唐 Tang · 诗 Poem
送别
Seeing Off
下马饮君酒，问君何所之。
君言不得意，归卧南山陲。
但去莫复问，白云无尽时。
You say you have met with no success, and will return to lie at the foot of the Southern Mountains.
Only go, and ask no more - white clouds endure without end.
Meaning
The poet dismounts to share a cup and asks a friend where he goes; the friend says he has fared ill and will retire to the Southern Mountains. Instead of sorrow, the poet bids him go without further question, comforted by endless white clouds - a farewell colored by detachment.
下马饮君酒，问君何所之。君言不得意，归卧南山陲。但去莫复问，白云无尽时。
Appreciation
[Plain Paraphrase] A friend leaving for retreat is asked his destination; he cites failure and a return to the mountains; the poet tells him to go and ask no more, for white clouds are without end. [Structure] The first four lines are question and answer; the last two turn to spacious acceptance. [Imagery] 'Southern Mountains' evokes Tao Yuanming's hermit hill; 'white clouds' symbolize the ease of reclusion. The abrupt 'ask no more' shows the poet's tact and his own kindred withdrawal - detachment, not grief, marks the parting.
【白话串讲】 王维写《送别》：“下马饮君酒，问君何所之”——“君言不得意，归卧南山陲”——“但去莫复问，白云无尽时”——他说你只管去，白云无尽——他写送友人归隐。 【意象与手法】 此诗写送别归隐友人，以旷达写送别，是王维的名篇。前四句写问答：「下马饮君酒，问君何所之」写下马饮君酒、问君何所之，「君言不得意，归卧南山陲」写君言不得意、归卧南山陲——写尽送别的问答；后二句写旷达：「但去莫复问，白云无尽时」写但去莫复问、白云无尽时——写尽送别的旷达。全诗以旷达写送别，写尽送友人归隐的旷达，是王维的代表作。 【情感与主旨】 此诗写送别归隐友人，以旷达写送别，是王维的名篇。此诗写送别一位不得志而将归隐南山的友人。此诗写问答：下马饮君酒，问君何所之——写下马饮君酒、问君何所之，写尽送别的劝饮与问询；君言不得意，归卧南山陲——写君言不得意、归卧南山陲，写尽友人归隐的原因；但去莫复问，白云无尽时——写但去莫复问、白云无尽时，写尽送别的旷达。全诗以旷达写送别——那「君言不得意」写尽友人归隐的原因，「白云无尽时」写尽归隐的悠然，写尽送友人归隐的旷达，是理解王维送别诗的重要篇章。 【名句点睛】 常考「下马饮君酒，问君何所之」写送别的劝饮与问询；「君言不得意，归卧南山陲」写友人归隐的原因；「但去莫复问，白云无尽时」写送别的旷达；以及全诗以旷达写送别、以淡语写深情的手法。
Background
Wang Wei (701-761), courtesy name Mojie, of Yongji (Shanxi), was a great Tang landscape-poet called the 'Poet Buddha.' In later life, half-official half-recluse at his Wangchuan estate and a devout Buddhist, his farewells often carry a 'urging retreat' tone. Here he sees off a friend who, disillusioned, returns to the Southern Mountains. The poet himself shared that leaning, so the poem meets parting with composure rather than lament - 'white clouds without end' consoles the friend and reveals the poet's own breast.
此诗写送别归隐友人，以旷达写送别，是王维的名篇。王维（701—761），字摩诘，河东蒲州（今山西永济）人，唐代伟大的山水田园诗人，人称「诗佛」。此诗写送别一位不得志而将归隐南山的友人。王维晚年笃信佛教，隐居辋川，其诗多写山水田园与隐逸之情。此诗写问答：「下马饮君酒，问君何所之」写下马饮君酒、问君何所之——写尽送别的劝饮与问询；「君言不得意，归卧南山陲」写君言不得意、归卧南山陲——写尽友人归隐的原因（不得意）；「但去莫复问，白云无尽时」写但去莫复问、白云无尽时——写尽送别的旷达（白云无尽，归隐悠然）。全诗以旷达写送别，写尽送友人归隐的旷达，是理解王维送别诗的重要篇章。此诗的背景，更应联系王维中年以后的隐逸倾向来读：王维一生历经开元盛世与安史之乱，晚年半官半隐于辋川别业，笃信佛教，故其送别诗多带「劝隐」的色彩。此诗所送的友人「不得意」而归卧南山，正与王维自己的志趣相投，所以全诗不写离别的悲戚，而写归隐的旷达——那「白云无尽时」既是慰友人，也是自道襟怀，可见王维「亦官亦隐」的人生选择对其送别诗的深刻影响。
Art
The art has four moves. First, question-and-answer as scene: 'dismount, drink; I ask where you go' stages the parting talk. Second, plain speech for cause: 'met with no success... return to the mountains' gives the reason in everyday words. Third, light words for composure: 'only go, ask no more' and 'white clouds without end' state acceptance plainly. Fourth, symbol for retreat: the clouds figure the limitless ease of seclusion. Two finer touches: the form 'ask... answer... then ask no more' closes the talk like a snapshot of two friends; and 'only go' turns from inquiry to tact, respecting the friend's unspoken hurt. The result is detachment voicing deep feeling.
此诗的艺术特色可从四个方面解析。其一，以问答写送别。「下马饮君酒，问君何所之」以问答写送别——那「下马饮君酒」写尽下马劝饮、「问君何所之」写尽问询去向，以问答写尽送别的场景。其二，以口语写原因。「君言不得意，归卧南山陲」以口语写原因——那「不得意」写尽归隐的原因、「归卧南山陲」写尽归隐的去处，以口语写尽友人归隐的原因。其三，以淡语写旷达。「但去莫复问，白云无尽时」以淡语写旷达——那「莫复问」写尽不再追问、「白云无尽时」写尽白云无尽，以淡语写尽送别的旷达。其四，以象征写归隐。全诗以白云象征归隐——那「白云无尽时」写尽归隐的悠然无尽，以象征写尽友人归隐的旷达。此外，此诗还有两个值得玩味之处：一是结构上的「以问起、以答承、以劝收」——首句问「何所之」，次句答「南山陲」，末二句以「莫复问」作结，问答之间自然成章，仿佛两人对谈的一帧剪影；二是「但去」二字的转折——前文既已问明缘由，此处忽然「莫复问」，正是体贴友人不宜深问的难言之隐，一笔写尽知己的默契。四重手法加这两处细笔，使此诗以旷达写送别，写尽送友人归隐的旷达，是王维的代表作。
Allusions
The language sits in the farewell-and-reclusion line. 'Dismount, drink a cup' is Wang Wei's own famous gesture of urging wine. 'Where do you go' is the parting question. 'Met with no success' echoes 'when fortunes favor, drink your fill' (Li Bai) and the defeated official. 'Southern Mountains' evokes Tao Yuanming's 'pluck chrysanthemums by the east fence, leisurely see the Southern Hills'; 'return to lie' is the act of retiring. 'Ask no more' is Wang Wei's own line of tact. 'White clouds' is his famous image of endless, carefree reclusion. The poem blends Southern-Hill and white-cloud images into a detached, reclusion-minded farewell.
此诗的用语深植于送别与隐逸的传统。「下马饮君酒」令人想到「下马」写下马的意象——「下马饮君酒」正是王维的名句，也令人想到「饮君酒」写劝饮的意象；「问君何所之」令人想到「何所之」写去向何方的意象——「问君何所之」正见送别的问询；「君言不得意」令人想到「不得意」写不得志的意象——「人生得意须尽欢」（李白），也令人想到「不得意」写仕途失意的意象；「归卧南山陲」令人想到「南山」写南山的意象——「采菊东篱下，悠然见南山」（陶渊明），也令人想到「归卧」写归隐的意象——「南山陲」写南山之畔；「但去莫复问」令人想到「莫复问」写不再追问的意象——「但去莫复问」正是王维的名句，也令人想到「但去」写但去的意象；「白云无尽时」令人想到「白云」写白云的意象——「白云无尽时」正是王维的名句，也令人想到「无尽时」写无尽的意象——白云无尽，归隐悠然。全诗化用南山、白云的意象，以旷达写送别，正是王维「诗中有画」而兼善淡远、承隐逸传统写送别的本领。
Commentary
Long a Wang Wei farewell classic, it drew the Qing note 'detached farewell, pale and far, deep and lasting,' and modern praise for 'only go, ask no more' as its line. Its worth is packing a friend's retirement into six lines - the cup, the question, the failure, the mountains, the no-more-asking, the endless clouds. Set beside his 'Seeing Off Yuan the Second' (the Yangguan ache), one grieves, one accepts; with Tao Yuanming's hills it shares the recluse longing. For today it opens Wang Wei's farewell manner and China's classic of composed parting.
此诗历来被推为王维送别诗的名篇，也是唐人送别诗的代表。历代论者对此诗评价极高：清人评此诗「以旷达写送别，淡远深永」；近人更指出「但去莫复问，白云无尽时」写送别的旷达，是此诗的名句。在诗歌史上，此诗的特殊价值在于：它以六句的短篇写尽送友人归隐的旷达——那下马的劝饮，那何所之的问询，那不得意的君言，那归卧南山陲，那莫复问，那白云无尽时，都写尽了王维送友人归隐的旷达；那「但去莫复问，白云无尽时」更写尽送别的旷达与归隐的悠然。此诗与王维《送元二使安西》（「劝君更尽一杯酒，西出阳关无故人」）同为送别名篇，一写「西出阳关无故人」的惆怅（送元二），一写「白云无尽时」的旷达（送别）；又与陶渊明「悠然见南山」的隐逸传统一脉相承，可见王维对隐逸的向往。对于今日读者，此诗是理解王维送别诗的窗口，也是中国诗写送别的经典——那无尽的白云，穿越千年，仍在诉说着送别的旷达。
Prosody
Line by line
但去莫复问，白云无尽时
Only go, and ask no more - white clouds endure without end.
只管去吧，不要再问，白云无尽时。
Go, and ask no more; the white clouds have no end.
此二句是全诗写旷达的核心，以莫复问写不再追问，以白云无尽写归隐悠然，写尽送别的旷达，是千古名句。「但去莫复问」写只管去吧、不要再问——那「但去」写只管去，「莫复问」写不要再问，写尽送别的旷达；「白云无尽时」写白云无尽时——那「白云」写白云，「无尽时」写无尽时，写尽归隐的悠然。这句的深意在于：它以「但去莫复问」的莫复问与「白云无尽时」的白云无尽，写尽送别的旷达——只管去吧、不要再问，那「但去莫复问」写尽送别的旷达——友人不得意而归隐，何须再问原因？但去莫复问，那「莫复问」写尽送别的旷达；白云无尽时，那「白云无尽时」写尽归隐的悠然——南山之畔，白云无尽，正是归隐的悠然无尽，那「白云无尽时」写尽归隐的悠远；那「但去莫复问」写尽送别的旷达，那「白云无尽时」写尽归隐的悠然，一写莫复问，一写白云无尽，写尽送友人归隐的旷达——不得意而归隐南山，白云无尽，何须挂怀？正是王维以旷达写送别的深意，也是以白云之无尽慰友人不得意之情；此二句以莫复问、白云无尽写尽送别的旷达，也让此二句成为全诗写旷达的核心与千古名句。若换作直说「你安心去吧」，则失其淡远；唯以「但去莫复问」写旷达、「白云无尽时」写悠然，写尽送友人归隐的旷达，也让此二句成为全诗写旷达的核心。
These two lines are the core of the whole's writing openness, writing no further questioning through ask no more, and writing the ease of reclusion through the endless white clouds, writing to the full the openness of parting, the famous line of a thousand ages. The words go, and ask no more write the openness of parting; the white clouds have no end write the ease of reclusion. The deep meaning of this line lies in that it uses the ask no more of go, and ask no more and the endless white clouds of the white clouds have no end to write to the full the openness of parting - go, and ask no more. The friend returns to reclusion in ill fortune, why ask the cause again? Go, and ask no more writes to the full the openness of parting; the white clouds have no end write to the full the ease of reclusion - beside South Mountain, the white clouds endless, exactly the ease of reclusion endless. The go, and ask no more writes the openness of parting, and the white clouds have no end writes the ease of reclusion, one writing the asking no more, one writing the endless clouds, writing to the full the openness of seeing a friend off to reclusion - returning in ill fortune to South Mountain, the white clouds endless, why let it weigh on the heart? Exactly Wang Wei's deep meaning of writing parting through openness, and also comforting the friend's ill fortune through the clouds' endlessness; these two lines write to the full the openness of parting through ask no more and endless clouds, and make them the core of the whole's openness and a famous line of a thousand ages. If one instead directly said go in peace, one would lose the plain distance; only writing openness through go, and ask no more and ease through the white clouds have no end, writing to the full the openness of seeing the friend off to reclusion, makes these two lines the core of the whole's writing openness.
君言不得意，归卧南山陲
You say you have met with no success, and will return to lie at the foot of the Southern Mountains.
你说仕途不得意，要归卧南山之畔。
You say you have met no good fortune, and will go back to rest at the foot of South Mountain.
此二句是全诗写归隐原因的核心，以不得意写缘由，以归卧南山陲写去处，写尽友人归隐的缘由，是千古名句。「君言不得意」写你说仕途不得意——那「君言」写你说，「不得意」写不得意，写尽归隐的原因；「归卧南山陲」写要归卧南山之畔——那「归卧」写归卧，「南山陲」写南山之畔，写尽归隐的去处。这句的深意在于：它以「君言不得意」的缘由与「归卧南山陲」的去处，写尽友人归隐的缘由——你说仕途不得意，那「君言不得意」写尽归隐的原因——友人亲口道出仕途失意，那「不得意」三字写尽失意的缘由；要归卧南山之畔，那「归卧南山陲」写尽归隐的去处——南山为隐逸之山（陶渊明「采菊东篱下，悠然见南山」），归卧南山陲，正是归隐的佳处，那「归卧南山陲」写尽归隐的去处；那「君言不得意」写尽归隐的原因，那「归卧南山陲」写尽归隐的去处，一写原因，一写去处，写尽友人归隐的缘由——因不得意而归隐南山，正是此诗所送别之事；而「君言」二字更点明此乃友人自述，非诗人臆测，可见诗人对友人选择的尊重与理解；此二句以不得意、归卧南山陲写尽友人归隐的缘由，也让此二句成为全诗写归隐原因的核心与千古名句。若换作直说「你仕途不顺所以归隐」，则失其含蓄；唯以「君言不得意」写缘由、「归卧南山陲」写去处，写尽友人归隐的缘由，也让此二句成为全诗写归隐原因的核心。
These two lines write the cause of parting, taking the friend's own words as the reason for his returning to reclusion, writing the friend's ill fortune and his will to return. The words you say you have met no good fortune write that you say you have met no good fortune in office, and return to rest at the foot of South Mountain writes that you will go back to rest at the foot of South Mountain, writing to the full the friend's retiring in ill fortune. The deep meaning of this line lies in that it uses the friend's own words to speak his ill fortune, not the poet's conjecture, the more sincere and true: the friend of himself says he has met no good fortune, and of himself will return to rest at South Mountain, and the poet then responds with go, and ask no more and the white clouds have no end. The不得意 points out the reason for reclusion, and the归卧 writes the posture of returning; the南山陲 uses the allusion of Tao Yuanming and South Mountain, the symbol of reclusion, and at once the place of the friend's return. The poet does not dissuade or console, but lets the friend follow his own will, the more showing openness. Reading the two lines together with the closing, the friend says he returns in ill fortune, and the poet says go and ask no more, the white clouds endless; the parting and the seeing off are both in openness, and the ill fortune turns into the ease of reclusion, the typical Wang Wei way of writing parting without grief.
Study
Word focus
Related Reading
Wang Wei's 'Weicheng dawn rain... urge one more cup, west of Yangguan no old friend' writes a friend going west. This 'Seeing Off' writes a friend retiring. Both Wang Wei farewells: one the Yangguan ache, one the white-cloud composure; one urges wine, one urges the cup then 'ask no more' - two faces of his parting poetry.
王维《送元二使安西》「渭城朝雨浥轻尘，客舍青青柳色新」「劝君更尽一杯酒，西出阳关无故人」写送友人西行，是王维最著名的送别诗。此诗《送别》则「君言不得意，归卧南山陲」「但去莫复问，白云无尽时」写送友人归隐。同为王维送别诗，一写「西出阳关无故人」的惆怅（送元二），一写「白云无尽时」的旷达（送别）；一以「劝君更尽一杯酒」写劝酒，一以「下马饮君酒」写劝饮。两诗对读，可见王维送别诗的两面。
山中 In the Mountains 王维 · 同王维隐逸诗，一送人一自写 Both Wang Wei reclusion - one seeing off, one self-written.Wang Wei's 'In the Mountains' ('white stones show in Jing Creek; cold, few red leaves... no rain on the hill path, empty green wets one's robe') writes mountain scenery. This 'Seeing Off' writes a friend's retirement to the mountains. Both reclusion poems: one the mountain scene, one the mountain retreat; one 'empty green wets the robe,' one 'white clouds without end' - his steady love of hill and stream.
王维《山中》「荆溪白石出，天寒红叶稀」「山路元无雨，空翠湿人衣」写山中景色，是王维的名篇。此诗《送别》则「归卧南山陲」「白云无尽时」写送友人归隐。同为王维隐逸诗，一写「山路元无雨」的山中景（山中），一写「白云无尽时」的归隐情（送别）；一以「空翠湿人衣」写山色，一以「白云无尽时」写归隐。两诗对读，可见王维对山水隐逸的一贯向往。