唐 Tang · 诗 Poem
客至
For a Guest
舍南舍北皆春水，但见群鸥日日来。
花径不曾缘客扫，蓬门今始为君开。
盘飧市远无兼味，樽酒家贫只旧醅。
肯与邻翁相对饮，隔篱呼取尽余杯。
I see but flocks of gulls coming from day to day.
The footpath is not swept for any visitor;
The wicket gate is opened only for you today.
Far from market, I can afford but simple dish;
Being not rich, I have only old wine for your cup.
To drink together with my neighbor if you please,
I'll call him over the fence to finish the cups.
Meaning
The poet welcomes a rare guest to his thatched cottage by the river, expressing sincere joy and humble hospitality despite poverty.
草堂的南北两边都是涨起的春水，只看见成群的白鸥日日飞来。长满花草的小径还不曾因为客人而打扫，这柴门今天才第一次为你打开。离市集远，盘中菜肴没有多样，家中清贫，杯里只有自酿的浊酒。若肯与隔壁老翁对饮，就隔着篱笆喊他过来一道喝尽残杯。
Appreciation
The poem captures the genuine happiness of receiving a friend in a secluded, spring-filled setting. The contrast between the neglected path and the suddenly opened gate highlights the specialness of the visit. Simple offerings and a invitation to the neighbor reveal the poet's open-hearted nature.
【白话串讲】 杜甫住在草堂，朋友来了，他高兴得连花径都没来得及扫。“盘飧市远无兼味，樽酒家贫只旧醅”——菜少酒旧，却邀邻居一起喝。穷日子里，藏着最真的热情。 【意象与手法】 章法由景及人、由外而内：首联写环境幽静，颔联点客至之喜，颈联写待客之俭，尾联邀邻共饮，层层递进。对仗工稳，颔联、颈联皆对，「不曾」对「今始」、「无兼味」对「只旧醅」，于工整中见率真。语浅情浓，白描如话，写闲居待客的家常亲切。 【情感与主旨】 此诗约作于上元二年（761）春，杜甫居成都草堂时。题下原注「喜崔明府相过」，明府为唐人对县令的敬称。时诗人赁居草堂，生活清贫而心境渐安，故人相访，喜而赋诗，可见乱后暂得安居、重拾交游之乐。 【名句点睛】 常考「花径不曾缘客扫，蓬门今始为君开」一联的情意表达：以平日不扫径、今日始开门的前后对比，写出对客人的重视与欣喜；又考尾联「隔篱呼取尽余杯」所见的率真洒脱与好客不拘。
Background
Written around the spring of 761 CE, when Du Fu was living in his thatched cottage in Chengdu. The original title notes 'Glad that Magistrate Cui has come to visit.' At this time, Du Fu was poor but gradually finding peace, and the visit of an old friend brought him joy, reflecting his rekindled social life after the chaos.
此诗约作于上元二年（761）春，杜甫居成都草堂时，题下原注「喜崔明府相过」，明府为唐人对县令的敬称。乾元二年（759）岁末，杜甫因关中饥馑携家入蜀，次年春在友人严武等资助下于成都浣花溪畔营建草堂，结束了安史之乱以来长期颠沛流离的生活。经过丧乱与漂泊，诗人对安宁的日常格外珍视，此时心境渐趋安定，故人崔明府相访，欢喜之余赋诗纪之。诗中「市远」「家贫」「旧醅」等语，如实道出草堂生活的清苦，而全篇毫无自伤之态，反以坦然的口气写待客的真诚，正是乱后暂得安居、重拾交游之乐的心境写照。杜甫诗向以忧国忧民、沉郁顿挫为主调，此类轻快亲切的闲适之作并不多见，此诗因此成为认识其性格另一面的重要材料。此诗在杜诗中别具一格，它不写家国忧患，不写身世飘零，只写一樽浊酒、一声邻唤，却同样感人至深，可见杜甫风格之多样。宋人评杜甫『一饭未尝忘君』，然此类诗正显示其于沉重之外亦有真率亲和的一面，故历来选本多以『客至』与《宾至》《遣意》诸篇并观，以见草堂时期诗人心境的安顿与诗风的转明。
Art
The structure moves from scene to person, from outside to inside: first couplet sets the quiet surroundings, second couplet highlights the joy of the guest's arrival, third couplet describes the simple hospitality, and the final couplet invites the neighbor to join in drinking, building up layer by layer. The parallelism is skillful, with 'never' contrasting 'only now', and 'no variety' matching 'only old wine', showing sincerity within formal structure. Language is plain yet deeply felt.
此诗章法由景及人、由外而内，层层递进：首联写环境之幽，「舍南舍北皆春水，但见群鸥日日来」以春水环屋、群鸥日来点出草堂的清静闲远，也暗写平日少客、与鸥相亲的幽居生活；颔联「花径不曾缘客扫，蓬门今始为君开」转写客至之喜，以「不曾」与「今始」对举，用往日的门可罗雀反衬今日迎客的郑重，喜意溢于言表；颈联「盘飧市远无兼味，樽酒家贫只旧醅」写待客之俭，把离市远、家道贫的窘况和盘托出，不掩饰、不客套，反见推心置腹之诚；尾联「肯与邻翁相对饮，隔篱呼取尽余杯」更进一步，竟呼邻翁共饮，把主客之欢推向邻里同乐，洒脱不拘。全诗对仗工稳而语气家常，白描如话，无一字雕琢而情味自足，是杜甫律诗中难得的轻松明快之作。此诗还善用虚字传神：『不曾』『今始』『无』『只』等字皆是家常口语，却于对仗中生出流走之气，使严整的律诗如话家常；尾联以商量口吻『肯与邻翁相对饮』，更把待客之诚写得宛转亲切。全诗由景而人、由俭而豪，层次虽多而一气贯通，正是『律诗最忌板滞』的反面教材——愈是严守格律，愈见语气的自然。
Allusions
The lines 'The footpath is not swept for any visitor; The wicket gate is opened only for you today' allude to the story of Jiang Xu in 'Sanfu Juelu', who kept three paths in his garden only for his friends Qiu Zhong and Yang Zhong. Also echoes Tao Qian's 'children waiting at the gate'. Sweeping the path to welcome a guest was an ancient custom. 'Old wine' (unfiltered) shows poverty and frankness, matching the simple dishes.
「花径不曾缘客扫，蓬门今始为君开」暗用《三辅决录》所载蒋诩故事：蒋诩隐居，舍中开三径，唯故人求仲、羊仲二人从之游，后世遂以「三径」代指隐士居所；「扫径迎客」又是古人待友的常礼，杜甫用此，既暗示自己隐于草堂、交游稀少，又以「为君开」点出今日之客非同寻常。「蓬门」指以蓬蒿编成的柴门，写居处之简陋；「群鸥」暗含《列子》海鸥忘机之典：人无机心，鸥鸟方可亲近，日日来集，正见诗人胸无城府、与世无争，也衬出平日无人迹的幽居。「盘飧」语出《左传》「盘飧加璧」，指饭食；「旧醅」指未滤过的浊酒，唐人新酒贵而浊酒贱，与「家贫」呼应，见待客之真率。典故皆融入家常语中，不露痕迹。此外『群鸥』一典尤堪玩味：《列子·黄帝》载海边有人心无机心，鸥鸟与之为友；一旦其父命其捕鸥，鸥鸟便飞舞不下。杜甫以『群鸥日日来』写草堂之幽居，正暗含自比无机心之隐者、与物无竞之意，而『日日来』又为后文『为君开』的例外蓄势，典故与章法互为表里。
Commentary
Jin Shengtan in 'Commentary on Du Fu's Poems' said: 'The first half depicts the scene before the guest arrives, the second half depicts the feeling after the guest arrives; true emotion flows throughout.' Yang Lun in 'Du Fu's Poems Mirrored' added: 'Every word is like family talk, no artifice, yet the flavor lingers.'
清人金圣叹《杜诗解》评此诗：「前解写『客至』前之景，后解写『客至』后之情，一片真气流出」，正拈出全诗以真气贯串的特点。杨伦《杜诗镜铨》引前人语：「语语家常，不见做作，而情味弥长」，谓其于平淡中见隽永。浦起龙《读杜心解》亦赏此诗，以为杜甫写宾朋往来，唯此篇与《宾至》最为真挚。黄生《杜诗说》评「花径」「蓬门」一联，谓不写客之欢而写己之喜，见诗人心地光明、待人以诚。此诗在杜集中别具一格：不写家国忧患，不写身世飘零，只写一樽浊酒、数声邻唤，却同样感人至深，可见杜甫风格的多样——「沉郁顿挫」之外，亦有如此明快真率的一面，这正是其大家气象所在。此诗亦常与杜甫《宾至》并读：『宾至』写贵客临门、礼数周至，『客至』写故友相访、情味真率，一矜持一自然，正可对照杜甫待人的两副面孔。今人选唐诗，多以此篇入中小学课本，因其语言平易、情感真挚，最宜初学者体味律诗之美与盛唐生活之趣，其教学价值历久不衰。
Prosody
Line by line
舍南舍北皆春水
Surrounded on both sides by spring water, showing secluded and quiet environment.
草堂的南边和北边都被春水环绕。
North and south of the cottage, all is spring water.
首句写居处环境，一个「皆」字总起全篇：房前屋后尽是荡漾的春水，草堂仿佛浮在水上，境界清静而开阔。春水是春天涨起的活水，暗含生机与润泽，为全诗定下明快闲适的基调；水绕屋舍又写出此地之偏、之幽，人迹罕至，正与下句「群鸥日日来」相承，也为颔联「不曾缘客扫」的平日冷落预埋伏笔。杜甫于此只作客观白描，不着一个情字，而幽居之乐、待客之盼已蕴其中。
The opening line writes the dwelling's setting, the one word 'all' governing the whole: before and behind the house, spring water ripples everywhere, the cottage seeming to float on water, the realm quiet and open. Spring water is the living water risen in spring, secretly carrying vitality and nourishment, tuning the poem's bright, easy tone; the water around the house also writes the place's remoteness and seclusion, few human traces, matching 'flocks of gulls coming day after day' below, and planting the foreshadowing of the usual desolation in the neck couplet 'never been swept for a guest'. Du Fu here draws only the objective scene, not one word of feeling, yet the joy of the retired dwelling and the expectation of a guest are already within.
但见群鸥日日来
Only flocks of gulls come day after day, indicating solitude and intimacy with nature.
只看见成群的白鸥日日飞来。
I see only flocks of gulls coming day after day.
「但见」二字暗写平日无人造访，唯鸥鸟日日来集，以鸥之相亲反衬居处之幽、交游之稀。「日日」见鸥来之频繁，亦见诗人日日临水、目送鸥飞的闲静生活。此句暗含《列子》海鸥忘机之典：人无机心，鸥鸟方肯亲近，故「群鸥来」正是诗人胸无城府、淡泊自守的写照。同时「但见群鸥」与下文「蓬门今始为君开」遥相对照：鸥来是常态，客来是例外，一「但」一「始」，把今日迎客的欣喜衬得格外鲜明。
The words 'I see only' secretly write that no one usually visits, only the gulls gathering day after day, the gulls' familiarity set against the dwelling's seclusion and the rarity of friends. 'Day after day' the frequency of the gulls' coming, and the quiet life of the poet watching the water and seeing the gulls fly. This line secretly carries the Liezi allusion to the gulls who forget the calculating heart: only when a man has no scheming will the gulls draw near, so 'flocks of gulls' is the portrait of the poet's open, uncalculating breast. At the same time 'flocks of gulls' is set against 'my wicket gate today for the first time opens for you' below: gulls coming is the norm, a guest coming the exception, the one 'only' and the one 'first' setting off the brighter joy of receiving the friend today.
花径不曾缘客扫
The flower-lined path has never been swept for a visitor, contrasting with today's special occasion.
长满花草的小径从不曾因客人而打扫。
The flowered path has never been swept for a guest.
「花径」写小径上落花、杂草丛生，可见平日无人行走，也见主人疏于应酬、任其荒芜的隐居情态。「不曾缘客扫」直说从不为客扫径，语气坦率，毫不掩饰平日门庭冷落；而正因「不曾」，下句「今始为君开」才格外有力。此句还暗用蒋诩开三径待故人之典，隐然自比隐士，又以「不曾」反跌出崔明府在自己心中的分量——今日竟为之破例洒扫，足见交情之笃。扫径迎客本是寻常小事，一经对比，便生出无限情味。
'The flowered path' writes the path overgrown with fallen petals and weeds, showing that usually no one walks it, and the host's neglect of social calls, letting it run wild as a recluse. 'Has never been swept for a guest' says plainly the path has never been swept for a visitor, the tone frank, not hiding the usual emptiness of the doorway; precisely because 'never', the next line's 'for the first time today' is the more forceful. This line also secretly uses the allusion to Jiang Xu opening his three paths for old friends, quietly comparing himself to the recluse, and the 'never' turns into a drop that reveals the weight of Prefect Cui in his heart — today he breaks the rule and sweeps, the depth of the friendship. Sweeping the path for a guest is a small thing, yet set against the contrast, it breeds infinite feeling.
蓬门今始为君开
The thatched gate is opened for you only today, showing the host's joy and honor.
这柴门今天才第一次为你打开。
My wicket gate today for the first time opens for you.
「蓬门」即柴门，写居处之简陋；「今始」与上句「不曾」对举，一冷一热、一闭一开，把今日迎客的特殊郑重写得淋漓尽致。一个「始」字，既见往日闭门幽居之久，更见今日为君开门之喜，喜悦之情从「为君开」三字中自然流出，不加修饰而格外动人。此联「花径」对「蓬门」、「不曾」对「今始」、「缘客扫」对「为君开」，对仗工稳而语极自然，是律诗「于工整中见率真」的典范，也是全诗最传神、最著名的警句。
'My wicket gate' the rough gate, writing the dwelling's plainness; 'for the first time today' set against 'never' above, one cold one warm, one shut one open, writing to the full the special solemnity of receiving the friend today. The word 'first' shows both the long years of the closed gate's retirement and the joy of opening it for the friend today, the joy flowing naturally from 'opens for you', unadorned and moving. This couplet pairs 'flowered path' with 'wicket gate', 'never' with 'for the first time', 'swept for a guest' with 'opens for you', exact yet utterly natural, the model of regulated verse that 'sees plainness within craft', and the poem's most vivid, famous line.
盘飧市远无兼味
Simple dishes with no variety, honestly explained due to distance from market.
离市集远，盘中菜肴没有多样的花样。
Far from the market, the fare has no variety.
由「客至」转入「待客」，颈联写招待之俭。「市远」道出草堂地处偏僻、购物不便，「无兼味」即菜肴单一，诗人毫不掩饰待客饭菜的简陋，坦然说出，正见其推心置腹、不作虚礼。这两句与下句「樽酒家贫只旧醅」互文见义：离市远故无兼味，家贫故只旧醅，一写饮食之简，一写酒浆之浊，把清贫的家境如实托出。妙在诗人不以贫为耻，反以贫衬诚——越是简陋，越见真情，这正是「客至」一题最动人的地方。
Turning from 'a guest has come' to 'receiving the guest', the neck couplet writes the plainness of the entertainment. 'Far from the market' the cottage's remoteness, shopping inconvenient; 'the fare has no variety' the dishes plain, the poet not hiding the simplicity of the meal, saying it frankly, showing his wholehearted, unceremonious welcome. These two lines with 'my house is poor; the wine is only the old unstrained brew' below are mutually explanatory: far from the market, no variety; poor, only the old brew, one line the plain food, one the cloudy wine, the poor household set forth honestly. The beauty is that the poet is not ashamed of poverty, but sets poverty against sincerity — the plainer the meal, the truer the feeling, the most moving place of the theme 'a guest has come'.
樽酒家贫只旧醅
Only old unfiltered wine due to poverty, showing frankness and sincerity.
家中清贫，杯里只有自酿的旧酒。
My house is poor; the wine is only the old unstrained brew.
「旧醅」指未滤过的浊酒，唐人酿酒以新酒为贵，留旧醅自饮，正是贫家光景。「家贫」「只」二语，语气恳切而坦然，无半句客套遮掩，把一个清贫诗人待客的窘态与诚意同时写出。以浊酒待客，反令客人感到主人的真诚坦率；「只旧醅」的「只」字，更见除此一无所有、倾其所有以奉客的情意。两句极写待客之俭，而情意之厚、情味之真，正在这毫不做作的坦白之中，与颔联的欣喜、尾联的洒脱一气贯通。
'The old unstrained brew' the unfiltered cloudy wine; in Tang times new wine was prized, keeping the old brew for oneself, the very picture of a poor house. The words 'my house is poor' and 'only' are earnest and frank, not half a word of polite covering, writing at once the poor poet's embarrassment and sincerity in receiving a guest. Entertaining a guest with cloudy wine makes the guest feel the host's true frankness; the 'only' of 'only the old brew' shows that he has nothing else, offering all he has to the guest. The two lines write the extreme plainness of the entertainment, and the thickness of the feeling and the truth of the mood lie precisely in this artless frankness, running one breath with the opening's joy and the close's ease.
肯与邻翁相对饮
If you are willing to drink with the old neighbor, suggesting a shared enjoyment.
若肯与隔壁的老翁相对而饮。
If you will drink facing the old man next door.
尾联笔势一宕，由主客对饮设想出更热闹的场面：以商量、征询的口吻问客，是否愿意把邻家老翁也请来同饮。这一问设想周到、语气亲切，既见诗人好客之诚，又见其性格的洒脱率真；「相对饮」三字写出宾主把盏对坐的融融之乐，而邀邻同饮更把一己的待客之欢扩展为邻里相得的其乐融融。全诗至此，由静景写到欢饮，由一人写到数人，境界渐开，情味愈浓，仿佛可以想见篱边呼邻、隔院应声的生动画面。
The closing couplet's brush swings aside, from the host-guest drinking together imagining a livelier scene: in a tone of consultation, he asks the guest whether they should invite the old man next door to join them. The question is thoughtful and the tone warm, showing both the poet's earnest hospitality and his free, frank nature; 'facing the old man next door' the warmth of host and guest over their cups, and inviting the neighbor turns one man's welcome into the neighborhood's happy gathering. The poem here moves from still scene to merry drinking, from one man to several, the realm opening, the feeling deepening, as if one could see the picture of calling across the hedge and the answering voice from the next yard.
隔篱呼取尽余杯
Call him over the fence to finish the remaining cups, showing spontaneity and generosity.
隔着篱笆喊他过来，一道喝尽剩下的酒。
I will call him over the fence to drain the last cups.
结句以「隔篱呼取」的细节收束全诗：不须登门相邀，只隔着篱笆一声呼唤，邻翁便来共饮，写出乡居邻里间不拘礼数的亲近。「尽余杯」三字最见情味——酒本不多，犹呼人共尽，正是倾其所有、不醉不休的率真；「余杯」又暗暗呼应颈联「只旧醅」的清贫，以有限的酒写无限的情，举重若轻。全诗从春水群鸥的静景起，到隔篱呼饮的动景结，由境入情、由情见性，把杜甫待客的真率洒脱写得如在目前。
The closing line ends on the detail of 'call him over the fence': no need to go to the door, only one call across the hedge, and the old neighbor comes to drink, writing the unceremonious closeness of rural neighbors. The words 'drain the last cups' are the most feeling-laden: the wine is not much, yet he calls another to drink it to the dregs, the frankness of offering all he has, drinking till done; 'the last cups' also secretly echoes 'only the old unstrained brew' of the neck couplet's poverty, writing the infinite feeling with the finite wine, weightless in the hand. The whole poem begins in the still scene of spring water and gulls, ends in the moving scene of calling across the hedge, from circumstance to feeling, from feeling to character, writing Du Fu's frank, free hospitality as before the eyes.
Study
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Wang Wei's poem focuses on the tranquility of an autumn mountain after rain, while Du Fu's poem centers on the joy of receiving a guest by spring water; one is Zen-like, the more worldy, each with its own charm.
王维《山居秋暝》与杜甫《客至》同写隐居生活的闲适，而面目迥异：王诗「空山新雨后，天气晚来秋」写空山幽静、明月清泉，境界空灵澄澈，洋溢着禅意与超脱；杜诗写春水群鸥、蓬门浊酒，充满烟火气与人情味，是凡俗中的真率。同是幽居，王维以物我两忘的禅境出之，杜甫以待客畅饮的人情出之，一禅一俗，各极其致。比较二诗，可见盛唐山水田园派与杜甫在「闲适」主题上的不同取向：一偏于出世之静，一偏于入世之真，而皆臻妙境。
绝句 A Quatrain 杜甫 · 同写草堂闲居明快心境 Both written during Du Fu's stay in ChengduThe quatrain describes the vitality outside the cottage, while this poem depicts the pleasure of hosting a guest; both are fresh and natural.
杜甫《绝句》「两个黄鹂鸣翠柳，一行白鹭上青天」与本诗皆作于成都草堂，同写乱后安居的明快心境，可以互证。《绝句》以黄鹂、白鹭、千秋雪、万里船四组意象构成立体画面，清新明丽；本诗则以春水、群鸥、蓬门、旧醅写待客之乐，亲切家常。二诗一写眼前生机、一写人间交游，一重画境、一重情味，同出老杜之手而风格各异，可见其诗境之广阔。合读二诗，正可看出杜甫入蜀后心境渐安、诗风转趋明快的一段历程，与「感时花溅泪」的沉郁之作形成对照。