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

wéi韦fěng讽lù录shì事zhái宅guān观cáo曹jiāng将jūn军huà画mǎ马tú图

dù杜fǔ甫Du Fu · Tang唐

Viewing General Cao's Painting of Horses at the Home of Recorder Wei Feng

guó国chū初yǐ已lái来huà画ān鞍mǎ马

shén神miào妙dú独shǔ数jiāng江dū都wáng王

jiāng将jūn军dé得míng名sān三shí十zǎi载

rén人jiān间yòu又jiàn见zhēn真chéng乘huáng黄

céng曾mào貌xiān先dì帝zhào照yè夜bái白

lóng龙chí池shí十rì日fēi飞pī霹lì雳

nèi内fǔ府yān殷hóng红mǎ玛nǎo瑙pán盘

jié婕yú妤chuán传zhào诏cái才rén人suǒ索

pán盘cì赐jiāng将jūn军bài拜wǔ舞guī归

qīng轻wán纨xì细qǐ绮xiāng相zhuī追fēi飞

guì贵qī戚quán权mén门dé得bǐ笔jì迹

shǐ始jué觉píng屏zhàng障shēng生guāng光huī辉

xī昔rì日tài太zōng宗quán拳máo毛guā䯄

jìn近shí时guō郭jiā家shī狮zi子huā花

jīn今zhī之xīn新tú图yǒu有èr二mǎ马

fù复lìng令shí识zhě者jiǔ久tàn叹jiē嗟

cǐ此jiē皆qí骑zhàn战yì一dí敌wàn万

gǎo缟sù素mò漠mò漠kāi开fēng风shā沙

qí其yú余qī七pǐ匹yì亦shū殊jué绝

jiǒng迥ruò若hán寒kōng空dòng动yān烟xuě雪

shuāng霜tí蹄cù蹴tà踏cháng长qiū楸jiān间

mǎ马guān官sī厮yǎng养sēn森chéng成liè列

kě可lián怜jiǔ九mǎ马zhēng争shén神jùn骏

gù顾shì视qīng清gāo高qì气shēn深wěn稳

jiè借wèn问kǔ苦xīn心ài爱zhě者shuí谁

hòu后yǒu有wéi韦fěng讽qián前zhī支dùn遁

yì忆xī昔xún巡xìng幸xīn新fēng丰gōng宫

cuì翠huá华fú拂tiān天lái来xiàng向dōng东

téng腾xiāng骧lěi磊luò落sān三wàn万pǐ匹

jiē皆yǔ与cǐ此tú图jīn筋gǔ骨tóng同

zì自cóng从xiàn献bǎo宝cháo朝hé河zōng宗

wú无fù复shè射jiāo蛟jiāng江shuǐ水zhōng中

jūn君bú不jiàn见jīn金sù粟duī堆qián前sōng松bǎi柏lǐ里

lóng龙méi媒qù去jìn尽niǎo鸟hū呼fēng风

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 follows the commonly taught text, as found in the usual editions of Three Hundred Tang Poems. In lines seven and nine, the old corpus has an agate bowl; the taught text has an agate plate. The corpus also writes the palace lady's title jié yú and the horse's name "Lion Flower" with older forms of the characters, with the same meaning.

这里用通行本（《唐诗三百首》常见的文本）。古籍文本第七、九句作“马脑盌”“盌赐”，是玛瑙碗；通行本作“玛瑙盘”“盘赐”，是玛瑙盘子。“婕妤”古籍写作“倢伃”，“狮子花”写作“师子花”，只是写法不同，意思一样。

Line by line逐句翻译

国初已来画鞍马Since the start of our dynasty, among all who painted horses,从唐朝开国以来，画马的人里，
神妙独数江都王the most wonderful was the Prince of Jiangdu alone.画得最神妙的，只能算江都王。
将军得名三十载General Cao has been famous for thirty years,曹将军成名已经三十年了，
人间又见真乘黄and in his work people see a true magic horse once more.人们又在他的画里看到了真正的神马。
曾貌先帝照夜白He once painted the late emperor's horse, Night-Shining White,他曾经给先帝的名马照夜白画像，
龙池十日飞霹雳and over Dragon Pond thunder rolled for ten days.画成后龙池上一连十天雷声大作。
内府殷红玛瑙盘From the palace storehouse came a deep red agate plate;宫中仓库里有一只深红色的玛瑙盘，
婕妤传诏才人索a palace lady passed on the order, and another fetched it.婕妤传下皇帝的命令，才人把它取了出来。
盘赐将军拜舞归The plate was given to the general, who bowed his thanks and went home,盘子赐给了将军，他拜谢之后回家，
轻纨细绮相追飞and after that fine silks came flying after him one after another.从此请他作画的人送来的丝绸接连不断。
贵戚权门得笔迹When noble families got his paintings,皇亲贵族得到了他的画，
始觉屏障生光辉they felt their screens begin to shine.才觉得自家的屏风有了光彩。
昔日太宗拳毛䯄Long ago there was Emperor Taizong's horse Curly-Haired Gua,从前有唐太宗的名马拳毛䯄，
近时郭家狮子花and lately the Guo family's horse Lion Flower.近来有郭家的名马狮子花。
今之新图有二马Now this new painting shows these two,现在这幅新画里就画了这两匹马，
复令识者久叹嗟and again those who know gaze and sigh for a long time.又让懂行的人看了久久赞叹。
此皆骑战一敌万Both are war horses, each worth ten thousand,这两匹都是能以一当万的战马，
缟素漠漠开风沙and across the white silk a wide land of wind and sand opens up.白绢上好像展开了一片无边的风沙。
其余七匹亦殊绝The other seven horses are also superb,其余七匹马也都特别出众，
迥若寒空动烟雪like mist and snow moving across a cold sky.远看就像寒冷的天空里飘动着烟雾和雪花。
霜蹄蹴踏长楸间Their hooves stamp along a road lined with tall catalpa trees,马蹄在长长的楸树道上踢踏奔跑，
马官厮养森成列and grooms and stable hands stand in neat rows.管马的官员和仆人整齐地站成一排排。
可怜九马争神骏How lovely these nine horses are, each more spirited than the last,多可爱啊，九匹马一匹比一匹神气，
顾视清高气深稳looking about, noble and proud, calm and steady.左右顾盼，神态高贵，气度沉稳。
借问苦心爱者谁May I ask who loves this painting with all his heart?请问真心喜爱这幅画的人是谁？
后有韦讽前支遁Today there is Wei Feng, as long ago there was Zhi Dun.后来有韦讽，从前有支遁。
忆昔巡幸新丰宫I remember when the emperor travelled to the Xinfeng Palace,回想当年皇上巡游新丰宫的时候，
翠华拂天来向东his feathered banners brushing the sky as he came east.翠羽旗子高得拂着天，一路向东而来。
腾骧磊落三万匹Thirty thousand horses galloped and leapt,奔腾跳跃的骏马有三万匹，
皆与此图筋骨同all as strong in bone as the horses in this picture.个个都和这幅画里的马一样健壮。
自从献宝朝河宗But since the emperor went, like King Mu of old, to meet the river god,可是自从皇上像周穆王那样去拜见河神（去世）以后，
无复射蛟江水中there is no more shooting of dragons in the river.再也没有在江中射蛟龙的盛事了。
君不见金粟堆前松柏里Have you not seen, among the pines and cypresses before Mount Jinsu,你没看见吗？金粟山前的松柏林里，
龙媒去尽鸟呼风the fine horses are all gone, and only birds cry in the wind?骏马都已经走光了，只有鸟儿在风里鸣叫。

Words字词注释

国初guó chū: guó chū: the start of the Tang dynasty.国初：唐朝开国的时候。
已来yǐ lái: yǐ lái: since then.已来：以来。
鞍马ān mǎ: ān mǎ: saddled horses; here, paintings of horses.鞍马：备着马鞍的马，这里指画马。
神妙shén miào: shén miào: wonderfully skillful.神妙：画得神奇精妙。
江都王jiāng dū wáng: jiāng dū wáng: the Prince of Jiangdu, Li Xu, a nephew of Emperor Taizong, who was good at painting horses.江都王：唐太宗的侄子李绪，被封为江都王，擅长画马。
将军jiāng jūn: jiāng jūn: General Cao Ba, the most famous horse painter in the time of Emperor Xuanzong.将军：指曹霸。他做过左武卫将军，是唐玄宗时画马最有名的画家。
人间rén jiān: rén jiān: the human world.人间：人世间。
乘黄chéng huáng: chéng huáng: a magic horse of legend. Cao Ba's horses looked like real magic horses.乘黄：传说中的神马。这里说曹霸画的马就像真的神马。
先帝xiān dì: xiān dì: the late emperor, Xuanzong.先帝：去世的皇帝，指唐玄宗。
照夜白zhào yè bái: zhào yè bái: Night-Shining White, a famous white horse of Emperor Xuanzong.照夜白：唐玄宗的一匹名马，白色。
龙池lóng chí: lóng chí: Dragon Pond, a pool in the Xingqing Palace, said to hold a dragon.龙池：唐朝兴庆宫里的一个水池，传说有龙。
十日飞霹雳shí rì fēi pī lì: shí rì fēi pī lì: thunder for ten days, a playful way of saying the painted horse was so real it seemed about to turn into a dragon.十日飞霹雳：一连十天打雷。夸张地说画上的马像真的一样，好像要变成龙飞走。
内府nèi fǔ: nèi fǔ: the palace storehouse.内府：皇宫的仓库。
殷红yān hóng: yān hóng: deep red.殷红：深红色。
玛瑙盘mǎ nǎo pán: mǎ nǎo pán: a plate made of agate, a beautiful stone.玛瑙盘：用玛瑙做的盘子。玛瑙是一种漂亮的宝石。
婕妤jié yú: jié yú: a rank of palace lady.婕妤：宫中女官的一种名称。
传诏chuán zhào: chuán zhào: to pass on the emperor's order.传诏：传达皇帝的命令。
才人cái rén: cái rén: another rank of palace lady.才人：宫中女官的一种名称。
索suǒ: suǒ: to fetch.索：取来。
拜舞bài wǔ: bài wǔ: a court ritual of bowing and dancing to thank the emperor.拜舞：古代臣子感谢皇帝时的一种礼节，又拜又舞。
轻纨细绮qīng wán xì qǐ: qīng wán xì qǐ: fine light silks. People sent silk when they wanted a painting.轻纨细绮：轻薄精细的丝绸。古人请人作画，常常送上丝绸。
相追飞xiāng zhuī fēi: xiāng zhuī fēi: coming one after another, as if flying after him.相追飞：一个接一个地送来，像追着飞来一样。
贵戚权门guì qī quán mén: guì qī quán mén: royal relatives and powerful families.贵戚权门：皇亲国戚和有权势的人家。
笔迹bǐ jì: bǐ jì: here, Cao Ba's paintings.笔迹：这里指曹霸的画。
屏障píng zhàng: píng zhàng: folding screens.屏障：屏风。
太宗tài zōng: tài zōng: Emperor Taizong of Tang, Li Shimin.太宗：唐太宗李世民。
拳毛䯄quán máo guā: quán máo guā: Curly-Haired Gua, a war horse of Emperor Taizong, with curly hair, yellow with a black mouth.拳毛䯄：唐太宗的一匹战马，毛是卷的。䯄是黄毛黑嘴的马。
郭家guō jiā: guō jiā: the family of the great general Guo Ziyi.郭家：指名将郭子仪家。
狮子花shī zi huā: shī zi huā: Lion Flower, a famous horse owned by Guo Ziyi, said to have been given to him by Emperor Daizong.狮子花：郭子仪得到的一匹名马。一说是唐代宗赐给他的。
识者shí zhě: shí zhě: people who know horses and paintings.识者：懂马、懂画的人。
叹嗟tàn jiē: tàn jiē: to sigh with admiration.叹嗟：感叹、赞叹。
骑战qí zhàn: qí zhàn: fighting on horseback.骑战：骑着马打仗。
一敌万yì dí wàn: yī dí wàn: one horse worth ten thousand.一敌万：一匹马能抵得上一万匹。
缟素gǎo sù: gǎo sù: white silk, which the painting is on.缟素：白色的丝绢，画就画在上面。
漠漠mò mò: mò mò: wide and endless.漠漠：广阔无边的样子。
开风沙kāi fēng shā: kāi fēng shā: a scene of wind and sand seems to open up.开风沙：画面上好像展开了一片风沙。
殊绝shū jué: shū jué: outstanding, superb.殊绝：特别出众，极好。
迥若jiǒng ruò: jiǒng ruò: from afar they look like.迥若：远远看去好像。
寒空动烟雪hán kōng dòng yān xuě: hán kōng dòng yān xuě: mist and snow moving in a cold sky, describing the horses' coats and motion.寒空动烟雪：寒冷的天空里烟雾和雪花在飘动，形容马的毛色和奔跑的样子。
霜蹄shuāng tí: shuāng tí: horses' hooves. An old book says hooves can tread frost and snow.霜蹄：马蹄。古书说马蹄能踏霜雪。
蹴踏cù tà: cù tà: to stamp and run.蹴踏：踢踏、奔跑。
长楸cháng qiū: cháng qiū: long rows of catalpa trees along a road.长楸：道路两旁长长的楸树。楸树是一种高大的树。
马官mǎ guān: mǎ guān: officials who look after horses.马官：管马的官。
厮养sī yǎng: sī yǎng: grooms and stable hands.厮养：养马、喂马的仆人。
森成列sēn chéng liè: sēn chéng liè: standing in neat rows.森成列：整整齐齐地站成一排排。
可怜kě lián: kě lián: lovely. In old poems kě lián often means this.可怜：可爱。古诗里常是这个意思。
神骏shén jùn: shén jùn: spirited and strong.神骏：神气、雄健。
顾视gù shì: gù shì: looking around.顾视：回头看、左右看。
气深稳qì shēn wěn: qì shēn wěn: calm and steady in bearing.气深稳：气度沉着稳重。
借问jiè wèn: jiè wèn: may I ask.借问：请问。
苦心爱者kǔ xīn ài zhě: kǔ xīn ài zhě: the one who loves this painting with all his heart.苦心爱者：真心喜爱这幅画的人。
韦讽wéi fěng: wéi fěng: the owner of the painting, a friend of Du Fu. Recorder was his post.韦讽：这幅画的主人，杜甫的朋友。录事是他的官职。
支遁zhī dùn: zhī dùn: Zhi Dun, a famous monk of the Eastern Jin dynasty who loved horses for their spirit.支遁：东晋时的高僧，特别爱马，说自己看重的是马的神采。
巡幸xún xìng: xún xìng: an emperor's journey to visit places.巡幸：皇帝出外巡视。
新丰宫xīn fēng gōng: xīn fēng gōng: the Huaqing Palace below Mount Li, in Xinfeng county, which Xuanzong often visited.新丰宫：指骊山脚下的华清宫，在新丰县一带。唐玄宗常去。
翠华cuì huá: cuì huá: banners decorated with kingfisher feathers, carried before the emperor.翠华：用翠鸟羽毛装饰的旗子，是皇帝的仪仗。
拂天fú tiān: fú tiān: brushing the sky, showing how tall and many the banners were.拂天：飘到天上，形容旗子又高又多。
腾骧téng xiāng: téng xiāng: galloping and leaping.腾骧：马奔腾跳跃。
磊落lěi luò: lěi luò: many and magnificent.磊落：众多而雄壮的样子。
筋骨jīn gǔ: jīn gǔ: a horse's build and frame.筋骨：马的体格和骨架。
献宝朝河宗xiàn bǎo cháo hé zōng: xiàn bǎo cháo hé zōng: an old story says King Mu of Zhou went west and offered jade to the river god. Here it stands for the death of Emperor Xuanzong.献宝朝河宗：古书说周穆王向西巡游，到河宗那里献上宝玉。这里借指唐玄宗去世。
射蛟shè jiāo: shè jiāo: Emperor Wu of Han once shot a river dragon. Here it means the emperor will never ride out again.射蛟：汉武帝曾在江中射死一条蛟龙。这里说皇帝再也不能出游打猎了。
金粟堆jīn sù duī: jīn sù duī: Mount Jinsu, where Emperor Xuanzong's tomb lies.金粟堆：金粟山，唐玄宗的陵墓泰陵就在这里。
龙媒lóng méi: lóng méi: fine horses. A song of Emperor Wu of Han called heavenly horses kin of dragons.龙媒：好马、骏马。汉武帝的《天马歌》说天马是龙的同类。
鸟呼风niǎo hū fēng: niǎo hū fēng: only birds crying in the wind, lonely and still.鸟呼风：只剩下鸟在风中鸣叫，十分冷清。

How to read it读音

数shǔ: Read shǔ, to count. Dú shǔ means only he counts as the best.读 shǔ，数一数、算得上的意思。“独数”就是只能算他。
载zǎi: Read zǎi, meaning year.读 zǎi，年的意思。
乘chéng: Read chéng. Chéng huáng is a magic horse of legend.读 chéng。“乘黄”是传说中的神马。
貌mào: Read mào. Here it is a verb: to paint a likeness.读 mào。这里是动词，画像的意思。
殷yān: Read yān, meaning deep red, not yīn.读 yān，深红色。不读 yīn。
骑qí: Read qí as taught today. In old times, as a noun meaning cavalry, it was read jì.按现在的读法读 qí。古代“骑兵、骑战”的骑作名词时读 jì。
长cháng: Read cháng, meaning long.读 cháng，长长的。
朝cháo: Read cháo, meaning to go and pay respects.读 cháo，朝见、拜见的意思。

Background创作背景

This poem is usually dated to 764, when Du Fu was living in Chengdu. Cao Ba had been the most famous horse painter under Emperor Xuanzong, and had served as a general. After the An Lushan Rebellion he lost his post and drifted to Sichuan, where Du Fu met him. Du Fu's friend Wei Feng, who held the post of recorder, owned a painting by Cao Ba of nine horses. Du Fu saw it at Wei Feng's home and wrote this poem. Around the same time he also wrote another poem for Cao Ba, "Song of Painting, for General Cao Ba".

这首诗一般认为写于唐代宗广德二年（764年），那时杜甫在成都。曹霸是唐玄宗时最有名的画马名家，做过将军。安史之乱以后，他失去官职，流落到四川，杜甫在成都和他相识。杜甫的朋友韦讽当时任录事，家里收藏着曹霸画的一幅九马图。杜甫在韦讽家看了这幅画，写下这首诗。同一时期他还写了《丹青引赠曹将军霸》。

The poet作者

Du Fu (712–770) was a great Tang poet, often called the Sage of Poetry. As a young man in Chang'an he saw the Tang at its height. Then he lived through the An Lushan Rebellion and wandered from place to place. So even when he wrote about a painting or a horse, he often thought of how the country had fallen from glory, and his poems are full of longing and sadness.

杜甫（712—770），唐代大诗人，被称为“诗圣”。他年轻时在长安见过唐朝最兴盛的样子，后来经历了安史之乱，四处漂泊。所以他写画、写马，也常常写到国家由盛转衰，心里满是怀念和伤感。

The mood意境

This poem is about a painting, but it leads the reader into a story that is both lively and sad. It begins with the great horse painters, then tells how much the emperor valued Cao Ba. When he painted Night-Shining White, thunder rolled over Dragon Pond. The emperor gave him an agate plate, and noble families fought for his work. Only then does the poet look at the nine horses one by one. Two war horses look so fierce that wind and sand seem to blow across the white silk. The other seven are like mist and snow in a cold sky. The grooms stand in neat rows. Every horse is full of spirit, and the poet cannot look away. At the end the poem turns. He remembers the emperor's grand journeys, with thirty thousand fine horses. Now that emperor is dead. Before his tomb there are only pines and birds crying in the wind. From the fine horses in the picture, the poet thinks of a golden age that has vanished. The busy opening and the lonely ending make the sadness even deeper.

这首诗写的是一幅画，却像带着读者走进一个热闹又伤感的故事。开头先说画马的名家，再说曹霸有多受皇帝看重：画了照夜白，龙池都打起雷来；皇帝赏他玛瑙盘，贵族们抢着要他的画。然后才进入正题，一匹匹地看画里的九匹马：两匹战马气势逼人，白绢上好像刮起了风沙；另外七匹像寒空里的烟和雪；马夫们整齐地站着。九匹马个个神气，诗人看得入迷。最后笔锋一转，想起当年玄宗出游，三万匹骏马浩浩荡荡；如今皇帝已经去世，陵墓前只剩松柏和风中的鸟叫。从画中的好马，想到消失的盛世，热闹的开头和冷清的结尾一对比，让人格外感伤。