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唐 Tang · 诗 Poem

送李侍御赴安西

Seeing Off Imperial Censor Li to Anxi

高适

Gao Shi

送别Farewell 边塞Frontier

行子对飞蓬，金鞭指铁骢。
功名万里外，心事一杯中。
虏障燕支北，秦城太白东。
离魂莫惆怅，看取宝刀雄。

The traveler faces the drifting tumbleweed; a golden whip points at the iron-black steed.
Fame lies ten thousand li away; my heart's affair rests in a single cup.
The barbarian barrier stands north of Mount Yanzhi; the Qin city lies east of Mount Taibai.
Do not grieve, O parting soul; look upon the heroic gleam of the precious blade.

Listen

Meaning

Gao Shi sends Imperial Censor Li to Anxi (the Tang's Western command). He paints the traveler's gear, weighs distant fame against a cup of farewell, maps the vast gap between frontier and capital, and closes by urging his friend to take heart in the warrior's steel.

行子对着飞蓬，金鞭指着铁骢。功名在万里之外，心事在一杯之中。虏障在燕支山之北，秦城在太白山之东。离魂莫惆怅，看取宝刀雄。

Appreciation

[Plain Paraphrase] Gao Shi bids Censor Li farewell to Anxi. He opens with the traveler facing a tumbleweed and a golden whip on an iron steed, then sets 'fame ten thousand li away' against 'heart's affair in one cup,' locates the frontier barrier north of Yanzhi and Chang'an east of Taibai, and ends 'do not grieve, look on the blade's heroic gleam.' [Structure] The first couplet shows gear and departure; the second sets public ambition against private feeling; the third maps space with paired place-names; the close consoles with martial pride. [Imagery] 'Drifting tumbleweed' figures rootless exile; 'golden whip, iron steed' arms the departure; paired mountains measure an empire. [Tone] Gao Shi's 'grand and full' manner: public heroism tempered by real affection.

【白话串讲】高适写《送李侍御赴安西》：“行子对飞蓬，金鞭指铁骢”——“功名万里外，心事一杯中”——“虏障燕支北，秦城太白东”——“离魂莫惆怅，看取宝刀雄”——他送友人赴边。【意象与手法】此诗写送别李侍御赴安西，以豪语写送别，是五律的名篇。前两句「行子对飞蓬，金鞭指铁骢」写行子将行——「行子对飞蓬」写行子对着飞蓬，「金鞭指铁骢」写金鞭指着铁骢；中四句「功名万里外，心事一杯中。虏障燕支北，秦城太白东」写万里从戎与别情——「功名万里外」写功名在万里之外，「心事一杯中」写心事在一杯之中，「虏障燕支北」写虏障在燕支山之北，「秦城太白东」写秦城在太白山之东；后两句「离魂莫惆怅，看取宝刀雄」写豪壮的劝慰——「离魂莫惆怅」写离魂莫惆怅，「看取宝刀雄」写看取宝刀的雄壮。全诗以豪语写送别，写尽万里从戎的豪情，正是高适「雄浑」诗风的本领。【情感与主旨】此诗写送别友人李侍御赴安西（唐代安西都护府，在今新疆一带）。高适是盛唐边塞诗的代表诗人，此诗写送别李侍御赴边从军：行子（远行者）对着飞蓬（漂泊的蓬草），金鞭指着铁骢（青黑色的马）；功名在万里之外，心事在一杯之中；虏障（御敌的屏障，指边塞）在燕支山（今甘肃境内）之北，秦城（长安）在太白山（秦岭主峰）之东；离魂莫惆怅，看取宝刀的雄壮。诗人以「行子对飞蓬」写行子的漂泊，「金鞭指铁骢」写行装的整备，「功名万里外」写万里从戎求取功名，「心事一杯中」写别情尽在一杯之中，「虏障燕支北，秦城太白东」写安西之远与长安之近，「离魂莫惆怅，看取宝刀雄」以宝刀的雄壮劝慰离魂。全诗以豪语写送别，以功名写从戎，写尽万里从戎的豪情与别情，正是高适「雄浑」诗风的本领。【名句点睛】常考「功名万里外，心事一杯中」写万里从戎与别情；「行子对飞蓬」写行子的漂泊；「虏障燕支北，秦城太白东」写安西之远；「离魂莫惆怅，看取宝刀雄」以宝刀写豪壮的劝慰；以及全诗以豪语写送别的手法。

Background

Gao Shi (c. 704–765), styled Da Fu, was a high-Tang frontier poet paired with Cen Shen as 'Gao and Cen,' later rising to high office. This poem sees off friend Li the Imperial Censor (a Palace Surveillance official) to Anxi, the Tang's Western protectorate (around Kuqa, Xinjiang)—a key military base for the empire's western reach. In the high Tang, scholars sought glory at the frontier; Gao Shi writes Li's ten-thousand-li service, his parting cup, and the great distance from Chang'an to Anxi, then consoles him with the warrior's blade. It is essential for understanding Gao Shi's frontier farewells and the era's martial outlook.

此诗写送别友人李侍御赴安西（唐代安西都护府，治所在今新疆库车一带），是高适的名篇。高适（约704—765），字达夫，渤海蓨（今河北景县）人，盛唐著名边塞诗人，与岑参并称「高岑」，晚年官至散骑常侍。李侍御是高适的友人，「侍御」指殿中侍御史等官职，李侍御当是以侍御史之职赴安西任事。盛唐国力强盛，士人多赴边塞从军求取功名，安西都护府是唐朝经营西域的军事重镇。此诗写送别李侍御赴安西：行子（远行者）对着飞蓬（漂泊的蓬草），金鞭指着铁骢（青黑色的马）；功名在万里之外，心事在一杯之中；虏障（御敌的屏障，指边塞）在燕支山（今甘肃永昌西）之北，秦城（长安）在太白山（秦岭主峰）之东；离魂莫惆怅，看取宝刀的雄壮。诗人以「功名万里外」写李侍御万里从戎求取功名，「心事一杯中」写别情尽在一杯之中，「虏障燕支北，秦城太白东」写安西之远与长安之近——送君千里，从长安到安西，万里之遥；「离魂莫惆怅，看取宝刀雄」以宝刀的雄壮劝慰离魂——莫惆怅，且看宝刀的雄壮，正写尽从戎的豪情。全诗以豪语写送别，写尽万里从戎的豪情与别情，是理解高适边塞送别诗与盛唐士人从戎心态的重要篇章。

Art

Four devices. First, scene for gear: 'the traveler faces the drifting tumbleweed; a golden whip points at the iron steed' uses the tumbleweed for rootlessness and the bright gear for readiness. Second, antithesis for ambition and feeling: 'fame ten thousand li away; heart's affair in one cup' sets the far against the near, public against private, in a tight couplet. Third, place-names for space: 'the barbarian barrier north of Yanzhi; the Qin city east of Taibai' pairs toponyms to span the empire's breadth. Fourth, a heroic close: 'do not grieve, look on the blade's heroic gleam' consoles with the sword's valor. The poem moves from gear to consolation; its matched mountains and the word 'look' bind resolve to feeling—Gao Shi's 'grand and full' manner.

此诗的艺术特色可从四个方面解析。其一，以写景写行装。前两句「行子对飞蓬，金鞭指铁骢」写行子的将行——那「行子对飞蓬」写行子对着漂泊的飞蓬，「金鞭指铁骢」写金鞭指着铁骢，以飞蓬写漂泊，以金鞭铁骢写行装的整备，写尽行子的将行。其二，以对仗写从戎与别情。「功名万里外，心事一杯中」以对仗写功名与心事——那「万里外」写功名之远，「一杯中」写心事之深，以万里与一杯的对照，写尽万里从戎的豪情与别情尽在一杯的深沉。其三，以地名写关山。「虏障燕支北，秦城太白东」以虏障、燕支山、秦城、太白山的地名写安西之远与长安之近——那「燕支北」写虏障所在，「太白东」写秦城所在，以地名的对仗写尽关山的辽阔。其四，以豪语收束。「离魂莫惆怅，看取宝刀雄」以豪语写劝慰——那「莫惆怅」写劝慰离魂，「看取宝刀雄」写看取宝刀的雄壮，以宝刀的雄壮写尽从戎的豪情，以豪语收束，余韵豪迈。四重手法，使此诗以豪语写送别，写尽万里从戎的豪情与别情，正是高适「雄浑」诗风的本领。

Allusions

The language belongs to farewell and frontier tradition. 'Traveler' evokes the long-journey topos; 'tumbling weed' recalls 'the envoy's weed leaves Han's border' (Wang Wei), a figure of drift. 'Iron steed' names the dark horse and the 'Censor's steed' fitting Li's office. 'Fame ten thousand li' echoes Cen Shen's 'fame only from the saddle,' the seek-glory creed. 'Heart's affair in one cup' recalls Wang Wei's 'another cup, I beg you' (farewell wine) and the cup of parting. 'Yanzhi' (Mount Yanzhi) summons the Xiongnu 'lost Mount Yanzhi' lament; 'Qin city' names Chang'an. 'Look on the blade' evokes the 'precious blade not yet old' and the generous northern ballad. Gao Shi thus gathers weed, steed, cup, Yanzhi, Taibai, and blade into a 'grand' frontier farewell.

此诗的用语深植于送别与边塞从戎的传统。「行子」令人想到「行子」写远行之人的意象，也令人想到「行行重行行」的远行传统；「飞蓬」令人想到「征蓬出汉塞」（王维《使至塞上》）的蓬草意象——飞蓬写漂泊无定，也令人想到「断蓬」的漂泊传统；「金鞭」令人想到「金鞭」写马鞭的意象，也令人想到「鸣鞭」的出行；「铁骢」令人想到「骢马」写青黑色的马，也令人想到「骢马」作为御史所乘之马（「骢马御史」）的意象——李侍御乘骢马赴任，正合其御史身份；「功名万里外」令人想到「万里」写从戎之远的意象，也令人想到「功名只向马上取」（岑参《送李副使赴碛西官军》）的从戎求功名传统；「心事一杯中」令人想到「劝君更尽一杯酒」（王维《送元二使安西》）的送别酒杯意象，也令人想到「一樽还酹」的杯酒；「虏障」令人想到「障」写边塞屏障的意象，也令人想到「亭障」的边塞军事设施；「燕支山」令人想到「燕支」写边塞山名的意象——燕支山即焉支山，在今甘肃，也令人想到「燕支」与匈奴「失我焉支山」的歌谣；「秦城」令人想到「秦城」写长安的意象，也令人想到「秦」作为长安的指称；「太白东」令人想到「太白」写秦岭主峰的意象，也令人想到「太白」的方位；「离魂」令人想到「离魂」写离别之魂的意象（「倩女离魂」），也令人想到「销魂」的别情传统；「看取宝刀雄」令人想到「宝刀」写武器的意象，也令人想到「宝刀未老」的雄壮，更令人想到「燕赵悲歌」的慷慨从戎。全诗化用飞蓬、骢马、功名、杯酒、燕支、太白、宝刀的传统意象，以豪语写送别，正是高适「雄浑」诗风与盛唐从戎心态的本领。

Commentary

Long a Gao Shi masterwork and a representative Tang martial farewell, it drew Qing praise for 'farewell in heroic language, grand and lofty.' Moderns cite 'fame ten thousand li away; heart's affair in one cup' as a perennial line. Its worth is condensing frontier ardor and parting feeling into forty characters—the traveler, the whip, the far fame, the cup, the barrier, the city, the blade all belong to high-Tang leave-taking; 'look on the blade's gleam' resolves sorrow with heroism. Paired with Gao Shi's 'Yan Ge Xing' (on war's bleakness) and Wang Wei's 'Farewell to Yuan the Second' (on parting grief), it shows Tang frontier verse both bleak and brave. For today's readers it opens Gao Shi's frontier art and the era's martial heart.

此诗历来被推为高适的名篇，也是唐人送别从戎诗的代表。历代论者对此诗评价极高：清人评此诗「以豪语写送别，雄浑高华」；近人更指出「功名万里外，心事一杯中」写万里从戎与别情，是千古名句。在诗歌史上，此诗的特殊价值在于：它以四十字的短章写尽万里从戎的豪情与别情——那对飞蓬的行子，那指铁骢的金鞭，那万里外的功名，那一杯中的心事，那燕支北的虏障，那太白东的秦城，那宝刀的雄壮，都写尽了送别从戎的景致与豪情；那「离魂莫惆怅，看取宝刀雄」更写尽以豪情排解别愁的雄浑。此诗与高适的《燕歌行》（「战士军前半死生」）同为边塞名篇，一写战争的苍凉，一写送别的豪情；又与王维《送元二使安西》（「劝君更尽一杯酒」）同为送别赴安西的名篇，一写「西出阳关无故人」的惆怅，一写「看取宝刀雄」的豪情。对于今日读者，此诗是理解高适边塞送别诗与盛唐士人从戎心态的窗口，也是中国诗写送别从戎的经典——那看取宝刀的雄壮，穿越千年，仍在诉说着盛唐士人万里从戎的豪情。

Prosody

Form Poem · five-character regulated verse (wulü)诗·五言律诗

Rhyme A five-character lüshi rhyming on cong, zhong, dong, xiong (the 'dong' rhyme, level tone), one rhyme to the end, its level music buoyant and fitting the heroic mood.押平声东韵（骢、中、东、雄），一韵到底，平韵奔放，正合豪情的奔放

Tone pattern As a five-character regulated verse of eight lines in four couplets, its middle pair is neatly antithetical; oblique-opening, level-closing, with a strong, full rhythm that turns restrained at the close.此诗为五言律诗，八句四联，中二联对仗工整。全诗仄起平收，节奏雄健，于雄健中见顿挫。

Reading note A five-character lüshi of eight lines—'the traveler faces the drifting tumbleweed… look on the blade's heroic gleam'—rhyming on the 'dong' category (cong, zhong, dong, xiong), one rhyme to the end, its music grand. The middle couplets are strictly parallel: 'fame ten thousand li' against 'heart in one cup,' 'Yanzhi north' against 'Taibai east.' Oblique-opening, level-closing, the rhythm is robust yet turns with a controlled cadence—Gao Shi's 'grand and full' manner. Read the close on the blade's gleam with martial steadiness.此诗为五言律诗，八句四联：首联写行装（行子对飞蓬，金鞭指铁骢），颔联写从戎与别情（功名万里外，心事一杯中），颈联写关山（虏障燕支北，秦城太白东），尾联写劝慰（离魂莫惆怅，看取宝刀雄）。押平声东韵，韵脚「骢、中、东、雄」一韵到底，平韵奔放，正合豪情的奔放。中二联对仗工整：「功名万里外，心事一杯中」以功名、心事相对，万里外、一杯中相对，工整而凝练；「虏障燕支北，秦城太白东」以虏障、秦城相对，燕支北、太白东相对，以地名写关山。全诗以五言的雄健节奏，写送别从戎——首联写行装，颔联写从戎与别情，颈联写关山，尾联写劝慰，层层递进，一气呵成。诵读此诗，宜以雄健的语调读「金鞭指铁骢」的行装，以凝练的语调读「功名万里外，心事一杯中」，尾联「离魂莫惆怅，看取宝刀雄」要读得豪迈而有力，方能传达出高适的雄浑。高适五律以「雄浑」著称，此诗正是其送别从戎五律的典范。

Line by line

功名万里外，心事一杯中

Fame lies ten thousand li away; my heart's affair rests in a single cup.

功名在万里之外，心事在一杯之中。

Fame and rank lie ten thousand li away; the heart's burden lies within this cup.

此联是全诗的核心，以对仗写从戎与别情，是千古名句。「功名万里外」写功名在万里之外——那「功名」写求取功名，「万里外」写万里之外，写尽万里从戎求取功名的志向；「心事一杯中」写心事在一杯之中——那「心事」写内心的别情，「一杯中」写在一杯酒之中，写尽别情尽在一杯的深沉。这句的深意在于：它以「功名万里外」与「心事一杯中」的对仗，写尽万里从戎的豪情与别情的深沉——功名在万里之外，正是盛唐士人从戎求取功名的志向，那「万里外」写尽从戎之远与志向之高；心事在一杯之中，正是送别时的别情，那「一杯中」写尽别情尽在一杯的深沉——万里之外求功名是豪情，一杯之中蕴别情是深情，豪情与别情在一联中交融；那「万里外」与「一杯中」的对照，以空间的远与杯酒的近写尽从戎与别离的张力——远行万里求功名，而此刻别情尽在一杯，正写尽送别从戎的复杂情怀。若换作直说「你去求功名，我很难过」，则失其凝练；唯以「功名万里外」写豪情、「心事一杯中」写别情，以对仗写尽从戎与别离，也让此联成为全诗的核心与千古名句。

This couplet is the core of the whole, writing arms and parting in parallel, the famous line of a thousand ages. Fame and rank lie ten thousand li away writes the ambition of seeking fame ten thousand li in arms. The heart's burden lies within this cup writes the parting feeling all within one cup. The deep meaning lies in that it uses the parallel of fame and rank lie ten thousand li away and the heart's burden lies within this cup to write to the full the boldness of arms ten thousand li and the depth of parting - fame ten thousand li away, exactly the High Tang scholar's ambition in arms; the heart's burden within the cup, exactly the parting feeling at the send-off. The ten thousand li away writes the distance of arms and the height of ambition; the within this cup writes the depth of parting all in one cup - seeking fame ten thousand li away is boldness, holding parting within the cup is deep feeling, the boldness and parting fused in one couplet. The contrast of ten thousand li away and within this cup, using the distance of space and the nearness of the wine, writes to the full the tension of arms and parting - going ten thousand li for fame, yet at this moment the parting feeling all in one cup, exactly writing to the full the complex feeling of the send-off to arms. If one instead directly said you go seek fame and I grieve, one would lose the concentration; only writing boldness through fame and rank lie ten thousand li away and parting through the heart's burden lies within this cup, writing arms and parting in parallel, makes this couplet the core of the whole and a famous line of a thousand ages.

离魂莫惆怅，看取宝刀雄

Do not grieve, O parting soul; look upon the heroic gleam of the precious blade.

离魂莫要惆怅，且看取宝刀的雄壮。

Parted spirit, do not grieve; look upon the heroism of the treasured sword.

此联是全诗的收束，以豪语写劝慰，以宝刀写雄壮。「离魂莫惆怅」写离魂莫要惆怅——那「离魂」写离别之情、离别之人，「莫惆怅」写莫要惆怅，以劝慰写尽别愁的排解；「看取宝刀雄」写且看取宝刀的雄壮——那「看取」写且看，「宝刀雄」写宝刀的雄壮，以宝刀的雄壮写尽从戎的豪情。这句的深意在于：它以「离魂莫惆怅」的劝慰与「看取宝刀雄」的豪语，写尽以豪情排解别愁的雄浑——离魂莫要惆怅，那「莫惆怅」以劝慰写尽别愁，也写尽诗人对友人的宽慰；且看取宝刀的雄壮，那「看取宝刀雄」写尽宝刀的锋芒与雄壮，也暗写友人万里从戎、建功立业的豪情——宝刀在手，正是从戎求取功名的象征，看取宝刀的雄壮，便知此行是赴边立功，何须惆怅？那「莫惆怅」写尽别愁的排解，那「宝刀雄」写尽从戎的豪情，以豪语收束，写尽送别从戎的雄浑与豪迈。若换作直说「别难过，你会成功的」，则失其豪迈；唯以「离魂莫惆怅」的劝慰、「看取宝刀雄」的豪语写从戎，写尽以豪情排解别愁的雄浑，也让此联成为全诗豪壮的收束。

This couplet closes the whole, writing comfort in bold words and heroism through the treasured sword. Parted spirit, do not grieve writes the comfort sending off the parting grief. Look upon the heroism of the treasured sword writes the boldness of arms through the sword. The deep meaning lies in that it uses the comfort of parted spirit, do not grieve and the bold words of look upon the heroism of the treasured sword to write to the full the vigor of sending off parting grief through boldness - do not grieve, writing the comfort and the poet's relief of the friend; look upon the heroism of the treasured sword, writing the sword's edge and vigor, and secretly writing the friend's boldness of going ten thousand li in arms to win merit - the treasured sword in hand, exactly the symbol of seeking fame in arms; seeing the sword's vigor, one knows this journey is to the border to win merit, why grieve? The do not grieve writes the sending off of parting grief, and the treasured sword's vigor writes the boldness of arms, closing in bold words, writing to the full the vigor and boldness of the send-off to arms. If one instead directly said don't be sad, you will succeed, one would lose the boldness; only writing arms through the comfort of parted spirit, do not grieve and the bold words of look upon the heroism of the treasured sword, writing to the full the vigor of sending off parting grief through boldness, makes this couplet the bold close of the whole.

Study

Word focus

指 'Zhi' (points, directs) in 'a golden whip points at the iron steed.' It shows the traveler's gear readied and the road's direction set in one verb, conveying readiness and resolve. 「金鞭指铁骢」之「指」字是写整备的关键字，一个「指」字写尽行装的整备与将行。指者，指向、指着也。高适以「指铁骢」写金鞭，这个「指」字至少有双重意味：其一，写行装之备——那「金鞭指铁骢」写金鞭指着铁骢，那「指」字写尽马鞭在手、骏马在前的行装整备，写尽将行；其二，写方向之定——那「指」字更是写方向——金鞭所指，正是行路的方向，那「指」字写尽行子将行的方向与决心。以「指」字写整备，正是高适开篇的枢纽——若换作「策」「挥」等字，则或失其与「铁骢」的配合，或失其将行的姿态；唯「指」字，以一字写尽金鞭指着铁骢的行装整备与将行方向，与「行子对飞蓬」的漂泊相合，写尽行子的将行，也让「金鞭指铁骢」成为全诗写行装的关键。

看取 'Kanqu' (look upon, behold) in 'look upon the precious blade's heroic gleam.' A colloquial, hearty word of exhortation; it turns the blade into a consoling emblem of martial courage. 「看取宝刀雄」之「看取」是写豪情的关键词，一个「看取」写尽以宝刀写雄壮的豪情。看取者，且看、试看也。高适以「看取」写宝刀，这个「看取」至少有双重意味：其一，写劝慰之语——那「看取宝刀雄」写且看宝刀的雄壮，那「看取」以劝勉的语气写尽对友人的宽慰；其二，写豪情之盛——那「看取」更是写豪情——看取宝刀雄，正见从戎的豪情，那「看取」写尽以宝刀写雄壮的家迈。以「看取」写豪情，正是高适收束全诗的枢纽——若换作「且看」「试看」等词，则或失其口语的劲健，或失其与「莫惆怅」的呼应；唯「看取」二字，以且看的劝勉写尽对友人的宽慰与从戎的豪情，与「离魂莫惆怅」相合，写尽送别从戎的雄浑，也让「看取宝刀雄」成为全诗豪壮的收束。