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唐 Tang · 诗 Poem

子夜吴歌夏歌

The, Song, of, the, Midnight, Wu, Song: The, Summer, Song

李白

Li Bai

镜湖三百里，菡萏发荷花。
五月西施采，人看隘若耶。
回舟不待月，归去越王家。

The, Mirror, Lake, three, hundred, miles,
The, lotus, putting, forth, the, lotus, flowers.
In, the, fifth, month, the, Xishi, picking,
The, people, watching, crowding, the, Ruoye.
Turning, the, boat, not, waiting, for, the, moon,
Returning, home, to, the, house, of, the, King, of, Yue.

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Meaning

A poem of the lake and the beauty, written by Li Bai. The Mirror Lake three hundred miles, the lotus putting forth the lotus flowers — the lake of the opening. In the fifth month the Xishi picking, the people watching crowding the Ruoye — the beauty of the middle. Turning the boat not waiting for the moon, returning home to the house of the King of Yue — the legend of the close. The poem is the lake and the beauty: the lotus, the Xishi, and the close's King of Yue.

镜湖方圆三百里，荷花绽放着美丽的菡萏。五月里西施采莲，人们争看，挤满了若耶溪。采莲回舟不必等到月出，便归去越王的家中。

Appreciation

[Plain Paraphrase] The, Mirror, Lake, three, hundred, miles, the, lotus, putting, forth, the, lotus, flowers. In, the, fifth, month, the, Xishi, picking, the, people, watching, crowding, the, Ruoye. Turning, the, boat, not, waiting, for, the, moon, returning, home, to, the, house, of, the, King, of, Yue. [Structure and Thought] The poem moves from the lake of the three hundred miles and the lotus flowers, through the picking of the Xishi with the crowding of the Ruoye, to the close's the returning of the King of Yue. [Key Technique] The poem's art is the close of the legend: in the fifth month the Xishi picking, and the close's returning home to the house of the King of Yue — the beauty gathered in the legend and the close's return. [Emotional Tone] Fresh, bright, and legendary: the poem is the lotus, the beauty and the close's King of Yue.

【白话串讲】李白写《子夜吴歌夏歌》：“镜湖三百里，菡萏发荷花”——“五月西施采，人看隘若耶”——“回舟不待月，归去越王家”——他写夏歌——五月西施采。【意象与手法】镜湖三百里、菡萏发荷花，写镜湖夏景之美；五月西施采、人看隘若耶，写西施采莲之盛；回舟不待月、归去越王家，写采莲归去之速。写景明丽、清新婉转。【情感与主旨】李白写镜湖采莲之景与西施采莲之韵，是李白乐府诗中的名篇。【名句点睛】常考“镜湖三百里，菡萏发荷花”写镜湖夏景；“五月西施采，人看隘若耶”写西施采莲。

Background

Li Bai (701-762), the great poet of the Tang, wrote this 'The, Summer, Song' of the lake and the beauty — the legend of the Xishi. The Mirror Lake with the lotus flowers, the picking of the Xishi with the crowding of the Ruoye, and the close's the returning of the King of Yue — the poem gathers the brightness of the poet, the beauty of the legend. The poem is one of the famous works of the poet's songs of the folk.

《子夜吴歌·夏歌》为唐代诗人李白所作乐府诗，是《子夜吴歌》四首（春、夏、秋、冬）中的夏歌。李白（701—762），字太白，号青莲居士，唐代伟大的浪漫主义诗人，世称「诗仙」。《子夜吴歌》本为南朝乐府《清商曲辞·吴声歌曲》中的曲调，多写女子之情。李白借旧题写四时之情。夏歌写镜湖采莲之景：镜湖（今浙江绍兴鉴湖）方圆三百里，荷花绽放；五月西施采莲，人们争看，挤满若耶溪；采莲回舟，归去越王之家。西施为越国美女，若耶溪相传为西施浣纱处。诗中「镜湖三百里，菡萏发荷花」写镜湖夏景之美；「五月西施采，人看隘若耶」写西施采莲之盛；「回舟不待月，归去越王家」写采莲归去之速。李白借西施采莲之典写镜湖夏景与采莲之韵，清新婉转，是李白乐府诗中的名篇，也是「诗仙」以乐府旧题写江南风物的典范。此篇《子夜吴歌·夏歌》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 legend. The lake opens: the, Mirror, Lake, three, hundred, miles — the Mirror Lake of the three hundred miles; the, lotus, putting, forth, the, lotus, flowers — the lotus of the putting forth. The beauty follows: in, the, fifth, month, the, Xishi, picking — the Xishi of the picking; the, people, watching, crowding, the, Ruoye — the Ruoye of the crowding; turning, the, boat, not, waiting, for, the, moon — the boat of the not waiting; returning, home, to, the, house, of, the, King, of, Yue — the house of the King of Yue — the lake, the beauty and the close's legend, gathered in the poem.

此诗艺术上以「写景明丽、清新婉转」见长。全诗六句，前二句写镜湖夏景，中二句写西施采莲之盛，后二句写采莲归去之速。首二句「镜湖三百里，菡萏发荷花」写镜湖夏景之美：镜湖方圆三百里，荷花绽放着美丽的菡萏。以三百里写湖之广，以菡萏发荷花写荷之盛，一片明丽的夏日湖景。中二句「五月西施采，人看隘若耶」写西施采莲之盛：五月里西施采莲，人们争看，挤满了若耶溪。以西施采莲写湖上之人（西施），以人看隘若耶写其采莲之盛，写西施之美名引得众人争看。后二句「回舟不待月，归去越王家」写采莲归去之速：采莲回舟不必等到月出，便归去越王的家中。以回舟不待月写其归去之速，也以归越王家写西施之身世。全诗六句，写景明丽，清新婉转，是李白乐府诗中的名篇。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。

Allusions

'The Mirror Lake' (jing hu) is the Mirror Lake — the lake of the mirror, the lake of the Yue; 'the Xishi' (Xi Shi) is the Xishi — the beauty of the Yue, the picking of the lotus; 'the Ruoye' (ruo ye) is the Ruoye — the stream of the Ruoye, the crowding of the people; 'the King of Yue' (Yue wang) is the King of Yue — the king of the Goujian, the legend of the close.

诗中「镜湖」「菡萏」「西施」「若耶」「越王家」等语，皆含典故故实。「镜湖」即鉴湖，在今浙江绍兴，因水平如镜而得名，相传为东汉马臻所筑；「菡萏」为荷花之别名；「西施」为春秋时越国美女，居苎萝（今浙江诸暨），相传于若耶溪浣纱，后为越王勾践献于吴王夫差，助越灭吴；「若耶」即若耶溪，在今浙江绍兴南，相传为西施浣纱处；「越王家」指越王之家，西施归于越王之家。诗人以西施、若耶、越王等典入诗，不着痕迹，而把镜湖采莲之景与西施采莲之韵写得真切可感，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。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 works of Li Bai's songs of the folk, quoted for the brightness of its scene and the legend of its close. The lotus of the Mirror Lake, and the returning of the King of Yue, are among the admired passages of the poet's songs. Critics praise the poem's brightness: the beauty gathered in the lake, to the close's legend.

这首《子夜吴歌·夏歌》，是李白借乐府旧题写的夏歌，写镜湖采莲之景与西施采莲之韵，清新婉转。开篇写镜湖夏景之美：「镜湖三百里，菡萏发荷花」——镜湖方圆三百里，荷花绽放着美丽的菡萏。以三百里写湖之广，以菡萏发荷花写荷之盛，夏日镜湖，荷花满湖，一片明丽之景。中二句写西施采莲之盛：「五月西施采，人看隘若耶」——五月里西施采莲，人们争看，挤满了若耶溪。西施采莲，本就是湖上最美的风景；而「人看隘若耶」，写人们争看西施，竟把若耶溪都挤得水泄不通，极写西施之美名与采莲之盛。这「人看隘若耶」五字，不说西施之美，而写看者之众，以人写美，含蓄而有力。末二句写采莲归去之速：「回舟不待月，归去越王家」——采莲回舟，不必等到月出，便归去越王的家中。采莲本是泛舟湖上、流连忘返之事，而西施回舟不待月，早早归去，一写其采莲之速，也暗含其身世——她本属于越王之家，采莲不过是其一段生活。以「归去越王家」作结，于明丽之中透出对西施身世的轻轻一叹。全诗六句，写景明丽，清新婉转，以西施采莲入诗，正是「诗仙」借乐府旧题写江南风物的典范，也是《子夜吴歌》四首中最清丽的一首。

Prosody

Form A song of the folk (wu yan le fu)乐府诗（五言古诗，吴声歌曲）

Rhyme The poem rhymes on the level of the group — the cadence of the song that carries the bright legend.全诗为五言乐府诗，句式以五言为主，共六句。押平声韵：「花」「耶」「家」押麻部韵，一韵到底。乐府诗沿吴声歌曲之体，句式整齐而音节宛转，此诗六句五言，音节短促明快，正与写镜湖采莲的清新明丽之景相称，也见其借乐府旧题以写江南风物的自然。

Tone pattern The cadence is that of the legend: the level opening with the lake, the turning with the beauty, and the close's fall with the King of Yue.句式上，首二句「镜湖三百里，菡萏发荷花」写湖景，音节明快；中二句「五月西施采，人看隘若耶」写采莲之盛，音节流丽；末二句「回舟不待月，归去越王家」写归去，音节轻快。全诗六句，音节短促明快、流丽轻快，正合乐府吴声歌曲「清商宛转」之体，读来如夏日采莲、歌声宛转之音，明丽而动人。

Reading note The poem's sound matches its brightness: the cadences of the song, and the close — 'gui qu Yue wang jia' — falls with the house, the sound of the legend of the summer lake.此诗为五言乐府诗，是《子夜吴歌》四首中的夏歌，也是李白乐府诗中的名篇。全诗的艺术特色在于「写景明丽、清新婉转」：首二句「镜湖三百里，菡萏发荷花」以三百里写湖之广、以菡萏发荷花写荷之盛，写尽镜湖夏景之美；中二句「五月西施采，人看隘若耶」以西施采莲写湖上之人、以人看隘若耶写采莲之盛，不说西施之美而写看者之众；末二句「回舟不待月，归去越王家」写归去之速，也暗含西施身世。全诗六句，写景明丽，清新婉转。尤为精妙者，是「五月西施采，人看隘若耶」以看者之众写西施之美，与王昌龄《采莲曲》「乱入池中看不见，闻歌始觉有人来」同为中国古典诗歌写采莲的名句；而「归去越王家」一结，于明丽中透出对西施身世的轻轻一叹，正是「诗仙」清新自然的典范，为历代选本所常收。

Line by line

镜湖三百里，菡萏发荷花。

The, Mirror, Lake, three, hundred, miles, the, lotus, putting, forth, the, lotus, flowers.

镜湖方圆三百里，荷花绽放着美丽的菡萏。

Mirror Lake, three hundred li round; lotuses open their blooms.

首二句写镜湖夏景之美，起笔即见其明丽。「镜湖三百里」写镜湖方圆三百里，「三百里」以数字写湖之广，一片浩渺；「菡萏发荷花」写荷花绽放着美丽的菡萏，「菡萏」即荷花，「发荷花」写荷花开放，一片繁盛。两句一写湖之广、一写荷之盛，三百里镜湖之上，荷花盛开，写尽夏日湖景之明丽开阔。以「三百里」写广、以「发」写盛，起笔便是开阔明丽之境，为全诗写西施采莲作了环境的铺垫，是「以景起兴」的妙笔。

The first two lines write Mirror Lake's summer beauty, the opening at once bright. Mirror Lake, three hundred li round writes Mirror Lake's three-hundred-li breadth; three hundred li uses number to write the lake's vastness, one sheet of mist. Lotuses open their blooms writes the lotus blooming; lotuses are lotus; open writes the flower's opening, one sheet of prosperity. The two lines one write the lake's breadth, one the lotus' abundance; above three hundred li Mirror Lake, lotuses in full bloom, exhausting the summer lake scenery's brightness and openness. Using three hundred li for breadth, using open for abundance, the opening is already an open, bright realm; preparing the environment for the whole poem's Xishi gathering lotuses, the subtle brush of scenery-as-bi-xing.

五月西施采，人看隘若耶。

In, the, fifth, month, the, Xishi, picking, the, people, watching, crowding, the, Ruoye.

五月里西施采莲，人们争看，挤满了若耶溪。

In the fifth month Xishi gathers lotuses; the crowds watching narrow the Ruoye Stream.

此二句写西施采莲之盛，是全诗写人的关键。「五月西施采」写五月里西施采莲，「五月」点出时令，「西施采」以西施入诗，写西施采莲；「人看隘若耶」写人们争看、挤满了若耶溪，「人看」写众人争看，「隘若耶」写看者之众，竟把若耶溪都挤得水泄不通。两句一写西施采莲、一写众人争看，不说西施之美，而写看者之众，以「隘若耶」写尽西施之美名——人们争看，把溪都挤窄了，正见其美之动人心魄。以人写美，含蓄而有力，是「以旁衬写人」的典范之笔。

These two lines write Xishi's lotus-gathering prosperity, the key to the poem's writing people. In the fifth month Xishi gathers lotuses writes Xishi gathering lotuses in the fifth month; the fifth month names the season; Xishi gathers uses Xishi in the poem, writing Xishi gathering. The crowds watching narrow the Ruoye Stream writes people crowding to watch, filling Ruoye Stream; the crowds watching writes the onlookers' throng; narrow Ruoye writes the watchers' multitude, actually squeezing Ruoye Stream to impassable. The two lines one write Xishi gathering, one the crowds watching; not writing Xishi's beauty, but writing the watchers' multitude, using narrow Ruoye to exhaust Xishi's fame - people crowding to watch, narrowing the stream, precisely showing her beauty's heart-shaking power. Using people to write beauty, reserved yet forceful, the model brush of writing the person through side-setting.

回舟不待月，归去越王家。

Turning, the, boat, not, waiting, for, the, moon, returning, home, to, the, house, of, the, King, of, Yue.

采莲回舟不必等到月出，便归去越王的家中。

Her boat turns back before the moon rises; she returns to the King of Yue's house.

尾二句写采莲归去之速，是全诗立意的落点。「回舟不待月」写采莲回舟、不必等到月出，「不待月」写其归去之早、之速，不等月出便已回舟；「归去越王家」写归去越王的家中，「越王家」点出西施之身世——她本归于越王之家。两句一写其归去之速、一写其身世，采莲本可泛舟湖上、流连忘返，而西施回舟不待月、早归越王家，写其采莲不过是其生活之一段，也于明丽中透出对西施身世的轻轻一叹。以「归去越王家」作结，含蓄而有余味，是「以归作结」的妙笔。

The last two lines write the lotus-gathering return's speed, the poem's landing. Her boat turns back before the moon rises writes the gathering boat returning, not waiting for the moon; before the moon writes its early, fast return, not waiting for moonrise already boat-turned. She returns to the King of Yue's house writes returning to the Yue king's home; the King of Yue's house names Xishi's life origin - she originally returned to the Yue king's household. The two lines one write her fast return, one her life origin; lotus-gathering could have been boating on the lake, lingering, yet Xishi's boat turns back before the moon, early returning to the Yue king's house, writing her lotus-gathering as but one episode of her life, and within the brightness revealing a faint sigh over Xishi's fate. Closing in she returns to the King of Yue's house, reserved with aftertaste, the subtle brush of closing in return.

Study

Word focus

发 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. 「发」字写荷花开放，是写镜湖夏景的关键。「菡萏发荷花」着一「发」，写荷花绽放——着一「发」字，写荷花从含苞到开放之态，见其生机蓬勃。一字写尽夏日荷花之盛，与「三百里」之湖相映，写尽镜湖夏景之明丽，是「以一字写景」的妙笔。「发」一字之用而全篇生色，与诗中情韵相为表里，正见诗人炼字之精与匠心之独运。读者于此等处若细细体会，自能领会其于平淡之中见功力、于寻常处见神奇之妙。

隘 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. 「隘」字写若耶溪为之变窄，是写西施之美与采莲之盛的关键。「人看隘若耶」着一「隘」，写人们争看，把若耶溪都挤得水泄不通——着一「隘」字，以溪为之变窄写看者之众，含蓄地写尽西施之美名。一字写尽看者之盛、西施之美，是「以一字写人」的点睛之词。「隘」一字之用而全篇生色，与诗中情韵相为表里，正见诗人炼字之精与匠心之独运。读者于此等处若细细体会，自能领会其于平淡之中见功力、于寻常处见神奇之妙。

不待月 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. 「不待月」写回舟不必等到月出，是写归去之速的关键。「回舟不待月」着一「不待月」，写其不等月出便已回舟——着一「不待」，见其归去之早、之速，不等月出，采莲已毕。三字写尽归去之速，也暗含其身世，是「以速写意」的妙笔。「不待月」一字之用而全篇生色，与诗中情韵相为表里，正见诗人炼字之精与匠心之独运。读者于此等处若细细体会，自能领会其于平淡之中见功力、于寻常处见神奇之妙。