No. 40 · Tang poem · old-style poem with lines of mixed length, on an old yuefu ballad title第 40 首 · 唐诗 · 杂言古体诗（乐府旧题）

shǔ蜀dào道nán难

lǐ李bái白Li Bai · Tang唐

The Hard Road to Shu

yī噫xū吁xī嚱

wēi危hū乎gāo高zāi哉

shǔ蜀dào道zhī之nán难

nán难yú于shàng上qīng青tiān天

cán蚕cóng丛jí及yú鱼fú凫

kāi开guó国hé何máng茫rán然

ěr尔lái来sì四wàn万bā八qiān千suì岁

bù不yǔ与qín秦sài塞tōng通rén人yān烟

xī西dāng当tài太bái白yǒu有niǎo鸟dào道

kě可yǐ以héng横jué绝é峨méi眉diān巅

dì地bēng崩shān山cuī摧zhuàng壮shì士sǐ死

rán然hòu后tiān天tī梯shí石zhàn栈xiāng相gōu钩lián连

shàng上yǒu有liù六lóng龙huí回rì日zhī之gāo高biāo标

xià下yǒu有chōng冲bō波nì逆zhé折zhī之huí回chuān川

huáng黄hè鹤zhī之fēi飞shàng尚bù不dé得guò过

yuán猿náo猱yù欲dù度chóu愁pān攀yuán援

qīng青ní泥hé何pán盘pán盘

bǎi百bù步jiǔ九zhé折yíng萦yán岩luán峦

mén扪shēn参lì历jǐng井yǎng仰xié胁xī息

yǐ以shǒu手fǔ抚yīng膺zuò坐cháng长tàn叹

wèn问jūn君xī西yóu游hé何shí时huán还

wèi畏tú途chán巉yán岩bù不kě可pān攀

dàn但jiàn见bēi悲niǎo鸟háo号gǔ古mù木

xióng雄fēi飞cí雌cóng从rào绕lín林jiān间

yòu又wén闻zǐ子guī规tí啼yè夜yuè月

chóu愁kōng空shān山

shǔ蜀dào道zhī之nán难

nán难yú于shàng上qīng青tiān天

shǐ使rén人tīng听cǐ此diāo凋zhū朱yán颜

lián连fēng峰qù去tiān天bù不yíng盈chǐ尺

kū枯sōng松dào倒guà挂yǐ倚jué绝bì壁

fēi飞tuān湍pù瀑liú流zhēng争xuān喧huī豗

pīng砯yá崖zhuǎn转shí石wàn万hè壑léi雷

qí其xiǎn险yě也rú如cǐ此

jiē嗟ěr尔yuǎn远dào道zhī之rén人hú胡wèi为hū乎lái来zāi哉

jiàn剑gé阁zhēng峥róng嵘ér而cuī崔wéi嵬

yì一fū夫dāng当guān关

wàn万fū夫mò莫kāi开

suǒ所shǒu守huò或fěi匪qīn亲

huà化wéi为láng狼yǔ与chái豺

zhāo朝bì避měng猛hǔ虎

xī夕bì避cháng长shé蛇

mó磨yá牙shǔn吮xuè血

shā杀rén人rú如má麻

jǐn锦chéng城suī虽yún云lè乐

bù不rú如zǎo早huán还jiā家

shǔ蜀dào道zhī之nán难

nán难yú于shàng上qīng青tiān天

cè侧shēn身xī西wàng望cháng长zī咨jiē嗟

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 text taught in schools today. Old collections differ in places. Bù yǔ (“never joined”) appears as nǎi yǔ (“only then joined”). Xiāng gōu lián appears as fāng gōu lián. Shàng bù dé guò appears without guò. Gǔ mù (“old trees”) appears as kū mù (“dead trees”). Xióng fēi cí cóng (“the male flies, the female follows”) appears as xióng fēi hū cí (“the male flies, calling the female”). Some other words are written with different but similar characters. Textbooks split the refrain “the road to Shu is so hard, harder than climbing to the blue sky” into two lines.

这里用的是现在课本里的通行文字。古籍收录的文字有些不同：“不与秦塞通人烟”一作“乃与秦塞通人烟”；“相钩连”一作“方钩连”；“尚不得过”一作“尚不得”；“攀援”一作“攀缘”；“古木”一作“枯木”；“雄飞雌从”一作“雄飞呼雌”；“凋朱颜”一作“雕朱颜”；“争喧豗”一作“相喧豗”；“砯崖”一作“砅崖”；“其险也如此”一作“其崄也若此”。“猿”“剑”在古籍里写作异体字“猨”“劒”。课本把“蜀道之难，难于上青天”分成两句。

Line by line逐句翻译

噫吁嚱Oh, oh, oh!哎呀呀！
危乎高哉How high, how steep!多么高啊，多么险啊！
蜀道之难The road to Shu is so hard,蜀道的难走，
难于上青天harder than climbing to the blue sky!比登上青天还难！
蚕丛及鱼凫Cancong and Yufu, the ancient kings,蚕丛和鱼凫两位古王，
开国何茫然how dim and far away is the founding of their land!他们开国的事多么遥远模糊！
尔来四万八千岁For forty-eight thousand years since then,从那时到现在已有四万八千年，
不与秦塞通人烟no one came and went between Shu and Qin.蜀地和秦地之间一直没有人来往。
西当太白有鸟道To the west stands Mount Taibai, with only a path for birds,西边对着太白山，只有一条鸟才飞得过的路，
可以横绝峨眉巅that flies straight across to the top of Mount Emei.可以一直飞越到峨眉山顶。
地崩山摧壮士死Then the earth shook, the mountain fell, and the strong men died,直到山崩地裂，五位壮士被压死，
然后天梯石栈相钩连and only after that were sky-high ladders and cliff-side plank roads linked together.此后高入云天的山路和悬崖上的栈道才连接起来。
上有六龙回日之高标Above rise peaks so high that the sun's six-dragon carriage must turn back,上面有连太阳神的六龙车都只好掉头的高峰，
下有冲波逆折之回川below run rivers whose crashing waves twist back in whirlpools.下面有波浪冲击、倒转回旋的河流。
黄鹤之飞尚不得过Even the high-flying yellow crane cannot get across,善于高飞的黄鹤都还飞不过去，
猿猱欲度愁攀援and apes and monkeys who want to cross worry how to climb.猿猴想翻过去也发愁没处攀爬。
青泥何盘盘How the road on Qingni Ridge winds round and round,青泥岭的山路多么曲折，
百步九折萦岩峦nine turns in every hundred steps, wrapped around the cliffs!一百步就要绕着山岩拐九个弯。
扪参历井仰胁息You touch the stars Shen and Jing, look up, and hold your breath,伸手能摸到参星井星，仰着头不敢喘气，
以手抚膺坐长叹then press your chest and sit down with a long, helpless sigh.只能用手按着胸口，坐下来长长叹气。
问君西游何时还I ask you: going west, when will you come back?请问你西去蜀地，什么时候才回来？
畏途巉岩不可攀On this fearful road the sharp cliffs cannot be climbed.这条可怕的路上，陡峭的山岩根本没法攀登。
但见悲鸟号古木All you see are sad birds wailing in old trees,只看见鸟儿在老树上悲伤地哀叫，
雄飞雌从绕林间the male ahead, the female behind, circling through the woods.雄鸟飞在前，雌鸟跟在后，在林间盘旋。
又闻子规啼夜月And you hear the cuckoo crying under the night moon,又听见杜鹃在月夜里啼叫，
愁空山filling the empty mountains with sorrow.叫声让空寂的山里充满忧愁。
蜀道之难The road to Shu is so hard,蜀道的难走，
难于上青天harder than climbing to the blue sky,比登上青天还难，
使人听此凋朱颜that anyone who hears of it turns pale!让人一听说就吓得变了脸色！
连峰去天不盈尺The linked peaks are less than a foot from the sky,连绵的山峰离天不到一尺，
枯松倒挂倚绝壁and dead pines hang upside down against sheer cliffs.干枯的松树倒挂着，靠在陡峭的山崖上。
飞湍瀑流争喧豗Rapids and waterfalls roar as if racing each other,飞奔的急流和瀑布争着发出轰响，
砯崖转石万壑雷pounding the cliffs and rolling the rocks till ten thousand valleys thunder.冲击山崖、推动石头，千山万谷响起雷声。
其险也如此So dangerous is this place —这里的险要竟然到了这个地步，
嗟尔远道之人胡为乎来哉alas, you traveler from far away, why ever have you come?唉，你这远道而来的人，为什么要到这里来呢？
剑阁峥嵘而崔嵬Jianmen Pass towers high and steep.剑门关高大险峻，
一夫当关If one man holds the pass,一个人守住关口，
万夫莫开ten thousand men cannot break through.一万个人也攻不进来。
所守或匪亲If its guards are not men you can trust,守关的人如果不是可靠的人，
化为狼与豺they will turn into wolves and jackals.就会变成豺狼一样的叛贼。
朝避猛虎In the morning you hide from fierce tigers,早晨要躲避猛虎，
夕避长蛇in the evening you hide from great snakes.傍晚要躲避大蛇。
磨牙吮血They grind their teeth and suck blood,它们磨着牙，吸着血，
杀人如麻killing people beyond counting.杀的人多得像乱麻。
锦城虽云乐Though Chengdu is called a happy place,成都虽说是个快乐的地方，
不如早还家it is better to go home early.还不如早点回家。
蜀道之难The road to Shu is so hard,蜀道的难走，
难于上青天harder than climbing to the blue sky.比登上青天还难，
侧身西望长咨嗟I turn sideways, gaze west, and sigh and sigh.我侧着身子向西望去，不停地长声叹息。

Words字词注释

噫吁嚱yī xū xī: yī xū xī: a cry of surprise, like “oh, oh, oh!” It is said to come from the local speech of Shu.噫吁嚱：惊叹的声音，相当于“哎呀呀”。据说是蜀地的方言。
危wēi: wēi: high.危：高。
乎hū: hū: a word for exclaiming, like “oh!” The word zāi at the end works the same way.乎：语气词，表示感叹，相当于“啊”。后面的“哉”也是这样。
蜀道shǔ dào: shǔ dào: the mountain road from Qin (around today's Shaanxi) into Shu (around today's Sichuan).蜀道：从秦地（今陕西一带）进入蜀地（今四川一带）的山路。
难于上青天nán yú shàng qīng tiān: nán yú shàng qīng tiān: harder than climbing up to the blue sky. Yú here means “than”.难于上青天：比登上青天还难。于，比。
蚕丛及鱼凫cán cóng jí yú fú: cán cóng jí yú fú: Cancong and Yufu, two legendary first kings of ancient Shu. Jí means “and”.蚕丛及鱼凫：蚕丛和鱼凫，传说中古代蜀国最早的两位国王。及，和。
何茫然hé máng rán: hé máng rán: how dim and unclear! The founding of the kingdom is so long ago that no one can tell the story clearly. Hé here means “how”.何茫然：多么模糊不清啊。开国的事太久远了，已经说不清楚。何，多么。
尔来ěr lái: ěr lái: since that time.尔来：从那时以来。
四万八千岁sì wàn bā qiān suì: sì wàn bā qiān suì: an exaggeration, meaning a very, very long time.四万八千岁：夸张的说法，形容年代非常久远。
秦塞qín sài: qín sài: the land of Qin, around today's Shaanxi. Sài means a place guarded by mountains and rivers.秦塞：秦地，今陕西一带。塞，山川险要的地方。
通人烟tōng rén yān: tōng rén yān: for people to come and go. Rén yān, the smoke from kitchen fires, stands for people.通人烟：人们来来往往。人烟，人家做饭的炊烟，代指人。
西当xī dāng: xī dāng: facing it on the west. Dāng means to face.西当：在西边对着。当，对着。
太白tài bái: tài bái: Mount Taibai, the highest peak of the Qinling Mountains, in today's Shaanxi.太白：太白山，秦岭的主峰，在今陕西。
鸟道niǎo dào: niǎo dào: a road only birds can use, meaning the mountains are so high and steep that people cannot cross.鸟道：只有鸟才能飞过去的路，形容山又高又险，人走不了。
横绝héng jué: héng jué: to fly straight across. Jué means to cross over.横绝：横着飞越过去。绝，越过。
峨眉巅é méi diān: é méi diān: the top of Mount Emei, in today's Sichuan.峨眉巅：峨眉山的山顶。峨眉山在今四川。
地崩山摧壮士死dì bēng shān cuī zhuàng shì sǐ: dì bēng shān cuī zhuàng shì sǐ: a legend: the king of Qin promised five beautiful women to the king of Shu, who sent five strong men to fetch them. On the way they saw a huge snake crawl into a cave. The five men pulled its tail together, the mountain fell down, and the strong men and the women were all crushed. Cuī means to collapse.地崩山摧壮士死：传说秦王答应送五个美女给蜀王，蜀王派五个大力士去接。走到半路，看见一条大蛇钻进山洞，五个人一起拉蛇尾巴，结果山崩了，大力士和美女都被压死。摧，倒塌。
天梯tiān tī: tiān tī: a steep mountain path like a ladder up to the sky.天梯：像通到天上去的梯子一样的陡峭山路。
石栈shí zhàn: shí zhàn: a plank road: holes are cut in a cliff, beams are fixed in them, and boards are laid on top to make a path.石栈：栈道，在悬崖上凿洞、插上木头、铺上木板修成的路。
钩连gōu lián: gōu lián: to link together.钩连：连接起来。
六龙回日liù lóng huí rì: liù lóng huí rì: in myth, the sun rides across the sky in a carriage pulled by six dragons. Here the mountain is so tall that even the sun's carriage has to turn back.六龙回日：神话说太阳神坐着车，由六条龙拉着在天上跑。这里说山太高，连太阳的车到了这里也只好掉头回去。
高标gāo biāo: gāo biāo: the highest peak, so tall it marks the whole region.高标：最高的山峰，高得可以当作一个地方的标志。
冲波chōng bō: chōng bō: waves crashing against each other.冲波：互相冲击的波浪。
逆折nì zhé: nì zhé: water blocked and turned back on itself.逆折：水流被挡住，倒转回旋。
回川huí chuān: huí chuān: a river full of whirlpools.回川：打着漩涡的河流。
黄鹤huáng hè: huáng hè: the yellow crane, a big bird that can fly very high.黄鹤：黄鹄，一种很会高飞的大鸟。
尚不得过shàng bù dé guò: shàng bù dé guò: still cannot get across. Shàng means “even so, still”.尚不得过：尚且飞不过去。尚，尚且、都还。
猿猱yuán náo: yuán náo: apes and monkeys. Náo is a monkey that is very good at climbing.猿猱：猿猴。猱是一种特别会爬树的猴子。
度dù: dù: to cross.度：越过。
愁攀援chóu pān yuán: chóu pān yuán: worried about how to climb across.愁攀援：发愁怎么攀爬过去。
青泥qīng ní: qīng ní: Qingni Ridge, south of today's Hui County in Gansu and north of Lueyang in Shaanxi, a main road into Shu.青泥：青泥岭，在今甘肃徽县南、陕西略阳北，是进入蜀地的要道。
盘盘pán pán: pán pán: winding round and round.盘盘：一圈一圈绕来绕去的样子。
百步九折bǎi bù jiǔ zhé: bǎi bù jiǔ zhé: nine turns in every hundred steps.百步九折：走一百步就要拐九个弯。
萦yíng: yíng: to wind around.萦：围着……绕。
岩峦yán luán: yán luán: cliffs and peaks.岩峦：山崖和山峰。
扪参历井mén shēn lì jǐng: mén shēn lì jǐng: Shēn and Jǐng are the names of two groups of stars. People of old matched parts of the sky with places on earth: Shēn matched Shu and Jǐng matched Qin. Mén means to touch; lì means to pass by. The mountain is so high you can reach out and touch the stars.扪参历井：参和井是天上两组星星的名字。古人把天上的星区和地上的地方配对，参对着蜀地，井对着秦地。扪，用手摸；历，经过。这里说山高得伸手就能摸到星星。
仰胁息yǎng xié xī: yǎng xié xī: looking up and holding your breath, too scared to breathe hard. Xié xī means to hold one's breath.仰胁息：抬着头，屏住呼吸，不敢大口喘气。胁息，屏住气。
抚膺fǔ yīng: fǔ yīng: to press a hand on one's chest. Yīng means chest.抚膺：用手摸着胸口。膺，胸。
坐zuò: zuò: helplessly, with nothing to do but.坐：空自、只能。
君jūn: jūn: you, the person heading for Shu.君：你，指要到蜀地去的人。
西游xī yóu: xī yóu: to travel west, that is, into Shu.西游：往西去，指进入蜀地。
畏途wèi tú: wèi tú: a road that makes people afraid.畏途：让人害怕的路。
巉岩chán yán: chán yán: tall, sharp, steep rocks.巉岩：又高又陡的山岩。
但见dàn jiàn: dàn jiàn: all one sees is.但见：只看见。
号háo: háo: to wail loudly.号：大声哀叫。
古木gǔ mù: gǔ mù: old trees.古木：老树。
雄飞雌从xióng fēi cí cóng: xióng fēi cí cóng: the male bird flies ahead and the female follows.雄飞雌从：雄鸟在前面飞，雌鸟在后面跟着。
子规zǐ guī: zǐ guī: the cuckoo. Legend says it is the spirit of Du Yu, an ancient king of Shu, and its call sounds very sad.子规：杜鹃鸟。传说它是古代蜀王杜宇死后变的，叫声很悲伤。
愁空山chóu kōng shān: chóu kōng shān: its call echoes through the empty mountains and fills them with sorrow.愁空山：叫声在空寂的山里回荡，让整座山都好像充满了忧愁。
凋朱颜diāo zhū yán: diāo zhū yán: the rosy face turns pale and worn, that is, people go white with fear. Diāo means to wither; zhū yán means a rosy face.凋朱颜：红润的脸色一下子变得憔悴，就是吓得变了脸色。凋，使……衰败；朱颜，红润的脸。
去天不盈尺qù tiān bù yíng chǐ: qù tiān bù yíng chǐ: less than a foot from the sky. Qù means away from; yíng means to fill, to reach.去天不盈尺：离天不到一尺。去，离；盈，满。
倚yǐ: yǐ: to lean against.倚：靠着。
绝壁jué bì: jué bì: a cliff as steep as if cut with a knife.绝壁：像刀切过一样陡的山崖。
飞湍fēi tuān: fēi tuān: rushing rapids.飞湍：飞奔的急流。
瀑流pù liú: pù liú: waterfalls.瀑流：瀑布。
争喧豗zhēng xuān huī: zhēng xuān huī: compete in making a roaring noise. Xuān huī is the thunder of crashing water.争喧豗：争着发出轰隆隆的巨响。喧豗，水流撞击的轰鸣声。
砯崖转石pīng yá zhuǎn shí: pīng yá zhuǎn shí: the water pounds the cliffs and rolls the rocks along. Pīng is the sound of water striking stone, used here as a verb.砯崖转石：水冲击着山崖，推着石头翻滚。砯，水冲击石头的声音，这里当动词用。
万壑雷wàn hè léi: wàn hè léi: ten thousand valleys roar like thunder. Hè means a valley.万壑雷：千山万谷都响起像打雷一样的声音。壑，山谷。
其险也如此qí xiǎn yě rú cǐ: qí xiǎn yě rú cǐ: the danger here is as great as this.其险也如此：这里的险要竟然到了这个地步。
嗟jiē: jiē: alas, a sigh.嗟：唉，叹气的声音。
尔ěr: ěr: you.尔：你。
远道之人yuǎn dào zhī rén: yuǎn dào zhī rén: a person from far away.远道之人：从远方来的人。
胡为乎来哉hú wèi hū lái zāi: hú wèi hū lái zāi: why ever come here? Hú wèi means why.胡为乎来哉：为什么要到这里来呢？胡为，为什么。
剑阁jiàn gé: jiàn gé: Jianmen Pass, north of today's Jian'ge County in Sichuan, the gateway into Shu. The cliffs on both sides stand up straight like swords.剑阁：剑门关，在今四川剑阁县北，是进入蜀地的大门。两边的山壁像剑一样直立。
峥嵘zhēng róng: zhēng róng: high and rugged.峥嵘：山势高而险的样子。
崔嵬cuī wéi: cuī wéi: tall and towering.崔嵬：山高大雄伟的样子。
一夫当关yì fū dāng guān: yī fū dāng guān: one man guards the pass. Dāng means to hold.一夫当关：一个人守住关口。当，守着。
万夫莫开wàn fū mò kāi: wàn fū mò kāi: ten thousand men cannot break through. Mò means cannot.万夫莫开：一万个人也攻不进去。莫，不能。
所守suǒ shǒu: suǒ shǒu: those who guard the pass.所守：守关的人。
或匪亲huò fěi qīn: huò fěi qīn: if they are not trusted friends. Huò here means if; fěi means not.或匪亲：如果不是可靠的自己人。或，如果；匪，同“非”，不是。
化为狼与豺huà wéi láng yǔ chái: huà wéi láng yǔ chái: they will turn into wolves and jackals, that is, rebels. Chái is a jackal, a fierce wolf-like beast.化为狼与豺：就会变成豺狼一样作乱的人。豺，一种像狼的猛兽。
朝zhāo: zhāo: in the morning.朝：早晨。
避bì: bì: to hide from.避：躲开。
夕xī: xī: in the evening.夕：傍晚。
长蛇cháng shé: cháng shé: great snakes.长蛇：大蛇。
吮shǔn: shǔn: to suck.吮：吸。
杀人如麻shā rén rú má: shā rén rú má: killing people as many as tangled hemp threads, too many to count.杀人如麻：杀的人多得像乱麻一样，数也数不清。
锦城jǐn chéng: jǐn chéng: the City of Brocade, today's Chengdu.锦城：锦官城，就是今天的成都。
虽云乐suī yún lè: suī yún lè: though people say it is a happy place. Yún means to say.虽云乐：虽然说是个快乐的地方。云，说。
还家huán jiā: huán jiā: to go home.还家：回家。
侧身cè shēn: cè shēn: turning sideways.侧身：侧着身子。
长咨嗟cháng zī jiē: cháng zī jiē: to sigh long and deep. Zī jiē means to sigh.长咨嗟：长长地叹气。咨嗟，叹息。

How to read it读音

嚱xī: Read xī, as marked in textbooks. It is part of a cry of surprise.读 xī。原本是惊叹声，课本注音 xī。
吁xū: Here it is an exclamation, read xū.这里是感叹声，读 xū。
塞sài: Meaning a guarded frontier place, it is read sài, not sāi or sè.指险要的地方，读 sài，不读 sāi 或 sè。
横héng: Flying straight across, read héng.横着飞越，读 héng。
参shēn: Here it is the name of a star group, read shēn, not cān.这里是星宿名，读 shēn，不读 cān。
还huán: Meaning to come back, read huán.回来，读 huán。
号háo: Meaning to wail, read háo, not hào.大声哀叫，读 háo，不读 hào。
从cóng: Meaning to follow, read cóng.跟随，读 cóng。
为wèi: Hú wèi means “why”. It is usually read wèi; some read it wéi.“胡为”就是“为什么”，一般读 wèi；也有人读 wéi。
朝zhāo: Meaning morning, read zhāo, not cháo.早晨，读 zhāo，不读 cháo。
还huán: Meaning to return, read huán.回，读 huán。

Background创作背景

“The Hard Road to Shu” is an old yuefu title, a song title used by earlier poets to describe the dangerous roads into Shu. The poem is usually dated to the early Tianbao years of Emperor Xuanzong, when Li Bai was in Chang'an; another view dates it earlier, to the Kaiyuan years. According to the Tang book Benshi Shi by Meng Qi, when Li Bai came to Chang'an, He Zhizhang read this poem, was amazed, and called him “an immortal banished from heaven”. Why Li Bai wrote it is debated: one view says it was to see off a friend going to Shu, another that it hinted at the politics of the time, and another that he simply used the old title to describe the road.

《蜀道难》是一个乐府旧题，就是古代就有的歌曲题目，前人用它写过蜀道的艰险。一般认为这首诗写在唐玄宗天宝初年李白在长安的时候，一说写于更早的开元年间。据唐人孟棨《本事诗》记载，李白到长安后，贺知章读了这首诗，惊叹不已，称他是“谪仙人”，意思是从天上被贬到人间的神仙。至于为什么写这首诗，说法很多：一说是送朋友入蜀，一说是暗中批评当时的政局，一说只是借古题描写蜀道的险。

The poet作者

Li Bai (701–762), also called Taibai, was a great Tang poet of wild imagination, known as the Immortal of Poetry. He grew up in Shu and left home in his twenties to travel across the land. He knew the high mountains and great rivers of Shu well, and he loved bold imagination and exaggeration, so he could make the road to Shu feel thrilling and terrifying.

李白（701—762），字太白，号青莲居士，唐代伟大的浪漫主义诗人，被称为“诗仙”。他少年时在蜀地长大，二十多岁才离开家乡，到各地漫游。他熟悉蜀地的高山大河，又特别会想象和夸张，所以能把蜀道写得这样惊心动魄。

The mood意境

This poem is like a thrilling mountain journey. It opens with three cries of “oh!” and then shouts, “The road to Shu is so hard, harder than climbing to the blue sky!” That line comes back three times, like the chorus of a song. First the poet tells old legends: five strong men pulled a snake, the mountain fell, and only then was a road opened. Then he shows how high the mountains are: the sun's carriage must turn back, the crane cannot fly over, the monkeys worry, and walkers can touch the stars. Then come the sounds: sad birds wailing, the cuckoo crying at night, rapids roaring like thunder. Last comes Jianmen Pass, where one man can hold off ten thousand, and where bad guards would be worse than tigers and snakes. The lines grow long and short, just as the road climbs and drops. When you finish, you feel you have just walked that road yourself, with your heart still pounding.

这首诗像一场惊险的山中旅行。一开头就是三声“哎呀呀”，接着喊出“蜀道之难，难于上青天”，这句话在诗里出现了三次，像歌里反复唱的副歌。诗人先讲古老的传说：五个壮士拉蛇，山崩地裂，才开出路来。再写山有多高：太阳的车要掉头，黄鹤飞不过，猴子也发愁，人走在上面能摸到星星。然后写声音：悲鸟哀叫，杜鹃夜啼，急流像打雷。最后写剑门关，一个人守住，一万个人也攻不进来，守关的人要是变坏，比猛虎长蛇还可怕。诗句忽长忽短，就像山路一会儿上一会儿下。读完它，你会觉得自己也刚从这条路上走过一遍，心还在怦怦跳。