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唐 Tang · 诗 Poem

天末怀李白

Thinking of Li Bai at the World's End

杜甫

Du Fu

友情Friendship 怀人Missing a Friend

凉风起天末，君子意如何。
鸿雁几时到，江湖秋水多。
文章憎命达，魑魅喜人过。
应共冤魂语，投诗赠汨罗。

The cold wind rises from the world's end,
How is my friend? O tell me how.
When will wild geese bring your news?
On river and lake autumn water's deep now.
Verse-brewing ever bodes but ill,
The demons envy people's skill.
To the wronged poet you might speak,
And throw your verse into the river's mill.

Listen

Meaning

The poet thinks of his friend Li Bai, who has been exiled to a remote place. He asks about his well-being, worries about the dangers on the journey, laments that literary talent often leads to misfortune, and finally advises Li Bai to commune with the spirit of Qu Yuan, another wronged poet.

凉风从天边吹起，我思念的君子你心境如何？传书的大雁几时才能到达，只怕江湖上秋水正多。文章总憎厌命运通达之人，山精水怪最爱有人经过。你该与那冤死的屈子共语，把诗篇投赠到汨罗江上。

Appreciation

This poem was written in the autumn of 759, when Du Fu was living in Qinzhou and Li Bai had been banished to Yelang. Du Fu had not yet heard of Li Bai's pardon on the way, so he expressed deep concern and sympathy. The first couplet begins with the cold wind and a question about Li Bai's condition, showing sincere care. The third couplet is a poignant reflection on the fate of talented people, and the last couplet compares Li Bai to Qu Yuan, elevating his suffering to a legendary level.

【白话串讲】李白被流放夜郎，杜甫在天边挂念他：“文章憎命达，魑魅喜人过”——有才华的人命运总是不顺。杜甫说：你应该像屈原一样，把诗投进汨罗江。这是两个伟大诗人之间的牵挂。【意象与手法】起以凉风兴感问安，由景入情极其自然；「鸿雁几时到，江湖秋水多」以盼信之忧写关切之深；颈联「文章憎命达，魑魅喜人过」以精警对仗道尽才士悲剧与世路险巇，沉痛透骨；结以屈原比李白，劝投诗汨罗，意境悲慨深厚。【情感与主旨】此诗作于乾元二年（759）秋，时杜甫流寓秦州，李白因永王璘案长流夜郎，途中遇赦而杜甫未知。诗人遥想友人羁旅江湖，忧其遭谗遇险，遂作此遥寄，字里行间满是生死不渝的挚友情谊与对才士命运的悲慨。【名句点睛】常考「文章憎命达，魑魅喜人过」的哲理与情感；以屈原比李白的深意；凉风起兴的作用；「鸿雁」「秋水」意象的象征义。

Background

This poem was written in the autumn of the second year of the Qianyuan era (759). Du Fu was then a refugee in Qinzhou, while Li Bai had been sentenced to exile to Yelang for his involvement in Prince Yong's rebellion. He was pardoned on the way, but Du Fu did not know this. The poet imagines his friend wandering in the lakes and rivers, worried that he might encounter slander and danger, so he wrote this poem to express his longing and grief.

此诗作于唐肃宗乾元二年（759）秋，时杜甫因关辅大旱、饥馑相迫，弃官携家流寓秦州（今甘肃天水一带），生活困顿，心情郁悒。其时李白正陷于人生最惨痛的境地：至德二载（757）他因卷入永王李璘起兵一案，被以「附逆」之罪系狱浔阳，乾元元年（758）长流夜郎，次年途中遇赦放还。而杜甫在秦州作此诗时，尚不知友人遇赦的消息，依然悬想李白远在夜郎瘴疠之地、音书阻隔、吉凶未卜。杜甫自天宝三载（744）在洛阳与李白相识订交以来，始终以知己相待，对李白的旷世才华与坎坷遭遇怀着深切的钦慕与同情，故于凉风乍起、秋意袭人之际，以诗代书，遥致问讯。全诗由凉风起兴，层层写尽牵挂、忧虑与悲慨，是杜甫怀人诗中最沉痛的一篇。此诗与《梦李白二首》作于同时，皆因思友心切而形诸梦寐，然《梦李白》写梦中之见，此诗则写醒后之思，两作并观，可见杜甫对李白情谊之深挚与关切之无时或忘；又杜甫在秦州生活困顿，衣食无着，而诗中只字不及己苦，唯念念不忘友人安危，尤见其情之纯粹。

Art

The poem begins naturally with the cold wind arousing emotion and inquiry. The third couplet is a famous aphorism that uses antithesis to express the tragedy of gifted scholars and the peril of the world. The last couplet compares Li Bai to Qu Yuan, suggesting he throw his poem into the Miluo River, thus both honoring Li Bai as a literary master and linking his injustice with Qu Yuan's, creating a profound and stirring mood.

此诗章法精严而情感一气流转。首联「凉风起天末，君子意如何」以景起兴，凉风从极远的天地尽头吹来，寒意萧瑟，自然而然地引出对远方友人的问讯，「意如何」三字悬想关切，情意殷切。颔联「鸿雁几时到，江湖秋水多」承「意如何」而下，盼大雁传书而音信难期，「秋水多」既写江湖风波之险，亦暗喻世途多艰、音问难通，关切中透出忧虑。颈联「文章憎命达，魑魅喜人过」由叙事转入议论，以拟人手法写出千古才士的共同悲剧：文章憎恶命运通达之人，山精水怪偏爱有人经过——才华愈高而命运愈舛，世路愈险而谗害愈深，对仗精警，沉痛透骨，是杜甫对李白身世最深刻的总结。尾联「应共冤魂语，投诗赠汨罗」以屈原比李白，劝其将诗篇投赠汨罗江中的屈子冤魂，既推重其辞章可与屈子比肩，又将其冤屈与自沉汨罗的屈原并论，悲慨深沉，余韵不尽。全诗语言沉郁而情意流动，如江河之水，虽曲折而终归于海，正见杜诗「语不惊人死不休」而归于自然的境界；四联之中，问安、盼信、议论、寄慨，一气呵成，无一处松懈，是五律怀人诗章法最完密的篇什之一。

Allusions

The 'Miluo River' refers to the story of Qu Yuan, who drowned himself in the Miluo River. Du Fu compares Li Bai to Qu Yuan, praising his literary talent and sympathizing with his wrongful exile. 'Demons' (魑魅) comes from the Zuo Commentary, meaning mountain spirits and monsters, metaphorically referring to court slanderers and the dangers of the world. 'Wild geese' (鸿雁) alludes to the story of Su Wu using wild geese to deliver letters, expressing the hope for news from Li Bai.

此诗用典精切而不晦涩。「汨罗」用屈原自沉汨罗江之典：屈原忠而被谤、自沉于汨罗江，杜甫以屈原比李白，一则赞其辞章可追三闾大夫，二则悲其蒙冤流落与屈子同命，并以「冤魂」二字将二子之冤叠加，沉痛至极。尾句「投诗赠汨罗」的想象尤为奇特：既说李白该与冤魂共语，又以「投诗」的行动写诗篇之流传，将眼前不可达的问候化为江流中的精神对话，深情而有奇致。「魑魅」语本《左传》「魑魅魍魉，莫能逢之」，本指山林中的精怪，此处喻朝中奸佞与世路险恶，言其喜人经过、伺机加害。「鸿雁」用苏武雁足系书的故实，写盼寄音问之切。三处用典，或明或暗，皆与李白的身世遭际丝丝入扣，故能深切动人。又「鸿雁」与「江湖秋水」相连，既写雁难渡水、音书难达之实，又暗含「雁书易断、秋水无情」之喻，将盼信与忧险交织一处，语浅而意深；「君子」之称，以《诗经》雅语称李白，亦见杜甫对这位旷世才人的敬重，用词之间，情意自见。

Commentary

Su Shi said, 'Among all poets past and present, Du Fu alone stands supreme.' The couplet 'Adversity is the friend of verse' was praised by Song scholars as 'expressing the plight of talented men throughout the ages.' Qiu Zhaoao's annotation of Du Fu remarks, 'This is the most heart-wrenching poem longing for Li Bai; the line about the wronged soul directly treats him as Qu Yuan.'

此诗历来被视为杜甫怀李白诸作中最沉痛的一篇。苏轼论杜甫，谓「古今诗人众矣，而子美独冠」，正指其深情与功力兼备。宋人读至「文章憎命达，魑魅喜人过」一联，以为「道尽古今才士之厄」，遂成传诵不衰的名句，其精警之处，在于以十个字概括了古往今来一切怀才者的命运。清代仇兆鳌注杜诗，谓「此怀李白最沉痛之作，冤魂句直以屈子待之」，点明杜甫将李白的遭际上升到与屈原同列的高度，既见推重之深，亦见痛惜之切。杜甫一生怀李白之作甚多，如《梦李白二首》《春日忆李白》《不见》等，或写梦中之悲，或写别后之思，而此诗独以凉风起兴、以汨罗收束，于问安语中见生死相托之情，于议论句中见古今同悲之慨，最能见出杜诗「沉郁顿挫」的骨力与仁者之心。后世论者或以「文章憎命达」为李白一生的谶语，或以「投诗赠汨罗」为杜甫代李白立言，皆可见此诗影响的深远与解读的多元；直至近世，论杜甫与李白之交游者，无不以「文章憎命达」一联为二人友情与命运的最精当概括，其经典地位，历千载而不易。

Prosody

Form Five-character regulated verse五言律诗（仄起首句不入韵式）

Rhyme Pingshui rhyme, Lower level fifth rhyme (ge: he, duo, guo, luo)押平水韵下平五歌韵：何、多、过、罗，一韵到底。

Tone pattern First line does not enter rhyme; oblique-tone opening, first line not rhyming pattern首联「凉风起天末」为平平仄平仄，是仄起式的变格，为唐诗常用之拗句调法；「君子意如何」为平仄仄平平；颔联「鸿雁几时到」为平仄仄平仄，「江湖秋水多」为平平平仄平；颈联「文章憎命达」为平平平仄仄，「魑魅喜人过」为平仄仄平平。

Reading note The middle two couplets are parallel; the neck couplet is especially forceful with deep and melancholy power.此诗为五言律诗，仄起首句不入韵，押下平五歌韵，何、多、过、罗四字一韵到底，声韵悠扬开阔，正与秋风起兴的苍茫意境相合。首句「凉风起天末」用「平平仄平仄」的拗句变格，为盛唐律诗习用的调法，于平仄流动中见顿挫，为全诗定下苍凉基调。中二联对仗精严：颔联以「鸿雁」对「江湖」、「几时」对「秋水」，工中见自然；颈联「文章憎命达，魑魅喜人过」以拟人相对，主谓结构严整，一憎一喜，义理相反而辞采相称，是全诗对仗的警策。尾联「应共冤魂语，投诗赠汨罗」以流水对收束，不落对仗之痕而情意流动。全诗由问安而盼信、由议论而寄慨，声情与辞情相谐，沉郁顿挫，最得杜诗骨力，为五律怀人诗之典范。

Line by line

凉风起天末，君子意如何。

The cold wind rises from the world's end. My friend, how do you feel?

凉风自天边而起，我思念的君子你近况如何？

A cold wind rises from the world's end. My friend, how are you faring?

首联以景起兴，凉风从极远的天边吹来，点明秋意萧瑟的时令，也暗示诗人所处秦州的边远荒寒。「天末」二字既写凉风来处之远，更写诗人与李白相隔天涯、音问难通的空间距离，一起笔便觉苍茫。由凉风自然而然地引出对友人的问讯，「君子意如何」以悬想口气问安，不说自己如何思念，而问对方心境如何，把关切之情寄托在遥遥一问之中，情意殷切而含蓄。以景起、以问承，由客观之景转入主观之情，过渡极其自然，为全诗定下悲凉而深情的基调。

The opening couplet rises from scenery: a cold wind blowing from the far edge of the world marks the bleak autumn season and hints at the remoteness of Qinzhou where the poet dwells. World's end writes both the distance of the wind's source and the space between the poet and Li Bai, cut off from news - the opening is vast at once. From the cold wind the inquiry to his friend arises naturally; how do you fare, my friend asks after the other's state in imagination, not speaking his own longing but asking the other's mood, care entrusted to a question across the distance - earnest and reserved. Rising in scenery, carried on a question, objective scene turns to subjective feeling with perfect ease, setting the poem's plaintive yet affectionate keynote.

鸿雁几时到，江湖秋水多。

When will the wild geese arrive? The autumn waters on the rivers and lakes are deep.

传书的大雁几时才能到达？只怕江湖上秋水正多、音信难通。

When will the wild geese bring a letter? The autumn waters are high on rivers and lakes, and news travels hard.

颔联承「意如何」而下，写盼信而忧险的复杂心绪。「鸿雁几时到」以大雁传书的意象写盼音问之切，一个「几时」见出望眼欲穿的焦灼；「江湖秋水多」则转写忧虑——秋深水涨，江湖风波险恶，大雁未必能飞渡，音书恐怕难通。此句既实写秋日江湖的自然景象，又暗喻世途之艰险、谗言之可畏，双关巧妙。上句盼之愈切，下句忧之愈深，一扬一抑之间，关切与忧虑交织，把诗人对李白安危的牵挂写得入骨三分，也为颈联「魑魅喜人过」的议论蓄足情势。

The second couplet continues how do you fare, writing the complex mood of longing for letters and fearing peril. When will the wild geese arrive uses the image of geese bearing letters to write the keenness of expectation; when shows the anxiety of straining eyes. Autumn waters on rivers and lakes are high turns to anxiety: deep autumn, swollen waters, perils on river and lake, the geese may not cross, news may not pass. The line both renders the autumn scene and secretly symbolizes the hazards of the world and the terror of slander - a neat double meaning. The more intense the expectation above, the deeper the fear below; between rise and fall, care and worry intertwine, writing the poet's concern for Li Bai's safety to the bone, and storing full force for the argument of demons delight below.

文章憎命达，魑魅喜人过。

Literature hates a prosperous fate; demons delight when a man goes by.

文章总憎厌命运通达之人，山精水怪最爱有人经过。

Literature seems to hate those whom fortune favors; mountain sprites and water demons love it when someone passes their way.

颈联是千古传诵的名句，以拟人手法写尽才士的悲剧命运。「文章憎命达」说文才憎恶命运通达——才名愈盛者，命运愈多蹇厄，仿佛文章与通达势不两立；「魑魅喜人过」说山林精怪喜人经过——世路险恶，奸邪当道，专伺忠良落难而加以陷害。一憎一喜，对仗精警，将李白「才高命蹇、遭谗被逐」的身世提升为古今才士的共同命运，议论中见沉痛，哲理中见深情，故宋人以为「道尽古今才士之厄」，千载之下仍能引起共鸣，是杜诗「以议论为诗」而能出以形象的典范。

This couplet, known for a thousand years, personifies the tragic fate of men of talent. Literature hates a prosperous fate: the greater the literary fame, the more rugged the fortune - as if letters and prosperity were sworn enemies. Demons delight when a man goes by: the world's roads are perilous, evil holds the court, lying in wait for the loyal in distress. One hates, one delights - the parallel is incisive, lifting Li Bai's high talent and hard fate, slandered and exiled, into the common lot of scholars through the ages. Argument yet passionate, philosophy yet feeling: Song critics said it exhausts the plight of all men of letters past and present; a thousand years later it still resonates - a model of Du Fu's argument-as-poetry yet rendered through image.

应共冤魂语，投诗赠汨罗。

You should talk with the wronged soul and offer your poem to the Miluo River.

你应与那冤死的屈子共语，把诗篇投赠到汨罗江上。

You should be conversing with that wronged spirit, casting your poem as a gift into the Miluo River.

尾联以屈原比李白，是全诗情感的归宿与升华。「冤魂」指屈原，忠而被谤、自沉汨罗，千古同悲；诗人以「应共冤魂语」的想象，让远在流放途中的李白与汨罗江中的屈子之魂对话，一则暗示李白之冤与屈原相类，二则推重其辞章可与《离骚》比肩。「投诗赠汨罗」更以「投」「赠」两个动作，写诗篇之投寄与精神的相通，将现实中断绝的音问，化为江流中跨越时空的对话，深情而有奇致。此联既是对李白的最高礼遇，也是为古往今来一切忠而被谤者致哀，悲慨深沉，含蓄不尽，收束全篇而余韵悠长。

The closing couplet compares Li Bai to Qu Yuan, the emotional resolution and sublimation of the poem. Wronged soul means Qu Yuan, loyal yet slandered, drowning himself in the Miluo River, a grief shared through the ages. The poet's imaginative should be conversing with that wronged spirit makes Li Bai, far on the road of exile, speak with Qu Yuan's soul in the Miluo: hinting that Li Bai's grievance is of the same kind as Qu Yuan's, and esteeming his verse as worthy to stand beside Li Sao. Casting your poem as a gift into the Miluo uses the two actions casting and giving to write the sending of verse and the kinship of spirits, converting the severed news of the present into a dialogue across time and space in the flowing river - deep feeling with strange grace. The couplet is the highest courtesy to Li Bai and an elegy for all the loyal yet slandered through the ages; plaintive and deep, reserve inexhaustible, closing the poem with lingering echoes.

Study

Word focus

憎 detest (personified: literary talent detests a smooth fate) 「文章憎命达」之「憎」字，以拟人手法写文章（指文才、文名）对命运通达者的憎恶，把无生命的「文章」写成有意志的存在，仿佛才名越高，命运越要捉弄，十个字中包含着对李白「才高命蹇」的无限悲慨。此字与下句「喜」字对举，一憎一喜，皆以无情之物拟有知之情，将「才士悲剧」这一抽象命题写得可感可触，成为全诗最精警的议论，也是杜甫「以议论为诗」而能出以形象的典范，故能道尽古今才士之厄，千载之下犹令人扼腕。

天末 world's end (faraway place, also implies separation) 「凉风起天末」之「天末」，意为天边、极远之地。秦州本已偏处西北，而李白流放之地更在西南夜郎，诗人遥想友人，遂觉那凉风竟似从天地尽头吹来，一字之间，空间之遥、音问之隔俱已写出。「天末」既实写凉风来处之远，亦暗喻诗人与李白天各一方、相见无期，物理距离与心理距离在此叠合。以「天末」起笔，境界顿觉苍茫开阔，为全诗定下悲凉而悠远的基调，与结句「汨罗」的南方远地遥相呼应，构成空间上的大起大合，使二十字中自有一股吞吐天地的气势。

冤魂 wronged soul (refers to Qu Yuan, emphasizing injustice) 「应共冤魂语」之「冤魂」，指屈原。屈原忠而见逐、自沉汨罗，其冤千古同悲；杜甫以「冤魂」称屈原，并将李白与之并置，谓李白当与屈子之魂对话——这一想象极沉痛，也极推重：言下之意，李白的蒙冤与屈原如出一辙，李白的辞章亦堪与《离骚》比肩。以「冤魂」二字收束全诗，将两位大诗人、两个时代的冤屈叠合于江流之上，既是为李白鸣不平，也是为古往今来一切忠而被谤者致哀，悲慨深沉，含蓄不尽，足见杜甫对友人的一片至情。