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魏晋 Wei-Jin · 诗 Poem

登池上楼

Ascending the Tower by the Pool

谢灵运

Xie Lingyun

山水/禅意Landscape/Chan (Zen) 隐逸/田园Hermit/Pastoral

潜虬媚幽姿，飞鸿响远音。
薄霄愧云浮，栖川怍渊沉。
进德智所拙，退耕力不任。
徇禄反穷海，卧疴对空林。
衾枕昧节候，褰开暂窥临。
倾耳聆波澜，举目眺岖嵚。
初景革绪风，新阳改故阴。
池塘生春草，园柳变鸣禽。
祁祁伤豳歌，萋萋感楚吟。
索居易永久，离群难处心。
持操岂独古，无闷征在今。

The hidden dragon delights in its secluded form, the flying swan sends far-reaching sounds.
Near the clouds, I shame to drift, perching by the stream, I blush at the deep plunge.
Advancing in virtue, my wisdom is weak, retreating to farm, my strength fails.
Chasing salary, I end up at remote seas, lying ill, I face the empty woods.
In bed, I lose track of seasons, lifting the curtain, I briefly peek out.
I strain my ears for waves, I lift my eyes to rugged peaks.
The early sunlight changes the lingering wind, the new sun alters the old gloom.
By the pond, spring grass grows, in the garden, willows change their singing birds.
The lush growth stirs the Bin song, the dense green moves the Chu chant.
Living alone, time seems endless, leaving the crowd, it's hard to settle my heart.
Upholding integrity, how can it be only ancient? No sorrow is proven in the present.

Listen

Meaning

The poet, exiled and ill, climbs a tower and views the spring scene. He reflects on his inability to advance in virtue or retreat to farming, and finds solace in the natural renewal of grass and birds, affirming that one can still uphold integrity and be free from sorrow.

潜伏的虬龙怜爱幽深姿态，高飞的鸿雁响彻远方清音。凌空愧对云霞浮游，沉渊自惭深潜不动。进德修业非己所长，退隐躬耕又力不能及。为禄位反被远放穷海，抱病独对空寂山林。衾枕间浑然不觉节候，掀帘方暂得窥临外景。侧耳倾听波澜声，举目远眺险峻峰。初春暖景革除残余寒风，新阳替代旧日阴沉。池塘里生出春草，园中柳枝上鸟啼已换。采蘩祁祁伤《豳风》时序，春草萋萋感《楚辞》归吟。离群索居易觉岁月长，离别朋侪难安此心。守持节操岂只古人能之，遁世无闷于今可证。

Appreciation

Xie Lingyun wrote this poem in 423 when he was appointed governor of Yongjia, politically frustrated and long ill. On recovering, he saw the spring scene. It marks a transition from metaphysical poetry to landscape poetry. The couplet 'By the pond, spring grass grows; in the garden, willows change their singing birds' is natural and effortless, foreshadowing the regulated verse of the Southern Dynasties, and is a milestone in landscape poetry.

【白话串讲】 “潜虬媚幽姿，飞鸿响远音”——谢灵运写潜龙和飞鸿。“初景革绪风，新阳改故阴”——初春的阳光换掉残冬的风。“池塘生春草，园柳变鸣禽”——池塘边长出春草，园柳换了鸣禽。他生病初愈，推开窗，看见了春天。【意象与手法】此诗最著者乃“池塘生春草，园柳变鸣禽”一联【情感与主旨】谢灵运于永初三年（422）出任永嘉太守，政治上受刘裕次子刘义真集团失势牵连，外放边郡，心怀愤懑又无力回天【名句点睛】中高考若取此诗，命题多聚焦“池塘生春草”一联。考点一

Background

Xie Lingyun was appointed governor of Yongjia in 422, implicated in the political defeat of Liu Yizhen's faction. Exiled to a remote border, he was resentful but powerless. He fell ill and recovered the next year, then climbed the pool tower and wrote this poem. The line 'Chasing salary, I end up at remote seas; lying ill, I face the empty woods' reflects his situation. The 'spring grass' couplet arises from a sudden vision of nature's transformation, subtly expressing relief from his depression. This poem is seen as key in Xie's transition from metaphysical to landscape poetry, interweaving political frustration and pastoral delight.

《登池上楼》为南朝宋谢灵运所作，是写久病初愈登楼所见的名篇。谢灵运（385—433），陈郡阳夏人，东晋名将谢玄之孙，南朝宋诗人，山水诗派的开创者。此诗：潜虬媚幽姿，飞鸿响远音；薄霄愧云浮，栖川怍渊沉；进德智所拙，退耕力不任；徇禄反穷海，卧疴对空林；衾枕昧节候，褰开暂窥临；倾耳聆波澜，举目眺岖嵚；初景革绪风，新阳改故阴；池塘生春草，园柳变鸣禽；祁祁伤豳歌，萋萋感楚吟；索居易永久，离群难处心；持操岂独古，无闷征在今。全诗写久病初愈、登楼见春而感怀，是谢灵运山水诗的代表作。

Art

The most famous couplet is 'By the pond, spring grass grows; in the garden, willows change their singing birds.' Xie himself claimed it came from a divine inspiration, not his own skill. In fact, it comes from the vivid intuition of seeing spring light after illness, presenting nature's renewal with unadorned language. The poem structure moves from metaphysical reflection (shame at hidden dragon and flying swan), to illness and gazing, to sudden enlightenment through scenery, and ends with self-consolation about upholding integrity. The parallelism is precise yet fluid, anticipating the regulated verse, a milestone in landscape poetry.

《登池上楼》艺术上以写景的清新与理趣的寄寓见长。全诗二十二句，层层写来：前六句写进退之慨——“潜虬媚幽姿，飞鸿响远音”写潜虬飞鸿，“薄霄愧云浮，栖川怍渊沉”写愧怍，“进德智所拙，退耕力不任”写进退两难；中六句写卧疴登楼——“徇禄反穷海，卧疴对空林”写卧疴，“衾枕昧节候，褰开暂窥临”写褰开窥临，“倾耳聆波澜，举目眺岖嵚”写聆波眺岖；后十句写见春感怀——“初景革绪风，新阳改故阴”写新阳初景，“池塘生春草，园柳变鸣禽”写春草鸣禽，“祁祁伤豳歌，萋萋感楚吟”写伤春感吟，“索居易永久，离群难处心”写离群之慨，“持操岂独古，无闷征在今”写持操无闷。全诗由进退之慨写到见春感怀，正是谢灵运山水诗“写景含情、寄兴理趣”的风格。

Allusions

The allusions are subtle but profound. 'Hidden dragon' and 'flying swan' echo the Book of Changes and the Book of Songs, symbolizing reclusive and soaring life stances, leading to self-reproach. 'The lush growth stirs the Bin song' refers to the 'Seventh Month' in the Book of Songs, and 'the dense green moves the Chu chant' alludes to the 'Summoning the Recluse' in the Songs of Chu. These borrow ancient songs to express grief over time's passage and homesickness, integrating personal exile into a millennium-long poetic tradition, skillfully and fluently.

《登池上楼》用典在“豳歌”“楚吟”“无闷”。“祁祁伤豳歌”用《诗经·豳风·七月》“春日迟迟，采蘩祁祁”之典，写伤春；“萋萋感楚吟”用《楚辞·招隐士》“王孙游兮不归，春草生兮萋萋”之典，写感怀；“持操岂独古，无闷征在今”用《易经》“遁世无闷”之典，写隐居无闷。全诗以这些典故写伤春感怀，用典自然而理趣自深，正是谢灵运山水诗写景含情的笔法。

Commentary

Zhong Rong's Shipin ranks Xie Lingyun in the upper grade, praising his 'distinct stanzas and sparkling couplets, with beautiful allusions and new sounds.' The Nanshi records a dream where Xie got the 'spring grass' line from his younger brother Huilian, saying 'I cannot match it myself.' Su Shi commented: 'Xie's poems are like a lotus on a summer day, naturally lovely.' Later generations either paired him with his younger brother as 'Greater and Lesser Xie' or hailed him as the 'originator of landscape poetry.' Some criticized him for 'lingering metaphysical aura and excessive word-carving,' but the status of this poem in the transition between Northern and Southern poetry is indisputable.

《登池上楼》是谢灵运山水诗的代表作，也是中国山水诗中的名篇。此诗写久病初愈、登楼见春而感怀，向为论者称道。论者多赏其“池塘生春草，园柳变鸣禽”一联——以“池塘生春草”写春草初生，自然清新，遂成千古名句；“祁祁伤豳歌，萋萋感楚吟”写伤春感吟，更见其怀。谢灵运为山水诗派的开创者，其诗以“清新自然”著称，此诗正是其代表——以写景含情、寄兴理趣，正是其山水诗的风格。

Prosody

Form Five-character ancient verse (Wei-Jin literati ancient style)五言古诗

Rhyme Wei-Jin ancient style, free rhyme changes, not following Pingshui rhyme《登池上楼》为五言古诗，二十二句，押平声韵。此诗用韵：音、沉（侵部）、任、林、临、嵚（侵部）、阴、禽、吟、心、今（侵部），一韵到底，音节舒缓。

Tone pattern Ancient style, no strict tonal patterns五言古诗以音节舒缓、意境清远见长。此诗由进退之慨写到见春感怀，音节舒缓而清新。全诗一韵到底，声调与山水感怀的内容相合，是南朝山水诗中的一路。

Reading note Xie Lingyun's representative work, key in landscape poetry's detachment from metaphysical verse.《登池上楼》为南朝宋谢灵运所作，是写久病初愈登楼见春而感怀的名篇。此诗以“潜虬媚幽姿”写进退之慨，以“衾枕昧节候”写卧疴登楼，以“池塘生春草，园柳变鸣禽”写见春之景，以“持操岂独古，无闷征在今”写持操之志。以写景含情、寄兴理趣，正是谢灵运山水诗的代表作。

Line by line

潜虬媚幽姿，飞鸿响远音。薄霄愧云浮，栖川怍渊沉。

The hidden dragon loves its hidden form; the flying goose sounds a far note. To skim the clouds I am ashamed of the floating cloud; to dwell in the stream I am ashamed of the sunken deep.

潜藏的水龙爱慕幽隐的姿态，高飞的鸿雁发出远响的声音。想飞薄云霄，愧于如云之浮；想栖息川渊，愧于如渊之沉。

The hidden dragon takes pleasure in its hidden form; the flying goose sends its cry far. To skim the sky I am ashamed before the floating cloud; to dwell in the stream I am ashamed before the sunken depth.

前四句写进退之慨，是全诗感怀的起点。“潜虬媚幽姿，飞鸿响远音”写潜虬飞鸿——“潜虬媚幽姿”写潜藏的水龙爱慕幽隐之姿，“飞鸿响远音”写高飞的鸿雁发出远响之音——虬潜渊而媚幽姿，鸿飞空而响远音；“薄霄愧云浮，栖川怍渊沉”写进退之愧——“薄霄愧云浮”写想飞薄云霄，愧于如云之浮，“栖川怍渊沉”写想栖息川渊，愧于如渊之沉。四句写进退之慨：潜虬媚幽姿、飞鸿响远音，薄霄愧云浮、栖川怍渊沉。以“潜虬”“飞鸿”写进退两途，以“愧云浮”“怍渊沉”写两途皆愧，正是谢灵运写进退失据、为下文史隐之怀张本的笔法——欲进不得，欲退不能。

These four lines open on the dilemma of advance and retreat, the poem's starting point. The hidden dragon loves its hidden form; the flying goose sounds a far note writes the dragon (hidden, reclusive) and the goose (flying, ambitious). To skim the clouds I am ashamed of the floating cloud; to dwell in the stream I am ashamed of the sunken deep writes the shame of both paths - advance and retreat both fail. The four lines set the poet's dilemma: he cannot advance like the goose, cannot retreat like the dragon. This prepares the later recluse's feeling.

衾枕昧节候，褰开暂窥临。倾耳聆波澜，举目眺岖嵚。

Bedded in quilt and pillow, I knew not the season; I lift the curtain and for a while look out. I listen intently to the waves; I raise my eyes to the steep peaks.

卧病于衾枕间，不知季节变化；拉开窗帘，暂且窥望临观。侧耳聆听波澜之声，举目眺望高峻的山峰。

Sick in bed with quilt and pillow, I missed the season's change; I lift the curtain and for a while look out. I bend my ear to the waves; I raise my eyes to the steep peaks.

此四句写卧疴登楼，是全诗由卧病到登楼的转折。“衾枕昧节候，褰开暂窥临”写卧病昧节——“衾枕昧节候”写卧病衾枕、不知季节变化，“褰开暂窥临”写拉开窗帘、暂且窥望临观——卧病不知时，褰开暂窥临；“倾耳聆波澜，举目眺岖嵚”写聆波眺岖——“倾耳聆波澜”写侧耳聆听波澜之声，“举目眺岖嵚”写举目眺望高峻之山——倾耳聆波，举目眺山。四句写卧疴登楼：衾枕昧节候、褰开暂窥临，倾耳聆波澜、举目眺岖嵚。以“衾枕昧节候”写卧病之久，以“褰开暂窥临”写登楼之始，以“倾耳聆波澜，举目眺岖嵚”写视听之开，正是谢灵运写久病初愈、登楼见春的转折之笔。

These four lines write the long illness and the first climb, the turning point from bed to tower. Bedded in quilt and pillow, I knew not the season writes the illness's length; I lift the curtain and for a while look out writes the first sight. I listen intently to the waves; I raise my eyes to the steep peaks writes the opening of sight and hearing. The four lines move from illness to recovery, from indoors to the tower, from ignorance to sight. This is the turning of Xie Lingyun's poem - after long sickness, he opens the curtain and sees spring.

初景革绪风，新阳改故阴。池塘生春草，园柳变鸣禽。

The first light reforms the lingering wind; the new sun changes the old shade. By the pond spring grass is growing; in the garden willows the songbirds have changed.

初春的阳光革除余冬之风，新春的阳气改变旧冬之阴。池塘边生出春草，园柳中变换了鸣禽。

The first light reforms the lingering wind; the new sun changes the old cold. By the pond spring grass sprouts; in garden willows the songbirds change.

此四句写见春之景，是全诗写景的名句。“初景革绪风，新阳改故阴”写新阳初景——“初景革绪风”写初春阳光革除余冬之风，“新阳改故阴”写新春阳气改变旧冬之阴——新阳初景，革旧改阴；“池塘生春草，园柳变鸣禽”写春草鸣禽——“池塘生春草”写池塘边生出春草，“园柳变鸣禽”写园柳中变换了鸣禽——池塘生春草，园柳变鸣禽。四句写见春之景：初景革绪风、新阳改故阴，池塘生春草、园柳变鸣禽。以“初景革绪风”写季节之变，以“池塘生春草，园柳变鸣禽”写春之新生，自然清新，正是谢灵运山水诗写景的名句——池塘春草，浑然天成，遂成千古之颂。

These four lines write the spring scene, the poem's famous lines. The first light reforms the lingering wind; the new sun changes the old shade writes the season's turn. By the pond spring grass is growing; in the garden willows the songbirds have changed writes the new life. The pond-spring-grass line is the most famous of Xie's verses - natural, effortless, as if made by heaven. The four lines present the spring's renewal with a freshness that has been praised for a thousand years.

祁祁伤豳歌，萋萋感楚吟。索居易永久，离群难处心。持操岂独古，无闷征在今。

The lushness grieves me for the Bin song; the rank green moves me for the Chu chant. Living alone makes the years feel long; from one's kind it is hard to keep the heart. Is holding principle only the ancients'? No distress is proven here and now.

“祁祁”之句使我感伤《豳风》之歌，“萋萋”之句使我感慨《楚辞》之吟。独处容易觉得岁月永久，离群难以安顿内心。保持操守岂独古人，遁世无闷在今天可以征验。

The lush fields grieve me for the Bin song; the rank green moves me for the Chu chant. Living alone makes the years feel long; from one's kind it is hard to keep the heart. Is keeping principle only ancient? No-distress is proven here, today.

末六句写伤春感怀与持操之志，是全诗的归结。“祁祁伤豳歌，萋萋感楚吟”写伤春感吟——“祁祁伤豳歌”用《豳风·七月》“采蘩祁祁”之典写伤春，“萋萋感楚吟”用《招隐士》“春草萋萋”之典写感怀——“索居易永久，离群难处心”写离群之慨——“索居”写独处，“易永久”写容易觉得岁月永久，“离群难处心”写离群难以安顿内心——“持操岂独古，无闷征在今”写持操无闷——“持操岂独古”写保持操守岂独古人，“无闷征在今”用《易经》“遁世无闷”写无闷在今天可以征验。六句写伤春感怀与持操之志：祁祁伤豳歌、萋萋感楚吟，索居易永久、离群难处心，持操岂独古、无闷征在今。以“祁祁伤豳歌”写伤春，以“索居”“离群”写独处之慨，以“持操岂独古，无闷征在今”写持操遁世之志，正是谢灵运山水诗写景含情、寄兴理趣的归结——见春伤怀，终归于持操无闷。

These six lines close on the spring grief and the resolve to hold principle, the poem's resolution. The lushness grieves me for the Bin song; the rank green moves me for the Chu chant uses two allusions (the Bin wind song and the Chu recluse chant) for the spring grief. Living alone makes the years feel long; from one's kind it is hard to keep the heart writes the isolation. Is holding principle only the ancients'? No distress is proven here and now uses the Book of Changes's no-distress-in-reclusion to make the resolve contemporary. The six lines move from grief to resolve: seeing spring, grieving, yet holding principle - the reclusion's philosophy affirmed in the present.

Study

Word focus

潜虬 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. “潜虬媚幽姿”之“潜虬”，写潜藏的水龙，是全诗写隐遁之志的关键词。“潜”写潜藏，“虬”写水龙——潜藏的水龙爱慕幽隐之姿。这一词以“潜虬”写隐者：不是显达之龙，而是潜虬；不是腾飞之物，而是潜渊之姿。以“潜虬”写隐，与“飞鸿”写仕相对，正是谢灵运写进退两途的笔法。

池塘生春草 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. “池塘生春草”之“池塘生春草”，写池塘边生出春草，是全诗写景的名句。“池塘”写池塘，“生春草”写生出春草——池塘边，春草初生。这一句写春之新生：不是浓艳之景，而是池塘春草；不是人工之饰，而是自然之生。以“池塘生春草”写春，自然清新、浑然天成，正是谢灵运山水诗写景之神的所在，遂成千古名句。

变鸣禽 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. “园柳变鸣禽”之“变鸣禽”，写园柳中变换了鸣禽，是全诗写春之变化的关键词。“变”写变换，“鸣禽”写鸣叫之鸟——园柳中变换了鸣禽。这一词写春之变化：不是静止之景，而是变鸣禽；不是一鸟之鸣，而是春鸟变换。以“园柳变鸣禽”写春之生机，与“池塘生春草”相对，正是谢灵运写春景之变的笔法。

无闷 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. “无闷征在今”之“无闷”，用《易经》“遁世无闷”之典，写隐居而无忧闷，是全诗持操之志的归结词。“无闷”写没有忧闷——遁世无闷，在今天可以征验。这一词写隐者之境：不是忧闷之隐，而是无闷；不是勉强遁世，而是安然无闷。以“无闷”写持操，正是谢灵运山水诗寄兴理趣的归结——持操遁世，无闷在今。