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唐 Tang · 诗 Poem

赠花卿

The, Presented, to, the, Gentleman, of, the, Hua

杜甫

Du Fu

音乐Theme 讽刺Theme

锦城丝管日纷纷,半入江风半入云。
此曲只应天上有,人间能得几回闻。

锦城丝管日纷纷,半入江风半入云。
此曲只应天上有,人间能得几回闻。
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Meaning

A poem of the music and the mockery, written by Du Fu. The silks and the pipes of the Brocade City every day the profuse, half entering the river wind half entering the clouds — the music of the opening. This tune only should the heaven above have, the human world can obtain the how many times of the hearing — the mockery of the close. The poem is the music and the mockery: the profuse, and the close's mockery.

锦官城里的管弦之乐日日纷纷,乐声一半飘入江风,一半飘入白云。这样的曲子只应天上才有,人间能得几回听到呢?

Appreciation

[Plain Paraphrase] The, silks, and, the, pipes, of, the, Brocade, City, every, day, the, profuse, half, entering, the, river, wind, half, entering, the, clouds. This, tune, only, should, the, heaven, above, have, the, human, world, can, obtain, the, how, many, times, of, the, hearing. [Structure and Thought] The poem moves from the music of the silks and the pipes with the profuse, through the entering of the wind and the clouds, to the close's the mockery of the heaven. [Key Technique] The poem's art is the close of the mockery: half entering the river wind half entering the clouds, and the close's this tune only should the heaven above have the human world can obtain the how many times of the hearing — the music gathered in the praise and the close's mockery. [Emotional Tone] Profuse, praising, and mocking: the poem is the pipes, the heaven and the close's mockery.

【白话串讲】 杜甫写《赠花卿》:“锦城丝管日纷纷,半入江风半入云”——“此曲只应天上有,人间能得几回闻”——他写成都的丝竹——“此曲只应天上有”——赞美中暗含讽喻。 【意象与手法】 此诗表面赞美音乐,实则暗含讽刺,是杜甫七绝中的名篇。前两句「锦城丝管日纷纷,半入江风半入云」写锦官城(成都)日日管弦纷繁,乐声随风入云,以「纷纷」写乐声之盛,以「半入江风半入云」写乐声之悠扬;后两句「此曲只应天上有,人间能得几回闻」是千古名句,表面说此曲只应天上有、人间难得几回闻,实则暗讽花卿僭越——「天上」暗指皇宫,此曲本是皇家所用,花卿身为武将却享用宫廷之乐,实属僭越。全诗明褒暗讽,含蓄深婉,正是杜甫「意在言外」的讽喻笔法。 【情感与主旨】 此诗约作于唐肃宗上元二年(761)前后,时杜甫寓居成都。花卿即花敬定,成都尹崔光远的部将,曾平定梓州刺史段子璋之乱,因功自负,骄横跋扈,僭用天子礼乐。杜甫此诗表面盛赞花卿府中的音乐,实则暗讽其僭越——「此曲只应天上有」,暗指宫廷音乐,「人间能得几回闻」暗讽花卿僭用皇家之乐。花敬定后来果然因僭越而遭非议,杜甫此诗可谓有先见之明。全诗以赞美之辞写讽刺之意,含蓄深婉,正是杜甫「微言大义」的讽喻精神。 【名句点睛】 常考「此曲只应天上有,人间能得几回闻」的千古名句,其表面赞美、暗含讽刺的双重意蕴;「半入江风半入云」写乐声的妙处;全诗明褒暗讽的讽喻笔法;以及此诗与杜甫其他讽刺诗、赠别诗的联系。

Background

Du Fu (712-770), the great poet of the Tang, wrote this 'The, Presented, to, the, Gentleman, of, the, Hua' of the music and the mockery — the mockery of the music of the general in the Chengdu. The music of the silks and the pipes, and the close's the mockery of the heaven — the poem gathers the mockery of the poet, the critique of the times. The poem is one of the famous works of the poet's poems of the mockery.

此诗约作于唐肃宗上元二年(761)前后,时杜甫正寓居成都草堂。杜甫(712—770),字子美,自号少陵野老,河南巩县(今河南巩义)人,唐代伟大的现实主义诗人,被后人誉为「诗圣」,与李白并称「李杜」。安史之乱(755)爆发后,杜甫颠沛流离,于上元元年(760)在友人严武等人帮助下,于成都浣花溪畔营建草堂居住。此诗所赠的「花卿」,指花敬定,是成都尹崔光远的部将。据史载,上元二年(761),梓州刺史段子璋起兵叛乱,花敬定随崔光远平定叛乱,立有战功。然花敬定恃功骄纵,攻下成都后纵兵掳掠,百姓苦之,甚至「大掠东蜀」,且骄横跋扈,僭用天子礼乐。杜甫此诗即写花敬定府中日日歌舞、僭用宫廷之乐的情景。诗中「锦城丝管日纷纷」写锦官城(成都的别称,因蜀锦著名得名)日日管弦纷繁,正是花敬定骄纵享乐的写照;「此曲只应天上有」更暗指花卿所用乃宫廷雅乐——「天上」暗指皇宫,僭用之讥,自在言外。花敬定后因骄纵而被诛,杜甫此诗以赞美之辞写讽刺之意,含蓄而有力,是杜甫「微言大义」讽喻精神的典型体现。

Art

The poem's art is the art of the mockery. The music opens: the, silks, and, the, pipes, of, the, Brocade, City, every, day, the, profuse — the silks and the pipes of the profuse; half, entering, the, river, wind, half, entering, the, clouds — the river wind of the entering the clouds. The mockery follows: this, tune, only, should, the, heaven, above, have — the tune of the heaven; the, human, world, can, obtain, the, how, many, times, of, the, hearing — the human world of the hearing — the music, the praise and the close's mockery, gathered in the poem.

此诗的艺术特色可从四个方面解析。其一,以乐声写盛况的起笔。前两句「锦城丝管日纷纷,半入江风半入云」写花卿府中的音乐盛况——「日纷纷」写日日管弦纷繁,「半入江风半入云」写乐声一半飘入江风、一半飘入云端,以乐声入风入云的写法,写出乐声的悠扬与声势之盛。其二,明褒暗讽的双重意蕴。后两句「此曲只应天上有,人间能得几回闻」表面盛赞此曲只应天上有、人间难得几回闻,实则暗讽——「天上」暗指皇宫,此曲是皇家所用,花卿身为武将而享用宫廷之乐,实属僭越;以「只应」「几回」的措辞,表面惊叹,实含讥讽。其三,以小见大的讽喻。全诗仅二十八字,不着一字批评,却于赞美的言辞中暗含僭越之讥,以小见大,正是杜甫讽喻诗「含蓄深婉」的本领。其四,语意的多层褶皱。「此曲只应天上有」既可是真诚的赞美(若听者确为皇家之乐),也可是暗含的讽刺(若花卿僭用),一语双关,耐人寻味。四重手法,使此诗以二十八字写尽赞美与讽刺的双重意蕴,是杜甫七绝「意在言外」的典范。

Allusions

'The Brocade City' (jin cheng) is the Brocade City — the city of the brocade, the Chengdu of the opening; 'the silks and the pipes' (si guan) are the silks and the pipes — the strings and the winds, the music of the opening.

此诗的用语深植于音乐与讽喻的传统。「锦城丝管日纷纷」写成都的丝管之乐——「锦城」即成都,令人想到「锦城虽云乐,不如早还家」(李白《蜀道难》)的成都意象,「丝管」令人想到「丝竹管弦之盛」的传统,「纷纷」令人想到「管弦声沸」的盛况;「半入江风半入云」写乐声入风入云,令人想到「余音绕梁,三日不绝」的乐声传统,也令人想到「响遏行云」的典故(古代歌者声遏行云);「此曲只应天上有」暗用宫廷雅乐的传统——「天上」暗指皇宫,令人想到「霓裳羽衣曲」等皇家乐曲,也令人想到「此曲应是天上有」的乐声至境;「人间能得几回闻」令人想到「广陵散于今绝矣」的绝响之叹,也令人想到「此曲只应天上有」成为后世形容乐曲精妙的惯用语。全诗化用乐声、宫廷、绝响的传统意象,以赞美之辞写讽刺之意,正是杜甫「以颂为讽」的本领。后世论乐者更以此句为「乐声至境」的写照,宋人苏轼有「此曲只应天上有,人间那得几回闻」的化用,元明清戏曲中亦常以「天上曲」形容仙乐,足见其影响之深。

Commentary

This poem is one of the famous works of Du Fu's poems of the mockery, quoted for the profusion of its opening and the subtlety of its close. The silks and the pipes of the profuse, and the tune of the heaven, are among the admired passages of the poet's poems. Critics praise the poem's mockery: the music gathered in the praise, to the close's critique.

此诗历来被推为杜甫七绝中的名篇,也是其讽喻诗的代表作。历代论者对此诗评价极高:宋人评此诗「以赞美寓讽刺,深得讽喻之旨」;清人更指出「此曲只应天上有,人间能得几回闻」表面赞美、暗含僭越之讥,是杜甫「意在言外」的典范。在诗歌史上,此诗的特殊价值在于:它以短短二十八字,写尽赞美与讽刺的双重意蕴——那锦城丝管的纷纷,那入风入云的乐声,那天上人间的对照,都在这首表面赞美、实则讽刺的小诗中;那「只应天上有」既是对乐声的惊叹,也是对花卿僭越的讥讽。此诗与杜甫的《江南逢李龟年》(「正是江南好风景,落花时节又逢君」)同为写音乐的名篇,一写暗讽僭越,一写今昔之感;又与《赠花卿》类似的讽喻诗《丽人行》《兵车行》一脉相承,可见杜甫「诗史」精神的多个侧面。对于今日读者,此诗是理解杜甫讽喻诗「含蓄深婉」风格的窗口,也是中国诗写音乐与讽刺的经典——那只应天上的曲子,穿越千年,仍在诉说着一位诗人的机锋与深意。

Prosody

Form A quatrain of the mockery (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 subtle mockery.押平声文韵(纷、云、闻),一韵到底,平韵悠扬,正合乐声的悠扬
Tone pattern The cadence is that of the mockery: the level opening with the music, the turning with the praise, and the close's fall with the hearing.此诗为七言绝句,四句两联,起承转合分明。全诗平起平收,节奏明快,于悠扬中见顿挫。
Reading note The poem's sound matches its subtlety: the cadences of the quatrain, and the close — 'ren jian neng de ji hui wen' — falls with the hearing, the sound of the mockery of the music poet.此诗为七言绝句,四句:前两句写景(锦城丝管日纷纷,半入江风半入云),后两句议论兼抒情(此曲只应天上有,人间能得几回闻)。押平声文韵,韵脚「纷、云、闻」皆平声,悠扬舒缓,正合乐声的悠扬。此诗最妙处在转句——前两句写乐声之盛,第三句「此曲只应天上有」陡然一转,由实入虚,以「天上」暗指皇宫,为全诗注入讽喻之意;结句「人间能得几回闻」以问收束,余味不尽。全诗以七言绝句的短小体制,于二十八字中写尽赞美与讽刺的双重意蕴,起承转合,一气呵成。诵读此诗,宜以悠扬的语调读前两句的乐声,以意味深长的语调读后两句的暗讽,尤其「此曲只应天上有」要读得表面惊叹、实则含讥,方能传达出杜甫「意在言外」的机锋。杜甫七绝以「含蓄深婉」著称,此诗正是其讽喻七绝的典范。

Line by line

此曲只应天上有,人间能得几回闻

This tune should only be heard in heaven; how many times may mortals hear it on earth?

这样的曲子只应天上才有,人间能得几回听到呢?

Such music should belong to heaven alone; how often can mortal ears hear it on earth?

此联是全诗的点睛之笔,也是千古名句,表面赞美,暗含讽刺。「此曲只应天上有」写此曲只应天上才有——那「天上」暗指皇宫,那「只应」写此曲非人间应有,表面惊叹乐声之美,实则暗讽此曲是皇家所用;「人间能得几回闻」写人间难得几回听到——那「几回闻」写人间难得一听,表面写乐声之珍贵,实则暗讽花卿僭用宫廷之乐。这句的深意在于:它以「天上」与「人间」的对照,写出赞美与讽刺的双重意蕴——若此曲真为皇家之乐,则花卿身为武将而享用,实属僭越,「只应天上有」即是讥讽;那「只应」「几回」的措辞,表面惊叹,实含讥讽,正是「言在此而意在彼」。尤其以「天上」暗指皇宫,委婉而有力,不着一字批评,而僭越之讥自在言外。若换作直说「花卿僭用宫廷乐」,则失其含蓄;唯以「天上」「人间」的对照写赞美与讽刺的双重意蕴,也让此联成为写乐声与讽刺的千古名句。而「几回闻」更以人间难得几回,反衬此曲之难得与珍贵。

This couplet is the poem's finishing stroke, a famous line through the ages, praise on the surface, satire within. 'This tune should only be heard in heaven' - 'heaven' darkly meaning the palace, 'should only' saying this music is not for mortal use; on the surface marveling at the beauty of the tune, in truth satirizing its courtly origin; 'how many times may mortals hear it on earth?' on the surface the rarity, in truth the mockery of Hua Qing's usurping of palace music. The contrast of 'heaven' and 'earth' holding both praise and satire, no word of criticism, yet the rebuke between the lines.

半入江风半入云

Half drifts into the river wind, half into the clouds.

乐声一半飘入江风,一半飘入云端。

Half of it floats off on the river wind, half rises into the clouds.

此句写乐声的悠扬,是前两句中的点睛之笔。「半入江风半入云」写乐声一半飘入江风、一半飘入云端——那「半入江风」写乐声随着江风飘散,那「半入云」写乐声直上云端,以「半入」的重复,写乐声既有风的悠扬,又有云的渺远。这句的深意在于:它以「江风」与「云」的两个空间意象,写尽乐声的悠扬与弥漫——乐声随风入云,既见其声之远扬,也见其势之盛大;那「半入」的重复,更写出乐声仿佛在风与云之间徘徊、缭绕不绝的韵致。若换作「乐声响彻云霄」之类的直说,则失其形象与韵律;唯以「半入江风半入云」的双半句式,写尽乐声入风入云的悠扬,为下文「此曲只应天上有」作好铺垫,也让此句成为写乐声的名句。这一句写乐声的悠扬缥缈——「半入江风」写乐声随风飘散,「半入云」写乐声上达云霄,一个「半」字叠用,写尽乐声既散且扬、既清且远的韵致;「江风」「云」皆是虚景,正见乐声之无形无迹而悠远绵长,为下文「此曲只应天上有」的赞叹作足铺垫,也让此句成为写乐声的名句。

This line writes the music's wandering, the finishing stroke of the preceding two. 'Half drifts into the river wind' the sound borne on the river breeze; 'half into the clouds' the sound mounting to the cloud-tops; the repeated 'half' writing the music's lingering between wind and cloud. The river wind and the clouds both empty scenes, showing the sound's formless, far-reaching lingering, priming the admiration below.

Study

Word focus

纷纷 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. 「锦城丝管日纷纷」之「纷纷」是写乐声之盛的关键字,一个「纷纷」写尽丝管之乐的繁盛。纷纷者,众多、杂乱貌也。杜甫以「日纷纷」写锦城的丝管,这个「纷纷」至少有双重意味:其一,写乐声之盛——那「纷纷」写丝管之声纷纷不绝、日日繁盛,写尽花卿府中歌舞升平的盛况;其二,写时日之长——那「日纷纷」写每日皆是如此,那「日」与「纷纷」相合,写尽骄纵享乐日复一日。以「纷纷」写乐声,正是杜甫写音乐盛况的妙笔——若换作「喧闹」「嘈杂」等词,则或失其文雅,或失其形象;唯「纷纷」二字,以形容花落雪飞的纷繁之态写乐声,写尽丝管繁盛的盛况,为下文「此曲只应天上有」的暗讽作好铺垫,也让「锦城丝管日纷纷」成为写乐声繁盛的名句。
只应 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. 「此曲只应天上有」之「只应」是写暗讽的关键字,一个「只应」写尽赞美与讽刺的双重意蕴。只应者,只当、只该也。杜甫以「只应天上有」写此曲,这个「只应」至少有双重意味:其一,写惊叹之极——那「只应」写此曲只应天上才有,人间不该有,表面是惊叹乐声之美妙绝伦,写尽对乐声的推崇;其二,写暗讽之意——那「只应」更是暗讽——此曲只应天上(皇宫)才有,如今却出现在人间花卿府中,那「只应」暗含僭越之讥,写花卿享用皇家之乐的不当。以「只应」写乐声,正是杜甫双关的妙笔——若换作「本应」「当属」等词,则或失其口语的自然,或失其双关的机锋;唯「只应」二字,以表面惊叹、实则暗讽的双重意味,写尽赞美与讽刺的褶皱,也让「此曲只应天上有」成为写乐声与讽刺的千古名句。

Related Reading

江南逢李龟年 Meeting Li Guinian in Jiangnan 杜甫 · 同杜甫写音乐与今昔之感 Related reading

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《江南逢李龟年》「岐王宅里寻常见,崔九堂前几度闻」「正是江南好风景,落花时节又逢君」写与宫廷乐师李龟年的重逢与今昔盛衰之感,是杜甫七绝的压卷之作。此诗《赠花卿》则「此曲只应天上有,人间能得几回闻」写乐声与暗讽僭越。同为杜甫写音乐,一写「落花时节又逢君」的今昔之感(江南逢李龟年),一写「人间能得几回闻」的暗讽僭越(赠花卿);一以「正是江南好风景」写盛世已逝,一以「锦城丝管日纷纷」写骄纵享乐。两诗对读,可见杜甫笔下的音乐与时代、与讽喻的深层联系。

赠汪伦 To Wang Lun 李白 · 同赠人七绝,一写友情一写讽喻 Related reading

Compare this related work with the poem above through theme, imagery, tone, and emotional movement.

李白《赠汪伦》「李白乘舟将欲行,忽闻岸上踏歌声」「桃花潭水深千尺,不及汪伦送我情」写友人送别的深情,是赠别七绝的名篇。此诗《赠花卿》则「此曲只应天上有,人间能得几回闻」写乐声与暗讽僭越,同为赠人七绝。同为赠人,一写「不及汪伦送我情」的深情(赠汪伦),一写「人间能得几回闻」的暗讽(赠花卿);一以「桃花潭水深千尺」写友情之深,一以「此曲只应天上有」写僭越之讥。两诗对读,可见盛唐赠人七绝既写深情亦写讽喻的多种面貌。