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唐 Tang · 诗 Poem

咏史

The, Poem, on, the, History

李商隐

Li Shangyin

咏史History 感慨Theme

历览前贤国与家，成由勤俭破由奢。
何须琥珀方为枕，岂得真珠始是车。
运去不逢青海马，力穷难拔蜀山蛇。
几人曾预南薰曲，终古苍梧哭翠华。

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Meaning

A poem of the history and the lesson, written by Li Shangyin. Reviewing all the former worthies the states and the families, the success from the diligence and the thrift the ruin from the extravagance — the lesson of the opening. Why need the amber before becoming the pillow, how could the real pearls alone be the carriage — the critique of the middle. The fortune gone not meeting the horses of the Green Sea, the strength exhausted hard to pull the snakes of the Shu mountains — the regret of the middle. And the close's how many once had shared the tune of the South Wind, the ages and the ages the Cangwu weeping over the green tassels — the close's tears. The poem is the history and the lesson: the thrift, the fortune, and the close's tears.

遍览前代贤明的君王与他们的国家，成功是因为勤俭，破败是因为奢侈。何必要琥珀才作枕头，哪里非得珍珠才能装饰车乘。时运不济，遇不到千里马一样的英才；国力穷尽，拔不动蜀山的巨蛇。有几人曾参与南薰曲那样的盛世雅乐，最终古苍梧之地只能痛哭翠华（圣驾）。

Appreciation

[Plain Paraphrase] Reviewing, all, the, former, worthies, the, states, and, the, families, the, success, from, the, diligence, and, the, thrift, the, ruin, from, the, extravagance. Why, need, the, amber, before, becoming, the, pillow, how, could, the, real, pearls, alone, be, the, carriage. The, fortune, gone, not, meeting, the, horses, of, the, Green, Sea, the, strength, exhausted, hard, to, pull, the, snakes, of, the, Shu, mountains. How, many, once, had, shared, the, tune, of, the, South, Wind, the, ages, and, the, ages, the, Cangwu, weeping, over, the, green, tassels. [Structure and Thought] The poem moves from the lesson of the success and the ruin with the amber and the pearls, through the regret of the fortune and the strength, to the close's the tears of the Cangwu. [Key Technique] The poem's art is the close of the tears: the fortune gone not meeting the horses of the Green Sea, and the close's how many once had shared the tune of the South Wind the ages and the ages the Cangwu weeping over the green tassels — the history gathered in the regret and the close's tears. [Emotional Tone] Reviewing, critical, and sorrowful: the poem is the thrift, the fortune and the close's tears.

【白话串讲】李商隐写《咏史》：“历览前贤国与家，成由勤俭破由奢”——“运去不逢青海马，力穷难拔蜀山蛇”——“几人曾预南薰曲，终古苍梧哭翠华”——他写治国之道——成由勤俭破由奢。【意象与手法】此诗咏史论政，以勤俭兴国、奢侈亡国的道理针砭时弊，是李商隐咏史诗的名篇。起句「历览前贤国与家，成由勤俭破由奢」以「历览」总领，点出古今兴亡之理，是千古名句；「何须琥珀方为枕，岂得真珠始是车」以琥珀枕、真珠车写奢侈之害，反问有力；「运去不逢青海马，力穷难拔蜀山蛇」以青海马喻英才、蜀山蛇喻积弊，写国运衰微、积重难返；结句「几人曾预南薰曲，终古苍梧哭翠华」以南薰曲写盛世雅乐、苍梧哭翠华写圣驾难回，写盛世难再的哀叹。全诗以咏史写时政，借古讽今，正是李商隐咏史诗「以史为鉴」的本领。【情感与主旨】此诗约作于唐文宗开成年间，李商隐有感于文宗朝政事而作。唐文宗李昂在位时，欲革除宦官专权之弊，然甘露之变（835）失败，宦官势焰更炽，文宗郁郁而终。李商隐此诗以「历览前贤国与家，成由勤俭破由奢」立论，暗讽当朝奢靡之风与国运之衰；「运去不逢青海马，力穷难拔蜀山蛇」更写国运衰微、积弊难除，寄寓了对唐王朝由盛转衰的深沉感慨。李商隐身处晚唐，亲历甘露之变，目睹国事日非，其咏史诗多以古讽今，此诗正是其以咏史论时政的代表。【名句点睛】常考「历览前贤国与家，成由勤俭破由奢」的千古名句，其总结兴亡之理的深刻；「何须琥珀方为枕，岂得真珠始是车」的反问与奢侈之害；「运去不逢青海马，力穷难拔蜀山蛇」的比喻（青海马喻英才、蜀山蛇喻积弊）；结句「终古苍梧哭翠华」用舜葬苍梧之典写盛世难再；以及全诗以咏史讽今、借古鉴今的笔法。

Background

Li Shangyin (c. 813-858), the poet of the Tang, wrote this 'The, Poem, on, the, History' of the history and the lesson — the lesson of the states and the families. The success and the ruin with the amber and the pearls, the regret of the fortune, and the close's the tears of the Cangwu — the poem gathers the critique of the poet, the sorrow of the history. The poem is one of the famous works of the poet's poems of the history.

此诗约作于唐文宗开成五年（840）前后，李商隐有感于文宗朝政事而作。李商隐（约813—858），字义山，号玉谿生，怀州河内（今河南沁阳）人，晚唐著名诗人，与杜牧并称「小李杜」。唐文宗李昂在位期间（827—840），欲革除宦官专权、牛李党争等积弊，然太和九年（835）发生甘露之变——文宗与李训、郑注等密谋诛除宦官，事败，宦官大肆捕杀朝臣，从此宦官势焰更炽，文宗亦受制于宦官，郁郁而终。李商隐身处晚唐，亲历甘露之变等重大事件，目睹唐王朝由盛转衰、国事日非，其咏史诗多以古讽今，寄寓对现实的感慨。此诗以「历览前贤国与家，成由勤俭破由奢」立论，点出古今兴亡之理；「何须琥珀方为枕，岂得真珠始是车」以琥珀枕、真珠车写奢侈之害；「运去不逢青海马，力穷难拔蜀山蛇」写国运衰微、积弊难除——「青海马」喻千里马之才，「蜀山蛇」喻难以根除的积弊（一说用秦惠王五石牛、蜀道五丁开山之典，喻积重难返）；结句「几人曾预南薰曲，终古苍梧哭翠华」以南薰曲写盛世雅乐（相传舜弹五弦琴歌南风，其辞曰「南风之薰兮」）、苍梧哭翠华写圣驾难回（舜葬于苍梧，苍梧即九疑山），写盛世难再的哀叹。全诗以咏史写时政，借古讽今，是理解李商隐对晚唐国运忧虑的重要篇章。

Art

The poem's art is the art of the tears. The lesson opens: reviewing, all, the, former, worthies, the, states, and, the, families — the states and the families of the reviewing; the, success, from, the, diligence, and, the, thrift, the, ruin, from, the, extravagance — the success and the ruin of the diligence; why, need, the, amber, before, becoming, the, pillow — the amber of the pillow; how, could, the, real, pearls, alone, be, the, carriage — the pearls of the carriage. The regret follows: the, fortune, gone, not, meeting, the, horses, of, the, Green, Sea — the horses of the Green Sea; the, strength, exhausted, hard, to, pull, the, snakes, of, the, Shu, mountains — the snakes of the Shu mountains. And the close gathers the tears: how, many, once, had, shared, the, tune, of, the, South, Wind — the tune of the South Wind; the, ages, and, the, ages, the, Cangwu, weeping, over, the, green, tassels — the Cangwu of the weeping — the lesson, the regret and the close's tears, gathered in the poem.

此诗的艺术特色可从四个方面解析。其一，以史论开篇的立论。首联「历览前贤国与家，成由勤俭破由奢」以「历览」总领古今，点出成败兴亡之理——「成由勤俭破由奢」以「成」「破」对举、「勤俭」「奢」对照，一句概括兴亡之理，是千古名句。其二，以反问写奢侈之害。「何须琥珀方为枕，岂得真珠始是车」以反问句式写奢侈——琥珀枕、真珠车本是奢侈之物，「何须」「岂得」以反问写其不必，暗讽当朝奢靡之风。其三，以比喻写国运之衰。「运去不逢青海马，力穷难拔蜀山蛇」以「青海马」喻千里马之英才（青海有千里马，故以青海马喻良才），「蜀山蛇」喻难以根除的积弊（蜀山巨蛇，力难拔除），写国运衰微、英才不遇、积弊难除。其四，以用典写盛世难再。结句「几人曾预南薰曲，终古苍梧哭翠华」以南薰曲（舜之歌，喻盛世雅乐）与苍梧（舜葬之地，喻圣君）两典，写盛世雅乐已成绝响、圣驾难回，以古喻今，写尽对盛世不再的哀叹。四重手法，使此诗以咏史写时政，借古讽今，正是李商隐咏史诗「以史为鉴」的本领。

Allusions

'The horses of the Green Sea' (qing hai ma) are the horses of the Green Sea — the horses of the Green Sea, the fortune of the middle; 'the snakes of the Shu mountains' (shu shan she) are the snakes of the Shu mountains — the snakes of the Shu mountains, the strength of the middle; 'the tune of the South Wind' (nan xun qu) is the tune of the South Wind — the tune of the sage Shun, the shared of the close; 'the Cangwu' (cang wu) is the Cangwu — the Cangwu of the Shun, the weeping of the close.

此诗的用典密集而深婉。「历览前贤国与家」令人想到「以史为镜，可以知兴替」的史鉴传统，也令人想到《史记》「前事之不忘，后事之师」的古训；「成由勤俭破由奢」令人想到「历览前贤国与家，成由勤俭破由奢」所总结的历史规律，也令人想到《书》「玩物丧志」的告诫；「琥珀枕」令人想到《西京杂记》所载汉成帝琥珀枕等奢侈之物，也令人想到「珠玉满堂」的富贵意象；「真珠车」令人想到《史记》所载「齐王以珠玉饰车」等奢侈记载，也令人想到「千金买马骨」的求贤意象的反面——真珠饰车正是奢侈；「青海马」令人想到青海湖产千里马的传说（《隋书》载青海有马，日行千里），以良马喻英才；「蜀山蛇」令人想到「蜀道之难」与蜀山巨蛇的传说，也令人想到「五丁开山」的蜀道之典，以巨蛇喻难除的积弊；「南薰曲」用《礼记·乐记》所载舜弹五弦琴歌「南风之薰兮，可以解吾民之愠兮」之典，以盛世雅乐喻太平盛世；「苍梧哭翠华」用舜葬苍梧（九疑山）之典——「翠华」指帝王仪仗之旗，苍梧哭翠华写圣君既逝、盛世难回。全诗化用史鉴、奢侈、求贤、舜歌、苍梧的传统意象，以咏史讽今，正是李商隐「使事深婉」的本领。

Commentary

This poem is one of the famous works of Li Shangyin's poems of the history, quoted for the lesson of its opening and the sorrow of its close. The success and the ruin of the thrift, and the Cangwu of the weeping, are among the admired passages of the poet's poems. Critics praise the poem's critique: the history gathered in the regret, to the close's tears.

此诗历来被推为李商隐咏史诗的名篇，也是其「以史为鉴」诗风的代表。历代论者对此诗评价极高：清人评此诗「立论正大，用典精切」；近人更指出「成由勤俭破由奢」一句概括兴亡之理，是千古名句。在诗歌史上，此诗的特殊价值在于：它以咏史立论，写尽唐王朝由盛转衰的教训与诗人对时局的忧虑——那勤俭兴国的历史规律，那奢侈亡国的沉痛教训，那英才不遇的国运衰微，那积弊难除的力穷势迫，那盛世难再的苍梧之哭，都写尽了这位晚唐诗人对国运的忧思；那「成由勤俭破由奢」更成为后世引以为鉴的警句。此诗与李商隐的《隋宫》（「乘兴南游不戒严」）同为咏史讽今的名篇，一写隋炀帝的奢靡亡国，一写勤俭兴奢败的历史规律；又与杜牧的咏史诗一脉相承，可见晚唐咏史诗「借古讽今」的共同追求。对于今日读者，此诗是理解李商隐咏史诗与晚唐国运的窗口，也是中国诗写兴亡之理的经典——那勤俭与奢的对照、苍梧的哭声，穿越千年，仍在警示着后人。

Prosody

Form A regulated poem of the history (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 critical sorrow.押平声麻韵（家、奢、车、蛇、华），一韵到底，平韵悠长，正合咏史的庄重

Tone pattern The cadence is that of the tears: the level opening with the lesson, the turning with the regret, and the close's fall with the tears.此诗为七言律诗，八句四联，中二联（颔联、颈联）对仗工整。全诗仄起平收，节奏庄重，于平正中见顿挫。

Reading note The poem's sound matches its critique: the cadences of the regulated poem, and the close — 'zhong gu cang wu ku cui hua' — falls with the tassels, the sound of the sorrow of the history poet.此诗为七言律诗，八句四联：首联立论（历览前贤国与家，成由勤俭破由奢），颔联写奢侈（何须琥珀方为枕，岂得真珠始是车），颈联写国运（运去不逢青海马，力穷难拔蜀山蛇），尾联写哀叹（几人曾预南薰曲，终古苍梧哭翠华）。押平声麻韵，韵脚「家、奢、车、蛇、华」一韵到底，平韵悠长，正合咏史的庄重。中二联对仗工整：「何须琥珀方为枕，岂得真珠始是车」以琥珀、真珠相对，反问有力；「运去不逢青海马，力穷难拔蜀山蛇」以青海马、蜀山蛇相对，比喻精切。全诗以七言的庄重节奏，写咏史论政——首联立兴亡之理，颔联写奢侈之害，颈联写国运之衰，尾联写盛世难再，层层推进，一气呵成。诵读此诗，宜以庄重的语调读首联的立论，以沉痛的语调读中二联的奢侈与国运，尾联「终古苍梧哭翠华」要读得深沉而有余哀，方能传达出李商隐对国运的忧虑。李商隐律诗以「沉郁顿挫」著称，此诗正是其咏史七律的典范。

Line by line

历览前贤国与家，成由勤俭破由奢

Surveying the states and houses of the worthies of old: success comes from thrift and diligence, ruin from luxury.

遍览前代贤明的君王与他们的国家，成功是因为勤俭，破败是因为奢侈。

Looking broadly at the states and households of former worthies: they prospered through thrift and diligence, and fell through extravagance.

此联是全诗的立论之句，也是千古名句，一句概括古今兴亡之理。「历览前贤国与家」写遍览前代贤君与他们的国家——那「历览」写纵观、遍览历代，那「前贤国与家」写前代贤君的家国，以「历览」总领古今；「成由勤俭破由奢」写成败之理——那「成由勤俭」写成功因为勤俭，「破由奢」写破败因为奢侈，以「成」「破」对举、「勤俭」「奢」对照。这句的深意在于：它以「历览」的视角总结历史规律——遍观前代贤君的家国兴亡，莫不是勤俭而兴、奢侈而亡；那「成由勤俭破由奢」一句，以最凝练的语言概括兴亡之理，既是历史的总结，也是对当世的警示——晚唐奢靡之风盛行，正是亡国之兆；那「历览」写尽历史的沧桑，那「勤俭」「奢」的对照写尽兴亡的因果。若换作直说「节俭就兴国奢侈就亡国」，则失其警策；唯以「历览前贤国与家」的史鉴视角与「成由勤俭破由奢」的凝练对举，写尽兴亡之理，也让此联成为千古名句。

This couplet is the thesis of the poem and a famous line, summing up the rise and fall of history. 'Surveying the worthies' states and houses' opens the long view of history; 'success from thrift, ruin from luxury' states the law in a balanced pair. The couplet is at once a summary of history and a warning to the luxury-laden late Tang. If stated as 'thrift builds the state, luxury ruins it,' the force would fade; only through the 'survey' and the tight 'thrift/luxury' pairing does the historical law become a maxim.

运去不逢青海马，力穷难拔蜀山蛇

When fortune has ebbed, no Qinghai steed appears; when strength is spent, the Shu mountain serpent cannot be drawn.

时运不济，遇不到千里马一样的英才；国力穷尽，拔不动蜀山的巨蛇。

Fortune gone, no Qinghai steed is met; strength exhausted, the Shu Mountain serpent cannot be uprooted.

此联写国运衰微、积弊难除，以比喻写尽晚唐的困境。「运去不逢青海马」写时运不济、英才不遇——那「运去」写国运衰微、时运已去，那「青海马」喻千里马之才（青海湖产良马），「不逢青海马」写遇不到英才，写国运衰时人才不遇；「力穷难拔蜀山蛇」写国力穷尽、积弊难除——那「力穷」写国力穷尽、力量不足，那「蜀山蛇」喻难以根除的积弊，「难拔蜀山蛇」写拔不动蜀山巨蛇，写积重难返。这句的深意在于：它以「青海马」与「蜀山蛇」的比喻，写尽晚唐的困境——国运衰微，英才不遇，无力回天；国力穷尽，积弊难除，难以自拔；那「运去」写尽时运的衰微，那「力穷」写尽国力的枯竭，「不逢青海马」写人才的凋零，「难拔蜀山蛇」写积弊的顽固，四句两层，写尽一个王朝病入膏肓的境况。若换作直说「国家不行了」，则失其形象；唯以「青海马」「蜀山蛇」的比喻写国运与积弊，写尽晚唐的困境，也让此联成为全诗最沉痛的一笔。

This couplet writes the ebbing of the dynasty, the Qinghai horse and the Shu mountain serpent. 'Fortune ebbed, no Qinghai steed appears' uses the steed of Qinghai as the symbol of great talent, now absent in the time of decay; 'strength spent, the Shu mountain serpent cannot be drawn' uses the serpent as the entrenched abuse that cannot be rooted out. The two metaphors—no talent, ills unuprootable—picture a state past cure. If stated as 'the state is failing,' the imagery would vanish; only through the Qinghai steed and the Shu serpent does the decline become a parable.

几人曾预南薰曲，终古苍梧哭翠华

How many ever shared the Nan Xun melody? For all time, at Cangwu we weep the king's green banners.

有几人曾参与南薰曲那样的盛世雅乐，最终古苍梧之地只能痛哭翠华。

How many have joined in the Nan Xun air? For ages at Cangwu men weep for the vanished royal train.

此联是全诗的收束，以用典写盛世难再的哀叹。「几人曾预南薰曲」写有几人曾参与南薰曲那样的盛世——那「南薰曲」用舜歌「南风之薰兮」之典，喻盛世雅乐，「几人曾预」写几人曾赶上那样的盛世，写盛世已成绝响；「终古苍梧哭翠华」写苍梧之地痛哭圣驾——那「苍梧」用舜葬苍梧之典，那「翠华」指帝王仪仗之旗，「哭翠华」写圣驾既逝、痛哭不已，写圣君难回。这句的深意在于：它以「南薰曲」与「苍梧哭翠华」两典，写尽盛世难再的哀叹——盛世雅乐已成绝响，几人曾赶上那样的太平；圣君既逝，如舜之葬苍梧，只能痛哭其不可复见；那「几人曾预」写盛世之难逢，那「终古苍梧哭翠华」写圣君之难再，古今对照，写尽对盛世不再、圣君不遇的深沉哀叹，也暗写晚唐盛世难回的忧思。若换作直说「盛世不再了」，则失其用典的深婉；唯以「南薰曲」「苍梧哭翠华」两典写盛世与圣君，写尽盛世难再的哀叹，也让此联成为全诗最深沉的一笔。

This couplet closes the poem, alluding to the Nan Xun song and the weeping at Cangwu. 'How many ever shared the Nan Xun melody' alludes to Emperor Shun's song of the southern breeze, symbol of a golden age; 'for all time, at Cangwu we weep the king's green banners' alludes to Shun's death and burial at Cangwu, the green banners the royal train. The two allusions—the great song never heard again, the great king forever mourned—weep over the irrecoverable glory. If stated as 'the golden age is gone,' the allusive depth would vanish; only through the Nan Xun melody and the Cangwu weeping do the lamented emperor and era return.

Study

Word focus

由 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. 「成由勤俭破由奢」之「由」字是写因果的关键字，一个「由」字写尽兴亡的因果。由者，因为、由于也。李商隐以「成由勤俭破由奢」写兴亡，这个「由」字至少有双重意味：其一，写因果之明——那「由」写成功因为勤俭、破败因为奢侈，那「由」字写尽兴亡的因果——勤俭是兴之因，奢侈是亡之因；其二，写规律之定——那「由」字更是写规律的必然——兴亡皆「由」勤俭奢靡所致，非偶然也，那「由」字写尽历史规律的不可违。以「由」字写因果，正是李商隐立论的枢纽——若换作「在」「因」等字，则或失其凝练，或失其与「成」「破」的对举；唯「由」字，以一字写尽勤俭与奢侈为兴亡之因，凝练警策，写尽历史规律的必然，也让「成由勤俭破由奢」成为概括兴亡之理的千古名句。

哭 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. 「终古苍梧哭翠华」之「哭」字是写哀叹的关键字，一个「哭」字写尽对盛世难再的哀恸。哭者，痛哭、悲哭也。李商隐以「苍梧哭翠华」写圣君之逝，这个「哭」字至少有双重意味：其一，写哀恸之深——那「哭」写苍梧之地痛哭圣驾，那「哭翠华」写对着帝王的仪仗痛哭，写尽对圣君既逝的哀恸；其二，写无奈之痛——那「哭」字更是写无奈——圣君已逝，如舜之葬苍梧，只能痛哭，无法挽回，那「哭」写尽面对盛世难再的无力与悲恸。以「哭」字写哀叹，正是李商隐收束全诗的枢纽——若换作「望」「忆」等字，则或失其悲恸，或失其与「终古」的沉痛；唯「哭」字，以一字写尽苍梧之地对圣驾的痛哭与对盛世难再的哀恸，与「终古」的时间之远相合，写尽晚唐诗人对盛世不再的深沉哀叹，也让「终古苍梧哭翠华」成为全诗最沉痛的一笔。

咏史