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元 Yuan · 散曲 Sanqu song

蟾宫曲·怀古

Toad Palace Song: Recalling the Ancients

阿鲁威

Alu Wei

怀古Recalling Antiquity 感怀Emotional Reflection

问人间谁是英雄？
有酾酒临江，横槊曹公。
紫盖黄旗，多应借得，赤壁东风。
更惊起南阳卧龙，便成名八阵图中。
鼎足三分，一分西蜀，一分江东。

Ask among men, who are heroes?
There is Lord Cao, facing the river, wine in hand, wielding his spear.
Purple umbrellas and yellow banners,
Most likely thanks to the east wind at Red Cliffs.
Then the Sleeping Dragon of Nanyang was roused,
And made his fame with the Eight Formation Diagram.
The tripod stands on three legs:
One portion is Western Shu, one portion is Jiangdong.

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Meaning

The poem asks who in history are true heroes, then presents Cao Cao, Sun Quan (through the Eastern Wu’s reliance on the east wind at Red Cliffs), and Zhuge Liang (the Sleeping Dragon who rose to fame using the Eight Formation Diagram). It concludes with the three kingdoms—Shu, Wu, and Wei—forming a tripod balance.

问这人世间谁称得上英雄？有那临江斟酒、横握长矛吟诗的曹公。那紫盖黄旗般的云气之下，东吴多半是借得了赤壁的东风。更有那南阳的卧龙被惊起出山，从此成名于八阵图中。天下鼎足三分，一分在西蜀，一分在东吴。

Appreciation

The piece opens abruptly with a sweeping question, then uses the word 'there is' to introduce three heroic portraits, each captured in a few vivid lines. Allusions to Su Shi's Red Cliff ode and Du Fu's poem on Zhuge Liang are woven seamlessly, creating a tight structure and a bold, unconstrained style that matches the ambition of the heroes described.

【白话串讲】 “问人间谁是英雄”——阿鲁威问：谁是英雄？“有酾酒临江，横槊曹公”——曹操，临江洒酒，横槊赋诗。“更惊起南阳卧龙，便成名八阵图中”——还有诸葛亮。“鼎足三分，一分西蜀，一分江东”。【意象与手法】全曲结构严谨、文笔简练，以慷慨豪迈之气概再现三国人物的历史风采。起句突兀设问，随即以“有”字领起三组英雄画像【情感与主旨】阿鲁威，字叔重，号东泉，蒙古族人，元代至治、泰定年间曾任南剑太守、经筵官，有小令十九首存世【名句点睛】中高考若考此曲，重点在：一、用典，“酾酒临江横槊”“八阵图”“紫盖黄旗”所指何人何事

Background

Alu Wei (style name Shuzhong, sobriquet Dongquan) was a Mongol official in the Yuan dynasty, serving as Prefect of Nanjian and Court Lecturer during the Zhizhi and Taiding eras. This poem recalls the heroes of the Three Kingdoms period, reflecting the author's admiration for ancient talents and his own aspiration to achieve great deeds. It was likely composed while reading history or gazing at the Yangtze River.

《蟾宫曲·怀古》为元代散曲家阿鲁威所作，是咏怀三国的散曲。阿鲁威（生卒年不详），字叔重，蒙古族人，号东泉，元代散曲家。此曲：问人间谁是英雄？有酾酒临江，横槊曹公。紫盖黄旗，多应借得，赤壁东风。更惊起南阳卧龙，便成名八阵图中。鼎足三分，一分西蜀，一分江东。全曲咏三国英雄，是阿鲁威散曲的名篇。

Art

The piece employs a 'question—description—summary' structure: a sudden question, then three portraits of Cao Cao, Sun Quan, and Zhuge Liang in parallel, ending with a panoramic view of the three kingdoms. The language is concise yet powerful, with allusions used naturally to amplify the heroic spirit.

《蟾宫曲·怀古》艺术上以设问的起笔与史事的铺写见长。全曲十一句，层层写来：首句设问——“问人间谁是英雄”写问谁是英雄；中写曹公——“有酾酒临江，横槊曹公”写曹操酾酒横槊；次写赤壁——“紫盖黄旗，多应借得，赤壁东风”写赤壁东风；再写卧龙——“更惊起南阳卧龙，便成名八阵图中”写诸葛亮八阵图；末写鼎足——“鼎足三分，一分西蜀，一分江东”写鼎足三分。全曲咏三国英雄，正是阿鲁威散曲咏史的笔法。

Allusions

The poem contains four key allusions: 1) 'Facing the river, wine in hand, wielding his spear' directly quotes Su Shi's 'Red Cliff Ode' to portray Cao Cao's heroism. 2) 'Purple umbrellas and yellow banners' refers to a prophecy from the 'Records of the Three Kingdoms' that Eastern Wu would possess imperial destiny. 3) 'Eight Formation Diagram' comes from Du Fu's poem 'The Eight Formation Diagram' praising Zhuge Liang's military genius. 4) 'Tripod stands on three legs' describes the three kingdoms' balance of power.

《蟾宫曲·怀古》用典在“酾酒临江，横槊曹公”“赤壁东风”“南阳卧龙”“八阵图”“鼎足三分”。“酾酒临江，横槊”用苏轼《赤壁赋》写曹操之雄；“赤壁东风”用赤壁之战借东风之典；“南阳卧龙”写诸葛亮；“八阵图”用杜甫《八阵图》写诸葛亮；“鼎足三分”写魏蜀吴三分天下。全曲以这些典故咏三国英雄，用典自然而气象自雄，正是阿鲁威散曲咏史的笔法。

Commentary

Critics praise this piece as 'bold and restrained, matching the ambitions of the heroes depicted.' It is a masterpiece among Yuan dynasty nostalgic songs, blending historical narrative with poetic power, carrying forward the heroic spirit of Su Shi's 'Red Cliff Ode.'

《蟾宫曲·怀古》是阿鲁威散曲的名篇，也是元代散曲中咏史怀古的代表作。此曲咏三国英雄，向为论者称道。论者多赏其设问的起笔——“问人间谁是英雄”设问起笔，气魄宏大；“有酾酒临江，横槊曹公”写曹操之雄，更见其势。阿鲁威为元代蒙古族散曲家，其曲以豪放雄浑著称，此曲正是其代表——以咏史写豪放，正是其曲风。

Prosody

Form Sanqu, Double Tune 'Toad Palace Song' (also known as 'Plucking Laurel Branch')散曲·双调蟾宫曲

Rhyme Every line rhymes; the rhyme scheme is loose but consistent.《蟾宫曲·怀古》为双调散曲小令，押平声韵。此曲用韵：雄、公（东钟部）、风、中（东钟部）、东（东钟部），一韵到底，音节雄浑。

Tone pattern No strict tonal pattern; the rhythm follows natural speech and emotional intensity.蟾宫曲为双调散曲，音节雄浑而疏朗。此曲咏三国英雄，音节雄浑而豪放。全曲一韵到底，声调与咏史的内容相合，是元代散曲中咏史怀古的一路。

Reading note This is a famous Yuan dynasty nostalgic song, dense with allusions yet flowing with a single breath of heroic energy.《蟾宫曲·怀古》为元代阿鲁威所作，是咏怀三国的散曲。此曲以“问人间谁是英雄”设问起笔，以“酾酒临江，横槊曹公”写曹操，以“赤壁东风”写东吴之胜，以“南阳卧龙”“八阵图”写诸葛亮，以“鼎足三分”写三国格局。以咏史写豪放，正是阿鲁威散曲的名篇。

Line by line

问人间谁是英雄？有酾酒临江，横槊曹公。

Who, in all the world, can be called a hero? There is Lord Cao, pouring wine into the Yangtze as he rests his lance across the saddle.

试问人间谁是英雄？有那酾酒临江、横槊赋诗的曹公。

I ask: who among living men is a hero? There is Lord Cao — pouring wine into the river, leaning on his long spear.

首三句设问写曹公，是全曲咏史的起笔。“问人间谁是英雄”写设问——“问人间谁是英雄”试问人间谁是英雄；“有酾酒临江，横槊曹公”写曹公——“有酾酒临江”用苏轼《赤壁赋》“酾酒临江”写曹操临江饮酒，“横槊曹公”写横槊赋诗的曹公——有那酾酒临江、横槊的曹公。三句设问写曹公：问谁是英雄，有酾酒临江、横槊曹公。以“问人间谁是英雄”设问起笔，以“酾酒临江，横槊曹公”写曹操之雄，正是阿鲁威散曲咏史以设问写英雄的笔法——英雄之问，首推曹公。

The opening asks a question and names Cao Cao, beginning the song's meditation on history. 'Who in the world is a hero?' launches the game; the answer draws on Su Shi's Red Cliff Rhapsody — Cao Cao pouring libation wine into the Yangtze, lance in hand, his fleet rolling east. The heroic type is fixed at once: of all under heaven, the first hero must be the warlord of the Red Cliff.

紫盖黄旗，多应借得，赤壁东风。更惊起南阳卧龙，便成名八阵图中。

The purple canopies and yellow banners of empire — no doubt borrowed from the east wind at Red Cliff. Then the Sleeping Dragon was roused from Nanyang, and made his name within the Eightfold Battle Formation.

紫盖黄旗之瑞，多是借得赤壁东风的东风。更惊起南阳卧龙诸葛亮，便成名于八阵图之中。

The auspicious aura of purple canopy and yellow banner — it was most likely the east wind at Red Cliff that gave it. Then the Sleeping Dragon of Nanyang was startled to life, and won his fame within the Eightfold Array.

中四句写赤壁东风与卧龙，是全曲咏史铺写的核心。“紫盖黄旗，多应借得，赤壁东风”写赤壁东风——“紫盖黄旗”用帝王之瑞的紫盖黄旗之典，“多应借得，赤壁东风”写多是借得赤壁东风——紫盖黄旗之瑞，多借赤壁东风；“更惊起南阳卧龙，便成名八阵图中”写南阳卧龙——“更惊起南阳卧龙”写更惊起南阳卧龙诸葛亮，“便成名八阵图中”用杜甫《八阵图》“功盖三分国，名成八阵图”写其成名于八阵图——惊起卧龙，成名八阵。四句写赤壁东风与卧龙：紫盖黄旗多借赤壁东风，惊起南阳卧龙、成名八阵图中。以“赤壁东风”写东吴之胜（借东风），以“南阳卧龙”“八阵图”写诸葛亮之才，正是阿鲁威散曲咏史铺写英雄的笔法——东风助吴，卧龙成蜀。

The middle four lines carry the historical canvas: the east wind at Red Cliff and the Sleeping Dragon. 'Purple canopy, yellow banner' is the ancient omen of imperial power; here it is tied to the wind the south borrowed at Red Cliff that burned Cao Cao's fleet — the victory of Wu. Then 'the Sleeping Dragon roused from Nanyang' is Zhuge Liang, and 'won renown in the Eightfold Battle Formation' echoes Du Fu's line that his merit caps the three kingdoms and his name lives in the Eightfold Array. The east wind serves Wu; the recluse-sage builds Shu — the heroes unfold.

鼎足三分，一分西蜀，一分江东。

The tripod stands on three legs: one portion is Western Shu, one portion is Jiangdong. — A panoramic conclusion, assigning each hero his share of the divided realm.

鼎足三分天下，一分在西蜀，一分在江东。

The world stood tripod-like in three parts: one in Shu of the west, one in the eastern lands of the Yangtze.

末三句写鼎足三分，是全曲咏史的归结。“鼎足三分”写三国鼎立——“鼎足三分”写鼎足三分天下；“一分西蜀，一分江东”写三分之势——“一分西蜀”写一分在西蜀（蜀汉），“一分江东”写一分在江东（东吴）——三分天下，西蜀与江东各居其一（魏居其一未言，因前文已写曹公）。三句写鼎足三分：鼎足三分，一分西蜀，一分江东。以“鼎足三分”写三国鼎立之局，以“一分西蜀，一分江东”写蜀吴之地，正是阿鲁威散曲咏史写三国格局的归结——英雄辈出，终成鼎足三分之局。

The closing resolves the song into the three-legged world. The tripod's three feet — Wei, Shu, Wu — are evoked without naming Wei, already fixed by the opening portrait of Cao Cao; of the other feet, one is western Shu, one the eastern lands of the Yangtze. Heroes crowded the age, and the age settled into the tripod of three kingdoms — the meditation ends where history landed.

Study

Word focus

酾酒临江 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. “有酾酒临江”之“酾酒临江”，用苏轼《赤壁赋》之典，写曹操临江饮酒，是全曲写曹公之雄的关键词。“酾酒”写滤酒、斟酒，“临江”写面对长江——曹公酾酒临江。这一词写曹公之雄：不是寻常之饮，而酾酒临江；不是庸碌之雄，而横槊之公。以“酾酒临江，横槊曹公”写曹操，正是阿鲁威散曲咏史写英雄气魄的笔法。

赤壁东风 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. “多应借得，赤壁东风”之“赤壁东风”，用赤壁之战借东风之典，写东吴借东风而胜，是全曲写三国之变的关键词。“赤壁”写赤壁之战，“东风”写东南风——多是借得赤壁东风。这一词写赤壁之战：不是力战之胜，而借东风；不是兵强之胜，而天时之助。以“赤壁东风”写东吴之胜，正是阿鲁威散曲咏史写天时之助的笔法。

南阳卧龙 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. “更惊起南阳卧龙”之“南阳卧龙”，写诸葛亮，是全曲写蜀汉之才的关键词。“南阳”写诸葛亮躬耕之地，“卧龙”写其号——惊起南阳卧龙诸葛亮。这一词写诸葛亮：不是无名之士，而南阳卧龙；不是寻常之才，而惊起之龙。以“南阳卧龙”写诸葛亮，正是阿鲁威散曲咏史写卧龙之才的笔法。

鼎足三分 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. “鼎足三分”之“鼎足三分”，写三国鼎立，是全曲写三国格局的归结词。“鼎足”写鼎之三足，“三分”写三分天下——鼎足三分天下。这一词写三国之局：不是统一之局，而鼎足三分；不是可并之势，而三分鼎立。以“鼎足三分”写三国格局，正是阿鲁威散曲咏史写三国之局的归结——英雄辈出，终成鼎足。