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唐 Tang · 诗 Poem

九日齐山登高

Climbing Mount Qi on the Ninth Day (Double Ninth Festival)

杜牧

Du Mu

重阳Double Ninth Festival 豁达open-minded / carefree outlook

江涵秋影雁初飞，与客携壶上翠微。
尘世难逢开口笑，菊花须插满头归。
但将酩酊酬佳节，不用登临恨落晖。
古往今来只如此，牛山何必泪沾衣。

The river mirrors autumn's shade, the wild geese first take flight; With my guest I bear the wine-flask up the emerald height.
In this dusty world a hearty laugh is rarely found; Chrysanthemums I must wear full on my head before I turn around.
Let deep drunkenness requite this excellent holiday; No need, while climbing, to resent the fading ray.
Since ancient times till now it has been ever thus; Why should Mount Niu bring tears to wet our robes for us?

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Meaning

On the Double Ninth Festival the poet climbs Mount Qi with a friend, drinking wine and wearing chrysanthemums. He reflects that a true laugh is rare in the dusty world, so one should drink deeply and enjoy the moment rather than mourn the setting sun. Citing the ancient tale of Duke Jing weeping on Mount Niu, he asks why we should shed tears over life's brevity.

江水涵映着秋影，大雁初飞，与客携壶，登上翠微。尘世难逢开口一笑，菊花须要插满头才归。但将酩酊大醉来酬答佳节，不用登临而恨落日余晖。古往今来都是如此，牛山何必泪落沾衣。

Appreciation

This is one of Du Mu's most celebrated regulated poems, written when he served as governor of Chizhou and climbed Mount Qi with the poet Zhang Hu on the Double Ninth Festival. The first half depicts the climb and the joy of drinking; the second turns to philosophical resignation about life's uncertainties. Though outwardly carefree, the poem hides a deep undercurrent of frustration at his stalled career, making it a model of 'profound feeling beneath an easy manner.'

【白话串讲】杜牧写《九日齐山登高》：“江涵秋影雁初飞，与客携壶上翠微”——“尘世难逢开口笑，菊花须插满头归”——“但将酩酊酬佳节，不用登临恨落晖”——“古往今来只如此，牛山何必泪沾衣”——他重阳登高，劝人豁达。【意象与手法】此诗是杜牧重九登高、感怀身世的名篇，写秋日登齐山与友人饮宴的旷达与感慨，是杜牧七律中的名篇。前两联写登高与纵饮：「江涵秋影雁初飞，与客携壶上翠微」写江涵秋影、携壶登高的秋景与兴致；「尘世难逢开口笑，菊花须插满头归」写尘世难逢一笑、菊花插满头归的旷达，是千古名句。后两联写感慨与旷达：「但将酩酊酬佳节，不用登临恨落晖」写以酩酊酬佳节、不恨落晖的达观；「古往今来只如此，牛山何必泪沾衣」以牛山沾衣的典故写人生无常的感慨，是千古名句。全诗由登高到纵饮，由纵饮到感慨，由感慨到旷达，情感起伏有致，是杜牧七律中「旷达中见深沉」的名篇。【情感与主旨】此诗约作于唐武宗会昌五年（845），时杜牧任池州刺史，重阳节与友人张祜同登齐山（在池州，今安徽贵池）饮酒赏菊，写下此诗。杜牧早年有经世之志，却屡遭排挤（曾因卷入党争而外放），仕途并不得意；张祜亦怀才不遇（一生布衣，杜牧为其鸣不平）。二人重阳登高，同病相怜，遂有此诗。诗中「江涵秋影雁初飞，与客携壶上翠微」写秋日登高的兴致——江水涵映秋影、大雁初飞，正是重阳的秋景，与客携壶登上齐山，写尽登高的兴致；「尘世难逢开口笑，菊花须插满头归」写难得的欢愉——尘世难得开怀一笑，今日与友登高，便当插菊满头、尽兴而归，那「须插满头」写尽纵情尽兴；「但将酩酊酬佳节，不用登临恨落晖」写以酒遣怀的达观——但用酩酊大醉来酬答这佳节，不必登高远望而恨落日余晖，那「酩酊」「不用恨」写尽看破的达观；「古往今来只如此，牛山何必泪沾衣」以牛山之典写人生无常的感慨——古往今来，人生无常皆如此，何必学齐景公在牛山上为人生短暂而落泪沾衣？那「何必泪沾衣」的反问，既有对人生无常的感慨，也有看破后的旷达。全诗表面旷达，骨子里却有身世之感与人生之叹，是杜牧「旷达中见深沉」的名篇。【名句点睛】常考“尘世难逢开口笑，菊花须插满头归”写登高的旷达；“古往今来只如此，牛山何必泪沾衣”以牛山典写人生无常的达观。

Background

This poem was likely written in the fifth year of the Huichang era of Emperor Wuzong of Tang (845), when Du Mu was governor of Chizhou (present-day Chizhou, Anhui). On the Double Ninth Festival he climbed Mount Qi (in Guichi, Chizhou, also called Qishan) with his friend Zhang Hu, drinking wine and viewing chrysanthemums, and composed this poem. Du Mu was a descendant of a famous late-Tang minister (grandson of Du You), and from youth harbored ambitions to serve the age (his 'Fu on the Epang Palace': 'The Qin had no leisure to mourn themselves, but later men mourn them'). Yet he was caught in factional strife (the Niu-Li party struggles) and his official career was rough, with repeated exiles. Zhang Hu was a late-Tang poet, a commoner all his life, unrecognized despite his talent (his 'Three thousand li from the old kingdom, twenty years in the deep palace' was once famous), and Du Mu spoke out on his behalf (his 'Climbing the Nine-Peak Tower at Chizhou, Sent to Zhang Hu': 'Who can compare to Master Zhang, whose thousand poems outweigh a myriad marquises?'). The two climbed Mount Qi together on the festival, kindred in misfortune, and Du Mu wrote this poem. 'The river mirrors autumn's shade, the wild geese first take flight; with my guest I bear the flask up the emerald slope' depicts the autumn scene and the pleasure of climbing on the Double Ninth — Mount Qi faces the river, the water holds the reflection of the autumn mountain, the wild geese just take flight, exactly the Double Ninth autumn scene. 'In the dusty world a laughing smile is rarely found' writes how rare a smile is in the world (Zhuangzi: 'The highest life-span is a hundred years, the middle eighty, the lowest sixty; deducting sickness, death, mourning, and care, the days one can open the mouth and laugh are no more than four or five in a month'); 'chrysanthemums I must wear full on my head before return' writes the custom of wearing chrysanthemums to the full on the Double Ninth — that 'must wear full on the head' writes utter abandon. 'Let drunkenness requite the fine holiday, no need to climb and resent the sinking ray' shows the open-mindedness of drinking to forget. 'Since ancient times till now it has been only so, why should Mount Niu bring tears to wet our clothes' uses the Mount Niu allusion — Duke Jing of Qi climbed Mount Niu, looked north toward his capital and wept, 'How beautiful is my land! If the ancients had not died, where would I go from here?' (remonstrated by Yanzi) — later 'tears of Mount Niu' signified sorrow at life's brevity, and Du Mu's rhetorical 'why should tears wet our clothes' writes the open-mindedness of seeing through. This poem is a famous regulated verse of Du Mu's, writing both the carefree climb on the Double Ninth and the lament at life's uncertainty, and is a key work for understanding the late-Tang literati mindset of self-consolation amid factionalism and frustrated officialdom.

此诗约作于唐武宗会稽五年（845），时杜牧任池州（今安徽池州）刺史，重阳节与友人张祜同登齐山（在池州贵池，亦称齐山），饮酒赏菊，写下此诗。杜牧是晚唐名臣之后（杜佑之孙），少有经世之志（其《阿房宫赋》「秦人不暇自哀，而后人哀之」），却因卷入党争（牛李党争）而仕途坎坷，屡遭外放。张祜是晚唐诗人，一生布衣、怀才不遇（其「故国三千里，深宫二十年」名动一时），杜牧为张祜鸣不平（其《登池州九峰楼寄张祜》「谁人得似张公子，千首诗轻万户侯」）。二人重阳同登齐山，同病相怜，杜牧遂作此诗。诗中「江涵秋影雁初飞，与客携壶上翠微」写重阳登高的秋景与兴致——齐山临江，江水涵映着秋山的倒影，大雁初飞，正是重阳时节的秋景；「尘世难逢开口笑」写尘世之难得一笑（《庄子》「上寿百岁，中寿八十，下寿六十，除病瘐死丧忧患，其中开口而笑者，一月之中不过四五日而已矣」），「菊花须插满头归」写重阳插菊尽兴（重阳饮菊花酒、插茱萸、赏菊），那「须插满头」写尽纵情尽兴；「但将酩酊酬佳节，不用登临恨落晖」写以酩酊酬佳节、不恨落晖的达观——「酩酊」写大醉，「酬佳节」写以酒酬答佳节，「恨落晖」写为落日（光阴流逝、人生迟暮）而恨；「古往今来只如此，牛山何必泪沾衣」用牛山之典——齐景公游牛山，北望国都而泣曰：「美哉国乎！使古而无死者，则寡人将去此而何之？」（晏子谏之），后以「牛山泪」写人生短暂之悲，杜牧以「何必泪沾衣」的反问，写看破后的旷达。此诗是杜牧七律中的名篇，写重阳登高的旷达与人生无常的感慨，也是理解其晚唐士人心态（在党争与仕途失意中的自我排遣）的关键作品。

Art

The artistic features of this poem can be analyzed on four levels. First, the conception moving from scene to feeling: the whole begins with the autumn scene, to climbing, to the lament, to the open-mindedness — entering feeling from scene, advancing layer by layer, with well-modulated emotion. Second, writing openness through joy: the whole writes the joy of the Double Ninth climb; the more fully the joy is written, the more the open-mindedness of seeing through life shows — precisely because life is uncertain, one must enjoy to the full. Third, the rhetorical question using allusion: 'Why should Mount Niu bring tears to wet our clothes' uses the allusion of Duke Jing of Qi weeping on Mount Niu, writing the seeing-through with the rhetorical 'why should' — since ancient times life's uncertainty has been thus, why weep for life's brevity? Writing principle through allusion, writing openness through question, implicit and profound. Fourth, the density of famous lines: this poem is one dense with famous lines of Du Mu's, both being eternal famous lines. The four techniques advancing layer by layer make this poem a famous regulated verse of Du Mu's that is 'profound feeling beneath an easy manner.'

此诗的艺术特色可从四个层面解析。其一，由景入情的构思。全诗由「江涵秋影雁初飞」的秋景写起，到「与客携壶上翠微」的登高，到「尘世难逢开口笑」的感慨，到「牛山何必泪沾衣」的旷达，由景入情、层层推进，情感起伏有致。其二，以乐写旷达。全诗写重阳登高的欢乐——江涵秋影、携壶登高、插菊满头、酩酊酬佳节，那欢乐写得越足，看破人生的旷达越显——正因人生无常，才要尽情尽兴，以乐写达、以欢写悲。其三，用典的反问。「牛山何必泪沾衣」用齐景公牛山之泣的典故，以「何必」的反问写看破——古往今来，人生无常皆如此，何必为人生短暂而落泪？以典写理、以问写达，含蓄深沉。其四，名句的密集。此诗是杜牧名句密集的诗篇：「尘世难逢开口笑，菊花须插满头归」写尘世的难得与重阳的尽兴，「古往今来只如此，牛山何必泪沾衣」写人生的无常与旷达，都是千古名句。四重手法层层推进，使此诗成为杜牧七律中「旷达中见深沉」的名篇。

Allusions

The imagery and allusions of this poem are deeply rooted in the Double Ninth and life traditions. 'The river mirrors autumn's shade, the wild geese first take flight' writes the Double Ninth autumn scene — 'the river mirrors autumn's shade' writes the water holding the reflection of the autumn mountain ('mirror' writes water and light reflecting each other); 'wild geese first take flight' writes the geese just migrating. 'With my guest I bear the flask up the emerald slope' writes bearing the flask to climb — 'bearing the flask' writes carrying a wine flask (climbing and drinking, a Double Ninth custom), 'emerald slope' writes the green-shaded mountain color (Li Bai's 'looking back at the path I came, the green spreads across the emerald slope'), recalling Wang Wei's 'knowing from afar my brothers climb high, dogwood planted all around, one is missing.' 'In the dusty world a laughing smile is rarely found' adapts Zhuangzi — writing how rare a carefree laugh is in the world, hinting at lament over life's cares. 'Chrysanthemums I must wear full on my head before return' writes the Double Ninth custom of wearing chrysanthemums to the full — recalling the free image of 'chrysanthemums full on the head' and Tao Yuanming picking chrysanthemums by the eastern hedge. 'Let drunkenness requite the fine holiday, no need to climb and resent the sinking ray' writes forgetting cares through wine, recalling Li Shangyin's 'the setting sun is infinitely fine, only it is near dusk' and the tradition of 'enjoy the moment'; the open-mindedness of 'no need to climb and resent the sinking ray' recalls Tao Yuanming's 'picking chrysanthemums by the eastern hedge, calmly seeing the southern mountain.' 'Since ancient times till now it has been only so, why should Mount Niu bring tears to wet our clothes' uses the Mount Niu allusion — Duke Jing of Qi climbed Mount Niu, looked north toward his capital and wept (remonstrated by Yanzi, recorded in the Yanzi Spring and Autumn and the Records of the Grand Historian); later 'tears of Mount Niu' signified sorrow at life's brevity, and Du Mu's rhetorical 'why should tears wet our clothes' writes the seeing-through, recalling Li Bai's 'when life goes well, be merry, never let the golden cup face the moon empty' and Su Shi's 'life is like a dream, one cup to libate the river moon.' The whole adapts the imagery and allusions of Zhuangzi, Yanzi, Tao Yuanming, and Li Bai — writing principle through allusion, writing openness through question — precisely Du Mu's gift of 'writing feeling through allusion.'

此诗的意象与典故深植于重阳与人生传统。「江涵秋影雁初飞」写重阳秋景——「江涵秋影」写江水涵映秋山的倒影（「涵」写水光相映，令人想到「洞庭春尽水如天」的水光），「雁初飞」写大雁初飞（重阳时节，雁南飞，令人想到「雁阵惊寒，声断衡阳之浦」）；「与客携壶上翠微」写携壶登高——「携壶」写携带酒壶（登高饮酒，重阳习俗），「翠微」写青翠掩映的山色（李白「却顾所来径，苍苍横翠微」），令人想到王维「遥知兄弟登高处，遍插茱萸少一人」的重阳登高。「尘世难逢开口笑」化用《庄子》之语（《庄子·盗跖》「人上寿百岁，中寿八十，下寿六十，除病瘐死丧忧患，其中开口而笑者，一月之中不过四五日而已矣」）——写尘世难得开怀一笑，暗含对人生忧患的感慨；「菊花须插满头归」写重阳插菊尽兴——重阳饮菊花酒、赏菊、插菊，那「须插满头」写纵情尽兴（令人想到「满头插菊」的放达形象与陶渊明采菊东篱的隐逸）。「但将酩酊酬佳节，不用登临恨落晖」写以酒遣怀——「酩酊」写大醉（《晋书》「酩酊无所知」），「酬佳节」写以酒酬答佳节，「恨落晖」写为落日（光阴流逝）而恨，令人想到李商隐「夕阳无限好，只是近黄昏」的落晖之叹与「及时行乐」的传统；「不用登临恨落晖」的达观，令人想到陶渊明「采菊东篱下，悠然见南山」的闲适。「古往今来只如此，牛山何必泪沾衣」用牛山之典——齐景公游牛山，北望国都而泣（「美哉国乎！使古而无死者，则寡人将去此而何之？」晏子谏之，事见《晏子春秋》《史记》），后以「牛山泪」「牛山悲」写人生短暂之悲，杜牧以「何必泪沾衣」的反问写看破，令人想到李白「人生得意须尽欢，莫使金樽空对月」的及时行乐与苏轼「人生如梦，一尊还酹江月」的旷达。全诗化用《庄子》、晏子、陶渊明、李白的意象与典故，以典写理、以问写达，正是杜牧「以典写情」的本领。

Commentary

This poem has always been praised as a famous regulated verse of Du Mu's, and is also the source of eternal famous lines such as 'in the dusty world a laughing smile is rarely found' and 'since ancient times till now it has been only so, why should Mount Niu bring tears to wet our clothes.' Critics through the ages rate it very highly: the Qing scholar Shen Deqian said of this poem, 'The whole is open-minded, yet self-lament runs deep beneath'; modern scholars further point out that on the surface it writes the openness of the Double Ninth climb, but at its core holds the self-feeling of his career and the lament at life's uncertainty — a model of Du Mu's 'profound feeling beneath an easy manner.' In literary history, the special value of this poem lies in: using the joy of the Double Ninth climb, it writes the late-Tang literati's self-consolation amid factionalism and frustrated officialdom — that lament of 'in the dusty world a laughing smile is rarely found' hints at Du Mu's rough career and rare moments of cheer; that abandon of 'chrysanthemums I must wear full on my head before return' is the consolation of a disappointed man 'enjoying the moment'; that indulgence of 'let drunkenness requite the fine holiday' is self-numbing after seeing through; that rhetorical 'why should Mount Niu bring tears to wet our clothes' turns the lament at life's uncertainty into openness. This poem, like Du Mu's other reflective poems, writes the late-Tang literati's state of mind and life's lament. For today's readers, this poem is a window into Du Mu's frustrated career and the late-Tang literati mindset, and a model for feeling the Chinese poetic traditions of 'Double Ninth climbing' and 'life's openness' — that river-mirrored autumn shade, the chrysanthemums worn full on the head, the tears of 'why should Mount Niu,' crossing a thousand years, still tell of a disappointed poet's complex state of mind that is 'easy on the surface, deep at the bone.'

此诗历来被推为杜牧七律中的名篇，也是「尘世难逢开口笑」「古往今来只如此，牛山何必泪沾衣」等千古名句的出处。历代论者对此诗评价极高：清人沈德潜评此诗「通首旷达，自伤之意深焉」，近人更指出此诗表面写重阳登高的旷达，骨子里却含身世之感与人生无常的感慨，是杜牧「旷达中见深沉」的典范。在文学史上，此诗的特殊价值在于：它以重阳登高的欢乐，写出了晚唐士人在党争与仕途失意中的自我排遣——那「尘世难逢开口笑」的感慨，暗含杜牧仕途坎坷、难得开怀的身世之感；那「菊花须插满头归」的尽兴，是失意者「及时行乐」的排遣；那「但将酩酊酬佳节」的纵酒，是看破后的自我麻醉；那「牛山何必泪沾衣」的反问，更是把人生无常的感慨化为旷达。诗中「尘世难逢开口笑，菊花须插满头归」以《庄子》「开口而笑」写尘世之难得，以「插满头」写重阳之尽兴，是千古名句；「古往今来只如此，牛山何必泪沾衣」以齐景公牛山之泣写人生短暂，以「何必泪沾衣」写看破后的旷达，更是千古名句。此诗与杜牧的其他感怀诗（如《题宣州开元寺水阁》）一样，都是写晚唐士人的心境与人生感慨。对于今日读者，此诗是理解杜牧仕途失意与晚唐士人心态的窗口，也是感受中国诗歌「重阳登高」与「人生旷达」传统的典范——那江涵的秋影、插满头的菊花、牛山何必的泪，穿越千年，仍在诉说着一个失意诗人「表面旷达、骨子深沉」的复杂心境。

Prosody

Form Seven-character regulated verse (level-tone opening, first line enters the rhyme)七言律诗（平起首句入韵）

Rhyme Rhymes with the upper-level fifth 'wei' rhyme; rhyme-words are 'fei' (flight), 'wei' (emerald), 'gui' (return), 'hui' (ray), 'yi' (clothes). The first line's 'fei' enters the rhyme with a level tone, conforming to the first-line-enters-rhyme pattern. The rhyme-words all belong to the 'wei' group, with a long, clear, distant sound, fitting the lofty, carefree mood of the climb.押上平五微韵，韵脚为「飞」「微」「归」「晖」「衣」。首句「飞」字平声入韵，属首句入韵之格。韵脚「飞」「微」「归」「晖」「衣」皆属微部，韵音悠长清远，正合其登高旷达的意境。

Tone pattern The tonal pattern: 'The river mirrors autumn's shade, the wild geese first take flight' — level level level oblique oblique level level; 'With my guest I bear the flask up the emerald slope' — oblique oblique level level oblique oblique level; 'In the dusty world a laughing smile is rarely found' — level oblique level level level oblique oblique; 'Chrysanthemums I must wear full on my head before return' — oblique level level oblique oblique level level; 'Let drunkenness requite the fine holiday' — oblique level oblique oblique level level oblique; 'No need to climb and resent the sinking ray' — oblique oblique level level oblique oblique level; 'Since ancient times till now it has been only so' — oblique oblique level level oblique level oblique; 'Why should Mount Niu bring tears to wet our clothes' — level level level oblique oblique level level. The whole poem's level-oblique pattern conforms to the seven-character regulated verse rules, with exquisite antithesis and fluent cadence.江涵秋影雁初飞，平平平仄仄平平；与客携壶上翠微，仄仄平平仄仄平；尘世难逢开口笑，平仄平平平仄仄；菊花须插满头归，仄平平仄仄平平；但将酩酊酬佳节，仄平仄仄平平仄；不用登临恨落晖，仄仄平平仄仄平；古往今来只如此，仄仄平平仄平仄；牛山何必泪沾衣，平平平仄仄平平。全诗平仄合于七律格律，对仗精工，音节流畅。

Reading note This is a seven-character regulated verse with level-tone opening and first line entering the rhyme, using the level-tone 'wei' rhyme, strictly formed, with exquisite antithesis — a famous piece of Du Mu's regulated verse that is 'profound feeling beneath an easy manner.' The four couplets are clearly structured: the first couplet writes the autumn scene of climbing; the second writes the abandon of drinking; the third writes the open-mindedness of forgetting cares through wine; the final couplet writes the openness over life's uncertainty. The first two couplets write scene and joy, the latter two write lament and openness, in orderly composition. In tone, the whole uses the level-tone 'wei' rhyme, long and clear and distant, matching the autumn scene and the openness — fluent throughout yet not without depth. In reciting, the first two couplets should be read with a bright tone, the third couplet with a deep tone, the final couplet with a carefree tone — especially the last couplet, which should be read with lingering meaning to convey Du Mu's state of mind. Du Mu's regulated verses are known for being 'handsome and brisk'; this poem is exactly the representative of the 'open-minded' among his regulated verses.此诗是平起首句入韵的七言律诗，押平声微韵，格律严整，对仗精工，是杜牧七律中「旷达中见深沉」的名篇。全诗四联结构分明：首联写登高的秋景（江涵秋影、携壶登高），颔联写纵饮的尽兴（难逢开口笑、插菊满头归），颈联写以酒遣怀的达观（酩酊酬佳节、不用恨落晖），尾联写人生无常的旷达（古往今来只如此、牛山何必泪沾衣）。前两联写景与乐，后两联写感慨与旷达，章法井然。声调上，全诗以平声微韵为韵脚，韵音悠长清远，配合「江涵秋影」的秋景与「牛山何必」的旷达，全篇音节流畅而不失深沉。诵读此诗，宜以明快的语调读前两联的登高与尽兴，以深沉的语调读颈联的遣怀，以旷达的语调读尾联的旷达，尤其「古往今来只如此，牛山何必泪沾衣」两句，要读得意味深长，方能传达出杜牧「旷达中见深沉」的心境。杜牧七律以「俊爽」著称，此诗正是其七律中「旷达」的代表。

Line by line

尘世难逢开口笑，菊花须插满头归。

In this dusty world a hearty laugh is rarely found; chrysanthemums I must wear full on my head before I turn around. — A famous couplet writing lament and abandon: 'rarely found' writes the world's sorrow, 'must wear full on the head' writes the Double Ninth's utter enjoyment; the contrast shows a disappointed man's openness — precisely because joy is rare, one must revel now.

尘世难逢开口一笑，菊花须要插满头才归。

In this dusty world, a laugh from the heart is rare; you must put chrysanthemums in your hair before going home.

这两句是全诗写感慨与尽兴的名句，也是千古名句，以「难逢开口笑」写尘世的忧患，以「须插满头归」写重阳的尽兴，由悲转达。「尘世难逢开口笑」写尘世之难得——尘世难得开怀一笑，化用《庄子》「开口而笑者，一月之中不过四五日而已矣」——人生在世，病瘐死丧忧患居多，难得开怀一笑，那「难逢」写尽尘世的忧患与人生的艰难；「菊花须插满头归」写重阳之尽兴——今日重阳登高，菊花须要插满头才归，「须插满头」写纵情尽兴——那「须」字写尽「非插满头不可」的决绝，那「满头」写尽插菊之多、尽兴之极。这两句的深意在于：它以「难逢开口笑」与「须插满头归」的对照，写出失意者的旷达——正因尘世难得一笑，才更要在此刻尽情尽兴；正因人生忧患居多，才更要把菊花插满头、把欢乐记在心。那「难逢」的悲与「须插满头」的达，正是杜牧「旷达中见深沉」的写照——他深知尘世之难，故更珍惜此刻之乐。以「难逢」写忧患、以「须插满头」写尽兴，正是杜牧由悲转达的本领，也让这两句成为重阳诗与旷达诗的千古名句。

These two lines are the famous passage on reflection and full enjoyment, quoted through the ages, using 'a laugh from the heart is rare' for the world's grief, and 'put chrysanthemums in your hair' for the Double Ninth's fullness, turning from grief to release. 'In this dusty world, a laugh from the heart is rare' writes the rarity — the world seldom gives a free laugh, transforming Zhuangzi's 'in a month, the days when one laughs from the heart are no more than four or five' — in life, illness, death, and care prevail, a free laugh rare; 'rare' writes to the full the world's anxieties and life's hardships. 'You must put chrysanthemums in your hair before going home' writes the festival's fullness — this Double Ninth climb, chrysanthemums must fill the hair before returning, 'must' the resolve of 'not otherwise', 'in your hair' the abundance and the utmost enjoyment. The depth: the contrast of 'a laugh is rare' and 'must put in your hair' writes the breadth of the disappointed man — precisely because a laugh is rare, the more he enjoys this moment to the full; precisely because hardship prevails, the more he wears the chrysanthemums and keeps the joy in his heart. The grief of 'rare' and the release of 'must' are Du Mu's own picture — knowing the world's hardness, he cherishes this moment's joy the more.

古往今来只如此，牛山何必泪沾衣。

Since ancient times till now it has been ever thus; why should Mount Niu bring tears to wet our robes for us? — The thematic climax: 'ever thus' writes the universality of life's uncertainty; 'why should tears wet our clothes' turns Duke Jing of Qi's weeping into a rhetorical question of seeing-through, resolving sorrow into openness.

古往今来都是如此，牛山何必泪落沾衣。

Through the ages it has ever been thus; why should I, like Qi on the Ox Mountain, wet my robe with tears?

这两句是全诗的点题之笔，也是千古名句，以「只如此」写人生无常的普遍，以「何必泪沾衣」写看破后的旷达，深沉而达观。「古往今来只如此」写人生无常的普遍——古往今来，人生短暂、聚散无常，都是如此，「只如此」三字写尽人生无常的普遍与必然——不是某一代的悲剧，而是古往今来皆然的宿命，那「只如此」写尽看破后的平静；「牛山何必泪沾衣」写看破后的旷达——何必学齐景公在牛山上为人生短暂而落泪沾衣？「牛山」用齐景公牛山之泣的典故（齐景公游牛山，北望国都而泣，为人生短暂而悲），「何必泪沾衣」以反问写看破——古往今来皆如此，何必为人生短暂而哭泣？那「何必」的反问，把对人生无常的感慨化为旷达。这两句的深意在于：它以「只如此」写人生无常的不可改变，以「何必泪沾衣」写面对无常的旷达——正因古往今来皆如此，哭泣无益，不如纵情尽兴（呼应前文「菊花须插满头归」）；那「何必」的反问，既是自我宽解，也是对牛山泪（以及一切为人生短暂而悲者）的超越。以「只如此」写普遍、以「何必泪沾衣」写旷达，正是杜牧「以典写达」的本领，也让这两句成为写「人生旷达」的千古名句。

These two lines are the poem's point and a famous couplet, using 'ever been thus' for the universality of mutability, and 'why should I wet my robe with tears?' for the release after seeing through, deep yet detached. 'Through the ages it has ever been thus' writes the universality — through the ages, life short and gathering uncertain, ever thus; 'ever been thus' writes to the full the universality and necessity, not one generation's tragedy but the fate of all time, the calm after seeing through. 'Why should I, like Qi on the Ox Mountain, wet my robe with tears?' writes the detachment — why, like Duke Jing of Qi on the Ox Mountain, weep for life's brevity? It uses the allusion: Duke Jing of Qi, touring the Ox Mountain, wept north toward his capital, grieving life's short span. 'Why should I wet my robe with tears?' the counter-question of seeing through — since the ages have ever been thus, why weep for life's shortness? The 'why' turns the lament for mutability into release. The depth: 'ever been thus' writes the unalterable, 'why should I?' writes the breadth before mutability — precisely because the ages are thus, weeping is vain; better to enjoy to the full (echoing 'put chrysanthemums in your hair'). The 'why' is both self-comfort and transcendence of the Ox Mountain tears and all who grieve for life's shortness.

Study

Word focus

涵 'Mirror' (han) is the key character for the autumn-river reflection, writing in one word the interplay of water and mountain shadow, vivid and spirited. It means to hold and reflect. Du Mu writes 'The river mirrors autumn's shade' with one 'mirror' of at least double meaning: first, the reflection of water-light — the river holds the reflection of the autumn mountain, as if water and mountain merge; second, the depth of autumn — 'mirror' also means to contain and store, the river holding the autumn color's profundity and clarity. Writing the scene with 'mirror' rather than 'reflect' or 'shine' shows the crafting: 'reflect' is only surface, 'mirror' is deep containment. Only 'mirror' writes both the river-mirrored shade and autumn's depth, making the line a famous autumn scene. 「涵」字是写秋江倒影的关键字，一个「涵」字写尽水光山影的相映，生动而传神。涵者，涵映、包含也。杜牧以「江涵秋影雁初飞」写秋景，一个「涵」字，至少有双重意味：其一，写水光之涵映——「江涵秋影」写江水涵映着秋山的倒影，「涵」字写尽水光相映、山影入江的景象——那江水如镜，涵映着秋山的影子，一「涵」字写尽水与山的交融；其二，写秋色之深——「涵」还有「涵养、蕴蓄」之意，写那江水涵蕴着秋色——秋影（秋山的影子、秋光）尽涵于江水中，那「涵」字写尽秋色的深沉与江水的澄澈。以「涵」写秋景，正是杜牧炼字的匠心：他不写「江映秋影」，而写「江涵秋影」——「映」只是表面的照影，「涵」却是深沉的蕴蓄，那「涵」字写尽秋江的澄澈与秋色的深沉，令人想到孟浩然「八月湖水平，涵虚混太清」的「涵虚」用法。若换作「映」「照」等字，则或失其「蕴蓄」的深沉，或失其水光相映的灵动；唯「涵」字，以一字写尽秋江涵影的景象与秋色的深沉，也让「江涵秋影雁初飞」成为写秋景的名句。

何必 'Why should' (he bi) is the key phrase for openness, writing the seeing-through with a rhetorical question, light yet weighty. He bi means why must one, what need. Du Mu writes 'Why should Mount Niu bring tears to wet our clothes' with one 'why should' of at least double meaning: first, the openness of seeing-through — why weep for life's brevity? The rhetorical question writes the full seeing-through of life's uncertainty; second, self-consolation — 'why should' is both asking Duke Jing and asking himself, the rhetorical question being a disappointed man's consoling of himself. Writing openness with 'why should' is Du Mu's gift of 'writing openness through question': rather than stating 'no need to grieve,' he asks 'why should tears wet our clothes' — the question has more force and aftertaste than a plain statement. 「何必」二字是写旷达的关键字，以「何必」的反问写看破，举重若轻。何必，为什么一定要、何须。杜牧以「牛山何必泪沾衣」写旷达，一个「何必」，至少有双重意味：其一，写看破之达——「何必泪沾衣」写何必为人生短暂而落泪沾衣？那「何必」的反问，写尽对人生无常的看破——古往今来皆如此，哭泣无益，何必落泪？以「何必」写旷达，举重若轻；其二，写自我之宽解——「何必」既是问牛山（齐景公），也是问自己——那「何必」的反问，正是失意者对自己的宽解：不必为仕途失意而悲，不必为人生短暂而泣，那「何必」写尽自我排遣的达观。以「何必」写旷达，正是杜牧「以问写达」的本领：他不直写「不必悲伤」，而以「何必泪沾衣」的反问写之——那「何必」的问，比直述更有力量，也更有余味。若换作「不必」「无须」等词，则或失其反问的力度，或失其自我宽解的深意；唯「何必」二字，以反问写看破、以问写达，也让「牛山何必泪沾衣」成为写人生旷达的千古名句。