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宋 Song · 诗 Poem

读素书

Reading the Plain Book

张方平

Zhang Fangping

咏史history-singing 读经scripture-reading

孺子圯桥跪履年，七章德在谷城仙。
所言道德帝王事，不比盘盂长短篇。
晚欲出尘应有诀，初行遇汉岂非天。
萧曹勋业皆劳力，宁似功成樽俎前。

In the year the youth knelt to fit the shoe at the bridge, the seven chapters' virtue lodged with the immortal at Gucheng.
What it speaks is the matter of morality and kingship, not to be compared with the long and short essays on pan and yu.
Late he wished to leave the dust — surely there was a formula; that first he met Han, was it not heaven?
Xiao and Cao's deeds were all labored; how could they match achievement won before the wine-cup and stand?

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Meaning

Reading the Plain Book attributed to the Yellow Stone Elder, the poet sings the life of Zhang Liang, the Han strategist. He honors the book's teachings of morality and kingship, and above all praises Zhang Liang's Daoist wisdom of retiring after achievement. The closing contrasts Zhang Liang's ease with the labored careers of Xiao He and Cao Can.

想那孺子张良在圯桥跪履之年，黄石公所授七章兵书之德正藏于谷城山下仙人之处。书中所言皆是道德与帝王之术，不同于盘盂之上铭刻的长短箴篇。晚岁欲超脱尘世应有诀窍，当初行遇汉高祖岂非天意。萧何曹参的勋业皆赖劳力经营，哪及张良功成身退安坐樽俎之前。

Appreciation

This seven-character regulated verse makes history into poem and argument into poem. It opens by tracing Zhang Liang's receiving the book, judges the book's substance, then turns to his retirement and meeting with Han, closing with the 'ease over labor' antithesis. Firm antitheses carry a burgeoning principle-interest, a typical Song history-song of 'prizing argument and overturning judgments.'

【白话串讲】张方平读《素书》（传为黄石公授张良）：“孺子圯桥跪履年，七章德在谷城仙”——张良圯桥进履。“所言道德帝王事”——“萧曹勋业皆劳力，宁似功成樽俎前”——他写张良的智慧。【意象与手法】此诗读《素书》而咏张良，章法以「溯—评—叹—论」为序。起联溯圯桥跪履、谷城授书之典；次联评书中所言乃道德帝王之术，非寻常铭箴；三联「出尘」「遇汉」写张良晚退与初遇之天意；结联以萧曹劳力反衬张良功成樽俎之逸。通篇用典贴切，以史论诗，见宋人咏史之尚议。【情感与主旨】主旨在于借读《素书》推崇张良「功成身退」的道家式智慧，既肯定其辅汉勋业，更欣慕其不劳力而功成、超然出尘的处世之道，折射方平本人对黄老之学的倾心与对功名劳碌的疏离。【名句点睛】「萧曹勋业皆劳力，宁似功成樽俎前」一联最见议论，以劳力与逸功对举，翻尽俗见，是宋诗以理胜的典型之笔。

Background

Zhang Fangping's 'Reading the Plain Book' — the book read is the 'Plain Book' (Su Shu) traditionally attributed to the Yellow Stone Elder granted to Zhang Liang (also classed with the 'Three Strategies of the Yellow Stone Elder'; legend has Zhang Liang receiving the book from an old man at the bridge, later at Gucheng hill getting a yellow stone and seeing the book was the Plain Book). Fangping, by reading this book, in fact sings Zhang Liang's whole life. Zhang Liang was a famous early-Han minister who aided the High Ancestor to settle the realm, was enfeoffed Marquis of Liu, later longed to roam with Red Pine Immortal and sought light ascent. In the mid-Northern Song, literati often esteemed Huang-Lao Daoism; Fangping too liked Daoist arts, his collected works full of reading Daoist classics and singing reclusion (as 'Reading the Mixed-Origin Classic'). This poem was written when he read history and tasted the Dao. The lines 'late he wished to leave the dust' and 'achievement won before the wine-cup' exactly write Zhang Liang's Daoist ideal of retiring after achievement, not laboring yet governing. To read this poem one must place it in the Song scholarly air of 'esteeming Huang-Lao, prizing quietude, slighting achievement,' to feel Fangping borrowing the ancients' cup to pour his own blockage. Song literati judging history liked to decide the ancients by principle; Fangping reading the Plain Book yet prizing Zhang Liang's 'ease' exactly echoes his learning that slights achievement and esteems Huang-Lao; a scripture-reading work is in fact his self-statement of retirement outlook, not merely a history song.

张方平此《读素书》，所读为旧题黄石公授张良之《素书》（亦称《黄石公三略》之属，世传张良于圯桥得老父授书，后于谷城山下得黄石，视其书乃《素书》）。方平借读此书，实咏张良一生。张良为汉初名臣，辅高祖定天下，封留侯，后慕赤松子游，欲轻举。北宋中期，文人多尚黄老道家，方平亦好道术，其集中多读道经、咏隐逸之作（如《读混元经》）。此诗正当其读史味道之际所作。诗中「晚欲出尘」「功成樽俎」，正写张良功成身退、不劳力而治的道家理想。读懂此诗，须置之于宋人「重黄老、尚清静、薄事功」的学术风气中，方能体会方平借古人之酒杯、浇自己之块垒的深层寄托。宋代文人论史，好以义理断古人，方平读《素书》而独重张良之「逸」，正与其薄事功、尚黄老的学术取向相呼应；一篇读经之作，实乃其出处观之自白，不可仅作咏史看。方平之治经论史，每于汉事独有所见，此诗读《素书》而论张良，正其以史证心、借古抒怀之一贯手眼。

Art

This is a seven-character regulated verse, four couplets, eight lines, taking reading the Plain Book as thread and singing Zhang Liang as substance, structure orderly. 'In the year the youth knelt to fit the shoe at the bridge, the seven chapters' virtue lodged with the immortal at Gucheng' opens by tracing the allusion, the bridge kneeling and Gucheng stone holding, two lines embracing Zhang Liang's whole receiving-the-book story, allusion dense yet language clean. 'What it speaks is the matter of morality and kingship, not to be compared with the long and short essays on pan and yu' comments on the book, fixing its substance as morality-and-kingship, setting it above common inscriptions, argument brief and apt. 'Late he wished to leave the dust — surely there was a formula; that first he met Han, was it not heaven' writes Zhang Liang's retirement and meeting, with overturning liveliness. 'Xiao and Cao's deeds were all labored; how could they match achievement won before the wine-cup' closes by contrasting Xiao-Cao's labor with Zhang Liang's ease won after achievement, one argument stands as bone. The whole makes history into poem, argument into poem, antitheses firm yet principle-interest burgeoning, a typical Song history-song 'prizing argument, overturning judgments' path, also showing Fangping's plain fluent true color.

此诗七言律格，四联八句，以读《素书》为线、以咏张良为实，章法井然。「孺子圯桥跪履年，七章德在谷城仙」起联溯典，圯桥跪履、谷城藏石，两句包尽张良受书始末，用典密而语净；「所言道德帝王事，不比盘盂长短篇」次联评书，以「道德帝王事」定其书之体要，以「盘盂长短篇」衬其不同于寻常铭箴，议论简切；「晚欲出尘应有诀，初行遇汉岂非天」三联写张良之退与遇，出尘有诀、遇汉非天而曰天，翻案生姿；「萧曹勋业皆劳力，宁似功成樽俎前」结联以萧曹劳力反衬张良功成之逸，一议立骨。通篇以史为诗、以议为诗，对仗工稳而理趣横生，是宋人咏史「尚议论、重翻案」一路的典型，亦见方平疏畅明快的本色。诗中由受书之典入，转而论书之体，终归张良之功成，层层剥进，议论而不失诗味；中二联以翻案之笔立其骨，结以萧曹作衬，逸劳之辨粲然，是宋人咏史「以议为诗」的范本。

Allusions

The allusions all circle Zhang Liang's story, sourced in the Shiji 'House of Marquis Liu.' 'The youth knelt to fit the shoe at the bridge' uses Zhang Liang as youth at the Xiapi bridge meeting the old man, fetching his fallen shoe and kneeling to fit it, thus receiving the 'Tai Gong's Art of War'; the old man appointed 'thirteen years hence meet me below Gucheng hill by the river, the yellow stone is me,' later Zhang indeed got the yellow stone, legend says the granted book was the Plain Book, hence 'the seven chapters' virtue lodged with the immortal at Gucheng.' 'Seven chapters' refers to the Plain Book's number of sections. 'Long and short essays on pan and yu' uses the ancient custom of casting pan and yu vessels inscribed with admonitions (as the 'Pan and Yu' twenty-six chapters in the Han History bibliography); Fangping uses it to set the Plain Book above common admonitions, as a king's art. 'Leave the dust' uses Daoist language; Zhang Liang late wished to follow Red Pine Immortal. 'Xiao-Cao' refers to Xiao He and Cao Can, both early-Han meritorious ministers; Fangping with 'labored' sums their diligent management, contrasting Zhang Liang's 'achievement won before the wine-cup' ease. All allusions fit Zhang Liang's biography, not excessive, not obscure.

诗中用典皆围绕张良故事，源出《史记·留侯世家》。「孺子圯桥跪履」用张良少时于下邳圯上遇老父，为其堕履、跪而纳之，遂得授《太公兵法》之事；老父约「后十三年见我济北谷城山下，黄石即我」，后良果得黄石，世传所授即《素书》，故曰「七章德在谷城仙」。「七章」指《素书》篇数。「盘盂长短篇」用古人铸盘盂、著箴铭以自警之制（如《盘盂》二十六篇，见《汉书·艺文志》），方平以此衬《素书》非寻常箴铭，乃帝王之术。「出尘」用道家语，张良晚欲从赤松子游。「萧曹」指萧何、曹参，皆汉初勋臣，方平以「劳力」概其经营之勤，反衬张良「功成樽俎」之逸。诸典皆切张良本传，不滥不僻，见宋人咏史征实之习。圯桥跪履、谷城黄石、盘盂箴铭、风后握机，皆史传与类书常见之典，方平信手驱遣，各安其位，既见征实之功，亦见剪裁之巧，非谙于汉事者不能为此。要之诸典皆汉事汉人，方平以宋人之眼重审留侯，典故遂成翻案之资，既征实又立论，咏史用典至此乃能助议而不累篇。

Commentary

Though this poem is a reading-the-Plain-Book work, it is in fact an overturning history-song of Zhang Liang, much showing the Song eye for judging history. Tang poets singing Zhang Liang mostly wrote his wisdom and deeds, as Li Bai 'before Zifang roared like a tiger, he ruined his house not for family'; Fangping's poem singly prizes his Daoist wisdom of 'retiring after achievement, governing without labor,' closing with 'Xiao and Cao's deeds were all labored; how could they match achievement won before the wine-cup,' overturning common view. This value-reversal of 'ease' over 'labor' fits the Song poem's 'prizing principle, overturning judgments' orientation, also reflecting the mid-Northern Song Huang-Lao fashion's scholars' estrangement from fame. The Qing 'Song Poems Selection' says Fangping 'does not carve,' and this poem's argumentative parts show the most skill. Its line 'that first he met Han, was it not heaven,' closing the meeting with 'heaven,' both honors fate and holds chance, a cut above plainly saying 'met a wise lord.' This piece may stand as a representative of the Northern Song history-song path 'esteeming Huang-Lao, slighting achievement,' of value for studying Song historical judgment and poetics.

此诗虽为读《素书》之作，实乃咏张良的翻案咏史，颇可见宋人论史之眼。唐人咏张良多写其智谋功业，如李白「子房未虎啸，破产不为家」；方平此诗则独重其「功成身退」「不劳力而治」的道家智慧，结以「萧曹勋业皆劳力，宁似功成樽俎前」，翻尽俗见。这种以「逸」胜「劳」的价值翻转，正合宋诗「以理胜、尚翻案」的取向，亦折射北宋中期黄老之学盛行下士人对功名的疏离。清人《宋诗钞》称方平「不事雕琢」，此诗议论处最见功夫。其「初行遇汉岂非天」一句，以「天」收束遇合，既尊天命又含机运，比直说「遇明主」更深一层。此篇可视为北宋咏史诗中「重黄老、薄事功」一路的代表，于研究宋人史论与诗学颇有价值。唐人咏留侯多重其智略功烈，宋人如方平则转而重其全身远害之道，此一转移，关乎时代学术之风气；读此诗当知其翻案之笔，实有宋儒重新评价汉初功臣的史识在焉。统观此作，翻案立议而不失诗味，诚宋人咏史以议为诗之佳构，其史识诗笔两相资焉。

Prosody

Form Seven-character regulated verse (qilü)七言律诗

Rhyme Throughout in level-tone Xian rhyme; rhyming characters are nian, xian, pian, tian, qian, one rhyme to the end, four couplets grand, Xian-Tian slice bright.通押平声先韵，入韵字为年、仙、篇、天、前，一韵到底，四联宏制，先天辙洪亮。

Tone pattern Seven-character regulated verse follows the regulated level-oblique; the middle two couplets 'what it speaks... not to be compared' and 'late he wished... was it not heaven' are firm antitheses with matched level-oblique.七言律诗依律调平仄，中二联「所言道德帝王事，不比盘盂长短篇」「晚欲出尘应有诀，初行遇汉岂非天」对仗工整，平仄相侔。

Reading note This seven-character regulated verse has a bright sound yet fluent argument. The Xian rhyme belongs to the shan sheng, open fourth division, clear bright vowel, most fit for writing the宽松 air of singing history and the overturning posture. Fangping uses Xian rhyme to hold the whole: opening 'nian,' continuing 'xian,' turning 'pian' 'tian,' closing 'qian,' five rhymes succeeding, one breath, read like a history-discussant speaking at ease, exactly matching his Song manner of prizing argument and overturning judgments. The middle two antitheses: 'morality' against 'pan-yu' as abstract against concrete, 'leave the dust' against 'met Han' as retirement against encounter, firm yet principle-interest burgeoning. Regulated verse most fears hollow slickness; this poem uses Xian rhyme's clear brightness to hold the argument, so the overturning brush does not turn frivolous. Song history-songs prize making poem from prose; this poem's sound and principle-vein match, Xian rhyme's openness is exactly its manner made manifest, of value for grasping the Song seven-character regulated's argument.此诗七言律格，音韵宏亮而议论畅达。先韵属山摄开口四等，元音清亮、音色开朗，最宜写咏史论古的疏宕之气与翻案之姿。方平以先韵笼全篇，起「年」、承「仙」、转「篇」「天」、合「前」，五韵相承，声气一贯，读来如论古者侃侃而谈，恰与其尚议论、重翻案的宋调相称。中二联对仗，「道德」对「盘盂」以抽象对具象，「出尘」对「遇汉」以退隐对遭逢，工稳而理趣横生。七律最忌空滑，此诗以先韵的清亮托住议论，使翻案之笔不流于轻率。宋人咏史重以文为诗，此诗音韵与理脉相表里，先韵之开朗正是其体格外显，于体会宋调七律之议论颇有可取。先韵开朗，读之如论古者侃侃而谈，与翻案立议之格相称，五韵相承而气不衰，七言律中写史论最为得声情之助。

Line by line

孺子圯桥跪履年，七章德在谷城仙。

In the year the youth knelt to fit the shoe at the bridge, the seven chapters' virtue lodged with the immortal at Gucheng — the opening that traces Zhang Liang's receiving the book, planting the human-immortal double thread.

想那孺子张良在圯桥跪履之年，黄石公所授七章兵书之德正藏于谷城山下仙人之处。

The year the boy knelt for the shoe at the Yi Bridge; the virtue of the seven chapters lies with the immortal of Gucheng.

起联溯典，是全诗张本之处。上句「孺子圯桥跪履年」用张良少时圯上受书事，「孺子」是老父对良之昵称，着此一词便见受书时良之少年谦谨；下句「七章德在谷城仙」点出所授之书为《素书》七章，其德藏于谷城山下仙石（黄石）之中。两句包尽张良受书始末，时空由圯桥而谷城、由人间而仙域，密用典故而语净。此联之妙，在以「年」「仙」收束，暗伏后文「遇汉」「出尘」之线索：跪履之年种下遇汉之缘，谷城之仙预示出尘之诀。起手即立「人—仙」双线，为全篇咏张良之奇崛定调，是宋人咏史善以典起手之例。

The opening traces the allusion, the foundation of the poem. The first, the year the boy knelt for the shoe at the Yi Bridge, uses the story of Zhang Liang, in his youth, receiving the book on the bridge; the word boy is the old man's nickname for Liang, and with it one sees Liang's youthful humility when he received the book. The second, the virtue of the seven chapters lies with the immortal of Gucheng, points out that the book given was the seven chapters of the Plain Book, its virtue hidden in the immortal stone (Yellow Stone) at Gucheng. The two lines enclose the whole of Zhang Liang's receiving the book, space and time moving from the Yi Bridge to Gucheng, from the human world to the immortal realm, allusively dense yet the words pure. The couplet's beauty lies in closing on year and immortal, secretly planting the threads for the later meeting Han and leaving the dust: the year of kneeling for the shoe plants the cause of meeting Han, the Gucheng immortal foretells the art of leaving the dust. Standing up the double line of man and immortal from the opening, fixing the key of the whole poem's wonder at Zhang Liang, a fine example of the Song historical poem rising through allusion.

所言道德帝王事，不比盘盂长短篇。

What it speaks is the matter of morality and kingship, not to be compared with the long and short essays on pan and yu — the couplet that judges the book's substance, lifting it above common admonitions.

书中所言皆是道德与帝王之术，不同于盘盂之上铭刻的长短箴篇。

What it speaks of is the way and the business of emperors; it is no set of short maxims on plates and basins.

此联评书，是全诗立论之处。上句「所言道德帝王事」直揭《素书》内容，乃道德与帝王南面之术，定其书之体要；下句「不比盘盂长短篇」以古人铸盘盂、著箴铭自警之制作衬，言《素书》非寻常箴铭长短篇什，乃可定天下的奇书。一正一反，简切有力。此联之重，在将一部书的价值从「箴铭」抬到「帝王事」，正为后文咏张良功业张本。更可味者，「不比」二字是宋诗常见的翻案笔法，先立一俗见（盘盂箴铭）再推翻，理趣自生。中二联处于由「溯典」转入「论人」的枢纽，位置极要，亦见方平以议为诗的本色。

This couplet judges the book, the place where the poem establishes its thesis. The first, what it speaks of is the way and the business of emperors, directly reveals the content of the Plain Book - the way and the art of emperors facing south, fixing the book's body and purport. The second, it is no set of short maxims on plates and basins, sets off the ancient making of bronze plates and basins and inscribing maxims as a self-warning, saying the Plain Book is no ordinary set of maxims and short pieces, but a wonder-book that can settle the world. One positive one reverse, spare and forceful. The couplet's weight lies in raising a book's value from maxims to the business of emperors, exactly laying the ground for the later writing of Zhang Liang's achievement. What is more to taste is the two words no set of, the common Song reversal: first setting up a vulgar view (plate and basin maxims) then overturning it, and the rational delight rises of itself. The middle two couplets stand at the hinge from tracing the allusion to judging the man, most important, showing Fangping's nature of making argument his poem.

萧曹勋业皆劳力，宁似功成樽俎前。

Xiao and Cao's deeds were all labored; how could they match achievement won before the wine-cup and stand? — the closing that contrasts labor with ease, the poem's argumentative bone.

萧何曹参的勋业皆赖劳力经营，哪及张良功成身退安坐樽俎之前。

The achievements of Xiao and Cao were all toil; how can they compare with sitting at the wine table when the work was done?

结联议论，是全诗立骨之处。上句「萧曹勋业皆劳力」以萧何、曹参的汗马勋业概为「劳力」，下句「宁似功成樽俎前」以「宁似」一转，推出张良功成身退、安坐樽俎之前的逸态。劳力与逸功对举，翻尽「勋业至上」的俗见，是宋诗以理胜的典型之笔。此联之妙，在以萧曹之「劳」衬张良之「逸」，不只是褒贬人物，更在宣扬一种道家式「功成不居」的处世哲学。方平借张良浇己块垒，正见其对黄老之学的倾心、对功名劳碌的疏离。结以「樽俎前」收束全篇，功成、出尘、遇汉诸意皆归于此一「逸」字，章法稳如泰山。

The closing argues, the place where the poem stands up its bone. The first, the achievements of Xiao and Cao were all toil, sums the sweat and horse achievements of Xiao He and Cao Shen as toil. The second, how can they compare with sitting at the wine table when the work was done, turns with how, bringing out Zhang Liang's ease of leaving the work done and sitting at the wine table. Toil and ease set against each other, overturning the vulgar view that achievement is supreme, the typical Song way of the poem winning through reason. The couplet's beauty lies in setting off Zhang Liang's ease against the toil of Xiao and Cao, not only praising or blaming men, but preaching a Taoist philosophy of living that when the work is done one does not claim it. Fangping uses Zhang Liang to pour out his own grief, showing his inclination to Huang-Lao and his distance from the toil of fame. Closing on the wine table gathers the whole poem; the work done, leaving the dust, meeting Han all return to this single word ease, the structure steady as Mount Tai.

Study

Word focus

跪履 'Knelt to fit the shoe' (gui lü) is the allusive eye and the core act of Zhang Liang's receiving the book: the old man at the bridge dropped his shoe and bade Zhang fetch and kneel to fit it; Zhang bore his youth's sharpness, knelt long to offer it, thus received the 'Tai Gong's Art of War.' Fangping condenses it to two characters, embracing the whole因缘 of humble receiving and heaven-granted strange book. The weight lies in writing Zhang Liang's character of 'able to endure' — the Grand Historian says great deeds begin when Zhang at the bridge knelt to fit the shoe, enduring small anger to achieve great plan. Fangping writes not the war art but the 'kneeling to fit the shoe,' exactly catching the start of great achievement in humility. The word sets Zhang Liang's character基调, contrasting with the later 'achievement won before the wine-cup' ease in a 'endure–ease' correspondence. Song poems prize principle; this 'kneeling to fit the shoe' also holds a bit of the principle-interest of 'bending to extend.' 「孺子圯桥跪履年」之「跪履」，是用典之眼，亦张良受书故事的核心动作。圯上老父堕履于桥下，命张良取而跪为之纳履，良强忍少年锐气，长跪以进，遂得授《太公兵法》。方平以「跪履」二字缩龙成寸，包尽谦谨受教、天授奇书的一段因缘。此词之重，在写张良「能忍」的品格——太史公谓成就大业者，良始于圯上跪履，忍小忿而就大谋。方平不写兵法而写「跪履」，正抓住成就大业的起点在谦退。一词而定张良人格基调，与后文「功成樽俎」的逸态形成「忍—逸」的对照。宋诗尚理，此「跪履」亦含几分「屈以求伸」的理趣。

出尘 'Leave the dust' (chu chen) is the eye writing Zhang Liang's late life and the poem's resting place; originally Daoist, meaning to transcend worldly bonds and lightly ascend — Zhang Liang late wished to follow Red Pine Immortal, exactly this. Fangping uses it for his turn after achievement, matching the opening 'kneeling to fit the shoe' worldly receiving the book: youth enters the world to receive the book and settle the realm, late leaves the dust to seek the formula and preserve himself. The wit lies in hinting Zhang Liang's 'wisdom' lies not only in taking the realm but in wholly withdrawing. 'Surely there was a formula' is especially worth savoring — leaving the dust is no chance but has a formula, darkly pointing to the Plain Book's way. The word gathers Zhang Liang's life thread and also reflects Fangping's own devotion to the Huang-Lao leaving-the-dust learning. The closing 'achievement won before the wine-cup' is exactly the fruit of this 'leave the dust,' the structure echoing front and back. 「晚欲出尘应有诀」之「出尘」，是写张良晚境的诗眼，亦全诗归宿所在。出尘本道家语，谓超脱尘累、轻举远引；张良晚岁欲从赤松子游，正是此意。方平以此写其功成之后的转向，与起联「跪履」的入世受书恰成首尾：少年入世受书以定天下，晚岁出尘求诀以全其身。此词之妙，在暗示张良之「智」不止在取天下，更在全身而退。「应有诀」三字尤耐寻味——出尘非偶然，乃有诀窍，暗指《素书》之道。一词而收束张良一生线索，亦折射方平本人对黄老出尘之学的倾心。结联「功成樽俎」正此「出尘」之果，章法前后映带。

樽俎 'Wine-cup and stand' (zun zu), originally wine vessels and sacrificial vessels, extends to the ease of banquet and not personally joining the army; Fangping writes with 'achievement won before the wine-cup' Zhang Liang's graceful ease after settling the realm, not laboring yet governing, contrasting the saddle-and-horse toil of 'Xiao and Cao's deeds were all labored.' The weight lies in using 'wine-cup and stand' for 'ease' — not saying his leisure but his honor, honor holding ease, ease holding deed, richer than plainly 'retired after achievement.' More, the wine-cup and stand are court vessels; Zhang Liang after achievement sits before them, exactly the strategist's true color of 'planning within the tent, winning beyond a thousand li' — achieving deed without labor. The word sets the poem's 'ease over labor' argument core, the most fitting close, also a Song example of writing principle in elegant language. 「宁似功成樽俎前」之「樽俎」，本指酒器与祭器，引申为从容宴乐、不亲戎旅之境。方平以「功成樽俎前」写张良定天下后安享尊荣、不劳力而治的逸态，与「萧曹勋业皆劳力」的鞍马辛勤对照。此词之重，在以「樽俎」代「逸」，不言其闲而言其尊，尊中见逸、逸中见功，比直说「功成身退」更富姿态。更可味者，樽俎本庙堂之器，张良功成而坐樽俎之前，正是「运筹帷幄之中，决胜千里之外」的谋臣本色——不劳力而得勋业。一词而立全诗「逸胜劳」的议论核心，是结句最得体之法，亦宋诗以雅语写理之例。

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