Tang poem · seven-character yuefu song (old-style poem)唐诗 · 七言乐府（七言古诗）

yān燕gē歌xíng行

gāo高shì适Gao Shi · Tang唐

Song of Yan

hàn汉jiā家yān烟chén尘zài在dōng东běi北

hàn汉jiàng将cí辞jiā家pò破cán残zéi贼

nán男ér儿běn本zì自zhòng重héng横xíng行

tiān天zǐ子fēi非cháng常cì赐yán颜sè色

chuāng摐jīn金fá伐gǔ鼓xià下yú榆guān关

jīng旌pèi旆wēi逶yí迤jié碣shí石jiān间

xiào校wèi尉yǔ羽shū书fēi飞hàn瀚hǎi海

chán单yú于liè猎huǒ火zhào照láng狼shān山

shān山chuān川xiāo萧tiáo条jí极biān边tǔ土

hú胡qí骑píng凭líng陵zá杂fēng风yǔ雨

zhàn战shì士jūn军qián前bàn半sǐ死shēng生

měi美rén人zhàng帐xià下yóu犹gē歌wǔ舞

dà大mò漠qióng穷qiū秋sài塞cǎo草féi腓

gū孤chéng城luò落rì日dòu斗bīng兵xī稀

shēn身dāng当ēn恩yù遇cháng常qīng轻dí敌

lì力jìn尽guān关shān山wèi未jiě解wéi围

tiě铁yī衣yuǎn远shù戍xīn辛qín勤jiǔ久

yù玉zhù箸yīng应tí啼bié别lí离hòu后

shào少fù妇chéng城nán南yù欲duàn断cháng肠

zhēng征rén人jì蓟běi北kōng空huí回shǒu首

biān边tíng庭piāo飘yáo飖nǎ那kě可dù度

jué绝yù域cāng苍máng茫wú无suǒ所yǒu有

shā杀qì气sān三shí时zuò作zhèn阵yún云

hán寒shēng声yí一yè夜chuán传diāo刁dǒu斗

xiāng相kàn看bái白rèn刃xuè血fēn纷fēn纷

sǐ死jié节cóng从lái来qǐ岂gù顾xūn勋

jūn君bú不jiàn见shā沙chǎng场zhēng征zhàn战kǔ苦

zhì至jīn今yóu犹yì忆lǐ李jiāng将jūn军

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 found in Three Hundred Tang Poems and most common editions. The corpus differs in several places. Line 5 begins with a variant form of chuāng, and has jīng qí (banners) for jīng pèi (flags). Line 10 has a variant character for líng. Line 13 has shuāi (wither) for féi (wilt). Line 14 has the traditional form of dòu (fight). Line 21 has biān fēng piāo piāo (the border wind blows) for biān tíng piāo yáo (the border lands are wild and far). Line 22 has gèng hé yǒu (what else is there) for wú suǒ yǒu (there is nothing). Line 23 has sān rì (three days) for sān shí (all day). These are mostly differences between old editions. The poem also has a short preface, which is not part of the lines here.

这里用的是《唐诗三百首》等书里通行的文字。数据库原文有几处不同：第五句首字是“摐”的异体字，“旌旆”原作“旌旗”；第十句“凭陵”原作“凭凌”；第十三句“腓”原作“衰”；第十四句“斗”原作“鬬”（繁体）；第二十一句“边庭飘飖”原作“边风飘飘”；第二十二句“无所有”原作“更何有”；第二十三句“三时”原作“三日”。这些多是不同版本的写法。原诗前面还有一段序，这里没有收入正文。

Line by line逐句翻译

汉家烟尘在东北War smoke rises on the empire's northeast border;国家的东北边境燃起了战火，
汉将辞家破残贼the generals leave their homes to crush the cruel enemy.将军们告别家人，出征去打败凶残的敌人。
男儿本自重横行Brave men by nature prize charging across the battlefield;男子汉本来就看重在战场上纵横冲杀，
天子非常赐颜色and the emperor shows them special favor.何况皇上又格外器重和奖赏他们。
摐金伐鼓下榆关With gongs and drums the army marches out through Yu Pass;敲锣打鼓，大军开出了榆关，
旌旆逶迤碣石间its flags wind on and on around Jieshi Mountain.军旗弯弯曲曲，连绵在碣石山一带。
校尉羽书飞瀚海An officer's urgent message flies across the great desert:校尉的紧急军书飞快地传过大沙漠，
单于猎火照狼山the enemy chief's hunting fires light up Wolf Mountain.敌人首领打猎的火光照亮了狼山。
山川萧条极边土Hills and rivers lie bleak to the farthest edge of the border;山河荒凉冷落，一直延伸到边境尽头，
胡骑凭陵杂风雨enemy horsemen charge in like wind and rain.敌人的骑兵横冲直撞，像狂风暴雨一样扑来。
战士军前半死生At the front, half the soldiers die and half live on;战士们在阵前拼杀，死伤了一大半，
美人帐下犹歌舞in the general's tent, beautiful women still sing and dance.将军的营帐里，美人还在唱歌跳舞。
大漠穷秋塞草腓In the great desert at autumn's end, the border grass has withered;深秋的大沙漠里，边塞的草都枯黄了，
孤城落日斗兵稀in the lonely fort at sunset, few soldiers are left to fight.夕阳下的孤城中，能打仗的士兵越来越少。
身当恩遇常轻敌The general, proud of the emperor's favor, takes the enemy lightly;将军受了皇恩，常常看不起敌人，
力尽关山未解围the soldiers spend all their strength in the passes and still cannot break the siege.士兵们在关山拼尽了力气，还是冲不出包围。
铁衣远戍辛勤久In iron armor they guard the faraway border, through long, hard years;穿着铁甲守卫远方的边疆，辛苦了很久很久，
玉箸应啼别离后since they parted, their wives at home must have wept and wept.自从分别以后，家中的妻子想必一直在流泪。
少妇城南欲断肠In the south of the town, a young wife is broken with grief;城南的少妇伤心得肝肠欲断，
征人蓟北空回首north of Ji, her soldier husband looks back toward home in vain.蓟北的战士白白地回头遥望家乡。
边庭飘飖那可度The border lands are wild and far; how can he cross them?边疆动荡遥远，哪里能越过回家？
绝域苍茫无所有The land at the earth's end is vast and dim, with nothing in it.极远的边地一片苍茫，什么也没有。
杀气三时作阵云All day the air of killing hangs in clouds like battle lines;一整天杀气腾腾，浓云像军阵一样压着；
寒声一夜传刁斗all night the cold sound of the watch pot rings out.整整一夜，只听见凄冷的刁斗声。
相看白刃血纷纷The men look at one another's blades, wet with blood;战士们互相看着雪亮的刀上鲜血淋淋，
死节从来岂顾勋those who die for their country have never done it for glory.为国而死，从来就不是为了个人的功劳。
君不见沙场征战苦Do you not see how bitter it is to fight on the battlefield?你没看见战场上打仗有多么苦吗？
至今犹忆李将军Even now people still long for General Li, who cared for his men.直到今天，人们还在怀念爱护士兵的李将军。

Words字词注释

汉家hàn jiā: hàn jiā: the Han dynasty, standing for the Tang. Tang poets often wrote of their own times as “Han”.汉家：汉朝，这里借指唐朝。唐代诗人常用汉朝来说本朝的事。
烟尘yān chén: yān chén: the smoke of beacon fires and the dust of horses, meaning war.烟尘：烽火的烟和战马扬起的尘土，指战争。
破残贼pò cán zéi: pò cán zéi: to crush the cruel enemy.破残贼：打败凶残的敌人。
本自běn zì: běn zì: by nature, already.本自：本来就。
重横行zhòng héng xíng: zhòng héng xíng: to prize charging freely across the battlefield, beaten by no one.重横行：看重在战场上纵横冲杀、所向无敌。
非常赐颜色fēi cháng cì yán sè: fēi cháng cì yán sè: showing them unusual favor and rewards.非常赐颜色：格外给他们好脸色，特别器重和奖赏他们。
摐金伐鼓chuāng jīn fá gǔ: chuāng jīn fá gǔ: striking gongs and beating drums. Jīn is a bronze gong; fá means to beat.摐金伐鼓：敲着锣，打着鼓。金，锣一类的铜乐器；伐，敲击。
下榆关xià yú guān: xià yú guān: marching out through Yu Pass, today's Shanhai Pass near Qinhuangdao in Hebei.下榆关：开出榆关。榆关就是山海关，在今天河北秦皇岛。
旌旆jīng pèi: jīng pèi: all kinds of army flags.旌旆：各种各样的军旗。
逶迤wēi yí: wēi yí: winding on and on.逶迤：弯弯曲曲、连绵不断的样子。
碣石jié shí: jié shí: Jieshi Mountain, by the sea near today's Changli in Hebei.碣石：山名，在今天河北昌黎附近的海边。
校尉xiào wèi: xiào wèi: an army officer, one rank below a general.校尉：比将军低一级的武官。
羽书yǔ shū: yǔ shū: an urgent army message with feathers stuck on it.羽书：插着羽毛的紧急军事文书。
瀚海hàn hǎi: hàn hǎi: the great desert.瀚海：大沙漠。
单于chán yú: chán yú: the title of the Xiongnu ruler, here the enemy chief.单于：匈奴首领的称号，这里指敌人的首领。
猎火liè huǒ: liè huǒ: hunting fires. Northern peoples often trained for war by hunting, so the fires warn of an attack.猎火：打猎时点起的火。古代北方民族常借打猎来演练军队，所以这是要来进攻的信号。
狼山láng shān: láng shān: Wolf Mountain, in today's Inner Mongolia, here any mountain on the border.狼山：狼居胥山，在今天内蒙古一带，这里泛指边境的山。
萧条xiāo tiáo: xiāo tiáo: bleak and empty.萧条：冷落荒凉。
极边土jí biān tǔ: jí biān tǔ: all the way to the farthest edge of the border. Jí means the very end.极边土：一直到边境的尽头。极，尽头。
胡骑hú qí: hú qí: enemy horsemen.胡骑：敌人的骑兵。
凭陵píng líng: píng líng: trampling over others by force.凭陵：仗着势力欺压，横冲直撞。
杂风雨zá fēng yǔ: zá fēng yǔ: rushing in like wind and rain.杂风雨：像夹着狂风暴雨一样冲来。
半死生bàn sǐ shēng: bàn sǐ shēng: half dead, half alive, meaning very many killed.半死生：一半人战死，一半人还活着，指死伤很多。
帐下zhàng xià: zhàng xià: in the general's tent.帐下：将军的营帐里。
犹歌舞yóu gē wǔ: yóu gē wǔ: still singing and dancing for fun.犹歌舞：还在唱歌跳舞取乐。
穷秋qióng qiū: qióng qiū: late autumn, the very end of autumn.穷秋：深秋，秋天快完的时候。
腓féi: féi: to wilt and turn yellow.腓：草木枯萎、变黄。
斗兵稀dòu bīng xī: dòu bīng xī: fewer and fewer soldiers left to fight.斗兵稀：能打仗的士兵越来越少了。
身当恩遇shēn dāng ēn yù: shēn dāng ēn yù: having received the emperor's favor. This means the general.身当恩遇：自己受到皇上的恩宠。这里指将领。
轻敌qīng dí: qīng dí: taking the enemy too lightly.轻敌：看不起敌人，不把敌人放在眼里。
关山guān shān: guān shān: passes and mountains, meaning the frontier.关山：关口和山岭，指边塞。
未解围wèi jiě wéi: wèi jiě wéi: still unable to break the siege.未解围：还没能冲破敌人的包围。
铁衣tiě yī: tiě yī: iron armor, here the soldiers who wear it.铁衣：铁甲，这里指穿铁甲的士兵。
远戍yuǎn shù: yuǎn shù: guarding a faraway border. Shù means to guard the frontier.远戍：到远方去守边。戍，守卫边疆。
玉箸yù zhù: yù zhù: jade chopsticks, a picture of the two lines of tears on a wife's face. Zhù means chopsticks.玉箸：玉做的筷子，比喻妻子流下的两行眼泪。箸，筷子。
应啼yīng tí: yīng tí: must surely be weeping. Yīng means surely, no doubt.应啼：想必一直在哭。应，想来、应该。
城南chéng nán: chéng nán: the south of the home town, where the wife lives.城南：指家乡的城南，妻子住的地方。
欲断肠yù duàn cháng: yù duàn cháng: so sad her heart might break.欲断肠：伤心得肠子都要断了，形容极度悲伤。
征人zhēng rén: zhēng rén: a soldier sent to war.征人：出征的士兵。
蓟北jì běi: jì běi: north of Jizhou, around today's Tianjin and northern Hebei, here the frontier.蓟北：蓟州以北，在今天天津、河北北部一带，这里指边地。
空回首kōng huí shǒu: kōng huí shǒu: looking back toward home in vain.空回首：白白地回头望着家乡，却回不去。
边庭biān tíng: biān tíng: the border lands.边庭：边疆。
飘飖piāo yáo: piāo yáo: wild, unsettled and far away.飘飖：动荡不安、遥远的样子。
那可度nǎ kě dù: nǎ kě dù: how could one cross it and go home.那可度：哪里能越过、哪里能回去。
绝域jué yù: jué yù: a land at the end of the earth.绝域：极远的地方。
无所有wú suǒ yǒu: wú suǒ yǒu: nothing at all, only emptiness.无所有：什么也没有，一片荒凉。
杀气shā qì: shā qì: the grim air of killing on a battlefield.杀气：战场上阴森可怕的气氛。
三时sān shí: sān shí: morning, noon and evening, meaning all day.三时：早、中、晚，指一整天。
阵云zhèn yún: zhèn yún: heavy clouds shaped like battle lines, thought to be a sign of war.阵云：像军阵一样的浓云，古人认为是打仗的征兆。
寒声hán shēng: hán shēng: a cold, bleak sound.寒声：凄冷的声音。
刁斗diāo dǒu: diāo dǒu: an army bronze pot, used for cooking by day and struck at night to mark the hours.刁斗：军中用的铜锅，白天用来做饭，夜里敲着它报时、巡夜。
白刃bái rèn: bái rèn: a gleaming blade.白刃：雪亮的刀。
死节sǐ jié: sǐ jié: dying for one's country, keeping faith to the end.死节：为了国家献出生命，守住气节。
岂顾勋qǐ gù xūn: qǐ gù xūn: not for personal glory. Gù means to care about; xūn means honors.岂顾勋：哪里是为了个人的功劳。顾，顾及；勋，功劳。
沙场shā chǎng: shā chǎng: the battlefield.沙场：战场。
李将军lǐ jiāng jūn: lǐ jiāng jūn: usually taken to be Li Guang, a famous Han general who cared for his men and was feared by the Xiongnu. Another reading says it is Li Mu, a great general of the state of Zhao.李将军：一般认为指汉朝名将李广。他爱护士兵，匈奴很怕他。一说指战国时赵国名将李牧。

How to read it读音

将jiàng: In hàn jiàng, “the Han general”, this character means general and is read jiàng.汉将：汉朝的将领，“将”读 jiàng。
横héng: In héng xíng, “charging freely across the field”, this character is read héng.横行：在战场上纵横冲杀，读 héng xíng。
摐chuāng: This character means to strike and is read chuāng.摐：敲打，读 chuāng。
校xiào: In xiào wèi, an army officer, this character is read xiào, not jiào.校尉：一种武官，“校”读 xiào，不读 jiào。
单chán: In chán yú, the title of the Xiongnu ruler, this character is read chán, not dān.单于：匈奴首领的称号，读 chán yú，不读 dān。
塞sài: In sài cǎo, “border grass”, this character is read sài.塞草：边塞上的草，“塞”读 sài。
少shào: In shào fù, “young wife”, this character is read shào.少妇：年轻的妻子，“少”读 shào。
那nǎ: In nǎ kě dù, “how can one cross”, this character means “how” and is usually read nǎ; some books read it nuó.那可度：哪里能越过。“那”同“哪”，现在一般读 nǎ，也有书读 nuó。
斗dǒu: In diāo dǒu, an army bronze pot, this character is read dǒu, not dòu.刁斗：军中的铜锅，读 diāo dǒu，不读 dòu。

Background创作背景

The poem has a short preface. It says that in 738 a man who had gone out to the border with a high official named Zhang (usually taken to be Zhang Shougui, the military governor of Youzhou) came back and showed Gao Shi a poem called “Song of Yan”. Moved by the hard life of soldiers on the frontier, Gao Shi wrote this poem in reply. “Song of Yan” is an old yuefu title. Yan is the land of today's northern Hebei, and songs under this title were about war on the border and missing loved ones. Some readers think the poem quietly criticizes Zhang Shougui's officers, who lost a battle and hid it.

这首诗前面有一段序，大意是：开元二十六年（738年），有人跟随御史大夫张公（一般认为是幽州节度使张守珪）出塞回来，写了一首《燕歌行》给高适看。高适有感于边塞打仗守边的事，就和了这首。“燕歌行”是乐府旧题，燕指今天河北北部一带，古代多写边塞征战和离别相思。一说诗中暗讽张守珪手下将领打了败仗却隐瞒不报。

The poet作者

Gao Shi (about 704–765), also called Dafu, was a famous Tang poet. He was poor when young and travelled several times to the northern frontier, where he saw the soldiers' life with his own eyes. Later he rose to be a military governor, one of the highest posts any Tang poet held. He and Cen Shen were both masters of frontier poems and are named together as Gao and Cen. This poem is thought to be his finest work.

高适（约704—765），字达夫，唐代著名诗人。他年轻时生活贫困，曾多次到北方边塞游历，亲眼见过守边将士的生活。后来他做官做到节度使，是唐代诗人里官位最高的之一。他和岑参都擅长写边塞诗，合称“高岑”。《燕歌行》被认为是他最好的作品。

The mood意境

The poem is like a long war painting. It opens with the noise of marching out: gongs and drums, waving flags, the emperor's favor, everyone eager for glory. Then the mood tightens. Messages race, enemy fires light the hills, horsemen sweep in like a storm. The sharpest moment is a pair of lines side by side: half the soldiers at the front are killed, while in the general's tent women still sing and dance. Then we see the lonely fort in autumn with fewer and fewer men, and a wife weeping a thousand miles away while her husband looks back toward home. At the end come blood-wet blades and soldiers who fight not for glory. The last line, longing for General Li, speaks their deepest wish: a general who truly cares for them. The poem holds courage, anger and pity all at once.

这首诗像一部战争长卷。开头是出征的热闹：锣鼓喧天，旌旗飘扬，皇上赏识，人人想立功。接着气氛一下子变紧：军书飞驰，敌人的火光照亮山头，骑兵像暴风雨一样扑来。最扎心的是两句对照：阵前的士兵死伤一半，营帐里的美人还在唱歌跳舞。然后镜头转到秋天的孤城，士兵越来越少，又转到千里外流泪的妻子和回头望家的丈夫。最后是血光闪闪的刀和士兵们不求功名的决心。结尾一句怀念李将军，说出了士兵们最大的心愿：希望有一位真正爱护他们的将军。诗里有豪情，也有愤怒和同情。