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宋 Song · 诗 Poem

送福州监郡陈殿丞

Seeing Off Supervisor Chen of Fuzhou

张方平

Zhang Fangping

山水Landscape 田园Pastoral 送别Farewell 时序Season

七闽一都会，乃是无诸城。
海近气物异，山遥风候清。
宦游过乡美，君禄及亲荣。
去去倚门念，溪船归棹轻。

Seven Min's one great city—
It is the old Wuzhu town.
Seas near, so climate and goods differ;
Hills far, yet winds and seasons are clear.
You travel on office past your hometown—a good thing;
Your salary brings honor to your parents.
Go, go—remember the mother leaning at the gate;
The creek boat returns with light oars.

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Meaning

This farewell poem praises Fuzhou as a historic metropolis, notes its distinctive coastal climate, and reassures the friend that his official post brings the double happiness of passing his hometown and supporting his parents, while gently reminding him not to forget his mother's longing and promising a light homeward journey.

七闽之地的一大都会，便是那古时无诸城。海风相近，物候气候与中原迥异；群山遥隔，风候却也清嘉。你宦游赴任，路经故乡，此为美事；你的俸禄又能荣养双亲。去吧去吧，莫忘倚门而望的慈亲之念；溪上船儿归棹，正可轻快而还。

Appreciation

The poem opens with a geographical and historical introduction to Fuzhou, then contrasts the near sea and distant mountains to evoke its unique climate. It turns to the friend's fortunate situation of serving in office while passing his native place and honoring his parents, and closes with a gently admonishing image of a mother waiting at the gate and the light boat of return. The style is plain but warm, typical of Song-dynasty farewell poems that comfort rather than lament.

【白话串讲】张方平送陈殿丞去福州：“七闽一都会，乃是无诸城”。“海近气物异，山遥风候清”——“宦游过乡美，君禄及亲荣”——“去去倚门念，溪船归棹轻”——他写福州的风物。【意象与手法】诗以地理起兴，以海近山遥写闽地之远而异，以宦游君禄写仕途之顺而荣，空间由远拉近、情意由景入人。归棹轻三字以景语收束叮咛，举重若轻。【情感与主旨】既称许友人赴任之乡荣亲显，又殷勤提醒其勿忘倚门之望，于送别中融仕宦叮咛与孝亲之诫，情真而不滥。【名句点睛】宦游过乡美，君禄及亲荣以流水对写尽宦途两全之幸；去去倚门念，溪船归棹轻于轻字中藏慈母倚闾之盼。

Background

This poem was written by Zhang Fangping to see off his friend Chen, whose official title was Diancheng (Court Gentleman), as he took up the post of supervisor (Tongpan) of Fuzhou Prefecture. Fuzhou, in the Song dynasty, was a southeastern metropolis on the coast, but still considered remote in the eyes of central plains scholars. Zhang, known for his practical and considerate parting poems, focuses here on the friend's twin blessings of passing his hometown and being able to support his parents, rather than on the sadness of distance. The mention of the ancient Wuzhu city recalls the historical depth of Fuzhou as the capital of the Minyue kingdom.

此诗为张方平送友人陈殿丞赴福州监郡之作。监郡为宋代州郡佐官或带衔，陈殿丞姓陈，官阶为殿中丞（从七品寄禄官），外放福州。福州在唐为闽都，宋属福建路，倚山面海，距中原辽远。张方平与陈氏交好，临别赋此。张方平（1007—1091）生平交游甚广，其送别诗多就对方处境落笔，不徒作黯然之语，此首尤见温厚。福州自汉初无诸为闽越王都东冶，至唐始大，宋时已是东南都会、海舶云集之地，然在中原士人眼中仍属偏远异乡。了解这一地理与心理距离，方能读懂诗中「海近气物异，山遥风候清」既是写实，亦暗含对友人远适的体贴——异而不恶，遥而可清，措辞极有分寸。再补一层制度背景：宋制，监郡或称通判，为州郡佐贰，佐知州理一郡之政，且掌监察州府之责；陈殿丞以殿中丞外放监郡，正属京官下放佐郡的常例。福州虽远，然为八闽首善，海舶辐辏、市舶之利甲于东南，仕于此者不乏迁转之机。张方平在送别时既不渲染远宦之悲，也不空许升迁之喜，而独拈出「宦游过乡」「君禄及亲」二事相慰，正因其深知对一位有老亲在堂的士人而言，最切实的宽解莫过于「仕、乡、亲」三者的兼得。这种体贴，比泛泛的「鹏程万里」之类套语，要真挚得多，也正见张方平交游诗处处落在人生实处的特点。

Art

The poem is structured in two layers: geography first, then human feeling. The first two couplets depict Fuzhou's location and climate with economical contrasts: 'near sea' vs. 'distant mountains,' 'different' vs. 'clear.' The third couplet, in a 'flowing couplet' (liushui dui), connects the friend's official travel to hometown and parents. The closing line uses the image of a light boat to soften the advice, blending scene and sentiment. The diction is precise without being ornate; words like 'strange,' 'clear,' 'beautiful,' and 'glorious' carry both literal and emotional weight.

此诗艺术上以「地理—人情」双层结构取胜。前两联纯写地理：七闽一都会揭都邑之重，乃是无诸城点历史之名，海近气物异、山遥风候清则以一近一遥、一异一清写出闽地风貌，对仗工稳而信息密实。后两联转入人情：宦游过乡美、君禄及亲荣以流水对写友人仕途顺遂、禄养双亲之幸，是由景及人的枢纽；末联去去倚门念、溪船归棹轻则于叮咛中收束，归棹轻以景语代劝语，余味不尽。全诗不事悲切，不堆典故，以平实语写真切情，是宋人送别「理遣」一路——不以离愁苦人，而以仕亲两全宽人。章法由远及近、由外及内，脉络清爽。此外，此诗用字亦极见经济：颔联「近」「遥」「异」「清」四字，各以一字状一境，两两相对，写尽闽地的空间感与气候感，无一字虚设；颈联「美」「荣」二字直是情感的白描，不假修饰而暖意自生；尾联「念」「轻」二字，一沉一浮，把叮嘱的庄重与宽慰的轻快并置。更可注意其虚字之运用：首联「乃」字轻轻点破古称，尾联「去去」叠字催行而含情，皆于不经意处见功夫。全诗无一处生僻，无一句费力，却把地理、历史、仕途、孝亲四层意思织成一片，是宋诗「平淡而山高水深」的典型，亦见张方平送别诗以「切题体贴」胜而非以「奇警」胜的取向。这种平实中的体贴，正是学者为诗、长者送行的本色，读来如闻其温言。

Allusions

The poem uses three allusions with restraint. 'Wuzhu city' refers to Wuzhu, the King of Minyue, who was enfeoffed by Han Gaozu and made Dongye (present-day Fuzhou) his capital. 'Seven Min' comes from the 'Rites of Zhou,' denoting the ancient Min tribes. 'The gate-leaning mother' alludes to the story of Wang Sun Jia's mother in the 'Strategies of the Warring States,' where a mother leans at the gate hoping for her son's return. These allusions move from the ancient kingdom to the present parental longing, reinforcing the poem's outward-to-inward structure.

诗中用典虽少而皆有所本。无诸城：用汉闽越王无诸事。无诸为越王勾践之后，秦末率越人佐汉，高祖封其为闽越王，都东冶（今福州），故福州古称无诸城，诗中以之代指福州，兼含历史厚重。倚门：用战国王孙贾母「汝朝出而晚来，则吾倚门而望」事（见战国策齐策），后以倚门、倚闾指父母盼子归来之切。诗中去去倚门念，正劝陈殿丞虽远仕勿忘慈亲倚闾之盼。七闽：周礼七闽，指福建一带的古闽族，后泛指福建。三典一地理一伦理一古称，各安其位，不炫博而恰切，是宋诗用典「切题而止」的范例。细绎三典，尚可发现其「由远及近」的布置之妙：无诸城是千年前的闽越故都，写的是福州的空间纵深与历史厚度；七闽出《周礼》，写的是此地在华夏版图中的古老定位；倚门出《战国策》，写的是眼前慈亲盼归的当下牵挂。三典跨越千年，由荒远的古闽越王城，一步步收束到今日倚门而望的慈母，正与全诗「由地及人、由外及内」的章法暗中呼应。这种「典与章法相表里」的用典，比单纯炫示腹笥要高明得多。尤须辨明者，「倚门」一典在送别诗中尤显分量——它以一位母亲倚门而望的姿态，把宦游的功名之念轻轻压回孝亲的伦理之重，是宋人「求忠臣于孝子之门」观念在诗中的自然流露。

Commentary

Zhang Fangping's farewell poems are known for their practical empathy. This piece stands out for its restraint and aptness: it neither dwells on the hardships of the remote post nor promises empty career advancement, but instead grounds the consolation in the friend's concrete situation—a post near his hometown and a salary that supports his parents. The final image of the light boat, set against the mother's anxious waiting, achieves a subtle balance between duty and ease. The poem exemplifies the Song style of 'reasoned consolation' in farewell poetry, distinct from the Tang emphasis on evocative imagery.

张方平送别诗存世不少，此首可与集中送苏学士钱塘监郡、送石曼卿赴阙并观。三诗皆就友人去向立言：送苏诗以湖山鲈鱼慰其外任，送石诗以功名勉其赴阙，此首则以乡荣亲显与倚门之念宽勉陈殿丞，情绪各异而体贴如一。方回瀛奎律髓论宋人送别多重「有为而作」，此诗正合——不是为送而送，而是针对陈氏「过乡」「及亲」的特殊处境说话。较之唐人「西出阳关」的苍凉，宋调更重理遣与宽慰，此诗轻字收束尤见此种风神。清人贺裳载酒园诗话谓宋人送别「多作安慰语」，张此诗可为其证。要之，此诗之佳不在奇警，而在情真语切、体贴入微。若再与张方平同期的送别之作相较，此诗的长处愈明：它不靠警句取胜，而靠「处处落实」取胜——落实到福州的地理风物，落实到陈殿丞的过乡及亲，落实到倚门之念的伦理重量。这种「实」，正是宋人送别诗与唐人分途的关键：唐人送别多以景语造境、以情语动容，如「孤帆远影碧空尽」之空灵；宋人送别则多以事语立骨、以理语宽心，如此诗之切实。方回谓宋人送别「多作安慰语」，其实未点透的是，这安慰并非空言，而是建立在对对方处境的具体体察之上。张方平此诗，可说是把「安慰」落到了「过乡」「及亲」这些实打实的人生细节上，故能感人而不滥情，温厚而不浮泛。

Prosody

Form Five-character Regulated Verse五言律诗

Rhyme Rhyme words: 城 (chéng), 清 (qīng), 荣 (róng), 轻 (qīng), belonging to the Gēng and Qīng rhyme groups, which are allowed to interlock in Song official rhyme categories. The rhyme scheme is consistent and creates a clear, flowing sound.押下平八庚、九青部：城（庚）、清（青）、荣（庚）、轻（青）。庚青通押，宋人官韵所许，四韵相贯，声情清畅，宜于写轻快宽慰之语。

Tone pattern The poem follows the level-start (píngqǐ) tonal pattern without rhyme in the first line. The first couplet has some tonal irregularities, which later become more regular, reflecting Song poets' flexible approach.五言律诗平起首句不入韵体。首联七闽一都会（仄平仄平仄）对乃是无诸城（仄仄平平平），颔联海近气物异（仄仄仄仄仄）对山遥风候清（平平平仄平），略有拗处而以意驭之，具宋人不拘粘对之态，后两联粘对渐密。

Reading note This is a five-character regulated verse in eight lines and four couplets. The structure follows a 'geography to human feeling' order: the first two couplets describe Fuzhou's historical and physical landscape, the third couplet shifts to the friend's official journey and family honor, and the fourth couplet closes with the mother's longing and the light return. The rhyme group (Gēng-Qīng) gives a clear, even sound that matches the poem's consolatory tone. The words 'city,' 'clear,' 'glory,' and 'light' are all open-mouthed finals, carrying a sense of ease and warmth.此诗为五言律诗，八句四联，章法以「地—人」为经：首联揭福州之今古，颔联写闽地之远近异清，前两联皆地理；颈联转入宦游及亲，尾联结以倚门归棹，后两联皆人情。用韵独取庚青部，开口呼舒徐，与「归棹轻」的轻快基调相协；四韵一气相生，读来如话别娓娓。平仄上虽首颔联略有变通，然大关节守律，使短章不致散缓。整体声情温厚清婉，无唐绝之峭拔与离愁之沉，而有宋调送别「理遣宽慰」的醇雅。短短四十言，由都邑历史到风物，由仕途到孝亲，层次井然，是学者送别诗「切题体贴」的范本。再就声韵细味，「城」「清」「荣」「轻」四字虽分属庚、青两部，然庚青二韵在宋人官韵中本可通押，其开口呼的朗畅音色，恰好承载了全诗「宽慰不悲」的基调。尤其「轻」字收束，音尾清扬，如舟行水上、渐远渐轻，与「归棹轻」的意象、与劝友勿忧的语意三者合一，是声、象、义高度统一的收束。张方平选庚青而不选寒删，正是以音色之「清」助全诗之「温」，使一首五律既无离愁之重，亦无应酬之浮，端凝而清婉，堪称宋调送别短章中音意相谐的一例。

Line by line

七闽一都会，乃是无诸城。

The first couplet introduces Fuzhou as the great metropolis of the Seven Min region and identifies it as the ancient Wuzhu city, connecting present geography with historical depth.

七闽之地的一大都会，便是那古时无诸城。

The great metropolis of the Seven Min is none other than the city of Wuzhu.

首联破题，落笔即点明送别之地福州。七闽一都会以宏观地理立骨，写福州为福建一大都会，分量先立；乃是无诸城紧接以历史追溯，用汉闽越王无诸之典，把眼前的宋之福州拉回千年王都的记忆里。两句一今一古、一地理一历史，短短十字而信息密实，足见诗人交代本事之经济。更妙在语气：乃是无诸城用「乃是」一转，似向未谙闽中掌故的读者轻声点破，亲切而不卖弄。宋人作诗重「无一字无来处」却又忌晦涩，此联正以浅近之笔运深稳之典，是学者为诗的典型手腕。

The opening couplet strikes the theme, naming the farewell place Fuzhou as soon as the brush touches. The great metropolis of the Seven Min establishes the frame in macro geography, writing Fuzhou as a great metropolis of Fujian, the weight first set; none other than the city of Wuzhu follows with a historical reach, using the allusion to Wuzhu, King of Min in the Han, pulling the present Song Fuzhou into the memory of a royal capital of a thousand years. The two lines, one present one ancient, one geography one history, ten short characters with dense information, showing the poet's economy in telling the matter. The beauty lies in the tone: none other than uses the turn to gently point out, as if to a reader unfamiliar with Min lore, friendly not pedantic. Song poets valued that not a word be without source yet avoided obscurity; this couplet uses a shallow brush to carry a deep, steady allusion, the typical hand of the scholar-poet.

宦游过乡美，君禄及亲荣。

The third couplet is a flowing couplet: your official travel happens to pass your hometown, which is a fine thing; your salary brings glory to your parents, combining career and filial piety.

你宦游赴任，路经故乡，此为美事；你的俸禄又能荣养双亲。

To serve abroad and pass your native place is a fair thing; your salary can bring honor to your parents.

颈联是全诗最温厚处，亦为由景入情的关键。宦游过乡美写陈殿丞赴任福州，路近或经故乡，宦迹与乡关相值，是为美事；君禄及亲荣则进一层，说其官俸能荣养父母，仕与孝两全。此联用流水对，上下句气脉相贯，如话家常却又工整雅饬。张方平于此不写离愁，而写「美」写「荣」，正是宋人送别「理遣」之法的体现——把一场远仕说成值得欣慰的遭际。更深层看，「及亲荣」三字暗含宋儒「求仕为养」的观念，把功名与孝道绾合，既宽友人之心，亦自见其价值认同。一句之间，仕、乡、亲三者俱到。

The neck couplet is the poem's warmest place and the key turn from scenery to feeling. To serve abroad and pass your native place is a fair thing writes that the palace secretary, going to Fuzhou, passes near or through his home, his official road meeting his native place, a fair thing. Your salary can bring honor to your parents goes a step further: his official pay can honor and nourish his parents, office and filial piety both fulfilled. This couplet uses a flowing parallel, the current of the two lines joined, like household talk yet neat and elegant. Fangping here writes not parting grief but fair and honor, the Song way of dismissing feeling through reason - turning a distant post into a fortune worth rejoicing in. In depth, the three words bring honor to your parents secretly hold the Song Confucian idea of seeking office to nourish parents, binding fame and filial piety, at once easing the friend's heart and showing his own value. In one line, office, home and parents are all met.

去去倚门念，溪船归棹轻。

The fourth couplet urges the friend to go on without forgetting his mother's gate-leaning expectation, and suggests that the creek boat's returning oars are light, promising an easy homecoming and easing the parting.

去吧去吧，莫忘倚门而望的慈亲之念；溪上船儿归棹，正可轻快而还。

Go, go, and remember those leaning at the gate; the stream boat's returning oars are light.

尾联收束，于叮咛中见深情。去去为送别诗习用叠字（如苏武「去去从此辞」），此处叠之，有催促亦有无奈，语气恳切；倚门念用王孙贾母倚闾而望典，提醒友人虽远仕勿忘慈亲盼归。下句溪船归棹轻忽以景语荡开，写归舟轻快，似预许他日省亲之便，把方才的叮嘱化作宽慰。轻字最堪玩味：既写船行之轻快，亦写心境之轻松，更暗含「亲在，则远仕亦不以为重」的孝亲之理。全诗至此，由地及人、由荣及念、由重及轻，一片温厚，无唐人阳关之悲，而有宋调之醇。

The closing gathers the poem, showing deep feeling within the charge. Go, go is the doubled word common in farewell verse (as in Su Wu's go, go, we part now); doubled here, it carries both urging and helplessness, the tone earnest. Remember those leaning at the gate uses the allusion to the king-sun's mother leaning on the gate and gazing, reminding the friend that though he goes far, he must not forget his parents longing for his return. The second line suddenly opens in scenery: the stream boat's returning oars are light, writing the light returning boat, as if promising the ease of visiting his parents another day, turning the charge just made into comfort. The word light is most to taste: at once the lightness of the boat's going and the lightness of mood, and secretly the filial reason that while parents live, a distant post is not a burden. By now the poem, moving from place to man, from honor to longing, from weight to light, is all warmth, no Tang sorrow of the Yang Pass, but the richness of the Song tone.

Study

Word focus

异 'Strange' or 'different'—describes how Fuzhou's climate and products are unlike those of the central plains due to its proximity to the sea. The word is neutral, not negative, showing the poet's considerate tone toward the friend's remote post. 异字在「海近气物异」中写闽地风物之殊。海近言其傍海，气物异言气候物产与中原不同，一字收束了南国湿热、物候乖常的万千差异。张方平以此字写远地，不贬不惊，只是如实道出，体现出对友人远适的体贴——异不等于恶，只是不同。若作「殊」「别」，则或过文或失其浑成。更妙在它与下句「清」字相对：异写其变，清写其佳，一抑一扬之间，把「偏远」说成了「清嘉」，措辞极有分寸，足见诗人炼一字而能转舒人际距离之功。

轻 'Light'—the key word of the final line. It describes the physical lightness of the boat, but also implies the psychological ease of the return and the idea that filial duty lightens the burden of distant office. 轻字是尾联「溪船归棹轻」的句眼，亦全诗收束之韵。此字本写船行之轻快，然置于送别语境，便有多重意味：既状归棹物理之轻，亦写诗人劝慰后心境之轻松，更暗指「亲在，则远仕之担不重」。宋人炼字喜于寻常动词中寓理趣，轻字正是一例——它不让离愁沉下来，而以景语把叮咛托起。若作「归棹平」「归棹行」，则意味全失。一字之转，使尾联由叮嘱翻为宽慰，见出宋调送别「不苦人」的温厚底色，是炼字见情处。

荣 'Glory' or 'honor'—in the phrase '君禄及亲荣,' it means that the friend's official salary brings honor to his parents, uniting personal success with filial duty. 荣字在「君禄及亲荣」中为全诗暖意所聚。荣本义草木繁盛，引申为显耀、荣养。此处说友人官俸能「及亲荣」，即荣及双亲，把仕宦之得与孝亲之愿绾合为一。张方平以宋儒「出仕为养」的观念入诗，使「荣」不止是个人的显达，更是家族的荣耀。若易以「显」「贵」，则偏于功名而失其温润。一字写尽宋人「求忠臣于孝子之门」的价值逻辑，亦使颈联的「美」与「荣」形成仕、亲两全的圆满，是全诗情意最落实处。