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唐 Tang · 诗 Poem

回乡偶书

Random Lines on Returning Home

贺知章

He Zhizhang

思乡Homesickness 感慨Reflection

少小离家老大回，乡音无改鬓毛衰。
儿童相见不相识，笑问客从何处来。

I left home young, I return old,
My accent unchanged, my hair no longer black.
Children who see me don't know who I am,
They smile and ask: 'Stranger, where do you come from?'

Listen

Meaning

The poet left home as a youth and returns in old age. Though his native accent remains, his hair is thin and gray. The village children do not recognize him and innocently ask where he comes from, highlighting the poignant transformation from native to stranger in his own hometown.

我年少时离开家乡，直到年老头发花白才归来；乡音虽未改变，两鬓的毛发却已稀疏斑白。村中的儿童见了我并不相识，笑着问我这客人是从什么地方来的。全诗以久客还乡的日常情景，于平淡中见深婉，道尽人生易老、乡关依旧而物是人非的沧桑之感。

Appreciation

This poem captures the complex emotions of a long-absent returnee through a simple everyday scene. The contrast between unchanged accent and changed appearance, and the children's naive question, convey deep nostalgia and the bittersweet realization of time's passage.

【白话串讲】贺知章86岁辞官回乡，乡音没改，头发全白。村里的孩子不认识他，笑着问：客人你从哪来？——最热闹的场面，写着最深的伤感。【意象与手法】此诗以叙事白描为体，语言浅近如话而含味深远。首句以「少小」对「老大」总括一生漂泊，次句「乡音无改」与「鬓毛衰」形成内在对照，写时光流逝之速。后两句截取儿童笑问的生活片段，以对话式细节收束，于不经意间翻出「反主为客」的苍凉。全诗起承转合自然，以乐写哀，平淡中见深婉。【情感与主旨】贺知章于武则天证圣元年（695）中进士后离乡入仕，唐玄宗天宝三载（744）以八十六岁高龄请为道士还乡，此诗即作于此时。诗人离乡五十余载，一朝归来，故居依旧而人事全非，道尽人生易老、乡关依旧而物是人非的沧桑之感。【名句点睛】常考「儿童相见不相识，笑问客从何处来」的反主为客之悲；赏析「乡音无改鬓毛衰」的对照手法；体会全诗平淡中见深婉、以乐写哀的艺术特色。

Background

He Zhizhang left home after passing the imperial examination in 695 AD and served in the capital for decades. In 744 AD, at age 86, he requested to return home as a Taoist priest. This poem was written upon his return after more than fifty years away, reflecting the profound feeling of returning to a familiar place that has become foreign due to time.

贺知章，字季真，越州永兴（今浙江杭州萧山）人，武则天证圣元年（695）中进士，历任太常博士、礼部侍郎、太子宾客、秘书监等职，天宝三载（744）以八十六岁高龄上疏请度为道士，玄宗赐鉴湖一曲，遂还乡，不久卒于故里。贺知章生性旷达嗜酒，善谈笑，与李白、张旭等号为「饮中八仙」，杜甫《饮中八仙歌》首句即写「知章骑马似乘船」。他自离家赴考至暮年还乡，前后长达五十余年，其间宦海浮沉，故里山水只在梦魂之间。此诗即作于天宝三载归乡之时，诗人以垂老之躯重践故土，乡音依旧而亲友凋零、童稚不识，遂有「偶书」之慨。诗中全无雕琢，纯以家常口语出之，却将人生暮年重逢故土的复杂况味写得真切动人，是唐人还乡诗中最为脍炙人口的一篇，也是贺知章现存二十余首诗中流传最广的杰作。此诗在贺知章的全部创作中别具一格：贺氏存诗虽不多，然多应制颂圣之作，唯有这首还乡诗全无应制之气，纯以白描出之，遂成其传世第一。诗中五十余年的离乡岁月被压缩为「少小」与「老大」的对照，故土的风物、亲人的音容皆不着一字，而深挚的乡情与迟暮的怅惘尽在其中，正见盛唐诗人举重若轻的概括力与一往情深的赤子之心。

Art

The poem is written in simple narrative style without elaborate ornament. The first line contrasts 'young' and 'old' to summarize a lifetime. The second line pairs 'accent unchanged' with 'hair faded' to show inner constancy against outer change. The last two lines use the children's question as a dramatic twist, turning the returning native into a 'guest'. The light tone conveys heavy emotion, exemplifying understatement.

此诗以叙事白描为体，语言浅近如话而含味深远，其妙全在不动声色中层层翻出人生沧桑。首句「少小离家老大回」以「少小」对「老大」、以「离」对「回」，七个字即总括一生行迹，时间跨度极大，笔力千钧而不见用力之痕。次句「乡音无改鬓毛衰」转写归来之人的模样：乡音未变是「内不变」，鬓毛已衰是「外已变」，内外对照，乡情之坚贞与岁月之无情同时托出。前两句一写时间之久、一写变化之大，已为后文蓄势。后两句笔锋一转，不写故人重逢，却截取儿童相见这一最富戏剧性的生活片段：「儿童相见不相识，笑问客从何处来」，以天真无邪的「笑问」收束全篇，于最热闹处写出最苍凉的心境——故乡人竟以己为客，反主为客的错位感如冷水浇背。全诗以乐写哀，以问答代抒情，语尽而意不尽，正是「平淡中见深婉」的典范。值得细味的是诗中「不写之写」的含蓄笔法：诗人不写故居如何、故人何在，只写儿童笑问的一幕，把五十年的人事变迁全部留给读者去想象；也不写自己听到「客从何处来」时的心情，戛然而止，让那一声问话成为全诗最响亮的余音。这种以问答收束、以留白写情的章法，正是盛唐绝句「篇终接混茫」的典范，也是此诗能令历代读者代代入戏、感同身受的根本原因。

Allusions

The motif of 'accent' symbolizes enduring roots, while 'hair fading' echoes ancient poems lamenting aging. The scene of children not recognizing a returning native is a common theme, here rendered with remarkable naturalness, subtly invoking the sorrow of time's passage and displacement.

此诗几乎不用典故，却深得古典诗歌以常语写至情的神髓，其意脉暗承多处传统而不着痕迹。其一，「乡音」是中国文学中以声音寄托故土之思的古老母题，唐人诗如「少小离家」「乡音」之咏，皆本于游子对乡土的最深层记忆——乡音是唯一不会因岁月改变的身份印记。其二，「鬓毛衰」化用潘岳《秋兴赋》「斑鬓发以承弁」的叹老之意，又暗合古歌「少壮几时兮奈老何」的悲慨，以鬓发之变写年华之逝，是汉魏以来诗人写衰老的惯用手法。其三，末二句儿童「笑问客从何处来」虽是眼前实写，却暗合《诗经》以来久客伤离、物是人非之旨，与陶渊明《归去来兮辞》「僮仆欢迎，稚子候门」的还乡场景恰成对照——陶诗写归之乐，贺诗写归之哀。全诗用事而不着痕迹，以眼前景写心中事，故能超越一时一地，成为千古共鸣的人生慨叹。此外，诗中「回」字与《诗经·小雅·采薇》「曰归曰归」的归思传统暗相呼应：采薇写征人归而不得的怅惘，贺诗写归而能回的感慨，同以「归」为诗眼而境遇迥异，前者之悲在未归，后者之悲在归后，可见「归乡」这一母题在中国诗歌中的丰富层次。诗人化用传统而不着痕迹，把经典的思归主题翻出还乡之后的新境界，正是盛唐诗人「以故为新」的创造力的体现。

Commentary

Ming critic Zhong Xing praised: 'Seems like Li Bai, yet more genuine.' Qing critic Song Zongyuan: 'The scene is vivid, revealing much desolation.' Su Shi's remark 'ultimate flavor in plainness' applies perfectly to this poem.

历代评家对此诗推崇备至，明·钟惺《唐诗归》评：「似太白，而真率处太白不及。」点出此诗以真率本色胜的独特处。清·宋宗元《网师园唐诗笺》谓「情景宛然，逗漏多少苍凉」，一语道破其以平常语写尽沧桑的艺术效果。清·黄生《唐诗摘钞》亦赏其「写久客还乡，情事如见」。后世论者多将「儿童相见不相识」与王勃「儿童相见不相识」同源观照，而贺诗更自然浑成，无斧凿痕。苏轼尝谓诗文当「寄至味于淡泊」，此诗正是淡泊中见至味的标本：四句二十八字，无一字言情而情满纸，无一语说理而理自明。如今「笑问客从何处来」已成为中国文学中写还乡、写老去、写物是人非的经典场景，被反复引用、戏仿，足见其跨越时空的艺术生命力，亦可见贺知章「清谈风雅」之外，尚有此等举重若轻的大家手笔。今人论此诗，又多从「身份认同」的角度阐发：游子离乡五十载，乡音未改而身份已失，故乡人视其为客，恰是现代意义上的「故乡异客」之叹。诗中那份「回不去」的惘然，超越了具体的时代，成为一切离乡者共同的生命体验，故千余年来传诵不衰。此诗与王维《九月九日忆山东兄弟》同为思乡绝唱，而一写客中忆乡、一写归后失乡，互为表里，共同完成了中国诗歌对乡愁这一永恒主题的经典书写。

Prosody

Form 七言绝句 (seven-character quatrain)七言绝句（仄起首句入韵式）

Rhyme 回、衰、来 rhyme in same category (Pingshui rhyme: ten Hui)回、衰、来三字押韵，属平水韵上平十灰韵，首句入韵；「衰」古读与「回」「来」同押灰韵，今读略有差异，诵读时可依古音体会其回环之美。

Tone pattern Pingqi shouju ruyun (level-tone first line with rhyme)首句「少小离家老大回」仄仄平平仄仄平，为仄起平收式；全诗平仄谐协，音节流利，如说话般自然。

Reading note The language is close to vernacular, yet profound; the character '衰' was sometimes written as '催'. This is a natural masterpiece of He Zhizhang's later years.此诗为七言绝句正格，仄起首句入韵式，押平声灰韵，一、二、四句入韵，韵脚「回、衰、来」皆平声长音，声调舒徐，正合老者娓娓道来的语态，与全诗平淡真率的风格相得益彰。绝句体制短小，四句二十八字，恰足以完成「离乡—归来—不识—被问」的完整叙事，起承转合一步不乱：首句起（总括一生），次句承（写归时之貌），三句转（由己及人），四句合（以问答收束），章法谨严而浑然无迹。诗中用字近乎口语，几乎不避重复（「相」「何」皆两见），却不觉累赘，反添天真自然之趣。全诗一韵到底，音节和婉，读来如闻老者叹息，正是盛唐绝句「清水出芙蓉，天然去雕饰」的极致体现。

Line by line

少小离家老大回

Left home young, return old: a lifetime summarized in one line, emphasizing the long absence.

少年时离开家乡，直到年老才回来。

I left young and return old.

首句以「少小」与「老大」对举，「离」与「回」呼应，七个字浓缩了诗人五十余年的漂泊生涯，是高度凝练的人生自述。少小离家是奔赴功名，老大始回是垂暮还乡，一去一回之间，仕途的荣辱、岁月的消磨、乡愁的积压尽在不言中。从章法看，此句为全诗定下叙事基调，时间跨度极大而语势平稳，仿佛老者闲话平生，越是平静越显沧桑。「老大回」三字尤见分量：不是衣锦荣归的炫耀，不是壮年还乡的意气，而是历经宦海、垂垂老矣之人对故土的最终回归，为下文「鬓毛衰」「不相识」「客从何处来」层层蓄势，起笔即笼罩全篇。

The opening pairs 'young' with 'old', 'left' with 'return', seven words compressing more than fifty years of wandering, a highly condensed self-portrait. Leaving young was to seek advancement; returning old is the homecoming of a man in his decline — between the leaving and the return, honor and disgrace, the wearing of years, the piled-up homesickness, all unspoken. The words 'return old' carry weight: not a boastful homecoming in glory, not a middle-aged return, but the final return of an old man after the official seas.

乡音无改鬓毛衰

Accent unchanged but hair thin: contrast between inner constancy and outer decay, showing nostalgia and aging.

乡音未曾改变，两鬓毛发却已斑白稀疏。

My country accent has not changed, but my sideburns have thinned.

次句写归人模样，妙在内外对照：「乡音无改」是内在的不变，「鬓毛衰」是外在的已变。乡音是童年刻下的烙印，五十年不改，见出诗人对故土感情之深之坚，是他与故乡之间最后的精神纽带；而鬓毛衰白则是无情的时光在人身上留下的印记，无法抗拒。一不变一已变，两相对照，乡情之贞与岁月之酷同时呈现，平淡话语中含无限感慨。从炼字看，「衰」字状毛发稀疏斑白，不写「老」而老态自见；「无改」二字语轻而意重，仿佛诗人唯一能抓住的，只有这一口未变的乡音。此句由离到归的时间感慨落到人本身的变化，为后两句「相见不相识」提供了必然的前提。

The next line writes the returned man's looks, the beauty in inner and outer contrast. 'My country accent has not changed' is the inner unchanged — the childhood accent, unaltered in fifty years, the last spiritual bond with home; 'my sideburns have thinned' the outer changed — merciless time's mark on the body. One unchanged, one changed, the constancy of homesickness and the cruelty of age together. The word 'thinned' writes sparse and gray hair, age showing without saying 'old'.

儿童相见不相识

Children don't recognize me: from their perspective, highlighting the poet's changed identity.

村里的儿童看见我却不认识我。

The children meet me and do not know me.

第三句由己及人，转换视角，从儿童的眼中写出归人的陌生感。「不相识」三字平实却惊心：诗人离乡时，村中尚无这些儿童；如今归来，新一代的孩童对这位白发老人毫无印象，只当他是外来之客。这一句不写自己的心理活动，纯以客观白描呈现，却最见归人的失落与悲凉——故乡认识他的故人已渐凋零，而新生的儿童已不认识他，他成了自己故乡的陌生人。「相见不相识」五字连用两个「相」字，回环往复，语感上有一种怅然的顿挫；在结构上，此句是「笑问」的铺垫，儿童既然不识，自然要问，遂引出全诗最沉痛的一个「客」字。

The third line shifts from self to others, the children's eyes writing the returned man's strangeness. 'Do not know me' is plain yet startling: when he left, these children were not born; now they see a white-haired old man and take him for a stranger. Not a word of his own feelings, pure objective description, yet it holds the most grief — those who knew him are gone, the new generation does not know him, he has become a stranger in his own home.

笑问客从何处来

Smiling, ask where the guest comes from: the word 'guest' is poignant; the poet is a stranger in his own home.

笑着问我这客人是从哪里来的。

Smiling, they ask: from where has this guest come?

结句以儿童天真的「笑问」收束全篇，是全诗最精妙处。儿童毫无机心，见陌生老人便笑问「客从何处来」，本是极自然的礼貌与好奇；然而「客」字如针尖扎心——诗人回到魂牵梦萦的故乡，却被故乡的下一代称作「客」，反主为客的身份错位，将全诗的沧桑感推到极致。以乐写哀，笑愈天真，悲愈深重；问答到此戛然而止，诗人如何回答、心中何等滋味，一概留给读者想象，言有尽而意无穷。「笑问」二字尤其耐咀嚼：儿童之笑是纯真，映照出的却是诗人含泪的苦笑，一明一暗，形成巨大的情感张力，遂使此句成为写还乡之悲的千古名句。

The closing line ends in the children's innocent 'smiling question', the poem's most exquisite point. The children, guileless, see a strange old man and smilingly ask where the guest comes from — natural curiosity, yet the word 'guest' pierces like a needle: he has returned to the home he longed for, yet the next generation calls him a 'guest', the identity overturned from host to guest, pushing the weight of years to the utmost. Writing grief through joy, the more innocent the smile, the deeper the grief; the question ends abruptly, what he answered and how he felt left to the reader.

Study

Word focus

衰 Describes sparse gray hair, contrasting with 'unchanged' accent, showing old age. 「衰」字是全诗写衰老的关键字，此处读shuāi，状毛发稀疏斑白之态。它不直说「老」，而借最具体、最直观的鬓发变化来呈现岁月流逝，比抽象言老更富画面感。与「乡音无改」对读，「衰」写尽外在生命的衰朽，「无改」则见内在乡情的坚贞，一枯一荣、一损一守，对照中倍觉时光的无情与情感的深挚。就音韵言，「衰」字入灰韵，与「回」「来」同押，音感悠长低回，正合诗人垂老还乡的迟暮心境。一字而兼具形、情、音三重表现力，是此诗炼字的典范，历代注家或作「催」，然「衰」字自写老态，更为沉稳，今从「衰」。

客 Guest; the most heartbreaking word—returning home but being treated as a guest. 「客」字是全诗最沉痛处，出现在结句「笑问客从何处来」中，分量极重。回到故乡却被当作客人，这是身份的巨大错位：诗人一生以故乡为精神归宿，老来归乡却成了故乡人眼中的「他乡之客」。这个字不动声色地完成了全诗的情感反转——前两句写乡情之深，后两句却以「客」字宣告这份乡情的落空，故乡接纳不了他，他也融不回故乡，反主为客的苍凉全由此字生出。更妙的是，「客」字出自儿童之口，天真无意而杀伤力最强，童言无忌恰似一记重锤。后人论此诗，皆谓「客」字是全诗诗眼，一字立骨，沧桑尽出。

无改 Unchanged; shows the poet's steadfast hometown accent, the only thing time hasn't erased. 「乡音无改」之「无改」二字，语极平常而情极深厚，是诗人对抗时光流逝的唯一凭依。五十年异乡生涯，官场应酬、南北口音混杂，而他乡音未变，说明诗人始终以故乡为念，乡音是他的精神根脉，须臾不离。「无改」与「鬓毛衰」构成全诗最根本的对照：万物皆变而此心不变，形体已衰而乡情未衰。从情感逻辑看，「无改」既是自证，也是自怜——能证明他是故乡人的只剩这一口乡音，而这恰恰反衬出其他一切早已面目全非。二字看似信手，实则字字千钧，将游子对故土最深沉的爱与最无力的哀同时托出。