All poems

唐 Tang · 诗 Poem

闻王昌龄左迁龙标遥有此寄

On Hearing of Wang Changling's Relegation to Longbiao

李白

Li Bai

友情Friendship 贬谪Relegation 月Moon

杨花落尽子规啼，闻道龙标过五溪。
我寄愁心与明月，随君直到夜郎西。

All willow-catkins have fallen, cuckoos cry;
I hear you've passed Five Streams to Longbiao.
I send my grieving heart to the bright moon,
To accompany you as far as Yelang's west.

Listen

Meaning

The poet hears of his friend's distant exile and entrusts his sorrow to the moon, hoping it will accompany his friend.

杨花已落尽，杜鹃在悲啼，听说你被贬到龙标，要越过五溪那样偏远的地方。我把满怀的愁心托付给天上的明月，愿它陪伴着你，一直跟到你夜郎以西的贬所。

Appreciation

The poem uses the late spring scene of willow catkins and cuckoo cries to set a sorrowful atmosphere. The last two lines personify the moon, turning the poet's abstract grief into a tangible companion. This imaginative and romantic expression of friendship is highly praised.

【白话串讲】朋友被贬到夜郎那么远的地方，李白帮不了忙，只能把一颗心寄给月亮，让它一路陪着朋友走。“我寄愁心与明月，随君直到夜郎西”——这是李白式的最温柔的仗义。【意象与手法】此诗为唐李白之作，精要赏析详见下方深度赏析。【情感与主旨】王昌龄因“不护细行”被贬为龙标（今湖南黔阳）尉，李白闻讯远道写诗相寄【名句点睛】常考“我寄愁心与明月，随君直到夜郎西”借明月寄友情的奇特想象与拟人手法

Background

Wang Changling was relegated to Longbiao (in present-day Hunan) for minor faults. Li Bai wrote this poem from afar to console him. The two did not meet; the poem is a distant offering of concern.

李白，字太白，号青莲居士，盛唐浪漫主义诗歌之巅。王昌龄，字少伯，盛唐七绝圣手，时贬龙标（今湖南黔阳）尉。据《新唐书·文艺传》及唐人记载，王昌龄晚年因不护细行（生活小节不谨）获罪，由江宁丞贬为龙标尉，此即诗题所谓左迁。左迁者，降职也。李白与王昌龄交好，闻讯远道写诗相寄，时约在天宝后期（约748年前后），李白正漫游金陵、宣城一带。龙标远在湘西，过五溪（雄溪、樠溪、酉溪、潕溪、辰溪）方至，夜郎西指更西之贬所（夜郎在今贵州桐梓一带，唐属僻远）。在文学传统上，以诗寄远慰贬谪友人为唐人常情，而太白此篇以明月寄愁的奇想，将慰勉之情托于天地，开盛唐七绝写友情、写贬谪之浪漫新境，对后世苏轼《水调歌头》兼怀子由等月下寄远之作影响深远，遂为唐人友情诗之经典。在文学传统上，以诗寄远慰贬谪友人为唐人常情，而太白此篇以明月寄愁的奇想，将慰勉之情托于天地，开盛唐七绝写友情、写贬谪之浪漫新境。龙标远在湘西，过五溪方至，夜郎西指更西之贬所，路途万里。李白与王昌龄交好，闻讯远道写诗相寄，时约天宝后期漫游金陵、宣城一带。其托月之想空前绝后，对后世苏轼水调歌头兼怀子由等月下寄远之作影响深远，遂为唐人友情诗之经典，足见浪漫精神之长。

Art

The poem starts with a scene to evoke emotion. The last two lines personify the moon, turning invisible sorrow into a tangible companion. The imagery is clear and profound.

全诗四句，章法以景起、事承、情转、愿结，由实入虚、由地及天。首联杨花落尽子规啼，闻道龙标过五溪，前句写景设色，杨花飘零、子规悲啼，已先染飘零哀伤之调；后句叙事点题，闻道二字写乍闻贬讯之惊，过五溪极言路途之僻远险恶。后联我寄愁心与明月，随君直到夜郎西，陡然翻出奇想：将满怀愁心托付明月，愿其随友直抵贬所。修辞上以拟人（明月可寄、可随）、奇想（愁心与月）见长，不写叮咛而写托月，浪漫至极；意象上杨花、子规、明月、五溪、夜郎层叠，由眼前暮春之景遥接千里贬地之远。其妙在将无形之愁化为有形之月、将咫尺之身遥系万里之友，举重若轻，诚七绝中以幻写真、以月写情之极笔，于盛唐友情诗中别开奇境。其妙在将无形之愁化为有形之月、将咫尺之身遥系万里之友，举重若轻，诚七绝中以幻写真、以月写情之极笔。由景起、事承、情转、愿结，由实入虚、由地及天。杨花、子规、明月、五溪、夜郎层叠，由眼前暮春之景遥接千里贬地之远。修辞上以拟人（明月可寄、可随）、奇想（愁心与月）见长，不写叮咛而写托月，浪漫至极。盛唐诗人以气韵胜，此篇正是不雕而工、以景写远之范式，于盛唐友情诗中别开奇境，足见其手眼，千载传诵。

Allusions

The cuckoo's cry is traditionally associated with farewell sorrow. Longbiao and Yelang are distant places, emphasizing the remoteness of the friend's exile.

诗中意象与地理多有所本。杨花即柳絮，暮春飘零，自来为离愁之象；子规即杜鹃，传为古蜀王杜宇所化，啼声凄厉若不如归去，古人以为悲鸟，二者并置最写飘零之哀。五溪为湘西五大水系总称，自秦汉即为蛮荒偏远之地，过五溪极言贬所之远险。夜郎本西南古国，唐夜郎县在今贵州，去长安万里，李白后亦长流夜郎，故知之切。字词训诂方面，左迁谓降职（古人以右为尊）；闻道之道犹闻知；寄愁心与明月之与犹付与、托付，以月为邮，奇想空前。愁心二字兼己之念与友之冤，一笔双写。全诗用事融化楚辞杜鹃、地理五溪夜郎，不深奥而贴切，正见盛唐诗人以学问为诗却不滞于学问之高明，托月之想尤见浪漫手段。要之，全诗用事融化楚辞杜鹃、地理五溪夜郎，不深奥而贴切。愁心二字兼己之念与友之冤，一笔双写，最见交情之厚。左迁谓降职，古人以右为尊；闻道之道犹闻知；寄愁心与明月之与犹付与、托付，以月为邮，奇想空前。五溪自秦汉为蛮荒，夜郎去长安万里，李白后亦长流夜郎，故知之切。此正盛唐诗人以学问为诗却不滞于学问之高明，化用故实而自出襟抱，托月之想尤见浪漫手段之极，举重若轻。

Commentary

Li Bai entrusts his sorrow to the moon, showing profound friendship. Critics praise its tender feelings and superb style. It is a masterpiece of expressing deep emotion in simple language.

此诗向为李白七绝中写友情、写贬谪之代表，明人唐汝询《唐诗解》称其景中有情，寄月之意最奇。清沈德潜《唐诗别裁集》赏我寄愁心与明月一联，谓以无情之物写有情之思，得风人之致。历代评家多赏其不落慰勉常套，而托愁心于明月，奇想中见挚谊。其经典地位在于将远方慰友之情化为天地间一月相随的浪漫奇观，我寄愁心与明月、随君直到夜郎西更成千古名句，写尽挚友间不以万里为远的精神相守。传播史上，此诗入选《唐诗三百首》及各类教材，现代语文教育尤重其拟人想象与借月寄情之法；在月文化、友情诗中，它与月下独酌并见太白写月之两境（一孤一友），足证短章亦能涵万里之思、千古之情。其经典地位在于将远方慰友之情化为天地间一月相随的浪漫奇观，我寄愁心与明月、随君直到夜郎西更成千古名句，写尽挚友间不以万里为远的精神相守。传播史上，此诗入选唐诗三百首及各类教材，现代语文教育尤重其拟人想象与借月寄情之法；在月文化、友情诗中，它与月下独酌并见太白写月之两境（一孤一友），足证短章亦能涵万里之思、千古之情。苏轼水调歌头问月实承此脉，其影响及于宋调，信非偶然。

Prosody

Form 七言绝句（七绝）七言绝句（寄远慰贬，属友情贬谪题材）

Rhyme 平起首句入韵，押上平八齐韵（啼、溪、西）。押平声齐韵，啼、溪、西三句末字属平水韵上平八齐，首句入韵，一韵到底，声情清切而悠远，最宜发飘零慰远之慨。

Tone pattern “杨花落尽子规啼”平平仄仄仄平平，“闻道龙标过五溪”平仄平平仄仄平；后两句“我寄愁心与明月，随君直到夜郎西”仄仄平平仄平仄、平平仄仄仄平平。平仄合七绝平起首句入韵格：平平仄仄仄平平，平仄平平仄仄平。仄仄平平平仄仄，平平平仄仄平平。首句杨花落尽为平平仄仄，啼平收，格律严整自然。

Reading note 后两句以拟人化明月寄愁，想象奇绝，是李白浪漫主义“托月传情”的代表一笔。此诗四句，声律暗合七绝平起首句入韵之格，啼、溪、西三平声在齐韵中清切悠远，与暮春飘零、万里寄远之调相得益彰。首句以平平仄仄起势，杨花子规设色哀婉；次句闻道龙标以平仄相错写惊闻之远；后联寄愁心与明月仄起，随君夜郎以平收，声情由叙而扬，如月之渐升。盛唐七绝重天然音节，此篇不刻意雕琢而自然合度，语似平易而平仄暗谐，读来朗朗而终觉情遥。其韵脚之选与首句之哀，使短章兼具歌唱之畅与吟咏之深，宜乎千载传诵、被视为托月寄远之绝唱而不移。要之，此诗声情与辞情互为表里，啼溪西三平声在齐韵中清切悠远，与暮春飘零、万里寄远之调相得益彰。盛唐七绝重天然音节，此篇不刻意雕琢而自然合度，语似平易而平仄暗谐，读来朗朗而终觉情遥。其韵脚之选与首句之哀，使短章兼具歌唱之畅与吟咏之深，宜乎千载传诵、被视为托月寄远之绝唱而不移。论者谓太白七绝如话而味永，此诗正其以月写情之极则，信然，声情与辞情互为表里。

Line by line

杨花落尽子规啼，闻道龙标过五溪。

Willow catkins have all fallen, cuckoos are crying. These images set a late spring, sorrowful scene, and the poet hears of his friend's distant exile.

杨花已落尽，杜鹃在悲啼，听说你被贬到龙标，要越过五溪那样偏远的地方。

Willow catkins have all fallen, and the cuckoo cries; word comes you are banished to Longbiao, beyond the Five Streams.

首联以景起事承，杨花落尽子规啼写暮春之景，杨花飘零喻身世之无依，子规悲啼若不如归去，最写离人飘零之哀，景中已先染愁调；闻道龙标过五溪陡然叙事点题，闻道二字写乍闻贬讯之惊与关切，过五溪极言贬所之僻远险恶，五溪自汉为蛮荒，千山万水之外更见慰念之切。此联由眼前之景遥接千里之贬地，景与事、近与远相生，哀景与惊闻叠加，遂为后联托月寄愁蓄足地势与情绪。其妙在不直写安慰而哀景惊闻已见挚谊，盛唐诗人重兴象，此联正以景带情、以地写远之典范，章法由实入虚、由地及天，极见七绝起手之胜。

The opening couplet rises from scenery: willow catkins all fallen, the cuckoo cries writes late spring - catkins adrift image life's rootlessness; the cuckoo's cry, like urging home, most writes the sorrow of parting, the scenery already dyed with grief. Word comes you are banished to Longbiao, beyond the Five Streams suddenly narrates and names the theme: word writes the shock and concern at first hearing the demotion; beyond the Five Streams writes the exile's remoteness and peril - the Five Streams since Han a wilderness, and concern all the keener beyond mountains and waters. The couplet joins the scene before his eyes to the exile a thousand li away: scene and event, near and far, born together; sorrowful scenery and startling news stacked, storing full ground and emotion for entrusting sorrow to the moon below. Its art: not writing comfort directly, yet the sorrowful scenery and startling news already show deep friendship; High-Tang poets valued imagery, and this couplet is the model of leading feeling through scenery, writing distance through place - the quatrain's opening moving from solid to void, earth to sky.

我寄愁心与明月，随君直到夜郎西。

I entrust my sorrowful heart to the bright moon, asking it to accompany you all the way to Yelang West. This personifies the moon and turns abstract sorrow into a tangible companion.

我把满怀的愁心托付给天上的明月，愿它陪伴着你，一直跟到你夜郎以西的贬所。

I send my sorrowful heart to the bright moon, to follow you all the way to the west of Yelang.

后联为全诗情核与奇想之峰，我寄愁心与明月，将无形之愁托付天上明月，以月为邮，拟人而奇；随君直到夜郎西，愿明月相伴友人身侧、直抵万里贬所，浪漫至极。此联妙在举重若轻：咫尺之身遥系夜郎之远，全凭一月相随，不言慰而慰自深，不写怜而怜自见。愁心二字兼己之念友与友之含冤，一笔双写，最见交情之厚。唐人慰贬多重说理叮咛，太白却托愁于月，以无情之物写有情之思，遂开月下寄远之新境。其所以成千古名句，正在其道出挚友间不以万里为远的精神相守，遂成汉语写友情、写明月之经典意象，足证盛唐浪漫以幻写真之极笔。

The closing couplet is the poem's emotional core and the peak of fancy: I send my sorrowful heart to the bright moon - entrusting the formless sorrow to the moon above, using the moon as post, personified and strange. To follow you all the way to the west of Yelang: may the moon accompany the friend's side, straight to the exile ten thousand li away, romantic to the extreme. The couplet's art lies in handling weight with lightness: a body close at hand linked to Yelang's distance, all through one moon's following; not writing comfort, yet comfort deep; not writing pity, yet pity self-evident. Sorrowful heart doubles the poet's longing and the friend's injustice in one stroke, showing friendship's depth. Tang consolations of exile usually reasoned and exhorted; Li Bai entrusts sorrow to the moon, using a heartless object to write a feeling thought, opening the new realm of sending distance through the moon. Its immortality lies in voicing spirit keeping vigil between closest friends despite ten thousand li - the classic image of friendship and moonlight in Chinese, proof of High-Tang romance writing truth through fancy at its extreme.

Study

Word focus

寄 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. 寄字为全诗奇想之眼，我寄愁心与明月以托付之笔将无形之愁交与天上明月，化虚为实、化近为远。寄本传书投递之常语，施于愁心与明月，是拟人更是浪漫：明月成了跨越万里传递情谊的信使。此字最重，若无寄字，则愁心空悬、月自无情；有寄字，则咫尺之身与夜郎之友因月相系，慰念之情顿生翅膀。唐人写别多重执手叮咛，太白却以寄字立一峻切之想，傲然逾于常态。盛唐诗人炼意于常语，寄正是不炼之炼，以最朴之动词写最厚之奇想，足证其以幻写真、以月写情之高手笔。自此联出，托月寄远遂成汉语友情意象之经典，寄字定其千古之格。

愁心 Sorrowful heart: The core emotion of the poem, representing the poet's worry for his friend. 愁心二字为全诗情感之核，既写诗人闻贬讯后的忧念，亦暗含对友人身遭不白之冤的同情，一笔双写，最见交情之厚。愁而称心，言忧念之深已入肺腑，非浮泛客套；与明月相寄，则无形之心化作可托之重。此词以最朴之形涵最厚之情，不呼号而挚谊自见。唐人慰贬诗多重说理，太白却以愁心二字写尽精神相守，举重若轻。盛唐诗人以气韵胜，愁心正是不雕而工，足证李白白描写情之高手笔。与前联杨花子规之哀景呼应，愁心收束全篇之痛；与随君夜郎呼应，愁心又展为万里之托，结构圆紧而情韵悠长，遂成写友情经典之眼。