Tang poem · seven-character old-style poem唐诗 · 七言古诗

dān丹qīng青yǐn引zèng赠cáo曹jiāng将jūn军bà霸

dù杜fǔ甫Du Fu · Tang唐

A Song of Painting, for General Cao Ba

jiāng将jūn军wèi魏wǔ武zhī之zǐ子sūn孙

yú于jīn今wéi为shù庶wéi为qīng清mén门

yīng英xióng雄gē割jù据suī虽yǐ已yǐ矣

wén文cǎi采fēng风liú流jīn今shàng尚cún存

xué学shū书chū初xué学wèi卫fū夫rén人

dàn但hèn恨wú无guò过wáng王yòu右jūn军

dān丹qīng青bù不zhī知lǎo老jiāng将zhì至

fù富guì贵yú于wǒ我rú如fú浮yún云

kāi开yuán元zhī之zhōng中cháng常yǐn引jiàn见

chéng承ēn恩shuò数shàng上nán南xūn薰diàn殿

líng凌yān烟gōng功chén臣shǎo少yán颜sè色

jiāng将jūn军xià下bǐ笔kāi开shēng生miàn面

liáng良xiàng相tóu头shàng上jìn进xián贤guān冠

měng猛jiàng将yāo腰jiān间dà大yǔ羽jiàn箭

bāo褒gōng公è鄂gōng公máo毛fà发dòng动

yīng英zī姿sà飒shuǎng爽lái来hān酣zhàn战

xiān先dì帝tiān天mǎ马yù玉huā花cōng骢

huà画gōng工rú如shān山mào貌bù不tóng同

shì是rì日qiān牵lái来chì赤chí墀xià下

jiǒng迥lì立chāng阊hé阖shēng生cháng长fēng风

zhào诏wèi谓jiāng将jūn军fú拂juàn绢sù素

yì意jiàng匠cǎn惨dàn淡jīng经yíng营zhōng中

sī斯xū须jiǔ九chóng重zhēn真lóng龙chū出

yì一xǐ洗wàn万gǔ古fán凡mǎ马kōng空

yù玉huā花què却zài在yù御tà榻shàng上

tà榻shàng上tíng庭qián前yì屹xiāng相xiàng向

zhì至zūn尊hán含xiào笑cuī催cì赐jīn金

yǔ圉rén人tài太pú仆jiē皆chóu惆chàng怅

dì弟zǐ子hán韩gàn幹zǎo早rù入shì室

yì亦néng能huà画mǎ马qióng穷shū殊xiàng相

gàn幹wéi惟huà画ròu肉bú不huà画gǔ骨

rěn忍shǐ使huá骅liú骝qì气diāo凋sàng丧

jiāng将jūn军huà画shàn善gài盖yǒu有shén神

bì必féng逢jiā佳shì士yì亦xiě写zhēn真

jí即jīn今piāo漂bó泊gān干gē戈jì际

lǚ屡mào貌xún寻cháng常xíng行lù路rén人

tú途qióng穷fǎn反zāo遭sú俗yǎn眼bái白

shì世shàng上wèi未yǒu有rú如gōng公pín贫

dàn但kàn看gǔ古lái来shèng盛míng名xià下

zhōng终rì日kǎn坎lǎn壈chán缠qí其shēn身

Underlined words have notes: tap one. The Pinyin button below shows or hides all pinyin. 一 and 不 are marked with the tone you actually say.字下有虚线的，点开有注释。下方的“拼音”按钮可以显示或隐藏全部拼音。“一”“不”标的是实际读出来的变调。

This is the common text. Compared with the corpus: in line 4 the corpus has a different character for cǎi and yóu ('still') where the common text has jīn ('now'); the hall's name uses a different xūn character; dàn in line 22 uses the common form; Han Gan's name is restored to its original character; piāo in line 35 uses the 'drift on water' form; and the rare form of lǎn in the last line is replaced by the standard one. The corpus also runs lines 15 and 16 together; here they are split.

这里用通行本。和语料相比：第四句语料作“文彩风流犹尚存”，通行本作“文采风流今尚存”；“南熏殿”作“南薰殿”；“惨澹”作“惨淡”；“韩干”恢复为人名原字“韩幹”；“飘泊”作“漂泊”；“坎𡒄”作“坎壈”。语料把“褒公鄂公毛发动，英姿飒爽来酣战”连成了一句，这里分成两句。

Line by line逐句翻译

将军魏武之子孙General Cao is a descendant of Cao Cao, Emperor Wu of Wei.曹将军是魏武帝曹操的后代，
于今为庶为清门Now he is a commoner, from a poor but honest family.如今却成了平民，家境清寒。
英雄割据虽已矣The days when heroes like Cao Cao held their own lands are over,曹操那样的英雄割据一方，虽然已成过去，
文采风流今尚存But the family's gift for art and its grace live on in him today.曹家的文采和风度，到今天还留在他身上。
学书初学卫夫人When he learned calligraphy, he first studied Lady Wei's style.他学书法，起初学的是卫夫人，
但恨无过王右军His only regret was that he could not surpass Wang Xizhi.只遗憾没能超过王羲之。
丹青不知老将至So lost in painting, he did not notice old age coming;他一心作画，连老年快要来了都不知道；
富贵于我如浮云Wealth and rank were no more to him than floating clouds.富贵在他看来，就像天上的浮云。
开元之中常引见In the Kaiyuan years he was often called before the emperor,开元年间，他常常被皇上召见，
承恩数上南薰殿And, enjoying his favor, went up to the Nanxun Hall many times.承蒙恩宠，多次登上南薰殿。
凌烟功臣少颜色The portraits of the great ministers in the Lingyan Pavilion had faded;凌烟阁上功臣的画像已经褪了颜色，
将军下笔开生面When the general took up his brush, he gave them new life.将军一动笔，就让他们重新有了生气。
良相头上进贤冠The good ministers wear the scholar's cap on their heads;贤良的宰相头上戴着进贤冠，
猛将腰间大羽箭The fierce generals carry great feathered arrows at their waists.勇猛的将军腰间挂着大羽箭。
褒公鄂公毛发动The hair and beards of the Dukes of Bao and E seem to move,褒公、鄂公的胡须头发好像在飘动，
英姿飒爽来酣战So brave and dashing, as if just come from fierce battle.英姿勃勃，好像刚从激烈的战斗中走来。
先帝天马玉花骢The late emperor had a heavenly horse named Jade Flower.先帝有一匹天马，名叫玉花骢，
画工如山貌不同Painters as many as a mountain tried, but none caught its likeness.画师多得像山一样，画出来的却都不像它。
是日牵来赤墀下That day it was led to the foot of the red palace steps.那一天，把它牵到皇宫的红台阶下，
迥立阊阖生长风It stood tall before the palace gate, as if stirring a long wind.它昂首立在宫门前，好像带起一阵长风。
诏谓将军拂绢素The emperor ordered the general to spread out white silk.皇上下令，让将军铺开白绢作画，
意匠惨淡经营中He thought hard and planned the picture with great care.他用尽心思，苦心构思安排。
斯须九重真龙出In a moment a true dragon-horse appeared in the palace,不一会儿，皇宫里出现了一匹真正的龙马，
一洗万古凡马空Washing away all the ordinary horse paintings of ten thousand years.把古往今来平庸的马画全都比了下去。
玉花却在御榻上The painted Jade Flower now stood upon the emperor's couch;画上的玉花骢竟然到了御座上，
榻上庭前屹相向The horse on the couch and the horse in the courtyard stood tall, facing each other.座上的画马和庭前的真马，高高地面对面站着。
至尊含笑催赐金The emperor smiled and urged that gold be given as a reward,皇上含笑，催人赏赐黄金，
圉人太仆皆惆怅While the grooms and the master of horses stood stunned, as if they had lost something.养马的人和管马的官，都看得若有所失。
弟子韩幹早入室His student Han Gan had long since mastered the art,他的学生韩幹，早就学到了真本事，
亦能画马穷殊相And he too could paint horses in every kind of pose.也能画马，画出各种不同的姿态。
幹惟画肉不画骨But Han Gan painted only flesh, not bone,可韩幹只画马的肉，不画马的骨，
忍使骅骝气凋丧And let the fine steeds lose their spirit.竟忍心让骏马失去了神气。
将军画善盖有神The general's painting is great because it has spirit;将军画得好，是因为画里有神韵；
必逢佳士亦写真Only when he met a worthy person would he paint a portrait.一定要遇到品德好的人，他才肯为人画像。
即今漂泊干戈际Now he wanders in a time of war,如今在战乱中四处漂泊，
屡貌寻常行路人And often paints ordinary passers-by.常常给路上普通的行人画像。
途穷反遭俗眼白At the end of his road, he gets only scornful looks from common people;走投无路的时候，反被俗人白眼相看，
世上未有如公贫No one in the world is as poor as you, sir.世上没有谁比您更穷了。
但看古来盛名下Just look at the famous people of the past:只要看看自古以来名气大的人，
终日坎壈缠其身All their days, hardship clings to them.一辈子总被困苦缠着身子。

Words字词注释

将军jiāng jūn: jiāng jūn: Cao Ba, who once held the rank of a general in the palace guard.将军：指曹霸。他做过左武卫将军。
魏武wèi wǔ: wèi wǔ: Emperor Wu of Wei, that is, Cao Cao. Cao Ba was his descendant.魏武：魏武帝曹操。曹霸是曹操的后代。
庶shù: shù: a commoner, an ordinary person.庶：平民，普通百姓。
清门qīng mén: qīng mén: a poor but honest family.清门：清寒的人家，家里穷但清白。
割据gē jù: gē jù: to hold a region as one's own power; here, Cao Cao ruling during the Three Kingdoms.割据：占据一块地方，自成一方势力。这里指曹操在三国时称雄。
已矣yǐ yǐ: yǐ yǐ: is over and gone.已矣：已经过去了。
文采风流wén cǎi fēng liú: wén cǎi fēng liú: a gift for art and letters, and a graceful, free spirit.文采风流：文学艺术上的才华和潇洒的风度。
卫夫人wèi fū rén: wèi fū rén: Wei Shuo, a woman calligrapher of the Eastern Jin. Wang Xizhi learned writing from her as a boy.卫夫人：东晋女书法家卫铄。王羲之小时候跟她学过字。
但恨dàn hèn: dàn hèn: his only regret.但恨：只遗憾。
无过wú guò: wú guò: could not surpass.无过：没能超过。
王右军wáng yòu jūn: wáng yòu jūn: Wang Xizhi, called Wang Youjun after his post, and known as the Sage of Calligraphy.王右军：王羲之。他做过右军将军，人称王右军，被称为“书圣”。
丹青dān qīng: dān qīng: red and blue-green paints; it stands for painting.丹青：红色和青色两种颜料，代指绘画。
不知老将至bù zhī lǎo jiāng zhì: bù zhī lǎo jiāng zhì: not noticing old age coming on. From the Analects of Confucius; it means being so absorbed that one forgets time.不知老将至：不知道老年快要来了。出自《论语》，形容一心做事，忘了时间。
富贵于我如浮云fù guì yú wǒ rú fú yún: fù guì yú wǒ rú fú yún: wealth and rank are like floating clouds to me. Also from the Analects; it means not caring about money or status.富贵于我如浮云：富贵对我来说，就像天上的浮云。也出自《论语》，意思是不看重钱财地位。
开元kāi yuán: kāi yuán: a reign name of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang (713–741).开元：唐玄宗的年号（713—741）。
引见yǐn jiàn: yǐn jiàn: to be brought before the emperor.引见：被带去见皇帝。
承恩chéng ēn: chéng ēn: to enjoy the emperor's favor.承恩：受到皇帝的宠爱。
数上shuò shàng: shuò shàng: went up many times.数上：多次登上。
南薰殿nán xūn diàn: nán xūn diàn: a hall in the Xingqing Palace in Chang'an.南薰殿：唐朝长安兴庆宫里的一座宫殿。
凌烟功臣líng yān gōng chén: líng yān gōng chén: Emperor Taizong of Tang had portraits of twenty-four great founding ministers painted in the Lingyan Pavilion, a building in the palace at Chang'an.凌烟功臣：唐太宗让人把二十四位开国功臣的像画在凌烟阁上。凌烟阁是长安宫中的一座楼阁。
少颜色shǎo yán sè: shǎo yán sè: the colors had faded.少颜色：颜色褪了。
开生面kāi shēng miàn: kāi shēng miàn: to give the faces new life. The idiom for 'opening up a fresh new way' comes from this.开生面：画出新的面貌，让画像重新有了生气。成语“别开生面”就从这里来。
良相liáng xiàng: liáng xiàng: good chief ministers.良相：贤良的宰相。
进贤冠jìn xián guān: jìn xián guān: a kind of cap worn by civil officials.进贤冠：古代文官戴的一种帽子。
猛将měng jiàng: měng jiàng: fierce generals.猛将：勇猛的将军。
大羽箭dà yǔ jiàn: dà yǔ jiàn: big arrows with feathers at the tail.大羽箭：尾巴上装着羽毛的大箭。
褒公bāo gōng: bāo gōng: Duke of Bao, Duan Zhixuan, a famous general who helped found the Tang.褒公：褒国公段志玄，唐朝开国名将。
鄂公è gōng: è gōng: Duke of E, Yuchi Jingde, another famous founding general.鄂公：鄂国公尉迟敬德，也是唐朝开国名将。
毛发动máo fà dòng: máo fà dòng: their hair and beards seem to move.毛发动：胡须和头发好像在飘动。
英姿飒爽yīng zī sà shuǎng: yīng zī sà shuǎng: brave, handsome and full of spirit. People still use this idiom today.英姿飒爽：英俊威武，精神抖擞。今天还常用这个成语。
酣战hān zhàn: hān zhàn: fierce, all-out battle.酣战：打得正激烈的仗。
先帝xiān dì: xiān dì: the late emperor, here Emperor Xuanzong.先帝：去世的皇帝，这里指唐玄宗。
玉花骢yù huā cōng: yù huā cōng: a famous horse of Emperor Xuanzong. Cōng is a horse with mixed blue-grey and white hair.玉花骢：唐玄宗的一匹名马。骢，青白毛色相杂的马。
画工如山huà gōng rú shān: huà gōng rú shān: painters as many as a mountain.画工如山：画师多得像山一样。
貌不同mào bù tóng: mào bù tóng: none of their pictures looked like it. Mào here means to paint a likeness.貌不同：画出来都不像。貌，描画。
是日shì rì: shì rì: that day.是日：那一天。
赤墀chì chí: chì chí: the red-painted steps of the palace.赤墀：皇宫里涂成红色的台阶。
迥立jiǒng lì: jiǒng lì: standing tall.迥立：高高地站着。
阊阖chāng hé: chāng hé: the palace gate. In legend, the gate of heaven has this name.阊阖：宫门。传说天宫的门叫阊阖。
生长风shēng cháng fēng: shēng cháng fēng: as if stirring up a long wind; the horse looks full of spirit.生长风：好像带起了一阵长风，形容马很神气。
诏zhào: zhào: the emperor ordered.诏：皇帝下命令。
拂绢素fú juàn sù: fú juàn sù: to spread out white silk, which was used for painting.拂绢素：铺开白绢。绢素，白色的丝织品，用来作画。
意匠yì jiàng: yì jiàng: the plan in the painter's mind.意匠：作画时的构思。
惨淡经营cǎn dàn jīng yíng: cǎn dàn jīng yíng: to think and plan with great effort. The idiom for working hard against difficulty comes from this.惨淡经营：费尽心思地构思和安排。成语“惨淡经营”就从这里来。
斯须sī xū: sī xū: in a moment.斯须：一会儿，不久。
九重jiǔ chóng: jiǔ chóng: the palace, so called because it has gate after gate.九重：皇宫。皇宫的门一重又一重，所以这样叫。
真龙zhēn lóng: zhēn lóng: a true dragon-horse. People of old called great horses dragons. The painted horse looks like a real heavenly horse.真龙：真正的龙马。古人把好马叫作龙。这里说画出来的马像真的神马。
一洗万古凡马空yì xǐ wàn gǔ fán mǎ kōng: yī xǐ wàn gǔ fán mǎ kōng: at one stroke it washed away all the ordinary horse paintings of ten thousand years.一洗万古凡马空：一下子把古往今来所有平庸的马画都比下去了。
却在què zài: què zài: now stood at; the finished painting of Jade Flower was set on the emperor's couch.却在：竟然在。这里指画好的玉花骢放在御座上。
御榻yù tà: yù tà: the emperor's couch.御榻：皇帝坐卧的榻。
屹相向yì xiāng xiàng: yì xiāng xiàng: standing tall, facing each other: the painted horse and the real one in the courtyard.屹相向：高高地面对面站着。指画上的马和庭前的真马。
至尊zhì zūn: zhì zūn: the emperor.至尊：皇帝。
催赐金cuī cì jīn: cuī cì jīn: urged that gold be given as a reward.催赐金：催人赏给黄金。
圉人yǔ rén: yǔ rén: grooms who looked after the horses.圉人：养马的人。
太仆tài pú: tài pú: the official in charge of the imperial horses.太仆：管理皇家车马的官。
惆怅chóu chàng: chóu chàng: feeling as if they had lost something; the painted horse was so real that they were stunned.惆怅：若有所失的样子。画马太像真马，他们都看呆了。
韩幹hán gàn: hán gàn: a famous Tang painter of horses. Du Fu says he was Cao Ba's student.韩幹：唐代画马名家。杜甫说他是曹霸的学生。
入室rù shì: rù shì: to have mastered the teacher's real skill. From a saying in the Analects.入室：学到了老师的真本事。出自《论语》“升堂入室”。
穷殊相qióng shū xiàng: qióng shū xiàng: to paint every kind of look and pose.穷殊相：画尽各种不同的样子。穷，尽。
画肉不画骨huà ròu bú huà gǔ: huà ròu bù huà gǔ: painting only the horse's flesh, not the strength of its bones and spirit.画肉不画骨：只画出马肥壮的肉，画不出马的骨力和精神。
忍使rěn shǐ: rěn shǐ: how could he bear to let.忍使：竟忍心让。
骅骝huá liú: huá liú: the name of a famous steed of old; any fine horse.骅骝：古代骏马的名字，泛指好马。
气凋丧qì diāo sàng: qì diāo sàng: lose its spirit.气凋丧：神气衰减、丧失。
盖有神gài yǒu shén: gài yǒu shén: because it has spirit; gài here means 'it is because'.盖有神：原来是因为有神韵。盖，原来是、大概是。
必逢佳士亦写真bì féng jiā shì yì xiě zhēn: bì féng jiā shì yì xiě zhēn: usually read as: only when he met a worthy person would he paint a portrait. Xiě zhēn means to paint a portrait.必逢佳士亦写真：一般理解为：一定要遇到品德才学好的人，才肯为他画像。写真，画人像。
即今jí jīn: jí jīn: now.即今：如今。
漂泊piāo bó: piāo bó: to wander with no settled home.漂泊：到处流浪，没有固定的家。
干戈gān gē: gān gē: two kinds of weapons; it stands for war.干戈：两种兵器，代指战争。
屡貌lǚ mào: lǚ mào: often paints.屡貌：多次描画。
寻常行路人xún cháng xíng lù rén: xún cháng xíng lù rén: ordinary passers-by.寻常行路人：普通的过路人。
途穷tú qióng: tú qióng: at the end of one's road, in hard times.途穷：走投无路，处境困难。
俗眼白sú yǎn bái: sú yǎn bái: scornful looks from common people. Showing the whites of one's eyes is a look of contempt.俗眼白：被俗人用白眼看。白眼，看不起人的眼神。
如公贫rú gōng pín: rú gōng pín: as poor as you; gōng is a polite way to address Cao Ba.如公贫：像您这样穷。公，对曹霸的尊称。
盛名shèng míng: shèng míng: great fame.盛名：很大的名气。
坎壈kǎn lǎn: kǎn lǎn: hardship and frustration.坎壈：困顿，不得志。
缠其身chán qí shēn: chán qí shēn: clings to them and will not let go.缠其身：缠在身上，摆脱不了。

How to read it读音

为wéi: Here it means 'to become', read wéi.为：成为，读 wéi。
为wéi: Here it means 'to become', read wéi.为：成为，读 wéi。
数shuò: Here it means 'many times', read shuò.数：多次、屡次，读 shuò。
相xiàng: In liáng xiàng, a good chief minister, it is read xiàng.良相：贤良的宰相，读 xiàng。
将jiàng: In měng jiàng, a fierce general, it is read jiàng.猛将：勇猛的将领，读 jiàng。
长cháng: In cháng fēng, a long, strong wind, it is read cháng.长风：远远吹来的大风，读 cháng。
重chóng: In jiǔ chóng, the ninefold palace, it is read chóng.九重：指皇宫，读 chóng。
幹gàn: Han Gan is a name, read gàn. The machine conversion changed the character to the one also used for gān (shield); the original is restored here to avoid confusion.韩幹是人名，读 Hán Gàn。语料把“幹”转换成了“干”，这里恢复原字，免得和“干戈”的“干”（gān）弄混。
相xiàng: In shū xiàng, different looks and poses, it is read xiàng.殊相：不同的样子，读 xiàng。
丧sàng: In diāo sàng, to wither and be lost, it is read sàng.凋丧：衰减、丧失，读 sàng。

Background创作背景

This poem is usually dated to 764, when Du Fu met the painter Cao Ba in Chengdu. Cao Ba was a descendant of Cao Cao. Under Emperor Xuanzong he was famous for painting horses and people. He was ordered to repaint the portraits of the founding ministers in the Lingyan Pavilion, and he painted the emperor's famous horse. Later he was punished, stripped of his post, and made a commoner. After the An Lushan Rebellion he drifted to Sichuan and made a living painting portraits. Du Fu felt for him and wrote this poem as a gift. Dān qīng means painting, and yǐn is a kind of old-style song.

这首诗一般认为写于唐代宗广德二年（764年），当时杜甫在成都遇到了画家曹霸。曹霸是曹操的后代，唐玄宗时以画马和画人物出名，曾奉命重画凌烟阁功臣像，也给玄宗的名马画过像。后来他犯了罪，被削去官职，成了平民。安史之乱以后，他流落到四川，靠给人画像过日子。杜甫同情他的遭遇，写了这首诗送给他。“丹青”是绘画，“引”是古诗的一种体裁。

The poet作者

Du Fu (712–770) was a great Tang poet, called the Sage of Poetry. He lived through the An Lushan Rebellion, wandered all his life, and wrote many poems about the people's suffering. He knew a lot about painting and calligraphy and wrote several poems about paintings. When he wrote this one, he too was stranded and poor in Chengdu, so the last lines about Cao Ba's hard life are also about himself.

杜甫（712—770），唐代大诗人，被称为“诗圣”。他经历了安史之乱，一生四处漂泊，写了许多反映百姓苦难的诗。他也很懂书画，写过好几首评论绘画的诗。写这首诗时，他自己也流落在成都，日子很苦，所以最后几句写曹霸穷困潦倒，其实也写了他自己。

The mood意境

This poem is like a short life story of Cao Ba. It begins with his noble family and his fall to a commoner, but he does not care about riches; he only loves to paint. Then comes his greatest time. He repaints the portraits of the founding ministers, and the officials and generals come alive again; the Dukes of Bao and E look as if they have just ridden off the battlefield. The best part is the horse Jade Flower. No painter could catch its likeness, but Cao Ba thinks hard and in a moment paints a 'true dragon'. The painted horse and the real horse stand face to face, and even the grooms are stunned. The line 'washing away all the ordinary horses of ten thousand years' lifts his art to its peak. Next, his student Han Gan is set beside him, to show that Cao Ba painted a horse's bone and spirit. At the end the poem turns: this great painter now paints passers-by in a time of war and gets scornful looks. The brighter the past, the sadder the present. Du Fu's pity for Cao Ba is also a sigh about his own fate.

这首诗像给曹霸写的一篇小传记。开头说他出身高贵，现在却是平民，但他不在乎富贵，只爱画画。接着写他最风光的时候：给凌烟阁功臣重画像，文官武将一个个活了过来，褒公、鄂公好像刚从战场上下来。最精彩的是画玉花骢：画师们都画不像，曹霸用心构思，一会儿就画出一匹“真龙”，画马和真马面对面站着，连养马的人都看呆了。“一洗万古凡马空”一句，把他的画技写到了顶点。然后拿学生韩幹来比，说明曹霸画的是马的骨气和精神。最后笔锋一转：这样的大画家，如今却在战乱中给路人画像，还被人白眼相看。前面越风光，后面越心酸，杜甫对他的同情，也是对自己命运的感叹。