾布传，以「遗爱」称政声，与白居易「身留一剑答君恩」虽异调，而同写循吏之思。要之，此诗在称美中保持史笔的克制：不夸张、不谀媚，而以剑书称才、以郎潜称淹、以栾社称政，三项实证，便胜千言虚美。这种「称美有据」的投赠风，正是北宋士大夫政治文化「重实迹」一面的诗化体现。倘若放宽视界，还可将它与唐人投赠相比观：唐人投赠多叙交情穷达、身世飘零，如李白「我寄愁心与明月」、杜甫「奉赠韦左丞」之悲辛，重心在「我」之情；宋人投赠则多称对方实绩、家学门风，重心在「彼」之实。此诗正是宋调的典型——张方平几乎不写自己，只以剑书、郎潜、栾社为张郎中作一部微型行状，称美而能自持，推重而不失体。这种由「抒情」向「纪实」的转移，背后是宋代科举、铨选制度渐密后，士大夫对「实迹」「考课」的普遍重视。张方平身处其境，其投赠诗遂带上了史笔的克制，称人如立传，一字不肯虚下，故能于应酬之中见出北宋士风之厚重。

Prosody

Form Seven-Character Regulated Verse (Qiyan Lüshi)七言绝句

Rhyme The poem rhymes in the Level Tone, Eleven Zhen group (真韵): shēn, jīn, xīn, rén; the first line enters the rhyme, running through to the end.押平声真韵（平水韵上平十一真）：绅、筋、新、仁；四句皆入韵，首句入韵，一韵贯通。

Tone pattern It follows the level-tone pattern with the first line rhymed; the middle couplets are antithetically balanced.七绝平起首句入韵体。首句「明公才气本雄杰」平平平仄仄平仄，次句「晚戴儒冠腰拖绅」仄仄平平平仄平，中二联大体合律，「讲剑」对「工书」、「郎潜久」对「帝命新」工稳。

Reading note The prosody is dignified and warm, fitting the laudatory yet restrained tone of a farewell offering.此诗为七言绝句，中二联对仗精严（讲剑对工书、郎潜久对中检新），读来兼具律之整与绝之劲，最宜写称美投赠。用韵上，绅、筋、新、仁同属平水韵上平十一真，真韵韵母开口舒朗，宜于表达端重欣贺的声调；四句一韵到底，声情一贯，如荐章朗朗、层层称美。平仄方面，张方平大体守七绝平起式，唯「色践术」「伯英筋」等艺名典实用字处平仄随义，宋人作诗重意不重律，此类宽假正见其以文驭辞的倾向。整体声律端凝温厚，无唐绝之清峭，而有宋调之醇雅，恰配诗中「称美不谀」的投赠命意，是宋人送别短章中典重一路的代表。

Line by line

明公才气本雄杰，晚戴儒冠腰拖绅。

Your Excellency's talent is heroic by nature; only late did you don the scholar's cap and trailing sash. This opening couplet establishes the theme: real talent and late entry into office.

明公才气本来雄杰，晚年才戴上儒冠、腰间拖着绅带。

Your talent and spirit were born heroic; late in life you took the scholar's cap and the girdle's trailing ribbon.

首联是全诗的定调，先立「才」、后写「仕」。「明公才气本雄杰」开门见山，不假虚辞，一个「本」字坐实其才乃天性所有、非由外铄，分量极重。「晚戴儒冠腰拖绅」补写其入仕之晚——「儒冠」「绅带」是文官之服，言「晚戴」，暗含「大器晚成」的敬意，也暗示其或由武而文、或由隐而仕的曲折履历。两句一虚一实：前句写内在才气，后句写外在仪轨，合起来把一个「迟来的雄杰」竖立起来。张方平不作「久仰大名」的套语，而用「本雄杰」「晚戴冠」这样带时间感的实写，既尊且切，是宋人投赠「称美有据」的典型起手。

The opening couplet fixes the poem's key, first establishing talent, then writing office. Your talent and spirit were born heroic is straight to the point, no empty words; the word born grounds the talent as inborn, not acquired, the weight enormous. Late in life you took the scholar's cap and the girdle's trailing ribbon adds the lateness of his entering office - scholar's cap and girdle are civil dress, and saying taken late secretly carries the respect of a late bloomer, also hinting a circuitous career, perhaps from the military to the civil or from retirement to office. The two lines, one void one solid: the first writes inner talent, the second outer bearing, and together they stand up a late-arriving hero. Fangping does not use the stock long have I heard your fame but the time-laden born heroic and took the cap late, at once respectful and precise, the typical Song presentation opening of praise grounded in fact.

讲劔妙传色践术，工书兼得伯英筋。

In discussing swordsmanship you subtly transmit the art of Se Jian; in calligraphy you attain the sinews of Zhang Zhi. A couplet praising both martial and literary skill.

讲论剑术妙传那色践的技艺，工于书法又兼得张芝伯英的筋骨。

In swordplay you hand down the skill of the Yue maiden; in calligraphy you have the sinew of Boying.

这一联是全诗最亮的一笔，以剑、书二艺写张郎中「文武兼资」。「讲剑妙传色践术」用越女、袁公一脉剑术传承，写其武艺之妙；「工书兼得伯英筋」用张芝（字伯英）草书之圣，写其书法得骨力。一剑一书，一刚一柔，对仗精警，把抽象的「才」化成两种可感的绝艺。尤为妙者，北宋重文抑武，士多以文自标，张方平偏称其剑术，既见友人不局于一途，也露自家「文武并用」的主张。「伯英筋」的「筋」字尤炼——不写「法」「迹」而写「筋」，是把书法的精神骨力写得如在肉中，意象极活。十四字抵得一篇小传，是宋人使事入妙的范例。

This couplet is the poem's brightest stroke, writing Zhang Lang's being versed in both arms and letters through the two arts of sword and calligraphy. In swordplay you hand down the skill of the Yue maiden uses the lineage of the Yue maiden and Lord Yuan in sword, writing the wonder of his martial skill. In calligraphy you have the sinew of Boying uses Zhang Zhi (Boying), the sage of cursive, writing the bone and force of his writing. One sword, one calligraphy; one hard, one soft; the parallel alert, turning abstract talent into two palpable, rare arts. The beauty lies in that the Northern Song valued letters and restrained arms, and most scholars labeled themselves by letters, yet Fangping praises his swordplay, at once showing the friend not confined to one path and revealing his own principle of arms and letters together. The word sinew in Boying's sinew is especially worked - not method or traces but sinew, writing the calligraphy's spiritual bone as if in the flesh, the image most alive. Fourteen characters are worth a short biography, a model of the Song art of turning allusions to the hair.

司列不烦询治状，几州栾社有遗仁。

The Ministry of Personnel need not ask about your governance; in several prefectures the shrines of Luan Bu still hold your kindness. The closing couplet rests on the people's lasting remembrance.

吏部不必烦劳去查问治状，那几州栾社还留着你遗留的仁政。

The Ministry need not trouble itself to ask your record: several provinces still keep the altars of your lasting benevolence.

尾联收束，由「才」与「淹」转到「政」，是全诗的厚重落点。「司列不烦询治状」：司列（吏部）是考核官吏的衙门，诗人说「不烦询」，是反笔——何须查考？因为治状早有公论。「几州栾社有遗仁」用栾布爱民、立社受祭之典，写张郎中旧所牧之州，百姓犹念其仁，如立栾公社。一个「遗」字最重：政声不止于在任，更在其去后犹存，这是循吏的最高评价。张方平以「无须查考」反衬「遗爱自在」，收得含蓄而有千钧之力。至此，全诗才（雄杰）、淹（郎潜）、用（膺新命）、政（遗仁）四义俱足，投赠而不谀，称美而有史笔的克制。

The closing gathers the poem, turning from talent and long submersion to governance, the weighty landing. The Ministry need not trouble itself to ask your record: the Ministry of Personnel is the office that assesses officials, and the poet says need not trouble - a reverse brush, why examine? because his record already has public judgment. Several provinces still keep the altars of your lasting benevolence uses Luan Bu's loving the people and receiving altar sacrifice, writing that the provinces Zhang once governed still cherish his benevolence and set up Luan altars. The word lasting is heaviest: the fame of governance does not end in office but remains after he leaves, the highest praise for a model administrator. Fangping sets need not examine against lasting love of itself, closing with reserve and a thousandweight of force. By now the poem's four meanings - talent (hero), submersion (long among gentlemen), use (the new charge), governance (lasting benevolence) - are all complete; the presentation praises without fawning, and the praise has the restraint of historical record.

外台共叹郎潜久，中检行膺帝命新。

At the outer circuit all lament how long you have served as a lang; the inner secretariat will soon award you a new imperial decree. This couplet turns from past obscurity to imminent promotion.

外台同僚共叹你为郎官沉潜已久，中书省此番当承受帝王的新命。

The outer bureaus all sigh that you have lain long among the gentlemen; the central secretariat will soon receive the emperor's new charge.

这一联是全诗由沉滞转向超擢的关捩。外台共叹郎潜久用颜驷三世为郎之典，写外台同僚共叹其沉潜之久——一个共字，把诗人私下的惋惜升格为公众的认同，足见其淹滞乃众目共睹。中检行膺帝命新则陡然转到当下：中书省（中检）此番将承受帝王的新命，宣告其超擢在即。外台对中检、久对新，两组对比把埋没与被召的转折写得极清晰。作为投赠之笔，它既彰往日之韧，又庆即来之升，为尾联无须查考、遗爱自在的收束铺平了地基。严整、庄重而有温度。

This couplet is the poem's hinge from stagnation to promotion. The outer bureaus all sigh that you have lain long among the gentlemen uses Yan Si, who for three reigns remained a gentleman, writing that the colleagues in the outer bureaus all sigh at how long he has lain submerged; the word all raises the poet's private regret to public recognition, showing his long stagnation was evident to all. The central secretariat will soon receive the emperor's new charge turns abruptly to the present: the central bureau will now receive the emperor's new command, announcing his promotion imminent. Outer bureau against central secretariat, long against new, the two contrasts writing the turn from burial to summons most clearly. As a presentation stroke, it honors the past endurance and celebrates the coming rise, laying the ground for the closing's no need to examine and lasting love of itself. Severe, solemn, yet warm.

Study

Word focus

本 Inherently; the word insists that Zhang's talent is innate, not acquired, adding weight to the praise. 本字在「明公才气本雄杰」中是定调之笔。它坐实张郎中之才为天性所有、非由外铄或偶得，语气斩截而敬重。在投赠诗中，称人「有才」易落泛泛，称其「本雄杰」则带一种洞见式的断定——我知你，知你才出天然。这个本字，把客套升格为相知之言，也暗含「如此雄杰，外台岂可久淹」的潜台词，为后文「郎潜久」「膺新命」的转折埋下逻辑。若易以「素」「夙」，虽近意而少此斩截之力。一字之择，见宋人投赠「称美有据」的分寸。

筋 Sinews; used metaphorically for the strength and vivacity in calligraphy, a vivid and concrete image. 筋字在「工书兼得伯英筋」中极见炼字之妙。论书法，常语多言「法」「迹」「骨」「神」，张方平独言「筋」——筋是附骨连肉、使字有张力与生命力的部分，以「筋」称张芝草书，恰写出其笔势中那股内在的力量与活气。这个字把静态的「书法」写成有血有肉的体魄，意象极活，且暗合医家「筋骨」之喻，带出宋人评艺重「骨力」的审美。若易以「法」「体」，便成常语；用「筋」，则生新警健。小字见真赏，是使事炼字中收束全联的一笔。

遗 Left behind; denotes benevolence that endures after the official has left office—the highest praise for a governor. 遗字在「几州栾社有遗仁」中是尾联的诗眼，担起政声评价的终极重量。遗，去后犹存也。诗人不写「有仁政」「得民心」，而写「遗仁」——你已离任，而仁德仍遗留在几州之间，如栾布之受社祭。一个遗字，把「在任之效」升华为「去后之思」，是循吏最高级的称许。在送赴阙的语境里，这等于告诉朝廷：此人牧民有实迹，非浪得虚名。遗字收束全篇，使投赠从「称才」落到「称政」，厚重而有史笔的克制，是宋人「重实迹」政治文化的诗化凝结。

膺 To receive; suggests dignified acceptance of an imperial order, marking the turning point from neglect to advancement. 膺字在中检行膺帝命新中是转折的劲笔。膺，受也、当也（如膺天命）。诗人写张郎中此番行膺帝命新——中书省将承受帝王的新命，等于宣告其超擢在即。这个膺字，把被动的得官写成主动的受命，带出一种庄严的使命感，与首联本雄杰的才、颈联郎潜久的淹形成因果：正因才本雄杰、淹已久，此刻受新命才顺理成章。若易以承受，虽意近而少此古奥庄重；用膺，则古雅厚重，与投赠称美之体相称。一字收中联之转，使全诗由沉滞豁然开朗。