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

gǔ古bǎi柏xíng行

dù杜fǔ甫Du Fu · Tang唐

Song of the Ancient Cypress

kǒng孔míng明miào庙qián前yǒu有lǎo老bǎi柏

kē柯rú如qīng青tóng铜gēn根rú如shí石

shuāng霜pí皮liū溜yǔ雨sì四shí十wéi围

dài黛sè色cān参tiān天èr二qiān千chǐ尺

jūn君chén臣yǐ已yǔ与shí时jì际huì会

shù树mù木yóu犹wéi为rén人ài爱xī惜

yún云lái来qì气jiē接wū巫xiá峡cháng长

yuè月chū出hán寒tōng通xuě雪shān山bái白

yì忆zuó昨lù路rào绕jǐn锦tíng亭dōng东

xiān先zhǔ主wǔ武hóu侯tóng同bì閟gōng宫

cuī崔wéi嵬zhī枝gàn干jiāo郊yuán原gǔ古

yǎo窈tiǎo窕dān丹qīng青hù户yǒu牖kōng空

luò落luò落pán盘jù踞suī虽dé得dì地

míng冥míng冥gū孤gāo高duō多liè烈fēng风

fú扶chí持zì自shì是shén神míng明lì力

zhèng正zhí直yuán原yīn因zào造huà化gōng功

dà大shà厦rú如qīng倾yào要liáng梁dòng栋

wàn万niú牛huí回shǒu首qiū丘shān山zhòng重

bú不lù露wén文zhāng章shì世yǐ已jīng惊

wèi未cí辞jiǎn剪fá伐shuí谁néng能sòng送

kǔ苦xīn心qǐ岂miǎn免róng容lóu蝼yǐ蚁

xiāng香yè叶zhōng终jīng经sù宿luán鸾fèng凤

zhì志shì士yōu幽rén人mò莫yuàn怨jiē嗟

gǔ古lái来cái材dà大nán难wéi为yòng用

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。

Line by line逐句翻译

孔明庙前有老柏In front of Kongming's temple stands an old cypress.孔明庙前有一棵老柏树，
柯如青铜根如石Its branches are hard as bronze, its roots firm as stone.树枝像青铜一样硬，树根像石头一样坚固。
霜皮溜雨四十围Rain slides down its frost-grey bark; forty people could barely circle its trunk.灰白光滑的树皮上雨水往下流，树干粗得要四十个人才能合抱，
黛色参天二千尺Its dark crown rises into the sky, as if two thousand feet tall.青黑的树冠高高伸进天空，好像有两千尺高。
君臣已与时际会Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang, ruler and minister, met at the right time and did great things.刘备和诸葛亮君臣相遇，赶上好时机，做成了大事；
树木犹为人爱惜And people still love and care for this tree today.如今这棵树仍被人们爱护珍惜。
云来气接巫峡长When clouds come, its spirit joins the long Wu Gorge.云飘来时，树的气势和长长的巫峡连成一片；
月出寒通雪山白When the moon rises, its chill reaches all the way to the white snow mountains.月亮升起，它的寒气一直通到西边雪山的白色。
忆昨路绕锦亭东I remember once walking east of the Jin Pavilion in Chengdu,回想从前，我在成都走过锦亭的东边，
先主武侯同閟宫where Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang share one quiet temple.那里刘备和诸葛亮同在一座幽深的祠庙里。
崔嵬枝干郊原古There, too, cypresses tower over the old, wide fields,那里的古柏枝干高大，原野显得古老苍茫；
窈窕丹青户牖空and in the deep temple the paintings remain, while the doors and windows stand empty.祠庙幽深，壁画还在，门窗却空空荡荡。
落落盘踞虽得地This cypress stands tall and holds its ground; it has found a good place,这棵古柏高高挺立，牢牢扎根，虽然长在了好地方，
冥冥孤高多烈风yet alone and high in the dim sky, it is struck by many fierce winds.可是它孤零零地高入云天，常常遭受猛烈的大风。
扶持自是神明力That it still stands must be the gods holding it up;它能屹立不倒，自然是神灵在扶持；
正直原因造化功that it grows so straight comes from the work of nature itself.它长得这么正直，根源在于大自然的功劳。
大厦如倾要梁栋If a great hall were falling, it would need a great beam,如果大厦要倒了，需要粗大的梁木来撑住，
万牛回首丘山重but this tree is as heavy as a mountain: ten thousand oxen could only turn and stare.可这棵树像山一样重，一万头牛也拉不动，只能回头望着它。
不露文章世已惊It does not show off its looks, yet the world is already amazed.它不炫耀美丽的外表，世人就已经很惊叹了；
未辞剪伐谁能送It does not refuse the axe, but who could carry it away?它并不拒绝被砍伐，可是谁能把它运走呢？
苦心岂免容蝼蚁Its core is bitter, yet how can it keep out the ants and bugs?它的树心虽苦，又怎能避免蝼蚁来蛀咬？
香叶终经宿鸾凤Its leaves are fragrant, and phoenixes have roosted there after all.它的叶子芬芳，终究曾经让鸾凤来栖息。
志士幽人莫怨嗟You people of high aims, you who live hidden away, do not complain or sigh:有志向的人和隐居的高人啊，不要抱怨叹气，
古来材大难为用since ancient times, timber too great has been hard to put to use.自古以来，材料太大，就难以被人用上。

Words字词注释

孔明庙kǒng míng miào: Kongming temple: a temple in memory of Zhuge Liang, whose courtesy name was Kongming. He was the prime minister of the state of Shu in the Three Kingdoms period. This one stood in Kuizhou, today's Fengjie in Chongqing.孔明庙：纪念诸葛亮的庙。诸葛亮，字孔明，是三国时蜀国的丞相。这里指夔州（今重庆奉节）的诸葛亮庙。
柏bǎi: bǎi: the cypress, an evergreen tree that can live for a very long time.柏：柏树，一种四季常青、能活很久的树。
柯kē: kē: the branches of a tree.柯：树枝。
青铜qīng tóng: qīng tóng: bronze, a hard, green-tinged metal that people long ago cast into tools and vessels.青铜：一种古代用来铸造器物的金属，颜色青绿，很坚硬。
霜皮shuāng pí: shuāng pí: grey-white bark that looks as if it were covered in frost.霜皮：像结了霜一样的灰白树皮。
溜雨liū yǔ: liū yǔ: rain slides down it. It shows how smooth the bark is.溜雨：雨水从树皮上滑下来。形容树皮光滑。
四十围sì shí wéi: sì shí wéi: so thick it would take forty people with arms outstretched to circle it. It is an exaggeration.四十围：要四十个人张开手臂才能围住，形容树非常粗。这是夸张的说法。
黛色dài sè: dài sè: a deep blue-black color.黛色：青黑色。
参天cān tiān: cān tiān: reaching high up into the sky.参天：高高地伸向天空。
二千尺èr qiān chǐ: èr qiān chǐ: two thousand feet. It is another exaggeration to show how tall the tree is.二千尺：形容树非常高，也是夸张的说法。
君臣jūn chén: jūn chén: the ruler and his minister. The ruler is Liu Bei, the emperor of Shu; the minister is Zhuge Liang.君臣：君，指蜀国皇帝刘备；臣，指诸葛亮。
与时际会yǔ shí jì huì: yǔ shí jì huì: they met at the right moment and did great things together.与时际会：碰上了好时机，彼此遇合，一起做成大事。
犹yóu: yóu: still.犹：仍然、还。
巫峡wū xiá: Wu Gorge: one of the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River, to the east of Kuizhou.巫峡：长江三峡之一，在夔州的东边。
雪山xuě shān: snow mountains: the Min Mountains in western Sichuan, whose tops are snowy all year.雪山：指西边四川的岷山，山顶常年有雪。
忆昨yì zuó: yì zuó: thinking back to earlier days.忆昨：回想从前。
锦亭jǐn tíng: Jin Pavilion: a pavilion by the Jin River in Chengdu, near the thatched cottage where Du Fu once lived.锦亭：成都锦江边的亭子。杜甫在成都住过的草堂就在附近。
先主xiān zhǔ: xiān zhǔ: the First Ruler, meaning Liu Bei.先主：指刘备。
武侯wǔ hóu: wǔ hóu: Marquis Wu, a title given to Zhuge Liang.武侯：指诸葛亮，他死后被封为“忠武侯”。
閟宫bì gōng: bì gōng: a quiet, closed-up temple hall. In Chengdu, the temples of Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang stood together, so they shared one hall.閟宫：幽深、关着门的祠庙。成都的刘备庙和诸葛亮祠连在一起，所以说“同閟宫”。
崔嵬cuī wéi: cuī wéi: tall and towering.崔嵬：高大的样子。
郊原jiāo yuán: jiāo yuán: the open fields outside the city.郊原：城外的原野。
窈窕yǎo tiǎo: yǎo tiǎo: deep and hidden. Here it describes the quiet, deep rooms of the temple.窈窕：幽深的样子，这里形容祠庙里很深很静。
丹青dān qīng: dān qīng: red and blue-green paint. Here it means the wall paintings in the temple.丹青：红色和青色的颜料，这里指庙里的壁画。
户牖hù yǒu: hù yǒu: doors and windows.户牖：门和窗。
落落luò luò: luò luò: tall, upright and standing apart from others.落落：高大挺拔、不合群的样子。
盘踞pán jù: pán jù: to hold firmly to its place with spreading roots.盘踞：牢牢地扎根、占住地方。
得地dé dì: dé dì: to have found a good place to grow.得地：长在了好地方。
冥冥míng míng: míng míng: high, far and dim.冥冥：高远幽暗的样子。
烈风liè fēng: liè fēng: fierce wind.烈风：猛烈的大风。
扶持fú chí: fú chí: to hold it up. Here it means the tree has stayed standing.扶持：扶着它、撑着它。这里说古柏能屹立不倒。
神明shén míng: shén míng: the gods.神明：神灵。
原因yuán yīn: yuán yīn: here it means "its root lies in". It is not quite the modern word for "reason".原因：原，同“源”，根源；因，来自。意思是根源在于。和今天的“原因”一词不同。
造化zào huà: zào huà: nature, the power that makes all things.造化：大自然，创造万物的力量。
大厦如倾dà shà rú qīng: dà shà rú qīng: if a great building were about to fall. It stands for a country in danger.大厦如倾：如果大房子快要倒了。比喻国家危险的时候。
梁栋liáng dòng: liáng dòng: the main beams of a house. It stands for people able to carry great tasks.梁栋：房子的大梁，比喻能担大任的人才。
万牛回首wàn niú huí shǒu: wàn niú huí shǒu: ten thousand oxen could not pull it and could only turn their heads to look at it.万牛回首：一万头牛也拉不动，只能回头看着它。
丘山重qiū shān zhòng: qiū shān zhòng: as heavy as a mountain.丘山重：像山一样重。
文章wén zhāng: wén zhāng: here it means fine patterns, a showy surface. The tree does not show off.文章：本义是花纹，这里指漂亮的外表。说古柏不靠外表炫耀。
未辞剪伐wèi cí jiǎn fá: wèi cí jiǎn fá: it does not refuse to be cut down; it is willing to be used.未辞剪伐：不推辞被砍伐，愿意被拿去用。
送sòng: sòng: to carry, to transport.送：运送。
苦心kǔ xīn: kǔ xīn: the cypress's bitter core. It also hints at the bitter, faithful heart of a good man.苦心：柏树的树心味道苦。这里也暗指志士的一片苦心。
岂免qǐ miǎn: qǐ miǎn: how could it avoid.岂免：哪能避免。
蝼蚁lóu yǐ: lóu yǐ: mole crickets and ants, here the little bugs that eat into a tree. They stand for petty people.蝼蚁：蝼蛄和蚂蚁，这里指蛀树的小虫。比喻小人。
鸾凤luán fèng: luán fèng: the luan bird and the phoenix, birds of legend. They stand for noble people.鸾凤：鸾鸟和凤凰，传说中的神鸟，比喻品德高尚的人。
志士幽人zhì shì yōu rén: zhì shì yōu rén: people with high aims, and wise people living out of sight.志士幽人：有远大志向的人和隐居的高人。
怨嗟yuàn jiē: yuàn jiē: to complain and sigh.怨嗟：抱怨、叹气。
材大难为用cái dà nán wéi yòng: cái dà nán wéi yòng: timber that is too big is hard to use. It means that people of very great talent are often not put to use.材大难为用：木材太大，反而很难被用上。比喻人才太大，反而不被重用。

How to read it读音

参cān: cān tiān: here cān means to reach up into. The same character is read shēn in other words, such as the name of the ginseng root.参天：参读 cān，意思是高高地伸进天空。“人参”的参才读 shēn。
为wéi: wéi: here it means "by", as in being loved by people, and is read wéi, not wèi.为：这里是“被”的意思，读 wéi。
要yào: yào: to need. Here it is read yào.要：需要，读 yào。
重zhòng: zhòng: heavy. Here it is read zhòng, not chóng.重：沉重，读 zhòng。
宿sù: sù: to stay the night, to roost. Here it is read sù.宿：住宿、栖息，读 sù。
为wéi: wéi: nán wéi yòng means hard to be put to use. Here it is read wéi.为：难为用，就是很难被用上，读 wéi。

Background创作背景

This poem is usually dated to 766, when Du Fu lived in Kuizhou, today's Fengjie in Chongqing. Kuizhou had a temple to Zhuge Liang, with a very old cypress in front of it. Seeing this tree, Du Fu remembered the temple of Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang he had visited in Chengdu, and its cypresses. He used the tree to praise Zhuge Liang. He also used it to voice his sorrow that he, and many other gifted people, were never put to good use.

一般认为这首诗写于唐代宗大历元年（766年），杜甫住在夔州（今重庆奉节）的时候。夔州有一座诸葛亮庙，庙前有一棵很老的柏树。杜甫看到这棵古柏，想起了以前在成都见过的刘备、诸葛亮祠庙和那里的古柏。他借古柏来赞美诸葛亮，也借古柏说出自己和许多有才的人不被重用的感慨。

The poet作者

Du Fu (712–770) was a great Tang poet, often called the Sage of Poetry. From his youth he wanted to help the emperor bring peace to the land, but he was never given an important post. In his later years he drifted with his family around Sichuan and Hubei, and his health grew worse. He deeply admired Zhuge Liang and wrote poems such as "The Prime Minister of Shu" and "The Eight-Formation Diagram". The cypress in this poem is partly a picture of Du Fu himself.

杜甫（712—770），唐代大诗人，被人称为“诗圣”。他年轻时就想辅佐皇帝，让天下太平，可是一生都没有得到重用。晚年他带着家人在四川、湖北一带漂泊，身体也越来越差。他非常佩服诸葛亮，写过《蜀相》《八阵图》等诗。这首诗里的古柏，也有他自己的影子。

The mood意境

This poem is like a portrait of a great tree. It opens with how old, thick and tall the tree is: branches like bronze, roots like stone, so high it reaches into the clouds. Then the poet links it to Zhuge Liang. The ruler and his minister are long gone, but people still care for the tree, as if they still remember Zhuge Liang. In the second half, the tree turns into a picture of a gifted person. It is straight and strong and willing to become a great beam, but it is too big and heavy for anyone to use. It keeps its bitter, faithful heart, yet little bugs still gnaw at it. The last two lines say what the poet really feels: people of talent should not complain, because since ancient times the greatest timber has been the hardest to use. Picture a lone, tall, straight tree standing in the wind that no one understands.

这首诗像在给一棵大树画像。开头写它有多老、多粗、多高：树枝像青铜，树根像石头，高得伸进云里。接着诗人把它和诸葛亮连在一起：君臣早已不在，人们却还爱护这棵树，就像还记得诸葛亮。后半首，大树变成了人才的样子：它正直、坚强，愿意被拿去做大梁，可是太大太重，没人能用；它苦心坚守，却免不了被小虫蛀咬。最后两句是全诗的心里话：有本事的人不要埋怨，自古以来，越大的木材越难被用上。读的时候，可以想象一棵孤零零的大树站在风里，又高又直，却没人懂它。