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唐 Tang · 诗 Poem

小至

The, Lesser, Solstice

杜甫

Du Fu

节气Theme 思乡Homesickness

天时人事日相催，冬至阳生春又来。
刺绣五纹添弱线，吹葭六琯动飞灰。
岸容待腊将舒柳，山意冲寒欲放梅。
云物不殊乡国异，教儿且覆掌中杯。

The, time, of, the, heaven, the, affairs, of, the, men, day, by, day, urging,
At, the, winter, solstice, the, yang, being, born, the, spring, again, coming.
The, embroidery, five, threads, adding, the, weak, lines,
The, blowing, of, the, reeds, six, pipes, moving, the, flying, ashes.
The, banks, ready, for, the, wax, about, to, loosen, the, willows,
The, mountain, thoughts, piercing, the, cold, about, to, let, forth, the, plum, blossoms.
The, clouds, and, the, objects, not, different, the, hometown, country, different,
Teaching, the, child, and, moreover, covering, the, cup, in, the, palm.

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Meaning

A poem of the solstice and the spring, written by Du Fu. The time of the heaven the affairs of the men day by day urging, at the winter solstice the yang being born the spring again coming — the solstice of the opening. The embroidery five threads adding the weak lines, the blowing of the reeds six pipes moving the flying ashes — the customs of the middle. The banks ready for the wax about to loosen the willows, the mountain thoughts piercing the cold about to let forth the plum blossoms — the spring of the middle. And the close's the clouds and the objects not different the hometown country different, teaching the child and moreover covering the cup in the palm — the close's covering. The poem is the solstice and the spring: the yang, the customs, and the close's cup.

天时人事日相催，冬至阳生春又来。刺绣五纹添弱线，吹葭六琯动飞灰。岸容待腊将舒柳，山意冲寒欲放梅。云物不殊乡国异，教儿且覆掌中杯。

Appreciation

[Plain Paraphrase] The, time, of, the, heaven, the, affairs, of, the, men, day, by, day, urging, at, the, winter, solstice, the, yang, being, born, the, spring, again, coming. The, embroidery, five, threads, adding, the, weak, lines, the, blowing, of, the, reeds, six, pipes, moving, the, flying, ashes. The, banks, ready, for, the, wax, about, to, loosen, the, willows, the, mountain, thoughts, piercing, the, cold, about, to, let, forth, the, plum, blossoms. The, clouds, and, the, objects, not, different, the, hometown, country, different, teaching, the, child, and, moreover, covering, the, cup, in, the, palm. [Structure and Thought] The poem moves from the solstice of the yang being born with the spring coming, through the customs of the threads and the pipes with the willows and the plum blossoms, to the close's the covering of the cup. [Key Technique] The poem's art is the close of the consolation: the banks ready for the wax about to loosen the willows, and the close's teaching the child and moreover covering the cup in the palm — the solstice gathered in the spring and the close's cup. [Emotional Tone] Calm, hoping, and consoling: the poem is the yang, the customs and the close's cup.

【白话串讲】杜甫写《小至》：“天时人事日相催，冬至阳生春又来”——“刺绣五纹添弱线，吹葭六琯动飞灰”——“岸容待腊将舒柳，山意冲寒欲放梅”——“云物不殊乡国异，教儿且覆掌中杯”——冬至到了，春天将至——他写节令与乡思。【意象与手法】此诗写节令，以思乡写节令，是杜甫的名篇。前四句写冬至：「天时人事日相催，冬至阳生春又来。刺绣五纹添弱线，吹葭六琯动飞灰」写天时人事日相催、冬至阳生春又来——写尽冬至的节令；后四句写乡思：「岸容待腊将舒柳，山意冲寒欲放梅。云物不殊乡国异，教儿且覆掌中杯」写岸容待腊将舒柳、教儿且覆掌中杯——写尽乡思的感慨。全诗以思乡写节令，写尽冬至的节令与乡思的感慨，是杜甫的代表作。【情感与主旨】此诗写节令，以思乡写节令，是杜甫的名篇。此诗写冬至前一日（小至）。大历元年（766），杜甫居夔州（今重庆奉节），冬至将近，写此诗。此诗写天时人事日相催，冬至阳生而春又来；刺绣添线、吹葭动灰，都是冬至的节令习俗；岸柳待腊、山梅冲寒，都是冬至前后的物候；云物虽不殊，而乡国已异，遂教儿覆杯饮酒。此诗写冬至：天时人事日相催，冬至阳生春又来——写天时人事日相催、冬至阳生春又来，写尽冬至的节令；刺绣五纹添弱线，吹葭六琯动飞灰——写刺绣五纹添弱线、吹葭六琯动飞灰，写尽冬至的习俗；岸容待腊将舒柳，山意冲寒欲放梅——写岸容待腊将舒柳、山意冲寒欲放梅，写尽冬至的物候；云物不殊乡国异，教儿且覆掌中杯——写云物不殊乡国异、教儿且覆掌中杯，写尽乡思的感慨。全诗以思乡写节令——那「冬至阳生春又来」写尽冬至的节令，「教儿且覆掌中杯」写尽乡思的感慨，写尽冬至的节令与乡思的感慨，是理解杜甫节令诗的重要篇章。【名句点睛】常考「天时人事日相催，冬至阳生春又来」写冬至的节令；「岸容待腊将舒柳，山意冲寒欲放梅」写冬至的物候；以及全诗以思乡写节令、以对仗写物候的手法。

Background

Du Fu (712-770), the great poet of the Tang, wrote this 'The, Lesser, Solstice' of the solstice and the spring — the hope of the turning of the seasons. The yang being born with the spring coming, the customs of the threads and the pipes, and the close's the covering of the cup — the poem gathers the calm of the poet, the consolation of the festival. The poem is one of the famous works of the poet's poems of the seasons.

此诗写节令，以思乡写节令，是杜甫的名篇。杜甫（712—770），字子美，号少陵野老，巩县（今河南巩义）人，唐代诗人，与李白并称「李杜」，被尊为「诗圣」，其诗被称为「诗史」。此诗写冬至前一日（小至）。大历元年（766），杜甫居夔州（今重庆奉节），冬至将近，写此诗。此诗写天时人事日相催，冬至阳生而春又来；刺绣添线、吹葭动灰，都是冬至的节令习俗；岸柳待腊、山梅冲寒，都是冬至前后的物候；云物虽不殊，而乡国已异，遂教儿覆杯饮酒。此诗写冬至：「天时人事日相催，冬至阳生春又来」写天时人事日相催、冬至阳生春又来——写尽冬至的节令（天时人事日相催，冬至阳生春又来）；「刺绣五纹添弱线，吹葭六琯动飞灰」写刺绣五纹添弱线、吹葭六琯动飞灰——写尽冬至的习俗（刺绣五纹添弱线，吹葭六琯动飞灰）；「岸容待腊将舒柳，山意冲寒欲放梅」写岸容待腊将舒柳、山意冲寒欲放梅——写尽冬至的物候（岸容待腊将舒柳，山意冲寒欲放梅）；「云物不殊乡国异，教儿且覆掌中杯」写云物不殊乡国异、教儿且覆掌中杯——写尽乡思的感慨（云物不殊乡国异，教儿且覆掌中杯）。全诗以思乡写节令，写尽冬至的节令与乡思的感慨，是理解杜甫节令诗的重要篇章。

Art

The poem's art is the art of the consolation. The solstice opens: the, time, of, the, heaven, the, affairs, of, the, men, day, by, day, urging — the day by day of the urging; at, the, winter, solstice, the, yang, being, born, the, spring, again, coming — the yang being born of the spring coming. The customs follow: the, embroidery, five, threads, adding, the, weak, lines — the weak lines of the embroidery; the, blowing, of, the, reeds, six, pipes, moving, the, flying, ashes — the flying ashes of the reeds; the, banks, ready, for, the, wax, about, to, loosen, the, willows — the willows of the banks; the, mountain, thoughts, piercing, the, cold, about, to, let, forth, the, plum, blossoms — the plum blossoms of the mountain. And the close gathers the consolation: the, clouds, and, the, objects, not, different, the, hometown, country, different — the hometown of the different; teaching, the, child, and, moreover, covering, the, cup, in, the, palm — the cup of the covering — the solstice, the customs and the close's consolation, gathered in the poem.

此诗的艺术特色可从四个方面解析。其一，以直抒写节令。「天时人事日相催」以直抒写节令——那「日相催」写尽时日的相催，以直抒写尽冬至的节令。其二，以白描写习俗。「刺绣五纹添弱线」以白描写习俗——那「添弱线」写尽刺绣的添线，以白描写尽冬至的习俗。其三，以对仗写物候。「岸容待腊将舒柳，山意冲寒欲放梅」以对仗写物候——那「岸容待腊」「山意冲寒」写尽柳梅的物候，以对仗写尽冬至的物候。其四，以旷达写乡思。「教儿且覆掌中杯」以旷达写乡思——那「且覆」写尽覆杯的旷达，以旷达写尽乡思的感慨。此外，此诗前四句写冬至的节令，后四句写乡思的感慨，由节及思，正是节令诗「以节写思」的写法。四重手法，使此诗以思乡写节令，写尽冬至的节令与乡思的感慨，是杜甫的代表作。此诗还善于以「刺绣五纹添弱线」的「添线」写冬至日长——那「添弱线」写冬至后日长一线，正是刺绣添线的写照，以「添线」写尽冬至的习俗。又善以「吹葭六琯动飞灰」的「动灰」写阳气初动——动飞灰，正见葭灰应律而飞，以「动灰」写尽冬至的节气。

Allusions

'The winter solstice' (dong zhi) is the winter solstice — the solstice of the winter, the yang being born of the opening; 'the embroidery five threads' (xiu wu wen) is the embroidery five threads — the five threads of the embroidery, the adding of the weak lines; 'the six pipes' (liu guan) are the six pipes — the pipes of the six, the flying ashes of the middle; 'the wax' (la) is the wax — the twelfth month of the la, the ready of the banks.

此诗的用语深植于节令与思乡传统。「天时人事」令人想到「天时人事」写时令人事的意象——也令人想到「天时不如地利」的意象；「冬至阳生」令人想到「冬至阳生」写冬至的意象——冬至日短极而阳气始生，也令人想到「冬至一阳生」的意象；「刺绣五纹」令人想到「刺绣五纹」写刺绣的意象——古代冬至后日长一线，宫女添线刺绣，也令人想到「添线」的意象；「吹葭六琯」令人想到「吹葭六琯」写律管的意象——古以葭灰置律管中，冬至阳气至则灰动，也令人想到「律管飞灰」的意象；「待腊」令人想到「待腊」写腊月的意象——也令人想到「腊日」的意象；「覆掌中杯」令人想到「覆杯」写饮酒的意象——也令人想到「杯酒」的意象。全诗化用天时人事、冬至阳生、刺绣五纹、吹葭六琯、待腊、覆杯的意象典故，以思乡写节令，正是杜甫「沉郁」而善用典、承节令传统写乡思之本领。「吹葭六琯」典出《后汉书·律历志》——冬至阳气至，置葭灰于律管，灰动则知节气，杜甫以「吹葭六琯动飞灰」写冬至之候；「刺绣五纹」令人想到「添线绣纹」的意象——古代冬至后日长，宫中添线刺绣，以刺绣写冬至的习俗。

Commentary

This poem is one of the famous works of Du Fu's poems of the seasons, quoted for the hope of its opening and the consolation of its close. The yang being born of the spring coming, and the covering of the cup, are among the admired passages of the poet's poems. Critics praise the poem's consolation: the solstice gathered in the customs, to the close's cup.

此诗历来被推为杜甫节令诗的名篇，也是唐诗写冬至的代表。历代论者对此诗评价极高：清人评此诗「以思乡写节令，沉郁顿挫」；近人更指出「天时人事日相催，冬至阳生春又来」写冬至的节令，是此诗的名句。在诗歌史上，此诗的特殊价值在于：它以八句的七律写尽冬至的节令与乡思的感慨——那天时，那人世，那日相催，那冬至，那阳生，那春又来，那刺绣，那五纹，那添弱线，那吹葭，那六琯，那动飞灰，那岸容，那待腊，那舒柳，那山意，那冲寒，那放梅，那云物，那乡国，那教儿，那覆杯，都写尽了杜甫笔下的小至；那「教儿且覆掌中杯」更以旷达写尽乡思的感慨。此诗与杜甫《冬至》（「年年至日长为客」）同为冬至名篇，一写「年年至日长为客」的客愁（冬至），一写「冬至阳生春又来」的节令（小至）；又与白居易《邯郸冬至夜思家》「想得家中夜深坐」的冬至思乡传统一脉相承，可见中国诗写冬至的传统。对于今日读者，此诗是理解杜甫节令诗的窗口，也是唐诗写冬至的经典——那覆杯的教儿，穿越千年，仍在诉说着乡思的感慨。

Prosody

Form A regulated poem of the seasons (qi yan lü shi)诗·七言律诗

Rhyme The poem rhymes on the level of the group — the cadence of the regulated poem that carries the calm consolation.七律，押「催」「来」「灰」「梅」「杯」韵（上平十灰），一韵到底，音节沉郁

Tone pattern The cadence is that of the consolation: the level opening with the solstice, the turning with the customs, and the close's fall with the cup.此诗为七言律诗，押平声韵，一韵到底，音节沉郁，正合乡思的沉郁。

Reading note The poem's sound matches its calm: the cadences of the regulated poem, and the close — 'jiao er qie fu zhang zhong bei' — falls with the cup, the sound of the consolation of the solstice poet.此诗为七言律诗，八句——「天时人事日相催，冬至阳生春又来。刺绣五纹添弱线，吹葭六琯动飞灰。岸容待腊将舒柳，山意冲寒欲放梅。云物不殊乡国异，教儿且覆掌中杯」，押「灰」韵（催、来、灰、梅、杯），一韵到底，音节沉郁。全诗以思乡写节令：前四句写冬至的节令（天时人事日相催、吹葭六琯动飞灰），后四句写乡思的感慨（岸容待腊将舒柳、教儿且覆掌中杯）。八句短章，前写节令，后写乡思，以「教儿且覆掌中杯」写尽乡思的感慨，正见杜甫「沉郁」的本色。诵读此诗，宜以沉郁的语调读「天时人事日相催」的节令，以旷达的语调读「教儿且覆掌中杯」的乡思，结句要读得沉郁而有余韵，方能传达出杜甫的沉郁顿挫。杜甫律诗以「沉郁顿挫」著称，此诗正是其节令诗的典范。

Line by line

天时人事日相催，冬至阳生春又来

Heaven's seasons and human affairs press on, day by day; at Winter Solstice the yang is born, and spring comes again.

天时人事日相催，冬至阳生春又来。

The times and human affairs hurry each day; at the winter solstice the yang principle revives and spring returns once more.

此二句是全诗写节令的核心，以天时人事日相催写日相催，以冬至阳生春又来写春又来，写尽冬至的节令，是千古名句。「天时人事日相催」写天时人事日相催——那「天时人事」写天时人事，「日相催」写日相催，写尽时日的相催；「冬至阳生春又来」写冬至阳生春又来——那「冬至阳生」写冬至阳生，「春又来」写春又来，写尽阳生的又来。这句的深意在于：它以「天时人事日相催」的相催与「冬至阳生春又来」的又来，写尽冬至的节令——天时人事日相催，那「天时人事日相催」写尽时日的相催——天时人事，正是天道人事的写照，那「日相催」写尽冬至的节令；冬至阳生春又来，那「冬至阳生春又来」写尽阳生的又来——冬至阳生，正是冬至一阳生的写照，那「春又来」写尽冬至的节令；那「天时人事日相催」写尽时日的相催，那「冬至阳生春又来」写尽阳生的又来，一写相催，一写又来，写尽冬至的节令——天时相催而冬至阳生，正是冬至到来的写照；此二句以相催、又来写尽冬至的节令，也为下文的习俗作铺垫，也让此二句成为全诗写节令的核心与千古名句。若换作直说「时间过得真快，冬至到了，春天又要来了」，则失其凝重；唯以「天时人事日相催」写日相催、「冬至阳生春又来」写春又来，写尽冬至的节令，也让此二句成为全诗写节令的核心。

These lines are the seasonal heart of the poem, 'heaven and human press on' against 'yang born, spring returns.' The double 'press on' writes time's relentless rush; 'yang born' invokes the old cosmology—at the solstice the first yang stirs in the winter, and from it spring is reborn. The gravity of the couplet lies in joining the cosmic turning to human affairs, so that the return of spring is not mere renewal but a thing pressed by time. If stated as 'time flies, winter solstice comes, spring returns,' the solemnity would fade; only through 'press on' and 'returns again' does the solstice's weight take shape.

岸容待腊将舒柳，山意冲寒欲放梅

The riverbank's look, waiting out the twelfth month, soon unrolls its willows; the mountainside's mood, piercing the cold, is about to burst its plum.

岸容待腊将舒柳，山意冲寒欲放梅。

The riverside, waiting for the year's end, will soon unfurl its willows; the mountain air, braving the cold, is about to open its plum blossoms.

此二句是全诗写物候的核心，以岸容待腊将舒柳写舒柳，以山意冲寒欲放梅写放梅，写尽冬至的物候，是千古名句。「岸容待腊将舒柳」写岸容待腊将舒柳——那「岸容待腊」写岸容待腊，「将舒柳」写将舒柳，写尽岸柳的待舒；「山意冲寒欲放梅」写山意冲寒欲放梅——那「山意冲寒」写山意冲寒，「欲放梅」写欲放梅，写尽山梅的欲放。这句的深意在于：它以「岸容待腊将舒柳」的舒柳与「山意冲寒欲放梅」的放梅，写尽冬至的物候——岸容待腊将舒柳，那「岸容待腊将舒柳」写尽岸柳的待舒——岸容待腊，正是岸柳待春的写照，那「将舒柳」写尽冬至的物候；山意冲寒欲放梅，那「山意冲寒欲放梅」写尽山梅的欲放——山意冲寒，正是山梅冲寒的写照，那「欲放梅」写尽冬至的物候；那「岸容待腊将舒柳」写尽岸柳的待舒，那「山意冲寒欲放梅」写尽山梅的欲放，一写柳，一写梅，写尽冬至的物候——岸柳将舒而山梅欲放，正是冬至阳生的物候；此二句以舒柳、放梅写尽冬至的物候，也为下文的乡思作铺垫，也让此二句成为全诗写物候的核心与千古名句。若换作直说「岸边的柳树要发芽了，山里的梅花也要开了」，则失其对仗；唯以「岸容待腊将舒柳」写舒柳、「山意冲寒欲放梅」写放梅，写尽冬至的物候，也让此二句成为全诗写物候的核心。

These lines are the phenological heart of the poem, willows about to unroll on the bank and plum about to burst in the hills. The bank waits out the last month, the willow buds nearly uncurled; the mountainside pierces the cold, the plum ready to open. Personified 'look' and 'mood' give the landscape intention—the willow yearning to unroll, the plum daring to bloom in the frost—precisely the natural signs of the yang stirring at the solstice. The couplet pairs the water's edge and the mountain, the soft willow and the hardy plum, preparing the homesickness that follows. If stated as 'willows and plums are about to bloom,' the parallel grace would vanish.

Study

Word focus

催 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. 「天时人事日相催」之「催」字是写节令的关键词，一个「催」字写尽时日的相催。催者，催促、催迫也。杜甫以「天时人事日相催」写节令，这个「催」字至少有双重意味：其一，写时之催——那「天时人事日相催」写天时人事日相催，那「催」字写尽时日的相催——日相催，正是时日催迫的写照，那「催」字写尽冬至的节令；其二，写情之急——那「催」字更是写急——催，正见光阴的紧迫，那「催」字写尽岁月流逝的感慨。以「催」字写节令，正是杜甫写小至的枢纽——若换作「迫」「逼」等字，则或失其与「天时人事」「日相催」的配合，或失其写催的意味；唯「催」字，以天时人事日相催写尽时日之催迫与光阴之紧迫，与「冬至阳生春又来」的又来相合，写尽冬至的节令，也让「天时人事日相催」成为全诗写节令的名句。

且 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. 「教儿且覆掌中杯」之「且」字是写旷达的关键词，一个「且」字写尽覆杯的旷达。且者，姑且、暂且也。杜甫以「教儿且覆掌中杯」写旷达，这个「且」字至少有双重意味：其一，写杯之且覆——那「教儿且覆掌中杯」写教儿且覆掌中杯，那「且」字写尽覆杯的旷达——且覆掌中杯，正是姑且饮酒的写照，那「且」字写尽乡思的感慨；其二，写情之达——那「且」字更是写达——且，正见宽解乡思的旷达，那「且」字写尽杜甫的沉郁。以「且」字写旷达，正是杜甫写小至的枢纽——若换作「姑」「聊」等字，则或失其与「教儿」「覆掌中杯」的配合，或失其写且的意味；唯「且」字，以教儿且覆掌中杯写尽覆杯之姑且与宽解之旷达，与「云物不殊乡国异」的乡国相合，写尽乡思的感慨，也让「教儿且覆掌中杯」成为全诗写旷达的名句。

小至