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唐 Tang · 诗 Poem

江村

River Village

杜甫

Du Fu

田园pastoral 闲适leisure

清江一曲抱村流，长夏江村事事幽。
自去自来堂上燕，相亲相近水中鸥。
老妻画纸为棋局，稚子敲针作钓钩。
但有故人供禄米，微躯此外更何求。

The clear river, with a winding bend, embraces the village as it flows.
In the long summer, everything in the river village is tranquil.
Swallows freely come and go from the hall.
Water gulls intimately approach each other.
My old wife draws a chessboard on paper.
My little boy hammers a needle into a fishhook.
If only old friends provide rice from their salary,
This humble body has no other desires.

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Meaning

The poem depicts a peaceful summer day in a river village. The river embraces the village, swallows and gulls act freely, the wife prepares a chessboard, and the son makes a fishing hook. With the support of friends' rice supplies, the poet feels content and asks for nothing more.

一道清亮的江水弯弯曲曲地环抱着村落流淌，漫长的夏日里，江村中事事都显得清幽恬静。梁上燕子自去自来、自由出入，水中鸥鸟相亲相近、毫无机心。老妻在纸上画线当作棋盘，幼小的孩子把针敲弯做成钓钩。只因有故人时常接济些俸米，我这微贱之身，除此以外还有什么可求的呢？

Appreciation

The poem opens with a personified river setting the serene tone. The middle couplets contrast the freedom of birds with the domestic harmony of the family. The final couplet expresses quiet contentment, though tinged with the reality of relying on friends' support.

【白话串讲】 “老妻画纸为棋局，稚子敲针作钓钩”——杜甫在成都草堂，难得过上安稳日子：妻子画棋盘，儿子做鱼钩。一个流离半生的诗人，终于有了家的样子。【意象与手法】全诗由景入事、由物及人，层层推进。首联以「幽」字立骨，总起江村清境；颔联写燕鸥之自在，暗喻人境和谐；颈联以画纸为棋、敲针作钩两个家常细节写天伦之乐；尾联以反诘收束，见知足之情。中二联对仗精工而语极平易，白描如画，是「以淡笔写深情」的典范。【情感与主旨】此诗作于上元元年（760）夏，杜甫于上年末抵成都、营草堂初成，乱离中暂得栖身，故诗中写江村幽居与天伦之乐，于闲适恬淡中暗含对故人周济的感激与知足常乐的清醒。【名句点睛】常考「但有故人供禄米，微躯此外更何求」的知足之情与「自去自来」「相亲相近」叠词对仗的工巧；全诗以「幽」为诗眼，白描家常而情味深长，是杜甫草堂闲适诗的代表。

Background

Written in the summer of 760 AD, shortly after Du Fu arrived in Chengdu and built his thatched cottage. He depended on friends like Pei Mian for rice. The poem captures a rare moment of peace and family happiness amid the chaos of the times.

此诗作于唐肃宗上元元年（760）初夏，时杜甫四十九岁。此前一年，诗人经秦州、同谷一路颠沛入蜀，于岁末抵达成都，在亲友资助下于城西浣花溪畔营建草堂。经过安史之乱以来的长期流离，他终于暂得一个可以栖身的处所，诗中所谓「清江一曲抱村流」的江村，即指浣花溪一带的村居环境。是年夏，草堂初成，生活虽清苦，赖友人裴冕、严武等故旧接济，勉强可以度日，诗中「但有故人供禄米」正是这种仰给于人的境况的实录。从杜甫生平看，上元元年是他晚年少有的相对安定的一段时光，此后严武入朝、成都乱起，草堂生活旋即中断。此诗写于这种「乱离中暂得安宁」的特殊节点，字里行间的闲适并非无根的安逸，而是饱经忧患之后对平凡日常的加倍珍惜，故全诗虽写田园闲适，骨子里却带着乱世漂泊的余痛与知足常乐的清醒，这与盛唐王维、孟浩然笔下纯粹的田园隐逸情怀有明显区别，是杜甫以「诗史」之笔写个人生活的代表作之一。

Art

The structure moves from scenery to human activities: the first couplet sets the tranquil mood, the second describes nature, the third portrays domestic life, and the last expresses feelings. The middle couplets are perfectly antithetical yet natural, using plain language.

此诗章法极有条理，结构由景入事、由物及人、由人及感，层层推进而浑然一体。首联以「清江一曲抱村流，长夏江村事事幽」总起，一句写水、一句写境，以「幽」字立骨，为全篇定下闲适清幽的基调。颔联「自去自来堂上燕，相亲相近水中鸥」转写景物，燕之自去自来、鸥之相亲相近，皆以「自」「相」二字写出禽鸟的自在与亲昵，暗喻人与自然的和谐。颈联「老妻画纸为棋局，稚子敲针作钓钩」由物及人，写老妻画纸为棋、稚子敲针作钩两个极富生活气息的细节，天伦之乐跃然纸上。尾联「但有故人供禄米，微躯此外更何求」以反诘收束，将知足之情一笔托出。中二联对仗精工而语极平易，「自去自来」对「相亲相近」、「画纸」对「敲针」，于工整中见活趣，白描如画，不见斧凿之痕。全诗以「幽」为眼，以燕、鸥、棋、钩等寻常物事层层烘染，末以「更何求」点醒，是「以淡笔写深情」的典范，仇兆鳌引黄生评语谓杜律「不难于老健，而难于轻松」，正指此类诗在从容闲淡中见工力的境界。

Allusions

The image of the river embracing the village echoes Tao Yuanming's pastoral idiom. 'Rice from salary' refers to official stipends, here indicating friends' support. The poem continues the pastoral tradition but adds a note of preciousness after wandering.

此诗用典极隐而化用无痕。「清江一曲抱村流」所写的江村景物，与陶渊明《归园田居》「榆柳荫后檐，桃李罗堂前」所绘田园意境一脉相承，杜甫虽未明用陶诗字句，而那种「依依墟里烟」的村居气息显然遥承陶渊明田园诗的传统，只是陶诗写归隐的自得，杜诗则多一层乱后得安的珍重。「相亲相近水中鸥」暗用《列子·黄帝》「海上之人有好沤鸟者」的典故：传说海上有人每日与鸥鸟相游，鸥鸟成群而至，因其人无机心；此句写鸥鸟与人相亲相近，正是诗人与世无争、胸无机心的写照，杜甫另有「白鸥没浩荡，万里谁能驯」之句，鸥鸟在其笔下素来象征自由超脱。「禄米」指俸禄之米，唐代官员俸给多以米粟折支，故「故人供禄米」实写友人以俸米周济的窘迫境况，是纪实之语而兼含自嘲。「画纸为棋局」「敲针作钓钩」则纯以生活细节入诗，不需用典而自见其趣。全诗承陶渊明田园诗脉，而融入乱世飘泊后的身世之感，典故与写实相融，正见杜甫「无一字无来处」而又「不著一字，尽得风流」的化用功夫。

Commentary

Qing scholar Qiu Zhaoao noted that Du Fu's regulated verses can be light and easy. This poem is like a natural masterpiece, gentle and warm. Pu Qilong called it the best of its kind, written casually yet perfectly.

《江村》历来被视为杜甫草堂时期闲适诗的代表作。清人仇兆鳌《杜诗详注》引黄生评语：「杜律不难于老健，而难于轻松。如此诗……一片化机，不失温厚」，点出此诗于从容闲淡中暗藏工力、于轻快笔调下不失温厚的特点。浦起龙《读杜心解》则谓「只随笔写来，便成绝唱，此题之最上乘也」，推崇其不事雕琢而自然高妙。此诗的价值，一在题材的开拓：以白描笔法写家常琐事而具诗味，开宋人日常化诗风之先声；二在情感的真淳：将乱世中的天伦之乐写得具体可感，使「闲适」不流于空泛；三在语言的示范：「自去自来」「相亲相近」等叠词、对仗的运用举重若轻，是七律由精工走向浑成的代表。与《客至》《绝句》（两个黄鹂鸣翠柳）等同为草堂生活题材，而此诗更见家常情味，千载之下读之，犹能想见浣花溪畔那个夏日的宁静。其以家常琐事入诗而自成高格的写法，开宋人日常化诗风之先声，苏轼「人间有味是清欢」、陆游「小楼一夜听春雨，深巷明朝卖杏花」等闲适名句，皆可于此觅得渊源，故今人选本多以此诗与《春夜喜雨》《客至》并列，为杜甫草堂时期诗风的三面旗帜。

Prosody

Form seven-character regulated verse七言律诗

Rhyme liu, you, ou, gou, qiu (from the 下平十一尤 rhyme category)平水韵·下平十一尤（流、幽、鸥、钩、求），首句入韵，一韵到底

Tone pattern The middle two couplets are antithetical平起首句入韵。中二联对仗工稳：颔联「自去自来」对「相亲相近」、「堂上燕」对「水中鸥」；颈联「老妻」对「稚子」、「画纸」对「敲针」、「为棋局」对「作钓钩」。平仄合律，音节舒缓流利，与闲适情调相谐。

Reading note Written around the same time as 'Guest Arriving' at the thatched cottage, expressing rare family peace in troubled times.此诗为七言律诗，格律整饬而声情闲雅，是杜甫草堂时期七律「以淡写浓」的代表。全诗四联八句，首句入韵，押下平十一尤韵，「流、幽、鸥、钩、求」五韵一韵到底，尤韵音调悠长平缓，正与诗中清幽闲适的情味相合，读来如江水徐流、从容不迫。中二联对仗极见功力：颔联「自去自来堂上燕，相亲相近水中鸥」，以叠词相对（自对自、相与相），音节回环，意态活现，是「当句对」与「隔句对」兼用的妙例；颈联「老妻画纸为棋局，稚子敲针作钓钩」，以家常俗语入对而不失工稳，「老妻」对「稚子」、「画纸」对「敲针」，词性字面两两相对，白描中见法度。全诗平仄严守七律正格，而语气平易近人，正是「律诗之体、古体之味」的融合，仇兆鳌引黄生评杜律「不难于老健，而难于轻松」，此诗可当之。诵读此诗，宜缓其节奏、放轻其声，方见长夏江村的悠然之趣。

Line by line

清江一曲抱村流

The clear river winds around the village. '抱' personifies the river, setting a tranquil scene.

一道清亮的江水弯弯曲曲地环绕着村落流淌。

Around a bend of the clear river, the waters embrace the village and flow.

起句写江村环境，一句「清江一曲」已画出江水蜿蜒的动态线条，「抱」字以拟人手法写江水环村而流，仿佛江水有情、依依不舍地拥抱着村庄，赋予无生命的江流以亲昵的人情味，与下句「事事幽」的静境相映，一静一动、一水一村，将江村的清幽之美写得如在目前。此句为全诗定下「清」与「幽」的底色，「清」写水之澄澈，亦暗含环境之明净、心境之澄明，与杜甫乱后得安的心绪相应。以水写村、以曲写抱，笔致空灵，是「工于发端」的典范，也为后文燕鸥、妻儿诸般闲适物事铺设了清朗的背景。

The opening line writes the riverside village: 'around a bend of the clear river' already draws the winding water's moving line, the word 'embrace' personifying the river's circling flow, as if the water, affectionate, loth to leave, holds the village. It sets the clear, secluded tone, the 'clear' writing the water's brightness and the mind's clarity, matching Du Fu's ease after the turmoil.

长夏江村事事幽

In the long summer, everything in the river village is tranquil. '幽' governs the mood of the whole poem.

漫长的夏日里，江村中事事都显得清幽。

Through the long summer, everything in the riverside village is quiet and secluded.

「事事幽」三字是全诗的诗眼，以「事事」总括江村生活的方方面面，以「幽」字统摄全篇意境，为整首诗的闲适基调立骨。长夏本是酷热难耐的时节，而诗人着一「幽」字，便将炎夏转化为清幽恬静的审美对象，可见心境之闲、处境之安。「事事幽」的「事事」二字举重若轻，不具体罗列何者为幽，而让读者自去体会燕之来去、鸥之亲昵、妻之画棋、儿之敲针，句法空灵，意蕴浑融。此句与上句「清江一曲抱村流」一写境、一写心，由外而内，将环境之清幽与心境之恬淡打成一片，是杜甫以淡语写深情的典型笔法，也为后文诸般细节的铺写预立纲目。

'Everything is quiet and secluded' is the poem's eye, 'everything' summing the village life, 'secluded' governing the whole mood. The long summer should be scorching, yet he adds one word 'secluded' and turns the heat into a quiet aesthetic object, showing the mind's ease and settled lot. 'Everything' weightless, not listing what is secluded, letting the reader feel the swallows, gulls, wife, and child, syntax airy, meaning fused.

自去自来堂上燕，相亲相近水中鸥

The swallows at the eave come and go of themselves; the gulls on the water draw close, one to another.

梁上燕子自去自来、自由出入，水中鸥鸟相亲相近、毫无机心。

Swallows at the eave come and go freely; gulls on the water press close, forgetful of harm.

此联写禽鸟之自在，是全诗由静景转向动态生机的关键。燕子「自去自来」写其出入无碍、不避人户，鸥鸟「相亲相近」写其群聚嬉游、忘机忘我，两句以「自」「相」二字反复，既写鸟之习性，更暗写人之心境——唯有主人心境闲适、与物无竞，禽鸟方敢如此亲近，故「物之闲」实为「人之闲」的投影。「自去自来」「相亲相近」四字对仗精工而不见斧凿，叠词的使用使音节流利、意态活现，与盛唐山水田园诗「以物观物」的写法一脉相承，而杜甫写来更见家常气息。此联由首联之静境转入动态生机，动静相生，为下联写家人之乐作了自然的过渡。

This couplet writes the birds' freedom, the turn from still scene to living movement. Swallows 'come and go of themselves', entering and leaving unafraid; gulls 'draw close, one to another', gathering and playing, forgetful of harm. The repeated 'of themselves' and 'one to another' write the birds' ways and secretly the human mood — only when the master's mind is at ease and contentless do the birds dare come so near; the birds' leisure is the projection of the man's. Paired words making the rhythm fluent, the life vivid.

老妻画纸为棋局，稚子敲针作钓钩

My old wife draws a chessboard on paper; the young son bends a needle to make a hook.

老妻在纸上画线当作棋盘，幼小的孩子把针敲弯做成钓钩。

My old wife draws lines on paper for a chessboard; the young son bends a needle into a fishing hook.

此联由物及人，是全诗情感最温馨之处，以两个极富生活气息的细节写天伦之乐。老妻画纸为棋局，是贫寒中的雅趣——买不起棋盘，便在纸上画线代棋，俭朴而不失情致；稚子敲针作钓钩，是童稚的天真——将缝衣针敲弯做成钓钩，顽皮中见机巧。一老一少、一静一动、一雅一趣，相映成趣，将贫贱夫妻、幼子在侧的寻常日子写得生机盎然。两句纯用白描，不用一个表情达意之字，而温馨之情自见，正是杜甫「以俗为雅」的本领。此联与颔联燕鸥相映：燕鸥之乐在物，妻儿之乐在人，物我俱适，方成就「事事幽」的完满境界，为尾联「更何求」的知足之语作了最有力的铺垫。

This couplet moves from things to people, the warmest place, two homely details writing family joy. 'My old wife draws a chessboard on paper' — the refined pleasure of poverty, unable to buy a board, drawing lines on paper; 'the young son bends a needle into a fishing hook' — childish innocence, bending a sewing needle. One old, one young, one still, one active, one refined, one playful; the ordinary days of a poor wife and small son made lively. Pure description, not a word of affection, yet the warmth shows — Du Fu's gift for making the homely elegant.

但有故人供禄米

If only old friends provide rice from their salary. This acknowledges dependence on others, with a hint of self-mockery.

只因为有故人时常接济些俸米。

Only that an old friend supplies me with rice and grain.

此句点出诗人生活的实际境况，是全诗由乐转思的关键。「禄米」指官员的俸禄之米，唐时俸给多以米粟折支，此处却由「故人」供给，可见杜甫当时并未食朝廷俸禄，而是仰赖裴冕等故旧的接济，一句道尽草堂初成时经济上的困窘。「但有」二字以退为进，含自嘲与知足的双重意味：一方面承认生计全赖他人，微贱之身不无愧疚；另一方面，「但有」即「只要有」，强调要求之少、所求之易足，将困顿写得轻描淡写，更见诗人安贫乐道的襟怀。此句是纪实之语，也是全诗情感的转捩点，由前面的闲适天伦陡然触及生存的现实，使闲适不流于浮泛，而带上乱世飘零的底色。

This line names the actual condition, the turn from joy to thought. 'Rice and grain' is official salary; yet here it comes 'from an old friend', showing Du Fu then drew no court stipend but relied on Pei Mian and others' support, one line holding the early Thatched Hall's economic straitness. 'Only that' is self-mockery and content: admitting he lives on others, yet stressing how little he needs, writing the hardship lightly, the bearing of a man at peace in poverty.

微躯此外更何求

This humble body has no other desires. The rhetorical question shows contentment but also helplessness.

我这微贱之身，除此以外还有什么可求的呢？

What more could this humble body ask for?

结句以反诘收束全诗，将知足之情一笔托出。「微躯」是自谦之词，与「故人供禄米」的境况相应，见出诗人对自己的清醒定位；「更何求」三字以反诘语气出之，无须回答而答案自明——有清江幽村、有燕鸥为伴、有妻儿在侧、有故人周济，此身复有何求？反诘使语气更加决绝肯定，知足之情显得真挚而有力量。然而细味此句，「更何求」的背后实含无限无奈：所谓「何求」，并非真的别无所求，而是求之不得、退而求其次的自我宽解，乱世之中能得一安身之所、享天伦之乐，已是莫大的幸运。故此句于恬淡中暗藏身世之感，闲适与辛酸交织，正是杜甫此类诗「含泪的微笑」的独特风味。

The closing line ends in a rhetorical question, offering contentment at a stroke. 'This humble body' is self-deprecation, matching the old friend's support; 'what more could I ask' in the interrogative, needing no answer — with clear river and quiet village, swallows and gulls, wife and child, a friend's relief, what more? The question makes the contentment firm. Yet beneath 'what more' lies infinite resignation: not truly wanting nothing, but having to settle for second best; in the troubled times, a roof and family are already great fortune. Leisure and bitterness woven together, the 'smile through tears' of Du Fu's such poems.

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Word focus

抱 embrace (personification, showing the river's closeness to the village) 「清江一曲抱村流」之「抱」字，环绕、环抱之意，是全诗第一个点睛之字。本为写人相拥相抱的动作，此处移用于江水，以拟人笔法写江水弯弯曲曲环绕村落而流，仿佛江水有情，依依不舍地拥抱村庄，赋予无生命的江流以亲昵温存的人情味。一个「抱」字，至少生发三重意趣：一是形态之妙，写出江流的弯曲环绕之势，与「一曲」相应，如画如环；二是关系之亲，「抱」字暗示江与村相依相存、不可分离，正如诗人与这方水土的相得；三是情感之温，江水「抱」村，实是诗人以有情之眼看无情之景，移情于物，为全诗的闲适温馨定下基调。若易以「绕」「流」等字，虽亦达意，而「抱」字独有那种温存贴切的韵味，足见杜甫炼字之精，一字之工而使全句生色，这正是所谓「着一字而境界全出」。

幽 tranquil (governing the mood of the poem) 「长夏江村事事幽」之「幽」字，清幽、幽静之意，是全诗的诗眼与立意之骨。全篇无一字写闲，而「事事幽」三字已将江村生活的闲适自足尽行囊括：燕之自去自来是幽，鸥之相亲相近是幽，妻之画棋是幽，儿之敲针是幽，乃至故人供米、微躯无求，亦莫不是「幽」的展开。一个「幽」字，既是环境之清幽（江、村、燕、鸥），又是人事之闲雅（画棋、敲针），更是心境之恬淡（更何求），物境、人事、心境三者在此字中融为一体。以「事事」加于「幽」前，不具体罗列而让读者自行品味，句法空灵，意蕴浑厚。此字与首句「清」字相映成趣：清者，水之明澈，境之澄净；幽者，事之恬适，心之安闲，由清而幽，由境而心，层层递进，遂将长夏江村的闲适之美写足写透，是「一字立骨」的典范。

画、敲 draw and hammer (actions depicting family leisure) 「老妻画纸为棋局，稚子敲针作钓钩」中的「画」「敲」二字，是全诗写人最传神的动词。「画」字写老妻以纸代棋，在纸上画线为局，一个「画」字既见贫寒（无钱购置棋盘），又见雅趣（以纸画局而乐在其中），更见情致（老夫老妻相守的从容）；「敲」字写稚子敲弯缝衣针以作钓钩，一个「敲」字写出孩童把玩针线的专注与顽皮，童趣盎然。二字皆为寻常动作，而杜甫信手拈来，不事雕琢，便将老妻之静雅、稚子之活泼写得如在目前，且「画」与「敲」一静一动、一老一少、一文一武，对仗工稳中见出生活本身的趣味。此联纯用白描而天伦之乐自见，正见杜甫「以俗为雅」、于平凡中见诗意的本领，与颔联写物之「自」「相」遥相呼应，共同成就「事事幽」的完满境界。

更何求 what else to seek (rhetorical question showing contentment) 「微躯此外更何求」之「更何求」三字，是全诗情感的结穴处，以反诘句式收束全篇。「更」字有「还、再」之意，暗含比较：此前种种（清江、幽村、燕鸥、妻儿、故人）已是如此之足，若再有所求，岂非贪得？「何求」以疑问出之而答案自明，反诘的语气比直陈「无所求」更加斩截肯定，知足之情喷薄而出。细味此三字，其妙处在于「以退为进」：诗人先说「但有故人供禄米」，承认生计仰给于人，似乎低到尘埃；随即以「更何求」反诘，将身外之物一概放下，反而显出安贫乐道的超然。知足中见自嘲，恬淡里含酸辛，乱世飘零者能守此心，正是杜甫人格的动人处，故此三字千载之下犹能打动人心，是全诗「含泪的微笑」的点睛之笔。

江村