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唐 Tang · 诗 Poem

西宫春怨

The, Spring, Resentment, of, the, Western, Palace

王昌龄

Wang Changling

宫怨Palace sorrow

西宫夜静百花香,欲卷珠帘春恨长。
斜抱云和深见月,朦胧树色隐昭阳。

The, western, palace, in, the, night, still, the, hundred, flowers, fragrant,
About, to, roll, the, pearl, curtain, the, spring, resentment, long.
Slantingly, holding, the, cloud, zither, deeply, seeing, the, moon,
The, dim, and, the, hazy, the, tree, colors, hiding, the, Zhaoyang.
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Meaning

A poem of the palace and the resentment, written by Wang Changling. The western palace in the night still the hundred flowers fragrant, about to roll the pearl curtain the spring resentment long — the night of the opening. Slantingly holding the cloud zither deeply seeing the moon, the dim and the hazy the tree colors hiding the Zhaoyang — the gazing of the close. The poem is the palace and the resentment: the flowers, the zither, and the close's Zhaoyang.

西宫夜静百花香,欲卷珠帘春恨长。斜抱云和深见月,朦胧树色隐昭阳。

Appreciation

[Plain Paraphrase] The, western, palace, in, the, night, still, the, hundred, flowers, fragrant, about, to, roll, the, pearl, curtain, the, spring, resentment, long. Slantingly, holding, the, cloud, zither, deeply, seeing, the, moon, the, dim, and, the, hazy, the, tree, colors, hiding, the, Zhaoyang. [Structure and Thought] The poem moves from the night of the hundred flowers with the long resentment, through the rolling of the pearl curtain, to the close's the gazing at the Zhaoyang. [Key Technique] The poem's art is the close of the gazing: slantingly holding the cloud zither deeply seeing the moon, and the close's the dim and the hazy the tree colors hiding the Zhaoyang — the resentment gathered in the gazing and the close's Zhaoyang. [Emotional Tone] Lonely, resentful, and longing: the poem is the flowers, the zither and the close's Zhaoyang.

【白话串讲】 王昌龄写《西宫春怨》:“西宫夜静百花香,欲卷珠帘春恨长”——“斜抱云和深见月,朦胧树色隐昭阳”——被冷落的妃子在月下弹琴——他写宫怨。 【意象与手法】 此诗写宫怨,以春怨写失宠,是王昌龄的名篇。前二句写春夜:「西宫夜静百花香,欲卷珠帘春恨长」写西宫夜静百花香、欲卷珠帘春恨长——写尽春夜的寂静与春恨;后二句写望月:「斜抱云和深见月,朦胧树色隐昭阳」写斜抱云和深见月、朦胧树色隐昭阳——写尽望月而思君。全诗以春怨写失宠,写尽西宫宫人的孤寂与春恨,是王昌龄的代表作。 【情感与主旨】 此诗写宫怨,以春怨写失宠,是王昌龄的名篇。西宫为失宠妃嫔所居之宫,与东宫(昭阳殿,皇帝所居)相对。此诗写西宫宫人春夜之怨。此诗写春夜:西宫夜静百花香,欲卷珠帘春恨长——写西宫夜静百花香、欲卷珠帘春恨长,写尽春夜的寂静与春恨;斜抱云和深见月,朦胧树色隐昭阳——写斜抱云和深见月、朦胧树色隐昭阳,写尽望月而思君。全诗以春怨写失宠——那「欲卷珠帘春恨长」写尽春恨之长,「朦胧树色隐昭阳」写尽望月而思君,写尽西宫宫人的孤寂与春恨,是理解王昌龄宫怨诗的重要篇章。 【名句点睛】 常考「西宫夜静百花香,欲卷珠帘春恨长」写春夜的寂静与春恨;「斜抱云和深见月,朦胧树色隐昭阳」写望月而思君;以及全诗以春怨写失宠、以乐景写哀情的手法。

Background

Wang Changling (c. 698-757), the poet of the Tang, wrote this 'The, Spring, Resentment, of, the, Western, Palace' of the palace and the resentment — the loneliness of the neglected concubine. The hundred flowers with the long resentment, and the close's the gazing at the Zhaoyang — the poem gathers the resentment of the poet, the solitude of the palace. The poem is one of the famous works of the poet's poems of the palace.

此诗写宫怨,以春怨写失宠,是王昌龄的名篇。王昌龄(约698—约757),字少伯,京兆长安(今陕西西安)人,盛唐伟大的边塞诗人,尤擅七绝,人称「七绝圣手」「诗家夫子」。西宫为失宠妃嫔所居之宫,与东宫相对;昭阳殿为汉成帝时赵飞燕姊妹所居,后多以「昭阳」指皇帝所宠之处。此诗写西宫宫人春夜之怨,正是「以汉代唐」的写法。「西宫夜静百花香,欲卷珠帘春恨长」写西宫夜静百花香、欲卷珠帘春恨长——写尽春夜的寂静与春恨(西宫夜静,百花飘香,欲卷珠帘而春恨深长);「斜抱云和深见月,朦胧树色隐昭阳」写斜抱云和深见月、朦胧树色隐昭阳——写尽望月而思君(斜抱云和瑟深望明月,朦胧树色隐没昭阳)。全诗以春怨写失宠,写尽西宫宫人的孤寂与春恨,是理解王昌龄宫怨诗的重要篇章。还应结合唐代后宫制度来读:唐代后宫妃嫔众多,恩宠无常,失宠者幽居冷宫,其怨苦深重。西宫即失宠者所居,与皇帝所居之东宫相对。王昌龄此诗写西宫宫人春夜之怨,正是以「西宫」之冷写「昭阳」之宠,一冷一热,对照鲜明;而「欲卷珠帘春恨长」更写尽春夜难耐之怨——春色愈浓,愈觉孤寂,正是「每逢佳节倍思亲」式的情感逻辑,可见宫怨诗以季节写怨的传统。

Art

The poem's art is the art of the gazing. The night opens: the, western, palace, in, the, night, still, the, hundred, flowers, fragrant — the hundred flowers of the western palace; about, to, roll, the, pearl, curtain, the, spring, resentment, long — the spring resentment of the pearl curtain. The gazing follows: slantingly, holding, the, cloud, zither, deeply, seeing, the, moon — the cloud zither of the deeply seeing the moon; the, dim, and, the, hazy, the, tree, colors, hiding, the, Zhaoyang — the Zhaoyang of the dim and the hazy — the flowers, the gazing and the close's resentment, gathered in the poem.

此诗的艺术特色可从四个方面解析。其一,以乐景写哀情。「西宫夜静百花香」以乐景写哀情——那「百花香」写尽春夜的芳华,以乐景反写哀情。其二,以动作写心绪。「欲卷珠帘」以动作写心绪——那「欲卷」写尽卷又停的动作,以动作写尽心绪的犹疑。其三,以细节写幽怨。「斜抱云和深见月」以细节写幽怨——那「斜抱」「深见月」写尽抱瑟望月的细节,以细节写尽幽怨的深长。其四,以对照写失宠。「朦胧树色隐昭阳」以对照写失宠——那「昭阳」写尽宠者所居,以对照写尽失宠的孤寂。此外,此诗前二句写春夜的寂静与春恨,后二句写望月而思君,由景入情,正是宫怨诗「即景写怨」的写法。四重手法,使此诗以春怨写失宠,写尽西宫宫人的孤寂与春恨,是王昌龄的代表作。此诗尤可注意「斜抱云和」的细节:云和为瑟名,抱瑟当弹,而「斜抱」写其抱而不弹之态——琴瑟在抱而不理,正是百无聊赖、心事重重的写照;「深见月」之「深」字,写其望月之专注入神,望月愈深,思君愈切。以「斜抱」「深见」两个细节,写尽宫人抱瑟望月的痴态,正是「于无声处见深情」的写法。

Allusions

'The western palace' (xi gong) is the western palace — the palace of the west, the night of the opening; 'the cloud zither' (yun he) is the cloud zither — the zither of the cloud, the holding of the close; 'the Zhaoyang' (zhao yang) is the Zhaoyang — the palace of the Zhaoyang, the favored of the close.

此诗的用语深植于宫怨与典故的传统。「西宫」令人想到「西宫」写失宠之宫的意象——「西宫夜静百花香」正是王昌龄的名句,也令人想到「西宫」写冷宫的传统;「珠帘」令人想到「珠帘」写珠帘的意象——「欲卷珠帘春恨长」正是王昌龄的名句,也令人想到「却下水晶帘」(李白)的珠帘意象;「云和」令人想到「云和」写瑟的意象——云和山产美木制瑟,故以云和指瑟,也令人想到「锦瑟无端五十弦」(李商隐)的瑟意象;「昭阳」令人想到「昭阳」写昭阳殿的典故——赵飞燕居昭阳殿,受宠无比,也令人想到「昭阳日影」写恩宠的意象——王昌龄《长信秋词》「犹带昭阳日影来」。全诗化用西宫、珠帘、昭阳的意象,以春怨写失宠,正是王昌龄「深情幽怨」而善用典、承宫怨传统写幽怨的本领。又「昭阳」意象尤须注意其双重意蕴:昭阳殿本是赵飞燕受宠之地,后世遂以「昭阳」泛指皇帝恩宠所在。王昌龄于此以「朦胧树色隐昭阳」写昭阳之隐没,正是失宠宫人遥望恩宠而不可得的写照——昭阳隐于树色之后,正如恩宠远在千里之外,可望而不可即。以「隐」字写昭阳,将地理之隔与恩宠之遥融为一体,正是宫怨诗「以景写怨」的妙笔。

Commentary

This poem is one of the famous works of Wang Changling's poems of the palace, quoted for the loneliness of its night and the resentment of its close. The hundred flowers of the western palace, and the hiding of the Zhaoyang, are among the admired passages of the poet's poems. Critics praise the poem's resentment: the palace gathered in the gazing, to the close's Zhaoyang.

此诗历来被推为王昌龄宫怨诗的名篇,也是唐人写宫怨的代表。历代论者对此诗评价极高:清人评此诗「以春怨写失宠,深情幽怨」;近人更指出「斜抱云和深见月,朦胧树色隐昭阳」写望月而思君,是此诗的名句。在诗歌史上,此诗的特殊价值在于:它以四句的绝句写尽西宫宫人的孤寂与春恨——那寂静的西宫,那飘香的百花,那欲卷的珠帘,那深长的春恨,那云和,那明月,那朦胧的树色,那隐没的昭阳,都写尽了王昌龄笔下的西宫春怨;那「朦胧树色隐昭阳」更以对照写尽失宠的孤寂。此诗与王昌龄《长信秋词》(「玉颜不及寒鸦色」)同为宫怨名篇,一写「斜抱云和深见月」的春怨(西宫春怨),一写「犹带昭阳日影来」的秋怨(长信秋词);又与班婕妤《怨歌行》「常恐秋节至」的团扇传统一脉相承,可见中国诗写宫怨的幽怨传统。对于今日读者,此诗是理解王昌龄宫怨诗的窗口,也是中国诗写宫怨的经典——那隐没的昭阳,穿越千年,仍在诉说着失宠的春恨。

Prosody

Form A quatrain of the palace (qi yan jue ju)诗·七言绝句
Rhyme The poem rhymes on the level of the group — the cadence of the quatrain that carries the lonely resentment.七绝,押「香」「长」「阳」韵(下平七阳),一韵到底,音节幽怨
Tone pattern The cadence is that of the resentment: the level opening with the night, the turning with the gazing, and the close's fall with the Zhaoyang.此诗为七言绝句,押平声韵,一韵到底,音节幽怨,正合宫怨的幽怨。
Reading note The poem's sound matches its loneliness: the cadences of the quatrain, and the close — 'meng long shu se yin zhao yang' — falls with the Zhaoyang, the sound of the resentment of the palace lady.此诗为七言绝句,四句——「西宫夜静百花香,欲卷珠帘春恨长。斜抱云和深见月,朦胧树色隐昭阳」,押「阳」韵(香、长、阳),一韵到底,音节幽怨。全诗以春怨写失宠:前二句写春夜的寂静与春恨(西宫夜静百花香,欲卷珠帘春恨长),后二句写望月而思君(斜抱云和深见月,朦胧树色隐昭阳)。四句短章,前写春恨,后写思君,以「朦胧树色隐昭阳」写尽失宠的孤寂,正见王昌龄「深情幽怨」的本色。诵读此诗,宜以幽怨的语调读「西宫夜静百花香」的寂静,以低回的语调读「朦胧树色隐昭阳」的思君,结句要读得含婉而有余韵,方能传达出王昌龄的深情幽怨。王昌龄绝句以「深情幽怨」著称,此诗正是其宫怨绝句的典范。

Line by line

斜抱云和深见月,朦胧树色隐昭阳

Holding the yuehe zither aslant, she gazes deep at the moon; in the hazy tree-shadows, Zhaoyang is hidden.

斜抱云和瑟深望明月,朦胧树色隐没昭阳。

Aslant she holds the yuehe zither, gazing long at the moon; the hazy foliage hides the Zhaoyang chamber.

此二句是全诗写思君的核心,以斜抱云和写抱瑟,以朦胧树色写望月,写尽望月而思君,是千古名句。「斜抱云和深见月」写斜抱云和瑟深望明月——那「斜抱云和」写斜抱云和瑟,「深见月」写深深望月,写尽抱瑟望月的幽怨;「朦胧树色隐昭阳」写朦胧树色隐没昭阳——那「朦胧树色」写朦胧的树色,「隐昭阳」写隐没昭阳,写尽望月而思君。这句的深意在于:它以「斜抱云和深见月」的望月与「朦胧树色隐昭阳」的思君,写尽望月而思君——斜抱云和瑟深望明月,那「斜抱云和深见月」写尽抱瑟望月的幽怨——斜抱云和瑟而深深望月,正是百无聊赖的写照,那「深见月」写尽望月的深情;朦胧树色隐没昭阳,那「朦胧树色隐昭阳」写尽望月而思君——昭阳,正是宠者所居,而朦胧树色隐没了昭阳,正是失宠者遥望恩宠不得见的写照,那「隐昭阳」写尽思君而不得见的幽怨;那「斜抱云和深见月」写尽抱瑟望月的幽怨,那「朦胧树色隐昭阳」写尽望月而思君,一写望月,一写思君,写尽望月而思君——望月而昭阳隐没,正是失宠宫人的幽怨;此二句以望月、思君写尽望月而思君,也让此二句成为全诗写思君的核心与千古名句。若换作直说「她很想念皇帝却见不到」,则失其含蓄;唯以「斜抱云和深见月」写望月、「朦胧树色隐昭阳」写思君,写尽望月而思君,也让此二句成为全诗写思君的核心。

These lines are the heart of longing for the prince, holding the zither and gazing at the moon. The 'yuehe' is a zither name; holding it aslant, idle and lost, she stares at the moon. 'Hazy tree-shadows hide Zhaoyang' is the crux: Zhaoyang was the chamber of the favored, and in the blurred tree-line it is blocked from sight—the neglected concubine gazes toward favor and cannot see it. If stated as 'she misses the emperor but cannot see him,' the reserve would vanish; only through the aslant zither, the long moon-gaze, and the hidden Zhaoyang does the palace grievance take shape.

西宫夜静百花香,欲卷珠帘春恨长

The western palace is still at night, a hundred flowers fragrant; she would roll the pearl curtain, yet spring-sorrow runs long.

西宫夜静,百花飘香,欲卷珠帘而春恨深长。

In the western palace, a quiet night and the scent of a hundred blossoms; she longs to roll up the pearl curtain, but spring-sorrow stretches endless.

此二句是全诗写春恨的核心,以西宫夜静写寂静,以欲卷珠帘写动作,写尽春夜的寂静与春恨,是千古名句。「西宫夜静百花香」写西宫夜静百花飘香——那「西宫夜静」写西宫夜静,「百花香」写百花飘香,写尽春夜的寂静;「欲卷珠帘春恨长」写欲卷珠帘而春恨深长——那「欲卷珠帘」写想卷起珠帘,「春恨长」写春恨深长,写尽春恨之长。这句的深意在于:它以「西宫夜静百花香」的寂静与「欲卷珠帘春恨长」的动作,写尽春夜的寂静与春恨——西宫夜静百花飘香,那「西宫夜静百花香」写尽春夜的寂静——西宫夜静,百花飘香,正是春夜的美好,那「百花香」写尽春夜的芳华;欲卷珠帘而春恨深长,那「欲卷珠帘春恨长」写尽春恨之长——欲卷珠帘,又恐见春色而增恨,卷而复止,那「欲卷」写尽动作的犹疑,「春恨长」写尽春恨的深长;那「西宫夜静百花香」写尽春夜的寂静,那「欲卷珠帘春恨长」写尽春恨之长,一写景,一写情,写尽春夜的寂静与春恨——百花飘香而春恨深长,正是以乐景写哀情;此二句以寂静、动作写尽春夜的寂静与春恨,也为后二句的望月作铺垫,也让此二句成为全诗写春恨的核心与千古名句。若换作直说「她心里很郁闷」,则失其画面;唯以「西宫夜静百花香」写寂静、「欲卷珠帘春恨长」写动作,写尽春夜的寂静与春恨,也让此二句成为全诗写春恨的核心。

These lines are the heart of spring grief, the still night and the half-rolled curtain. 'Western palace still at night, a hundred flowers fragrant' lays a beautiful, fragrant spring scene; 'would roll the pearl curtain, yet spring-sorrow long' turns it—she reaches to raise the curtain, then stays, fearing the spring view will only deepen her grief. The 'would' writes the hesitation, the long-sought and half-undone motion. Joyous scenery set against sorrow is the poem's method, preparing the moon-gaze that follows. If stated as 'she feels depressed,' the picture would be lost; only through the fragrant night and the half-rolled curtain does the spring resentment breathe.

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Word focus

欲 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. 「欲卷珠帘春恨长」之「欲」字是写动作的关键词,一个「欲」字写尽动作的犹疑。欲者,想要也。王昌龄以「欲卷珠帘春恨长」写春恨,这个「欲」字至少有双重意味:其一,写动作之止——那「欲卷珠帘春恨长」写想卷起珠帘而春恨深长,那「欲」字写尽卷而犹止——欲卷又止,正是百无聊赖的写照,那「欲」字写尽动作的犹疑;其二,写心绪之乱——那「欲」字更是写心——欲卷珠帘,又恐见春色而增恨,那「欲」字写尽心绪的纷乱。以「欲」字写动作,正是王昌龄写幽怨的枢纽——若换作「忽」「懒」等字,则或失其与「春恨长」的配合,或失其写欲卷的意味;唯「欲」字,以欲卷珠帘春恨长写尽动作的犹疑与心绪的纷乱,与「西宫夜静」的寂静相合,写尽春夜的寂静与春恨,也让「欲卷珠帘春恨长」成为全诗写春恨的名句。
隐 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. 「朦胧树色隐昭阳」之「隐」字是写思君的关键词,一个「隐」字写尽昭阳的隐没。隐者,隐没、遮蔽也。王昌龄以「朦胧树色隐昭阳」写思君,这个「隐」字至少有双重意味:其一,写昭阳之隐——那「朦胧树色隐昭阳」写朦胧树色隐没昭阳,那「隐」字写尽昭阳的隐没——昭阳为宠者所居,而树色朦胧隐没昭阳,正是失宠者望而不见的写照,那「隐」字写尽昭阳的隐没;其二,写恩宠之远——那「隐」字更是写远——昭阳隐没,正见恩宠之远不可及,那「隐」字写尽失宠的孤寂。以「隐」字写昭阳,正是王昌龄写幽怨的枢纽——若换作「蔽」「隔」等字,则或失其与「朦胧树色」的配合,或失其写隐没的意味;唯「隐」字,以朦胧树色隐昭阳写尽昭阳的隐没与恩宠的远不可及,与「斜抱云和深见月」的见月相合,写尽望月而思君,也让「朦胧树色隐昭阳」成为全诗写思君的名句。

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