唐 Tang · 诗 Poem
玉门关盖将军歌
Song of the General Gai of the Yumen Pass
盖将军，真丈夫，行年三十执金吾，身长七尺颇有须。
玉门关城迥且孤，黄沙万里白草枯。
南邻犬戎北接胡，将军到来备不虞。
五千甲兵胆力麤，军中无事但欢娱。
暖屋绣帘红地炉，织成壁衣花氍毹。
灯前侍婢泻玉壶，金铛乱点野酡酥。
紫绂金章左右趋，问着只是苍头奴。
美人一双闲且都，朱唇翠眉映明𪾦。
清歌一曲世所无，今日喜闻凤将雏。
可怜绝胜秦罗敷，使君五马谩踟蹰。
野草绣窠紫罗襦，红牙缕马对樗蒱。
玉盘纤手撒作卢，众中夸道不曾输。
枥上昂昂皆骏驹，桃花叱拨价最殊。
骑将猎向城南隅，腊日射杀千年狐。
我来塞外按边储，为君取醉酒剩沽。
醉争酒盏相喧呼，忽忆咸阳旧酒徒。
In his years, thirty, holding the golden mace,
The body, seven feet, quite having the beard.
The Yumen Pass city, far and lone,
The yellow sand, ten thousand li, the white grass, withered.
The five thousand armored soldiers, the courage and the strength, rough,
In the army, no affairs, but the feasts and the joy.
The beauties, a pair, idle and beautiful,
The red lips, the green brows, reflecting the bright.
A pity, the surpassing the Qin Luofu,
The prefect's five horses, vainly hesitating.
I come to the outside of the frontier, checking the border stores,
For the lord, taking the wine, the lees, the dregs, the purchase.
Meaning
A poem of the frontier general and the feast, written by Cen Shen. General Gai, truly a man — in his years, thirty, holding the golden mace, the body, seven feet, quite having the beard — the true man of the general and the golden mace. The Yumen Pass city, far and lone — the yellow sand, ten thousand li, the white grass, withered — the far pass and the yellow sand. The five thousand armored soldiers, the courage and the strength, rough — in the army, no affairs, but the feasts and the joy — the armored soldiers and the feasts. The beauties, a pair, idle and beautiful — the red lips, the green brows, reflecting the bright — the beauties of the feast. A pity, the surpassing the Qin Luofu — the prefect's five horses, vainly hesitating — the surpassing beauty. I come to the outside of the frontier, checking the border stores — for the lord, taking the wine, the lees, the dregs, the purchase — the close's wine of the frontier. The poem is the frontier general and the feast: the true man of the pass, the armored soldiers and the close's wine.
盖将军，真丈夫，行年三十执金吾，身长七尺颇有须。玉门关城迥且孤，黄沙万里白草枯。南邻犬戎北接胡，将军到来备不虞。五千甲兵胆力麤，军中无事但欢娱。暖屋绣帘红地炉，织成壁衣花氍毹。灯前侍婢泻玉壶，金铛乱点野酡酥。紫绂金章左右趋，问着只是苍头奴。美人一双闲且都，朱唇翠眉映明𪾦。清歌一曲世所无，今日喜闻凤将雏。可怜绝胜秦罗敷，使君五马谩踟蹰。野草绣窠紫罗襦，红牙缕马对樗蒱。玉盘纤手撒作卢，众中夸道不曾输。枥上昂昂皆骏驹，桃花叱拨价最殊。骑将猎向城南隅，腊日射杀千年狐。我来塞外按边储，为君取醉酒剩沽。醉争酒盏相喧呼，忽忆咸阳旧酒徒。
Appreciation
[Plain Paraphrase] General Gai, truly a man, in his years, thirty, holding the golden mace, the body, seven feet, quite having the beard. The Yumen Pass city, far and lone, the yellow sand, ten thousand li, the white grass, withered. The five thousand armored soldiers, the courage and the strength, rough, in the army, no affairs, but the feasts and the joy. The beauties, a pair, idle and beautiful, the red lips, the green brows, reflecting the bright. A pity, the surpassing the Qin Luofu, the prefect's five horses, vainly hesitating. I come to the outside of the frontier, checking the border stores, for the lord, taking the wine, the lees, the dregs, the purchase. [Structure and Thought] The poem moves from the true man of the general and the golden mace, through the far pass and the armored soldiers with the feasts, to the beauties and the close's wine of the frontier. [Key Technique] The poem's art is the praise of the frontier general: the true man of the golden mace against the far pass of the yellow sand; and the feast of the soldiers with the beauties — the frontier gathered in the praise and the feast. [Emotional Tone] Bold, admiring, and free: the poem is the frontier general, the far pass and the close's wine.
【白话串讲】 岑参写《玉门关盖将军歌》：“盖将军，真丈夫，行年三十执金吾，身长七尺颇有须”——“玉门关城迥且孤，黄沙万里白草枯”——“五千甲兵胆力麤，军中无事但欢娱”——他写盖将军——黄沙万里白草枯。 【意象与手法】 盖将军真丈夫、行年三十执金吾，写盖将军；玉门关城迥且孤、黄沙万里白草枯，写玉门关城；五千甲兵胆力麤、军中无事但欢娱，写五千甲兵；结以“醉争酒盏相喧呼，忽忆咸阳旧酒徒”写忽忆咸阳旧酒徒。雄放咏人。 【情感与主旨】 岑参写玉门关盖将军之作，写盖将军的豪迈与边地军中欢娱，是岑参边塞诗中的名篇。 【名句点睛】 常考“玉门关城迥且孤，黄沙万里白草枯”写玉门关城；“盖将军，真丈夫，行年三十执金吾”写盖将军之豪迈。
Background
Cen Shen (c. 715–770), the frontier poet of the Tang, wrote this 'Song of the General Gai of the Yumen Pass' of the frontier general — the praise of the general of the pass. The true man of the general with the golden mace, the far and lone pass with the yellow sand and the withered grass, the five thousand armored soldiers with the feasts and the joy, the beauties of the feast surpassing the Luofu, and the close's wine of the frontier — the poem gathers the praise of the frontier general, the bold scene of the pass. The poem is one of the famous frontier works of the poet.
《玉门关盖将军歌》为唐代诗人岑参所作诗。岑参（约715—770），江陵人，唐代诗人，以边塞诗著称。此诗写边塞咏人，为咏盖将军之作。诗中「盖将军，真丈夫，行年三十执金吾」写盖将军，真丈夫，行年三十执金吾；「玉门关城迥且孤，黄沙万里白草枯」写玉门关城迥且孤，黄沙万里白草枯；「五千甲兵胆力麤，军中无事但欢娱」写五千甲兵胆力麤，军中无事但欢娱；「醉争酒盏相喧呼，忽忆咸阳旧酒徒」写醉争酒盏相喧呼，忽忆咸阳旧酒徒。岑参此诗以边塞咏人、忽忆咸阳旧酒徒写其咏人之情，雄放咏人，是岑参诗中的名篇。此篇《玉门关盖将军歌》在历代选本中多被收录，其艺术价值与流传之广，正可见此诗在同类题材中的重要地位。诗人以匠心独运之笔写寻常之情事，遂使此作历千载而犹有生气，为后人所称赏不绝。此篇《玉门关盖将军歌》在历代选本中多被收录，其艺术价值与流传之广，正可见此诗在同类题材中的重要地位。诗人以匠心独运之笔写寻常之情事，遂使此作历千载而犹有生气，为后人所称赏不绝。
Art
The poem's art is the art of the frontier praise. The general opens: General Gai, truly a man — in his years, thirty, holding the golden mace, the body, seven feet, quite having the beard — the true man of the general. The pass follows: the Yumen Pass city, far and lone — the yellow sand, ten thousand li, the white grass, withered — the far pass and the yellow sand; the five thousand armored soldiers, the courage and the strength, rough — in the army, no affairs, but the feasts and the joy — the armored soldiers and the feasts. The feast: the beauties, a pair, idle and beautiful — the red lips, the green brows — the beauties of the feast; a pity, the surpassing the Qin Luofu — the prefect's five horses, vainly hesitating — the surpassing beauty. And the close gathers the frontier: I come to the outside of the frontier, checking the border stores — for the lord, taking the wine, the lees, the dregs, the purchase — the wine of the close — the frontier general, the far pass and the close's wine, gathered in the poem.
此诗艺术上以「雄放咏人、以关写情」见长。全诗由盖将军真丈夫而玉门关城迥且孤而五千甲兵胆力麤。起「盖将军，真丈夫，行年三十执金吾」写盖将军真丈夫：盖将军，真丈夫，行年三十执金吾；「玉门关城迥且孤，黄沙万里白草枯」写玉门关城迥且孤：玉门关城迥且孤，黄沙万里白草枯；「五千甲兵胆力麤，军中无事但欢娱」写五千甲兵胆力麤：五千甲兵胆力麤，军中无事但欢娱；结「醉争酒盏相喧呼，忽忆咸阳旧酒徒」写忽忆咸阳旧酒徒：醉争酒盏相喧呼，忽忆咸阳旧酒徒。全诗以关写情，由盖将军真丈夫而忽忆咸阳旧酒徒，雄放咏人，是岑参诗中的名篇。通篇以少总多之法出之，章法严谨而用意深曲，意象凝练而情韵悠长，读之愈久，愈觉其构思之精与笔力之健，堪称同类诗作中不可多得之佳篇，足见诗人炉火纯青的艺术功力。通篇以少总多之法出之，章法严谨而用意深曲，意象凝练而情韵悠长，读之愈久，愈觉其构思之精与笔力之健，堪称同类诗作中不可多得之佳篇，足见诗人炉火纯青的艺术功力。
Allusions
'The golden mace' (jin wu) is the golden mace — the mace of the office of the general; 'the Yumen Pass' (Yumen guan) is the Yumen Pass — the pass of the frontier; 'the armored soldiers' (jia bing) are the armored soldiers — the five thousand soldiers; 'the Qin Luofu' (Qin Luofu) is the Luofu of the Qin — the beautiful of the ancient, surpassed by the beauties of the feast; 'the border stores' (bian chu) are the border stores — the stores of the frontier, the checking of the close.
诗中「盖将军真丈夫行年三十执金吾」「玉门关城迥且孤黄沙万里白草枯」「五千甲兵胆力麤军中无事但欢娱」「醉争酒盏相喧呼忽忆咸阳旧酒徒」等语，皆含典故故实。「盖将军真丈夫行年三十执金吾」用执金吾之典（执金吾写汉朝官职），写盖将军真丈夫行年三十执金吾；「玉门关城迥且孤黄沙万里白草枯」用玉门关之典（玉门关写边关），写玉门关城迥且孤黄沙万里白草枯；「五千甲兵胆力麤军中无事但欢娱」写五千甲兵胆力麤军中无事但欢娱；「醉争酒盏相喧呼忽忆咸阳旧酒徒」写醉争酒盏相喧呼忽忆咸阳旧酒徒。诗人用执金吾、玉门关之典入诗，不着痕迹，而把边塞咏人之情写得真切可感，是善于熔铸典故的体现。此等用典之法，熔铸古今而不着痕迹，既不炫博以示学，亦不拘泥于旧解，正见诗人学养之深与运思之巧。读者于此等处尤当细心玩味，方能领会其言外之旨与味外之味。
Commentary
This poem is one of the famous frontier works of Cen Shen, quoted for the bold praise of its general. The true man of the golden mace, and the wine of the close, are among the admired images of the poet's frontier poems. Critics praise the poem's boldness: the frontier gathered in the praise of the general, to the close's wine.
这首《玉门关盖将军歌》，是岑参写边塞咏人之作，写盖将军真丈夫、玉门关城迥且孤、五千甲兵胆力麤、忽忆咸阳旧酒徒之情，雄放咏人。起「盖将军，真丈夫，行年三十执金吾」——盖将军，真丈夫，行年三十执金吾。写盖将军真丈夫：盖将军、真丈夫、行年三十执金吾——真丈夫、执金吾；「玉门关城迥且孤，黄沙万里白草枯」——玉门关城迥且孤，黄沙万里白草枯。写玉门关城迥且孤：玉门关城迥且孤、黄沙万里白草枯——迥且孤、白草枯；「五千甲兵胆力麤，军中无事但欢娱」——五千甲兵胆力麤，军中无事但欢娱。写五千甲兵胆力麤：五千甲兵胆力麤、军中无事但欢娱——胆力麤、但欢娱；结「醉争酒盏相喧呼，忽忆咸阳旧酒徒」——醉争酒盏相喧呼，忽忆咸阳旧酒徒。写忽忆咸阳旧酒徒：醉争酒盏相喧呼、忽忆咸阳旧酒徒——相喧呼、旧酒徒。这「醉争酒盏相喧呼，忽忆咸阳旧酒徒」，是全诗之结：以忽忆咸阳旧酒徒写其咏人。全诗雄放咏人，以关写情，正是岑参诗中的名篇。
Prosody
Line by line
盖将军，真丈夫，行年三十执金吾，身长七尺颇有须。
General Gai, truly a man, in his years, thirty, holding the golden mace, the body, seven feet, quite having the beard.
盖将军，真丈夫，行年三十执金吾，身长七尺颇有须。
General Gai, a true man; at thirty he holds the office of imperial guard; seven feet tall, well-bearded.
起句写盖将军真丈夫，起笔即见其将军。「盖将军，真丈夫」写盖将军，真丈夫，「盖将军」写盖将军、「真丈夫」写真丈夫；「行年三十执金吾，身长七尺颇有须」用执金吾之典写行年三十执金吾，身长七尺颇有须，「行年三十执金吾」写行年三十执金吾、「身长七尺颇有须」写身长七尺颇有须。一句写盖将军真丈夫行年三十执金吾，以盖将军真丈夫写真丈夫、以行年三十执金吾写执金吾，写尽盖将军真丈夫、行年三十执金吾之情。以将起兴，雄放而咏人，是「以将起兴」的妙笔。
The opening writes General Gai, a true man, the general named at the first stroke. General Gai, a true man: the hero named, his manhood affirmed. At thirty he holds the office of imperial guard uses the imperial-guard allusion: the young command. Seven feet tall, well-bearded: the imposing stature. One line writes the true man and the young command - Cen Shen's starting point for the general's song: the true manhood fixed at once. The line opens with the general as bi-xing, grand and praising: the hero's very name carries his force.
玉门关城迥且孤，黄沙万里白草枯。
The Yumen Pass city, far and lone, the yellow sand, ten thousand li, the white grass, withered.
玉门关城迥且孤，黄沙万里白草枯。
The Jade Gate city is distant and lonely; yellow sands ten thousand li, white grass withered.
此句写玉门关城迥且孤，是全诗写玉门关之态的关键。「玉门关城迥且孤」用玉门关之典写玉门关城迥且孤，「玉门关城」写玉门关城、「迥且孤」写迥且孤；「黄沙万里白草枯」写黄沙万里白草枯，「黄沙万里」写黄沙万里、「白草枯」写白草枯。一句写玉门关城迥且孤黄沙万里白草枯，以玉门关城迥且孤写迥且孤、以黄沙万里白草枯写白草枯，写尽玉门关城迥且孤、黄沙万里白草枯之情。以关写景，雄放而咏人，是「以关写景」的点睛之笔。
This line writes the Jade Gate city is distant and lonely, the key to the poem's Jade-Gate state. The Jade Gate city uses the Jade Gate allusion: the frontier fortress. Distant and lonely: its isolation. Yellow sands ten thousand li, white grass withered: the endless desert, the dead grass. One couplet writes the lonely Jade Gate and the withered white grass - Cen Shen's scene: the desolate frontier setting off the general's revel. The line uses the pass for scenery, grand and praising: the bleaker the frontier, the more vivid the general's camp.
五千甲兵胆力麤，军中无事但欢娱。
The five thousand armored soldiers, the courage and the strength, rough, in the army, no affairs, but the feasts and the joy.
五千甲兵胆力麤，军中无事但欢娱。
Five thousand armored troops, bold and rough; in the army, nothing to do but revel.
此句写五千甲兵胆力麤，是全诗写甲兵之态的关键。「五千甲兵胆力麤」写五千甲兵胆力麤，「五千甲兵」写五千甲兵、「胆力麤」写胆力麤；「军中无事但欢娱」写军中无事但欢娱，「军中无事」写军中无事、「但欢娱」写但欢娱。一句写五千甲兵胆力麤军中无事但欢娱，以五千甲兵胆力麤写胆力麤、以军中无事但欢娱写但欢娱，写尽五千甲兵胆力麤、军中无事但欢娱之情。以兵写情，雄放而咏人，是「以兵写情」的点睛之笔。
This line writes five thousand armored troops, bold and rough, the key to the poem's troops state. Five thousand armored troops: the host. Bold and rough: their fierce temper. In the army, nothing to do but revel: the peace, the joy. One couplet writes the bold rough troops and the camp's revelry - Cen Shen's scene: the army has no war, only pleasure. The line uses soldiers for feeling, grand and praising: the troops' rough mirth shows the garrison's ease.
美人一双闲且都，朱唇翠眉映明𪾦。
A pair of beauties, languid and elegant; red lips, dark brows, mirrored in bright eyes.
美人一双闲且都，朱唇翠眉映明𪾦。
A pair of beauties, graceful and charming; red lips, green brows, reflected in bright eyes.
此句写美人一双闲且都，是全诗写美人之态的关键。「美人一双闲且都」写美人一双闲且都，「美人一双」写美人一双、「闲且都」写闲且都；「朱唇翠眉映明𪾦」写朱唇翠眉映明𪾦，「朱唇翠眉」写朱唇翠眉、「映明𪾦」写映明𪾦。一句写美人一双闲且都朱唇翠眉映明𪾦，以美人一双闲且都写闲且都、以朱唇翠眉映明𪾦写映明𪾦，写尽美人一双闲且都、朱唇翠眉映明𪾦之情。以美写景，雄放而咏人，是「以美写景」的点睛之笔。
This line writes a pair of beauties, languid and elegant, the key to the poem's beauties state. A pair of beauties: the singing pair. Languid and elegant: their grace. Red lips, dark brows, mirrored in bright eyes: the features, the bright gaze. One line writes the pair's elegance and the red lips and bright eyes - Cen Shen's scene: the beauties at the general's feast. The line uses beauty for scenery, grand and praising: the camp's splendor is complete with these faces.
可怜绝胜秦罗敷，使君五马谩踟蹰。
Lovely, far surpassing Qin Luofu; the prefect's five horses pause in vain.
可怜绝胜秦罗敷，使君五马谩踟蹰。
Lovely beyond compare, far outdoing Qin Luofu; the governor's five horses linger in vain.
此句写可怜绝胜秦罗敷，是全诗写罗敷之态的关键。「可怜绝胜秦罗敷」写可怜绝胜秦罗敷，「可怜绝胜」写可怜绝胜、「秦罗敷」写秦罗敷；「使君五马谩踟蹰」写使君五马谩踟蹰，「使君五马」写使君五马、「谩踟蹰」写谩踟蹰。一句写可怜绝胜秦罗敷使君五马谩踟蹰，以可怜绝胜秦罗敷写秦罗敷、以使君五马谩踟蹰写谩踟蹰，写尽可怜绝胜秦罗敷、使君五马谩踟蹰之情。以敷写情，雄放而咏人，是「以敷写情」的点睛之笔。
This line writes lovely, far surpassing Qin Luofu, the key to the poem's Luofu state. Lovely beyond compare: the praise. Far outdoing Qin Luofu uses the Luofu allusion: the famous beauty's standard. The prefect's five horses linger in vain: the officials' admiration in vain. One line writes the surpassing of Luofu and the prefect's vain hesitation - Cen Shen's scene: even the famous Luofu is outshone. The line uses Luofu for feeling, grand and praising: the comparison confirms the beauties' spell.
我来塞外按边储，为君取醉酒剩沽。
I come to the outside of the frontier, checking the border stores, for the lord, taking the wine, the lees, the dregs, the purchase.
我来塞外按边储，为君取醉酒剩沽。
I came beyond the frontier to inspect the border stores; for you I buy a last cup of wine.
结句写我来塞外按边储，是全诗立意的落点。「我来塞外按边储」写我来塞外按边储，「我来塞外」写我来塞外、「按边储」写按边储；「为君取醉酒剩沽」写为君取醉酒剩沽，「为君取醉」写为君取醉、「酒剩沽」写酒剩沽。一句写我来塞外按边储为君取醉酒剩沽，以我来塞外按边储写按边储、以为君取醉酒剩沽写酒剩沽，写尽我来塞外按边储、为君取醉酒剩沽之情。以储写情，雄放而咏人，是全诗最动人处，也是「以储写情」的点睛之笔。
The closing line writes I came beyond the frontier to inspect the border stores, the poem's landing. I came beyond the frontier: the poet's mission. To inspect the border stores: the inspection. For you I buy a last cup of wine: the farewell drink. One line writes the inspection mission and the last cup bought for the general - Cen Shen's resolution: the poet, come to inspect the frontier, drinks with the hero. The line stores for feeling, grand and praising, the poem's most moving point: the last cup seals the frontier friendship.
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Related Reading
Su Shi's 'Prelude to Water Melody' — 'the bright moon, when will it appear' — is the feeling of the time of the moon; Cen Shen's 'Song of the General Gai' — 'for the lord, taking the wine' — is the feeling of the frontier feast — the two feelings of the time, the one of the moon, the other of the wine.
苏轼《水调歌头·明月几时有》「人有悲欢离合，月有阴晴圆缺，此事古难全」，写咏人感怀、雄放旷达，是宋词长调的名篇；岑参《玉门关盖将军歌》则以「盖将军，真丈夫，行年三十执金吾」「醉争酒盏相喧呼，忽忆咸阳旧酒徒」写执金吾、旧酒徒。两诗同写咏人感怀、雄放旷达：一写人有悲欢离合、以悲欢写离合，一写盖将军真丈夫行年三十执金吾、以将军写咏人；一为苏轼之旷达、一为岑参之雄放，并读正可见诗写「咏人感怀」的两种笔法，皆于咏人之中见雄放。
八声甘州·对潇潇暮雨洒江天 Eight Beats of Ganzhou: Facing the Evening Rain That Spatters the Long River 柳永 · 同写边关凝望、雄放清丽，一写对潇潇暮雨洒江天、一写玉门关城迥且孤黄沙万里白草枯，皆于边关之中见凝望 Both are the works of the far scene — the rain of the river of Liu Yong, the sand of the pass of Cen Shen — the two far scenes of the water and the sand.Liu Yong's 'Eight Beats of Ganzhou' — 'the evening rain that spatters the long river' — is the far scene of the river; Cen Shen's 'Song of the General Gai' — 'the yellow sand, ten thousand li' — is the far scene of the pass — the two far scenes, the one of the river, the other of the sand.
柳永《八声甘州·对潇潇暮雨洒江天》「对潇潇暮雨洒江天，一番洗清秋」，写边关凝望、雄放清丽，是宋词写羁旅的名篇；岑参《玉门关盖将军歌》则以「玉门关城迥且孤，黄沙万里白草枯」「骑将猎向城南隅」写白草枯、城南隅。两诗同写边关凝望、雄放清丽：一写对潇潇暮雨洒江天、以暮雨写清秋，一写玉门关城迥且孤黄沙万里白草枯、以玉门关写咏人；一为柳永之清丽、一为岑参之雄放，并读正可见诗写「边关凝望」的两种笔法，皆于边关之中见凝望。