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唐 Tang · 诗 Poem

望洞庭湖赠张丞相

Viewing Dongting Lake, Presented to Premier Zhang

孟浩然

Meng Haoran

山水Landscape 求仕Seeking Official Position 干谒Theme

八月湖水平，涵虚混太清。
气蒸云梦泽，波撼岳阳城。
欲济无舟楫，端居耻圣明。
坐观垂钓者，徒有羡鱼情。

In August the lake is level with the shore,
Its boundless vastness merges with the sky.
Vapors rise from the Yunmeng marsh,
Billows rock the city of Yueyang.
I wish to cross but have no boat or oar,
Lolling at home I shame the sage reign.
Sitting and watching the anglers,
I can only envy the fish they gain.

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Meaning

The first half depicts Dongting Lake in August with water and sky merging, vapors steaming from Yunmeng Marsh, and waves shaking Yueyang City. The second half expresses the poet's desire to serve in government, using metaphors: wanting to cross but lacking a boat symbolizes needing a patron, and envying anglers symbolizes his wish for an official position.

八月洞庭湖水涨满，与岸齐平；水天相接，浑然一体，涵容虚空，混同于苍天。水气蒸腾，弥漫笼罩着云梦大泽；波涛汹涌，仿佛要撼动岳阳城。我想渡过湖去，却苦于没有舟楫；闲居无为，又愧对这圣明之世。只能静坐观看临湖垂钓之人，徒然空怀着羡鱼之情。诗前半写洞庭之壮景，后半借景抒怀，委婉表达渴望援引、一展抱负的用世之心。

Appreciation

The poem is renowned for its grand depiction of Dongting Lake and the skillful use of metaphors to express personal ambition. The couplet '气蒸云梦泽，波撼岳阳城' is particularly famous for its majestic imagery and dynamic verbs '蒸' and '撼'. The structure is clear: landscape first, then emotion, with a restrained and dignified tone appropriate for a solicitation poem.

【白话串讲】 “气蒸云梦泽，波撼岳阳城”——洞庭湖的浩荡，被孟浩然写得惊天动地。可他想说的其实是：我想当官，请您举荐我。一首干谒诗，写成了千古名篇。【意象与手法】诗分两层：前四句写景，后四句言志，由实入虚、景壮情切。写景以「平」「涵」「混」「蒸」「撼」五字极写洞庭水势气象，「蒸」「撼」尤具动态张力；抒情以「舟楫」「济」「垂钓者」「羡鱼」构成严整的比喻链，含蓄得体、不卑不亢。【情感与主旨】约作于唐玄宗开元二十一年（733）前后，孟浩然西游长安、求仕未得之际。张丞相即张九龄，时为宰相。诗人以诗投赠，借洞庭壮景委婉表达渴望援引、出仕报国的用世之心，是盛唐干谒诗（求仕诗）的典范。【名句点睛】常考「气蒸云梦泽，波撼岳阳城」的炼字与气势、「欲济无舟楫」以渡湖喻求仕的比喻手法、「徒有羡鱼情」化用《淮南子》临渊羡鱼之典，以及干谒诗不卑不亢的分寸感。

Background

Written around 733 CE when Meng Haoran was seeking an official position in Chang'an. He presented this poem to Premier Zhang Jiuling (the 'Premier Zhang' of the title) as a subtle request for recommendation. It is a typical example of a 'gan ye' (solicitation) poem in the Tang dynasty.

孟浩然（689—740），襄阳人，早年隐居鹿门山，以山水田园诗名世，与王维并称「王孟」。此诗约作于唐玄宗开元二十一年（733）前后：诗人年逾四十入京求仕，应试不第，困居长安，遂以诗干谒时相张九龄，望其援引。张九龄开元二十二年（734）拜中书令，二十五年贬荆州长史，其间孟浩然尝入其幕府，可见二人确有交谊。唐代士人求仕常以诗进献权贵，谓之「干谒诗」，此篇即其中典范，诗题一作《临洞庭》。孟浩然此时功名未就，诗中以洞庭之浩瀚自况胸襟，又以「无舟楫」自伤无援，是盛唐士人积极用世而不得其门的真实心声，亦见其进退有度、不卑不亢的士人风骨。全诗写于求仕受挫之际而气象仍雄，毫无寒乞之态，正是盛唐士人自信昂扬的时代精神在干谒题材上的投射，故能超越一般投赠之作而成为千古名篇。张九龄开元二十二年拜中书令后，孟浩然尝入其幕府，二人交谊颇笃，此诗投赠正当求仕受挫之际，亦见诗人用世之心未尝一日或忘，而诗中仍不失从容之度，正是盛唐士人出处之节的体现。

Art

The poem is divided into two parts: first four lines of landscape, last four lines of lyricism. The verbs '平', '涵', '混', '蒸', '撼' vividly capture the lake's grandeur. '蒸' and '撼' are especially powerful, creating a sense of dynamic power. The metaphors in the second half form a consistent chain: 'boat and oar' for a patron, 'crossing' for entering office, 'anglers' for officials, and 'envy fish' for ambition.

全诗章法工于布局：前四句写景，后四句言志，前实后虚，转折在第五句「欲济无舟楫」——由湖上之景陡转心头之事，「济」字双关渡水与济世，是通篇枢纽。写景层次分明：首联以「平」「涵」「混」写湖面之阔与水天相接之势，是静态的浑融；颔联以「蒸」「撼」写水气之弥漫与波涛之震动，是动态的磅礴，虚字实字相济，笔力千钧。「蒸」字写水气升腾如沸，弥漫八百里云梦，是空间的铺展；「撼」字写波涛拍岸似欲倾城，是力量的爆发，二字对举，洞庭威势毕现。抒情部分用一连串贴切比喻：以「舟楫」喻引荐之人，以「济」喻入仕，以「垂钓者」喻在位得势之人，以「羡鱼」喻对功名的羡慕，四者环环相扣，构成完整的比喻链，把求仕之意包裹在景物与典故之中，含蓄而不失热望，委婉而不失骨气。「端居耻圣明」之「耻」字尤见用力：身处圣明之世而闲居无为，于自谦自愧之中暗含积极进取之心，是全诗情感的凝结点，也是盛唐士人精神面貌的典型写照。

Allusions

'欲济无舟楫' alludes to the 'Book of Documents' (若济巨川，用汝作舟楫) and 'Chu Ci', expressing the wish for a guide. '羡鱼情' alludes to 'Huainanzi' (临渊羡鱼，不如退而结网) and 'Hanshu', but uses the phrase '徒有' to humbly state that he only has the desire without the means, making it a polite request.

「欲济无舟楫」化用《尚书·说命》「若济巨川，用汝作舟楫」——殷高宗以济川之舟楫喻治国之良臣，孟浩然反用其意，谓己欲济世而无引荐之舟，委婉自陈怀才不遇；「端居耻圣明」以「圣明」美称当朝，合于干谒体例，亦暗含《孟子》「穷则独善其身，达则兼善天下」的出处之辨——诗人耻于独善，正见其兼善之志未泯。「羡鱼情」暗用《淮南子·说林训》「临渊羡鱼，不如退而结网」及《汉书·董仲舒传》之语，原意劝人勿徒慕空想、当付诸行动，孟浩然反其意而用之，以「徒有羡鱼情」自叹空怀用世之志而无力自达，是典故的创造性化用。「云梦泽」为古代楚地大泽，跨今湖北、湖南之境，唐时已多淤为洲渚，诗中用其旧称以极言洞庭气象之雄。全诗用典贴切自然，熔铸经史而不露堆砌，正是盛唐五律「以气驭典」的典范。全诗以经史语写求仕之志，熔铸自然，不见斧凿之痕，正是孟浩然『遇景入咏，不钩奇抉异』（皮日休评）的本色，亦为后世干谒诗树立了以典雅语写功名心的范式。

Commentary

Tang critic Jiaoran praised its 'majestic spirit that covers the world'. Qing critic Shen Deqian commented: 'The opening is lofty, the third and fourth lines are magnificent, the latter half is gentle and restrained, neither arrogant nor servile.' It is often paired with Du Fu's 'Ascending Yueyang Tower' as the two greatest poems on Dongting Lake.

此诗向被推为咏洞庭双璧之一，与杜甫《登岳阳楼》并称。唐·皎然《诗式》评其「气象雄盖一世」；宋·刘辰翁谓「『气蒸』『波撼』二语，遂压洞庭古今」；清·沈德潜《唐诗别裁》云：「起法高浑，三四雄阔，后半委婉，不亢不卑。」皆着眼于其气象之雄与措辞之得体。作为干谒诗，它把求仕的急切写得如此从容大气，遂成后世同类诗的典范；「气蒸云梦泽，波撼岳阳城」更被推为写洞庭之最，与老杜「吴楚东南坼，乾坤日夜浮」并峙千古，一写水气之蒸腾，一写地轴之坼裂，各极其妙。从接受史看，此诗又是理解盛唐士人心态的重要文本：既见其「欲济」的进取，亦见其「端居耻」的愧怍，用世之心与出处之节并见，故能超越一般干谒之作而具独立审美价值。历代选本无不收录，其影响及于明清乃至今日，成为干谒诗与山水诗交汇处的典范之作。清人评此诗『不亢不卑』，正指其于干谒中不失士人风骨，此亦孟浩然一生进退从容的人格写照，故能于同类投赠之作中独标一格，历千年而不废。

Prosody

Form Five-character regulated verse (五言律诗)五言律诗

Rhyme Rhymes: 平, 清, 城, 明, 情 (level tone, belonging to the 庚/青/蒸 rhyme groups, which were allowed to be used together in the Tang dynasty)韵脚为平、清、城、明、情，押平声韵，属平水韵八庚、九青、十蒸三部通押（盛唐五律邻韵通押之例），首句「平」字入韵，是「平起首句入韵」的定格。

Tone pattern Tone pattern: even-tone start with first line rhyming; the middle two couplets are parallel in structure平起首句入韵式；中间两联「气蒸云梦泽，波撼岳阳城」「欲济无舟楫，端居耻圣明」为工整对仗，虚实相生，为全诗平仄声律之枢纽。

Reading note The poem exemplifies the 'gan ye' subgenre. The phrase '羡鱼' is a classical allusion from 'Huainanzi'. The 'Premier Zhang' refers to Zhang Jiuling, a famous chancellor and poet.此诗为五言律诗，八句四联，章法上「前四写景、后四言志」，转折在第五句「欲济无舟楫」，以「济」字双关渡水与济世，是律诗起承转合中「转」的典范。平仄方面，平起首句入韵，首联出句「八月湖水平」中「湖水平」三字平声连用，但第五字「平」为韵脚，符合「一三五不论、二四六分明」的宽式，音节舒缓，正合写湖面之平阔；颔联「气蒸云梦泽，波撼岳阳城」为工对，「蒸」「撼」两个动词居腰，声调铿锵，配合「仄平平仄仄，平仄仄平平」的顿挫，读来如闻涛声；颈联「欲济无舟楫，端居耻圣明」转写心事，节奏由急转缓，声情与辞情相应。全诗对仗精严而气脉流动，不因格律伤情，是盛唐五律「气象浑成」的典范，足为初学者揣摩平仄与章法之用。

Line by line

八月湖水平，

In the eighth month the lake lies level,

八月洞庭湖水涨满，与岸齐平。

In the eighth month, Dongting's waters swell level with its banks.

起笔点明时令与湖势，「八月」是洞庭涨水最盛之期，「湖水平」三字写水面与湖岸齐平，为全诗定下浩渺开阔的基调。不说水涨，而说「水平」，一个「平」字既写出水势之大——涨到与岸齐平，又写出湖面的静穆安详，波澜不惊而气象自雄，是盛唐人写景举重若轻的笔法。与杜甫「八月秋高风怒号」的动势不同，孟浩然以静写壮，平中见奇。此句兼点时地，为下文「气蒸」「波撼」的动景蓄势：湖面既平，方见其涵容之广；水平如镜，更衬蒸腾撼动之有力。开篇七字无一闲笔，已见大家风范。

The opening fixes the season and the lake's bearing: the eighth month is Dongting's high-water season; the lake lies level writes the water matching the banks, setting the poem's vast, open keynote. He does not say the water has risen but the water lies level: one word level writes both the flood's greatness - risen till it meets the banks - and the lake's calm majesty, no waves, yet the bearing imposing. It is the High-Tang manner of writing grandeur lightly. Unlike Du Fu's eighth month, autumn high, the wind howls, Meng writes grandeur through stillness, wonder in the plain. The line fixes time and place, storing force for the vapor steams and waves shake below: only a level lake shows its breadth; only mirror-still water sets off the steaming and shaking. Seven characters, not one idle stroke - the master's manner from the first line.

气蒸云梦泽，

Its vapor steams over the Yunmeng marshes,

水气蒸腾，弥漫笼罩着云梦大泽。

The lake's vapor rises and spreads over the vast Yunmeng marshes.

「气蒸云梦泽」写洞庭水气之盛：湖面蒸腾的水汽弥漫开去，笼罩了广袤的云梦古泽。云梦泽横跨楚地数千里，以如此巨泽而尽在雾气笼罩之下，足见洞庭气势之雄。「蒸」字是诗眼，写水汽如沸汤般升腾弥漫，是无形的扩散，赋予静止的湖面以流动的生命力；「云梦」用古泽名，拉长了空间纵深，使一句之内气象万千。此句与下句「波撼岳阳城」一纵一横，一弥漫一撞击，构成洞庭全景的立体图卷，被刘辰翁评为「压洞庭古今」的名句。炼字之精，在「蒸」不写「升」不写「漫」，唯「蒸」能兼含热力、弥漫与蒸腾之势，气象雄浑，非泛泛写景可比。

Its vapor steams over the Yunmeng marshes writes Dongting's exhalation: the lake's rising steam spreads to shroud the vast ancient Yunmeng marshes. Yunmeng stretched thousands of li across Chu; for such a marsh to lie wholly under the lake's vapor shows the lake's majesty. Steam is the eye: the vapor rising as from boiling water, an invisible diffusion, lending the static lake flowing life. Yunmeng, the old marsh name, lengthens the spatial depth, so one line holds a myriad aspects. This line and waves shake the city of Yueyang form a vertical and horizontal couplet - diffusion and impact - completing the立体 panorama of Dongting; Liu Chenwong judged it pressing ancient and modern Dongting. The refined craft: steam, not rise, not spread - only steam holds heat, diffusion, and exhalation at once, the bearing grand, beyond ordinary scenery.

波撼岳阳城。

Its waves shake the city of Yueyang.

波涛汹涌，仿佛要撼动岳阳城。

Great waves surge as if to shake the city of Yueyang.

「波撼岳阳城」写洞庭波涛之力：巨浪拍岸，似欲把湖边的岳阳城摇撼倾倒。岳阳城临湖而筑，以城之固衬波之猛，以静物受动势，夸张而不失真实。「撼」字是诗眼，写波涛撞击的力度与声势，如巨灵之掌摇动城郭，比「拍」「击」更见力量与动感，与上句「蒸」字对举：一写气之弥漫升腾，一写波之撞击摇撼，一虚一实，一纵一横，把洞庭写得吞天沃日、威势逼人。此联与「吴楚东南坼，乾坤日夜浮」并称写洞庭之绝唱，而孟句以炼字取胜，杜句以境界取胜，各擅胜场。全诗气象之雄，正系于「蒸」「撼」二字的千钧之力，为后文转写求仕蓄足了气势。

Its waves shake the city of Yueyang writes the force of Dongting's breakers: great waves beat the shore as if rocking the lakeside city to its fall. Yueyang is built on the lake; the city's solidity sets off the waves' fury, a still object bearing motion, hyperbole yet true. Shake is the eye: the impact and roar of breakers, like a giant's hand rocking the walls - stronger than beat or strike, more kinetic. Set against steam above: one writes vapor's diffusion, one the waves' impact; one shadow one solid, one vertical one horizontal - Dongting made as if swallowing heaven and sun, its might overwhelming. The couplet ranks with Wu and Chu split apart, heaven and earth floating day and night among the supreme lines on Dongting; Meng's couplet wins through refined diction, Du's through realm - each its own. The poem's majesty rests entirely on the thousand-catty weight of steam and shake, storing full force for the turn to seeking office below.

欲济无舟楫，

I would cross, yet there is nor boat nor oar,

我想渡过湖去，却苦于没有舟楫。

I wish to cross the lake, yet I have no boat or oar.

此句由写景转入言志，是全诗转折的关键。「济」字双关：字面上写渡湖无船，骨子里写济世无援，一虚一实，天衣无缝。「舟楫」暗用《尚书·说命》「若济巨川，用汝作舟楫」之典，殷高宗以舟楫喻贤臣，孟浩然反用其意——满湖浩渺之水而无一叶舟楫可渡，正如满腹经纶而无一人引荐可仕。前四句极写洞庭之阔大，正为「无舟楫」的困境作铺垫：湖愈大，渡愈难；景愈壮，情愈切。诗人不直说求人引荐，而以渡湖设喻，把求仕的急切与无奈写得含蓄得体，既见用世之心，又守士人之节，是干谒诗措辞艺术的极致。

This line turns from scenery to declaring resolve, the key pivot. Cross is double: on the surface, no boat to cross the lake; beneath, no support to save the age - one shadow, one solid, seamless. Boat and oar secretly alludes to the Book of Documents: to cross a great river, I would use you as boat and oar, where Gaozong of Yin compared worthy ministers to boat and oar; Meng reverses the allusion - a vast lake yet not a boat to cross it, just as a belly full of statecraft yet not one patron to recommend him. The first four lines write the lake's vastness precisely to prepare the no-boat dilemma: the wider the lake, the harder the crossing; the grander the scene, the keener the feeling. The poet does not directly beg recommendation but sets the crossing as metaphor, writing the urgency and helplessness of seeking office with reserve and grace - showing the heart to serve yet keeping the scholar's dignity, the ultimate art of phrasing in干谒 verse.

端居耻圣明。

Idle in retirement, I am ashamed before this wise reign.

闲居无为，又愧对这圣明之世。

Dwelling in idleness, I feel shame before this wise and enlightened age.

「端居耻圣明」写闲居之愧：盛世圣明而己独闲居，深以为耻。「耻」字是全诗情感的重心，表面是自谦自愧，实则以退为进，暗含对自身才具的自信与对用世的渴望——不是我不愿出仕，而是耻于辜负这圣明之世。与「欲济无舟楫」配合，一写无援之困，一写求仕之志，困而不馁，志而不怨，正是盛唐士人昂扬进取心态的写照。「圣明」美称当朝，是干谒诗的得体用语，既颂时世，又微露己才未展之意。此句七字，谦逊中见自负，愧怍中藏热望，含蓄蕴藉，为「徒有羡鱼情」的收束作了情感铺垫，是全诗由景入情的枢纽。

Idle in retirement, I am ashamed before this wise reign writes the shame of idleness: in a wise and enlightened age, he alone dwells idle, and takes it deeply to heart. Shame is the emotional center of the poem: on the surface self-deprecation, in truth advancing by retreat - secretly confident in his own talent and hungry to serve; it is not that he will not serve, but that he is ashamed to waste this wise reign. Paired with I would cross, yet no boat: one writes the plight of no support, one the resolve to serve; in plight not discouraged, in resolve not resentful - the portrait of the High-Tang scholar's aspiring spirit. Wise reign, honoring the court, is the fitting term of干谒 verse: praising the times while hinting at his own undeployed talent. Seven characters: self-assertion within humility, longing within shame, reserved and pregnant, storing the emotional ground for the closing vain I harbor the longing to angle - the pivot from scenery to feeling.

徒有羡鱼情。

In vain I harbor the longing to angle.

徒然空怀着羡鱼之情。

I can only stand and long for the fish, in vain.

结句「徒有羡鱼情」以自嘲收束全诗，点破干谒主旨。「羡鱼」暗用《淮南子·说林训》「临渊羡鱼，不如退而结网」：诗人临湖而坐，看他人垂钓得鱼，正如看他人得遂功名，自己只能空怀羡慕。一个「徒」字写尽无可奈何：不是无志，不是无才，而是无援无路，空有羡慕之情而已。把求仕之意写得如此含蓄从容，既不失身份，又恳切动人，是干谒诗的上乘境界。全诗由湖景起，以鱼情结，首尾照应：开篇「水平」之阔大，结以「羡鱼」之怅惘，气象之雄与情思之婉融于一体，遂成「不亢不卑」的典范，千百年来为论者所称道。

The closing line, vain I harbor the longing to angle, ends in self-mockery and names the干谒 theme. Longing for fish alludes to Huainanzi: standing by the pool coveting fish is better than going home to weave a net - the poet sits by the lake, watching others angle and catch, as he watches others attain success, with nothing but empty longing. One word vain exhausts the helplessness: not without will, not without talent, but without support, without a road, with nothing but longing. Writing the desire for office so reservedly and calmly keeps his station while moving the reader - the highest realm of干谒 verse. The poem rises from the lake scene and closes in the fish-longing, beginning and end answering: the level vastness of the opening, the wistful longing of the close, grandeur and tenderness fused - the model of neither humble nor arrogant, praised by critics for a thousand years.

Study

Word focus

蒸 The character '蒸' (steam, rise) is a powerful verb that conveys the expansive, rising vapors from the marsh, creating a sense of dynamic energy. It is a key word in the famous couplet. 「气蒸云梦泽」之「蒸」字，是写洞庭气势的第一关键。蒸本义为热气上升，此处写湖面水气升腾弥漫，如鼎沸之汤、如霭霭之云，把静止的湖水写得充满蒸腾的生命力。妙处有三：一是写空间之广——水气弥漫开来，笼罩数百里云梦大泽，「蒸」字是向四面八方的铺展；二是写力量之猛——不是轻飘的雾气，而是热力蒸腾、沛然莫御之势；三是与「撼」字对举，一升腾一撞击，一弥漫一震撼，虚实相济，把洞庭写得吞天沃日。若易以「浮」「漫」则失其热力，易以「涌」则失其弥漫，唯「蒸」字兼含热、力、势三者，气象雄浑，千载之下犹觉湖气扑面。

撼 The character '撼' (shake, rock) personifies the waves as having the power to shake the city of Yueyang, magnifying the lake's immense force. Together with '蒸', it forms a perfect parallel. 「波撼岳阳城」之「撼」字，是写洞庭力量的点睛之笔。撼者，摇动也，以拟人笔法写波涛之力，仿佛巨灵之手摇撼城郭。「撼」字之妙，在以静衬动、以城衬波：岳阳城本是巍然不动的雄镇，能撼动它，足见波涛之力可吞山河；又妙在含而不露——不说波「击」城（坐实），不说波「没」城（夸张失度），只说「撼」，如巨浪拍岸、地动城摇，夸张而有节制，雄浑而不失真。与上句「蒸」字对举，一写气之升腾弥漫，一写波之撞击摇撼，一纵一横，构成洞庭全景的立体图卷。宋人谓此二字「气压百代」，正见其炼字之力，与杜甫「乾坤日夜浮」同被推为咏洞庭之绝唱。

耻 The character '耻' (be ashamed) expresses the poet's discomfort at being idle during a sage reign, reflecting his ambition and sense of duty. It is a key word that shifts the tone from landscape to personal emotion. 「端居耻圣明」之「耻」字，是全诗由景入情的情感枢纽。耻者，羞愧也，此处写诗人闲居无为、愧对这圣明之世的内心活动。妙处有三：一是以退为进——表面自谦自愧，实则暗含对己身才具的自信与对用世的渴望，耻于闲居，正是志在用世；二是分寸得体——干谒诗最忌卑屈乞求，「耻」字把求仕之心写得自尊自重，既见热望，又守风骨；三是蓄势深厚——正因「耻」于闲居，才更见「欲济」之切，才更感「无舟楫」之痛，为结句「徒有羡鱼情」的怅惘埋下情感伏笔。一字之力，贯通全篇情脉，是盛唐士人「耻于独善、志在兼善」精神的凝练表达。