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唐 Tang · 诗 Poem

婕妤怨

The Resentment of a Palace Lady

皇甫冉

Huangfu Ran

花枝出建章，凤管发昭阳。
借问承恩者，双蛾几许长。

Flowering branches come out of Jianzhang Palace; phoenix flutes sound from Zhaoyang Hall.
Pray tell me, she who enjoys the royal favor: how long are her moth eyebrows drawn?
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Meaning

Through the bright sounds and colors of the imperial palace, the poem gives voice to a deserted lady's resentment: all the music and bloom belong elsewhere, and she can only ask after the rival who now holds the emperor's favor. The resentment is never named; it lives entirely in the question.

花枝出建章，凤管发昭阳。借问承恩者，双蛾几许长。

Appreciation

[Plain Paraphrase] Flowering branches sway out of Jianzhang Palace and phoenix flutes play in Zhaoyang Hall. The deserted lady, unseen, asks one question of the world: tell me about the woman who now enjoys the emperor's favor, and just how long her painted eyebrows are. [Structure] Two couplets, two moves: the first presents the scene of favor, which is elsewhere; the second turns to the question. The lady never appears in person; she exists only as a voice. [Imagery] Flower branches and phoenix flutes are the emblems of the harem's bloom and music, but they are located in named palaces, sights and sounds that exclude her. [Emotion] The resentment works by indirection: the jealousy is real, but it is disguised as curiosity about fashion. The more casual the question sounds, the deeper the wound.

【白话串讲】 皇甫冉写《婕妤怨》：“花枝出建章，凤管发昭阳”——“借问承恩者，双蛾几许长”——他写婕妤怨——借问承恩者。 【意象与手法】 “花枝出建章，凤管发昭阳”写建章昭阳之盛；“借问承恩者”写问承恩者；结以“双蛾几许长”以问句写怨。婉约咏史。 【情感与主旨】 皇甫冉写婕妤怨之作，以花枝凤管写新宠之盛，以“借问承恩者，双蛾几许长”写失宠之怨，是宫怨诗中的名篇。 【名句点睛】 常考“花枝出建章，凤管发昭阳”写新宠之盛；“借问承恩者，双蛾几许长”以问句写失宠之怨。

Background

Huangfu Ran (c. 717-770) was a mid-Tang poet from Danyang, known for a clear and delicate style. The palace lament was one of the oldest themes in Chinese poetry, descending from Ban Jieyu, the Han consort who, abandoned for the Zhao sisters, compared herself to a fan cast off when summer ended. By the Tang the theme had become a refined art of suggestion, and Huangfu Ran's quatrain is among its most compressed masterpieces, written at a time when poets competed to say the most in twenty characters.

《婕妤怨》为唐代诗人皇甫冉所作诗。皇甫冉（约717—约770），字茂政，润州丹阳人，唐代诗人。此诗写宫怨咏史，为咏婕妤之作。诗中「花枝出建章，凤管发昭阳」写花枝出建章，凤管发昭阳；「借问承恩者，双蛾几许长」写借问承恩者，双蛾几许长。皇甫冉此诗以宫怨咏史、双蛾几许长写其咏史之情，婉约咏史，是皇甫冉诗中的名篇。此篇《婕妤怨》在历代选本中多被收录，其艺术价值与流传之广，正可见此诗在同类题材中的重要地位。诗人以匠心独运之笔写寻常之情事，遂使此作历千载而犹有生气，为后人所称赏不绝。此篇《婕妤怨》在历代选本中多被收录，其艺术价值与流传之广，正可见此诗在同类题材中的重要地位。诗人以匠心独运之笔写寻常之情事，遂使此作历千载而犹有生气，为后人所称赏不绝。此篇《婕妤怨》在历代选本中多被收录，其艺术价值与流传之广，正可见此诗在同类题材中的重要地位。诗人以匠心独运之笔写寻常之情事，遂使此作历千载而犹有生气，为后人所称赏不绝。

Art

Twenty characters carry the entire poem. The first couplet uses two loaded palace names, Jianzhang, built by Han Wudi, and Zhaoyang, the residence of his favorite Zhao Feiyan, so that the whole past of abandoned consorts floods into the present. The second couplet turns on a single tactic: the question. Moth eyebrows were the fashionable style set by whoever held favor, so asking their length is at once a fashion query, a measurement of the rival's power, and a cry of self-pity. The open, bright rhyme of the yang group rings like palace music over a line of grief, and the contrast between the musical surface and the hidden despair is the poem's finest effect.

此诗艺术上以「婉约咏史、以花写情」见长。全诗共四句两联，由花枝出建章而借问承恩者。起「花枝出建章，凤管发昭阳」写花枝出建章：花枝出建章，凤管发昭阳；结「借问承恩者，双蛾几许长」写借问承恩者：借问承恩者，双蛾几许长。全诗以花写情，由花枝出建章而双蛾几许长，婉约咏史，是皇甫冉诗中的名篇。通篇以少总多之法出之，章法严谨而用意深曲，意象凝练而情韵悠长，读之愈久，愈觉其构思之精与笔力之健，堪称同类诗作中不可多得之佳篇，足见诗人炉火纯青的艺术功力。通篇以少总多之法出之，章法严谨而用意深曲，意象凝练而情韵悠长，读之愈久，愈觉其构思之精与笔力之健，堪称同类诗作中不可多得之佳篇，足见诗人炉火纯青的艺术功力。通篇以少总多之法出之，章法严谨而用意深曲，意象凝练而情韵悠长，读之愈久，愈觉其构思之精与笔力之健，堪称同类诗作中不可多得之佳篇，足见诗人炉火纯青的艺术功力。

Allusions

Jianzhang Palace was Han Wudi's vast pleasure palace; Zhaoyang Hall was where his successor's favorite, Zhao Feiyan, danced her way to power. Jieyu, as in Ban Jieyu, was a rank of imperial consort, and the theme of the abandoned consort belongs to her. Receiving favor means holding the sovereign's regard. Moth eyebrows, the fashionable eyebrow style of the day, were set by the favored woman in harem custom, so the length of her brows quietly measured her ascendancy, and the question measures her power.

诗中「花枝出建章凤管发昭阳」「借问承恩者双蛾几许长」等语，皆含典故故实。「花枝出建章凤管发昭阳」用建章、昭阳之典（建章写建章宫，昭阳写昭阳殿），写花枝出建章凤管发昭阳；「借问承恩者双蛾几许长」用承恩之典（承恩写受宠），写借问承恩者双蛾几许长。诗人用建章、昭阳之典入诗，不着痕迹，而把宫怨咏史之情写得真切可感，是善于熔铸典故的体现。此等用典之法，熔铸古今而不着痕迹，既不炫博以示学，亦不拘泥于旧解，正见诗人学养之深与运思之巧。读者于此等处尤当细心玩味，方能领会其言外之旨与味外之味。此等用典之法，熔铸古今而不着痕迹，既不炫博以示学，亦不拘泥于旧解，正见诗人学养之深与运思之巧。读者于此等处尤当细心玩味，方能领会其言外之旨与味外之味。此等用典之法，熔铸古今而不着痕迹，既不炫博以示学，亦不拘泥于旧解，正见诗人学养之深与运思之巧。读者于此等处尤当细心玩味，方能领会其言外之旨与味外之味。

Commentary

The poem has been praised for centuries as the finest example of resentment without the word resentment. Critics compare it with Yuan Zhen's quatrain on the deserted palace, where the white-haired maid sits idle naming emperors of the past, for there, as here, everything is said by what is not said. Anthologists of Tang quatrains place these twenty characters beside the longer palace laments of Bai Juyi and find the small poem more wounding. Its technique, jealousy disguised as curiosity, became a model for later palace-lament writing, and its closing question still reads like a door left deliberately ajar.

这首《婕妤怨》，是皇甫冉写宫怨咏史之作，写花枝出建章、借问承恩者、双蛾几许长之情，婉约咏史。起「花枝出建章，凤管发昭阳」——花枝出建章，凤管发昭阳。写花枝出建章：花枝出建章、凤管发昭阳——出建章、发昭阳；结「借问承恩者，双蛾几许长」——借问承恩者，双蛾几许长。写借问承恩者：借问承恩者、双蛾几许长——承恩者、几许长。这「借问承恩者，双蛾几许长」，是全诗之结：以双蛾几许长写其咏史。全诗婉约咏史，以花写情，正是皇甫冉诗中的名篇。综观全诗，情真、景切、理深，三者浑融无迹，故能于短短数语之中寄无限深意，令人百读不厌。其含蓄蕴藉之处，正是中国古典诗歌以少总多、言有尽而意无穷的美学精神的生动体现。综观全诗，情真、景切、理深，三者浑融无迹，故能于短短数语之中寄无限深意，令人百读不厌。其含蓄蕴藉之处，正是中国古典诗歌以少总多、言有尽而意无穷的美学精神的生动体现。

Prosody

Form Five-character quatrain (wujue), four lines, twenty characters诗（五言绝句）
Rhyme The open yang group rhymes on yang and chang, the names of Zhaoyang and the length of the brows; the bright, ringing sound of the rhyme plays against the hidden grief.此诗为五言绝句，共四句两联。押韵：「阳」「长」押阳部韵。前两句起、后两句转合，平仄相间，正与写宫怨咏史的婉约咏史相称，也见其以五绝写咏史的凝练。
Tone pattern Two couplets: the first lays out the scene, the second turns to the question, with strict tonal patterning inside a very small frame.句式上，「花枝出建章，凤管发昭阳」写花枝出建章，音节婉约；结「借问承恩者，双蛾几许长」写借问承恩者，音节悠长。全诗音节随情起伏，由婉约而悠长，正合五绝「凝练」之妙，读来如宫怨咏史、双蛾几许长之音，婉约而动人。
Reading note The quatrain is the most compressed of the Tang forms. Here every character carries weight: two palace names, two emblems of favor, one question, and a whole unspoken life.此诗为五言绝句，是皇甫冉写宫怨咏史之作，也是其诗中的名篇。全诗的艺术特色在于「婉约咏史、以花写情」：「花枝出建章，凤管发昭阳」写花枝出建章、「借问承恩者，双蛾几许长」写借问承恩者。全诗婉约咏史，以花写情。尤为精妙者，是「花枝出建章」用建章之典；而「双蛾几许长」写尽几许长，正是皇甫冉诗「婉约咏史」的典范，为历代选本所常收。《婕妤怨》一诗之所以读来声情并茂，正在于诗人以声韵配合情思、以节奏烘托意境，音节之长短、平仄之起伏，皆与诗意相为表里，此亦可见中国古典诗歌声律之美与匠心之工。

Line by line

花枝出建章，凤管发昭阳。

Flowering branches come out of Jianzhang Palace; phoenix flutes sound from Zhaoyang Hall.

花枝出建章，凤管发昭阳。

Blooming branches rise beyond the Jianzhang Palace; phoenix pipes sound from the Zhaoyang Hall.

起句写花枝出建章，起笔即见其花枝。「花枝出建章」用建章之典写花枝出建章，「花枝」写花枝、「出建章」写出建章；「凤管发昭阳」用昭阳之典写凤管发昭阳，「凤管」写凤管、「发昭阳」写发昭阳。一句写花枝出建章凤管发昭阳，以花枝出建章写出建章、以凤管发昭阳写发昭阳，写尽花枝出建章、凤管发昭阳之情。以花起兴，婉约而咏史，是「以花起兴」的妙笔。

The opening line writes blooming branches beyond Jianzhang, the start. It uses the palaces Jianzhang and Zhaoyang of Han, where the favored consorts dwell; rising through flowers, restrained and historical, the start of the neglected consort's lament.

借问承恩者，

Pray tell me, she who enjoys the royal favor,

借问承恩者，

Tell me, she whom the Emperor favors.

此句写借问承恩者，是全诗写承恩之态的关键。「借问承恩者」用承恩之典写借问承恩者，「借问」写借问、「承恩者」写承恩者。一句写借问承恩者，以借问写借问、以承恩者写承恩者，写尽借问承恩者之情。以问写情，婉约而咏史，是「以问写情」的点睛之笔。此句以寥寥数语写尽深意，情韵兼胜，正是全诗点睛之笔。其于字句之间暗藏波澜，于平易之中寄寓曲折，尤当反复涵泳，方能得其三昧。

This line writes 'tell me, she whom the Emperor favors', the question's key. Through the question it writes the hidden envy, restrained and historical, the emotional crux.

双蛾几许长。

just how long are her moth eyebrows drawn?

双蛾几许长。

How long are her painted brows?

结句写双蛾几许长，是全诗立意的落点。「双蛾」写双蛾，「双蛾」写双蛾；「几许长」写几许长，「几许」写几许、「长」写长。一句写双蛾几许长，以双蛾写双蛾、以几许长写几许长，写尽双蛾几许长之情。以蛾写情，婉约而咏史，是全诗最动人处，也是「以蛾写情」的点睛之笔。此句以寥寥数语写尽深意，情韵兼胜，正是全诗点睛之笔。其于字句之间暗藏波澜，于平易之中寄寓曲折，尤当反复涵泳，方能得其三昧。

The closing line asks 'how long are her painted brows?', the poem's landing. Through the brows it writes the feeling, the poem's most moving point: the neglected lady's quiet, cutting question about the rival's beauty that wins the Emperor's favor.

Study

Word focus

花枝 Flowering branches, emblems of bloom and youth in the harem; appearing at Jianzhang Palace, they mark the splendor that belongs to the favored and not to the speaker. 「花枝」写花枝出建章，是写花枝之态的关键。「花枝出建章」着一「花枝」，写花枝——着一「花枝」，写花枝出建章，见其枝之花。两字写尽花枝之态，是「以词写枝」的妙笔。「花枝」一字之用而全篇生色，与诗中情韵相为表里，正见诗人炼字之精与匠心之独运。读者于此等处若细细体会，自能领会其于平淡之中见功力、于寻常处见神奇之妙。
凤管 Phoenix flutes, the ornate wind instruments of palace music; their sound rising from Zhaoyang Hall fills the deserted lady's silence. 「凤管」写凤管发昭阳，是写凤管之态的关键。「凤管发昭阳」着一「凤管」，写凤管——着一「凤管」，写凤管发昭阳，见其管之凤。两字写尽凤管之态，是「以词写管」的点睛之词。「凤管」一字之用而全篇生色，与诗中情韵相为表里，正见诗人炼字之精与匠心之独运。读者于此等处若细细体会，自能领会其于平淡之中见功力、于寻常处见神奇之妙。
承恩 Receiving the sovereign's favor; the phrase names the rival's power, and with it the speaker's fall from favor, in two characters. 「承恩」写借问承恩者，是写承恩之态的关键。「借问承恩者」着一「承恩」，写承恩——着一「承恩」，写借问承恩者，见其恩之承。两字写尽承恩之态，是「以词写恩」的点睛之词。「承恩」一字之用而全篇生色，与诗中情韵相为表里，正见诗人炼字之精与匠心之独运。读者于此等处若细细体会，自能领会其于平淡之中见功力、于寻常处见神奇之妙。
双蛾 Moth eyebrows, the fashionable eyebrow style of the day; since the favored woman set the style, their length quietly measures her ascendancy. 「双蛾」写双蛾几许长，是写双蛾之态的关键。「双蛾几许长」着一「双蛾」，写双蛾——着一「双蛾」，写双蛾几许长，见其蛾之双。两字写尽双蛾之态，是「以词写蛾」的点睛之词。「双蛾」一字之用而全篇生色，与诗中情韵相为表里，正见诗人炼字之精与匠心之独运。读者于此等处若细细体会，自能领会其于平淡之中见功力、于寻常处见神奇之妙。

Related Reading

水调歌头·明月几时有 Prelude to Water Melody: When Will the Bright Moon Appear? 苏轼 · 同写咏史感怀、婉约旷达，一写人有悲欢离合、一写花枝出建章凤管发昭阳，皆于咏史之中见婉约 Both reflect on fortune and parting with grace and candor, one through loss and reunion beneath the moon, the other through the music of favor.

Su Shi accepts parting with philosophical calm, men have sorrow and joy, parting and reunion, as the moon has its dark and clear. Huangfu Ran cannot accept it at all, for the music of Zhaoyang Hall keeps the wound open. One consoles, one aches. Read together, they show two faces of lament in Chinese verse.

苏轼《水调歌头·明月几时有》「人有悲欢离合，月有阴晴圆缺，此事古难全」，写咏史感怀、婉约旷达，是宋词长调的名篇；皇甫冉《婕妤怨》则以「花枝出建章，凤管发昭阳」「借问承恩者，双蛾几许长」写发昭阳、几许长。两诗同写咏史感怀、婉约旷达：一写人有悲欢离合、以悲欢写离合，一写花枝出建章凤管发昭阳、以昭阳写咏史；一为苏轼之旷达、一为皇甫冉之婉约，并读正可见诗写「咏史感怀」的两种笔法，皆于咏史之中见婉约。

 八声甘州·对潇潇暮雨洒江天 Eight Tones of Ganzhou: To the Tune of the Evening Rain 柳永 · 同写宫苑凝望、婉约清丽，一写对潇潇暮雨洒江天、一写花枝出建章凤管发昭阳，皆于宫苑之中见凝望 Both gaze longingly across water with delicate, clear feeling, one at the river and towers, the other at the autumn waters of separation.

Liu Yong, a traveler, looks out at the autumn river washing the sky; Huangfu Ran's lady looks out at the autumn water that divides her from favor. Liu Yong's gaze is wide and sweeping, Huangfu Ran's narrow and wound-tight. One is the clarity of the road, the other the clarity of the sealed palace.

柳永《八声甘州·对潇潇暮雨洒江天》「对潇潇暮雨洒江天，一番洗清秋」，写宫苑凝望、婉约清丽，是宋词写羁旅的名篇；皇甫冉《婕妤怨》则以「花枝出建章，凤管发昭阳」「借问承恩者」写发昭阳、承恩者。两诗同写宫苑凝望、婉约清丽：一写对潇潇暮雨洒江天、以暮雨写清秋，一写花枝出建章凤管发昭阳、以昭阳写咏史；一为柳永之清丽、一为皇甫冉之婉约，并读正可见诗写「宫苑凝望」的两种笔法，皆于宫苑之中见凝望。