All poems

唐 Tang · 诗 Poem

瑶池

The Jade Pool

李商隐

Li Shangyin

咏史historical satire 讽刺satire 神话myth

瑶池阿母绮窗开，黄竹歌声动地哀。
八骏日行三万里，穆王何事不重来。

At the Jade Pool the Queen Mother opens her carved window,
The Yellow Bamboo song sends an earth-shaking grief.
The eight steeds travel thirty thousand li a day,
Why does King Mu never come again?

Listen

Meaning

Using the legend of King Mu and the Queen Mother of the West, Li Shangyin asks why the king never returns — a biting satire on emperors who sought immortality yet could not escape death.

瑶池上的西王母推开雕花的窗子（等待周穆王重来），人间却传来《黄竹歌》悲声动地。穆王的八匹骏马一日能行三万里，他为什么再也没有回来呢？

Appreciation

All four lines use the 'Tale of King Mu' yet never state the theme. The first two set immortal against mortal, joy against grief, in stark contrast; the last two close with a rhetorical question, asking what is known, cold to the extreme. The five characters 'why come not again' deliver the truth that not even immortals can reverse death in the lightest tone. This is Li Shangyin's famous satire on emperors seeking transcendence — several Tang emperors were addicted to alchemy and died of it; the poet asks: if even King Mu, with thirty-thousand-li steeds and the Queen Mother's company, could not avoid death, how much less a mortal?

【白话串讲】 “瑶池阿母绮窗开，黄竹歌声动地哀”——李商隐写瑶池：西王母打开窗，听到哀歌。“八骏日行三万里，穆王何事不重来”——周穆王的八骏一天跑三万里，他为什么不再来？他写求仙的虚无。【意象与手法】全诗四句全用《穆天子传》故事，却一字不点破主旨。前两句一仙一人、一乐一哀，对照强烈；后两句以反问收束，明知故问，冷峻至极。“何事不重来”五字，把神仙也无法挽回的死亡真相，用最轻描淡写的语气托出。【情感与主旨】此诗是李商隐讽刺帝王求仙的名篇。唐代宪宗、穆宗、敬宗、武宗诸帝皆好神仙方术，多有服丹致死者。诗人不直斥其非，而借周穆王与西王母的传说发问：连能日行三万里、又有西王母为伴的穆王尚且难免一死，何况凡人？求仙长生之妄，一问而破。【名句点睛】 “八骏日行三万里，穆王何事不重来”——以最平静的反问写最残酷的事实。西王母尚在痴等，而所等之人早已作古；连神仙都被蒙在鼓里，讽刺之深，令人悚然。

Background

In the mid-late Tang, the emperors Xianzong, Muzong, Jingzong, and Wuzong were all bewitched by alchemy, taking cinnabar; several died in succession of elixir poison. Li Shangyin lived through this and wrote many satires on the pursuit of immortality; 'The Jade Pool' is the most veiled yet sharpest. The story of King Mu and the Queen Mother meeting at the Jade Pool and promising to meet again comes from the 'Tale of King Mu.'

李商隐字义山，号玉谿生，晚唐诗坛巨擘，其咏史怀古之作以立意深婉、讽刺含蓄著称。此诗当作于唐代中后期帝王普遍痴迷神仙方术、服食丹药的时代背景之下。自宪宗以降，穆宗、敬宗、武宗诸帝皆惑于长生之说，招纳方士、烧炼金丹，其中数人相继因丹毒发作而暴亡，教训惨痛而当世犹不知戒。李商隐身历其事，目睹一代代君主重蹈求仙致死的覆辙，遂写下多首讽刺求仙的诗篇，而瑶池是其中最为含蓄、也最为锋利的一首。诗中周穆王西游至昆仑瑶池、与西王母宴饮相会、约期再来的故事，出自古代神话典籍《穆天子传》：穆王驾八骏西巡，至瑶池与西王母欢宴，王母作歌相赠，有将子无死、尚能复来之语，穆王答以三年之后当复来见；然而穆王终未能重返瑶池。李商隐即抓住这个约而不至的神话缝隙，借西王母的痴等发问，把连神仙也无法挽留的死亡真相冷冷托出，从而彻底戳破帝王求仙长生的虚妄，寄讽于咏史，笔意超妙。

Art

The poem's greatest art is 'using question in place of judgment.' The poet passes no verdict, only lets the Queen Mother open her window in wait, only lets the Yellow Bamboo song sound its grief, then lightly asks, leaving the reader to finish the reasoning: King Mu is dead, immortals could not keep him. This letting facts speak for themselves is stronger than any fierce critique. Also, the expectation of 'carved window opens' against the reality of 'earth-shaking grief' forms a strong heaven-earth counterpoint, Li Shangyin's favored spacetime juxtaposition.

全诗最大的艺术特色是以问代断、让事实自己说话。诗人自始至终不下任何判断、不着一句评论，只客观地铺陈两个画面、再轻轻发出一问，而结论由读者自己完成推理。前两句瑶池阿母绮窗开、黄竹歌声动地哀，一写天上西王母推窗东望、痴痴等待的期盼，一写人间穆王所作黄竹歌那动地的哀声，天上人间、一乐一悲、一望一哭，构成强烈的时空并置与情境对位，这正是李商隐最擅长的手法。后两句八骏日行三万里、穆王何事不重来则由铺陈转入反诘：穆王有日行三万里的八骏神驹，往返瑶池本是轻而易举，他为何再也不来了呢？此问明知故问、欲抑先扬——极言八骏之神速，正为反衬不重来之不可解，而答案不言自明：穆王早已死了，连能日行三万里的神驹也载不回一个死人。以最平静的语气问最残酷的事实，以仙人的痴等反照人间的荒诞，讽刺之深、之冷，全在言外，比任何激烈的批判都更有力量。

Allusions

Three allusions, all from the 'Tale of King Mu': (1) 'Jade Pool Queen Mother' is the Queen Mother of the West; King Mu traveled west to Kunlun's Jade Pool and feasted with her; she sang 'may you not die, and come again,' and he answered to return in three years. (2) 'Yellow Bamboo song': on a southward trip King Mu met wind and snow, saw the frozen dying, and wrote three 'Yellow Bamboo' chapters in their grief. (3) 'Eight steeds': King Mu drove eight steeds west, thirty thousand li a day. The three allusions lock together into a complete narrative chain.

全诗二十八字之中三处用典，皆出《穆天子传》，且层层相扣、构成完整的叙事链。其一，瑶池阿母指西王母：周穆王西巡至昆仑之丘、瑶池之上，与西王母宴饮酬酢，王母为穆王谣曰白云在天、山陵自出，道里悠远、山川间之，将子无死、尚能复来，穆王答曰予归东土、和治诸夏，万民平均、吾顾见汝，比及三年、将复而野，约定三年后重来相见，故王母开窗东望，正是在痴痴守候这三年之约。其二，黄竹歌指穆王南行途中所作的黄竹三章：穆王游行至黄竹之地，遇天寒风雪，见有冻馁将死之民，遂作黄竹之诗三章以哀悯百姓，此处以黄竹歌声动地哀代指人间穆王已逝、哀声动地的消息。其三，八骏日行三万里用穆王驾八匹骏马西游、日行万里的传说，极言其车驾之神速。三典由王母之约、写到黄竹之哀、再到八骏之速，环环相生，遂在短短绝句中织成一个首尾完足的神话故事，而讽刺之意即从这叙事的缝隙中透出，用典之精严浑成，堪称咏史绝句的典范。

Commentary

The Qing Ji Yun remarked: 'satirizes the pursuit of immortality; words subtle yet meaning clear.' Shen Deqian, in 'Tang Poems Selected and Edited,' said: 'shows the unworthiness of relying on immortals, and the folly of those who seek them; ends with a single question, the brushstroke most superb.'

此诗历来被推为李商隐咏史绝句中讽刺求仙一类的代表作，评家多赏其词微意显、以问了之的超妙笔法。清人纪昀评曰讥求仙也，词微而意显，一语道破此诗托讽之旨与含蓄之工——字面全是神话叙事、绝无一句斥责，而讽刺求仙长生之妄的用意昭然若揭。沈德潜《唐诗别裁》则云言神仙之不足恃，而求之者愚也，只以一问了之，笔意最为超妙，特赏其不下断语、惟以反诘收束的高妙手段：诗人不说穆王已死、不斥求仙之愚，只问穆王何以不重来，把最沉重的结论化为最轻淡的一问，讽刺遂愈显深透。后世论李商隐咏史者，每以此篇与贾生并举，谓其皆借古事以刺时君之惑，而瑶池尤以三典浑融、以乐衬哀、以仙写死见长。综观诸评，皆归于一个微字：立意之微婉、用笔之含蓄、讽刺之不露，正是此诗在晚唐大量讽喻诗中卓然独绝、耐人涵咏的根本所在。

Prosody

Form Seven-character quatrain (level-opening, first line rhymes)七言绝句

Rhyme Rhymes on level-tone group 10 Hai: kai, ai, lai.押平水韵上平十灰韵，韵脚为开、哀、来，平起首句入韵，一韵到底

Tone pattern Third line 'eight steeds travel thirty thousand li a day' closes on oblique tone, making waves against the three level rhymes; last line ends as a question, tone rising yet meaning sinking.平起首句入韵式，第三句八骏日行三万里以仄声收，与三个平声韵脚形成起伏，末句以问句作结、语调上扬而意味下沉

Reading note Twenty-eight characters use three allusions without seeming piled; all thanks to the natural flow of the narrative thread — a model of Li Shangyin's historical quatrains.此诗为七言绝句，平起首句入韵，押上平十灰韵，开、哀、来三字收音开口而略带回响，一韵到底，读来低回宛转，与全诗悼亡讽世的深沉意味相合。就声调布局而言，第一、二、四句皆以平声韵字收煞，音势舒缓；独第三句八骏日行三万里以仄声字收尾，不入韵而自成一顿，于三个平韵之间陡然一起一伏，既打破了平顺，又为末句的转折蓄势。末句穆王何事不重来以疑问句作结，语调表面上扬如问，而意味实则下沉如叹——问的是何以不来，答的却是永不能来，故声调虽轻扬而情感极凝重，形成一种言轻意重、以扬写抑的独特张力。全诗二十八字之内连用三个出自穆天子传的典故，而全靠一条穆王与西王母约会、爽约、身死的叙事线索自然贯通，故用典虽密而毫无堆砌之感，反觉气脉流走、首尾浑成。这种以谨严的声律承载含蓄的讽意、以流畅的叙事化解用典的滞重的写法，正是李商隐咏史绝句声情与意脉俱臻上乘的典范。

Line by line

瑶池阿母绮窗开，黄竹歌声动地哀。

The Queen Mother of Yaochi opens her broidered window; the song of Yellow Bamboo rises earth-shaking in grief.

瑶池上的西王母推开雕花的窗子，人间却传来《黄竹歌》悲声动地。

The Queen Mother of the Jade Pool opens her carved window; below, the song of Yellow Bamboo rises, earth-shaking with sorrow.

此联以天上人间的强烈对位开篇，是李商隐时空并置手法的绝好体现。上句瑶池阿母绮窗开写天上：西王母推开雕花的绮窗，向东眺望，痴痴守候着与穆王三年重来的旧约，一个开字写尽她满怀的期盼；下句黄竹歌声动地哀写人间：穆王所作黄竹歌的哀声动地传来，暗示这位约期再来的君王早已不在人世。天上的期待与人间的哀歌同时响起，一乐一悲、一望一哭、一仙一人，两个画面猛然对照，惊心动魄。诗人不作一字说明，只把这天悬地隔的两幕并置于读者眼前，而仙人痴等所待之人实已作古的荒诞与悲凉，已在这无声的对位中呼之欲出。

This couplet opens with a sharp heaven-earth contrast, a superb instance of Li Shangyin's temporal juxtaposition. The upper line, the Queen Mother of Yaochi opens her broidered window, writes heaven: the Queen Mother opens her jeweled window, gazing east, waiting in vain for King Mu's covenant to return in three years; one opens exhausts her longing. The lower line, the song of Yellow Bamboo rises earth-shaking in grief, writes earth: the mournful Yellow Bamboo song of King Mu rises shaking the ground, hinting that this king promised to return is long dead. Heaven's expectation and earth's lament sound together - one joy one grief, one gazing one weeping, one immortal one mortal; the two pictures abruptly contrast, heart-stirring. The poet says not one explanatory word, only places these two heaven-earth-separated scenes before the reader; the absurdity and desolation of the immortal waiting for one already dead are ready to leap out of this wordless juxtaposition.

八骏日行三万里，穆王何事不重来。

His eight steeds travel thirty thousand li a day - why, then, did King Mu never return?

穆王的八匹骏马一日能行三万里，他为什么再也没有回来呢？

His eight fine horses ride thirty thousand li a day; why then did King Mu never come again?

此联由铺陈转入反诘，是全诗讽刺力量的凝聚处，用的是欲抑先扬、明知故问之法。上句八骏日行三万里极言穆王车驾之神速——他有日行三万里的八匹神驹，往返瑶池本当轻而易举、指日可待；正是这极写其快，才为下句的不重来蓄足了反衬之势。下句穆王何事不重来陡然发问：既然神驹如此迅捷，穆王究竟为何再也不来赴约了呢？这一问明知故问，答案其实昭然——穆王死了，纵有日行三万里的神驹，也载不回一个已入黄泉的人。诗人以最轻淡的语气问最沉重的生死，把求仙长生的虚妄一问而破：连有西王母为伴、有八骏可乘的穆王尚且难免一死，况乎凡人？讽刺之深，尽在言外。

This couplet turns from narrative to rhetorical question, the poem's satirical force condensed, using the method of first raising high then pressing down, asking knowingly. The upper line, his eight steeds travel thirty thousand li a day, exaggerates King Mu's chariot speed - with eight divine colts running thirty thousand li a day, the round trip to Yaochi should be easy, soon expected; precisely this extreme writing of speed stores full contrast for the lower line's never returned. The lower line, why then did King Mu never come again, suddenly asks: since the divine colts are so swift, why indeed did King Mu never come to the tryst? This question knows the answer yet asks it - King Mu is dead; swift colts though they be, they cannot carry back one entered the yellow springs. The poet asks the weightiest life and death in the lightest tone, breaking the delusion of seeking immortality with one question: even King Mu, with the Queen Mother for companion and eight steeds to ride, could not escape death; how much more a mortal? The satire's depth is all beyond words.

Study

Word focus

开 The 'open' in 'carved window opens' is most worth savoring. The window opens to welcome a guest, yet opens with no one coming; one action writes the Queen Mother's foolish wait and disappointment, also a veiled ridicule of the one-sided wish of those seeking immortality. 开字见于瑶池阿母绮窗开一句，是全诗最堪玩味的一字。窗为迎客而开——西王母推开绮窗、向东眺望，正是在守候与穆王三年重来的旧约，一个开字里满含着盼归的期待与迎候的殷切。然而窗开了，人却始终不至，这期待遂全然落空。开字之妙，正在于它以一个满怀希望的动作，反衬出希望的彻底幻灭：门户大开而伊人不来，愈见其痴、愈显其空。深一层看，西王母的痴等落空，又暗讽人间求仙者的一厢情愿——他们如西王母一般苦苦守候长生的许诺，而所待终究是一场空。以一个开字写尽仙人的痴候与落空、并暗刺求仙的虚妄，下字轻而寓意深，是李商隐炼字含蓄不露的典型。

何事 'He shi' means 'why,' a rhetorical question that knows the answer. The poet does not say King Mu is dead, only asks why he does not come, leaving the conclusion to the reader — thus the satire cuts deeper. 何事二字见于穆王何事不重来一句，是全诗以问代断、讽意所寄的关键。何事即为什么、因何缘故，是一个反诘之辞。诗人分明知道穆王不重来的缘由是死亡，却偏偏不说破，只以何事一问出之，是典型的明知故问。这一问的高妙在于：它把最确凿、最残酷的结论——穆王已死、求仙无救——悬置为一个看似天真的疑问，将答案完全留给读者自己去揭破。读者一旦悟出这轻描淡写的一问背后是不可挽回的死亡，讽刺的寒意便骤然袭来：原来连西王母也被蒙在鼓里，还在痴痴等待一个早已死去的人。以何事二字将断语化为诘问、将锋芒藏于疑惑，讽刺因此愈发深透含蓄，正是此诗笔意最为超妙之处。

瑶池