南北朝诗歌 Poems of the Northern and Southern Dynasties
敕勒歌（1）
〇南北朝乐府诗
敕勒川，
阴山下（2）。
天似穹庐（3），
笼盖四野（4）。
天苍苍，
野茫茫（5）。
风吹草低见牛羊（6）。
【注释】
(1) 敕勒歌：敕勒（chì lè）：民族名称，也称之为“丁零”、“高车”。敕勒族人主要居住在蒙古草原上。这是他们的民歌。
(2) 敕勒川，阴山下：敕勒族人居住的地方在阴山脚下。这里的“川”字含义丰富，既有河谷、河川之义，也有草原、一马平川之义，可以广义地理解为敕勒族人生活的地方。阴山：山脉名称，位于内蒙古高原的南缘，东西长达一千二百多公里，现名“大青山”。
(3) 天似穹庐：穹庐（qióng lú）：游牧民族居住的帐篷，即今所谓“蒙古包”。这句说，天空看上去像一个中间圆拱、四面垂下的帐篷。
(4) 笼盖四野：笼（lǒng）：原本是大箱子的意思，因此“笼盖”就是完全地盖住、很严密之意。古人认为大地是方形的，延伸至东西南北，所以称“四野”。
(5) 天苍苍，野茫茫：天是幽暗的深蓝色，大地广阔无边，看不到尽头。苍：深蓝色。茫茫：没有边际，看不清楚，形容广大无边的样子。
(6) 风吹草低见牛羊：风儿吹动，草浪起伏，草低处露出正在吃草的牛羊。这里的“见”字读（xiàn），义同“现”，显露出来的意思。
A Shepherd’s Song
Yuefu Poetry in the Northern and Southern Dynasties
By the side of the rill，
At the foot of the hill
The grassland stretches under the firmament tranquil.
The boundless grassland lies
Under the boundless skies.
When the winds blow
And grass bends low，
My sheep and cattle will emerge before your eyes.
【赏析】
这首诗大约产生于公元400多年南北朝时期北魏朝的中期。原诗是用鲜卑语写成的，是古代敕勒族人民歌唱自己的家乡、歌唱美丽草原的心声，后由不知名的人翻译成汉语。由于是翻译作品，所以形成长短不齐的杂言语句。但翻译者既熟悉草原生活，又熟练掌握了汉语，所以诗句虽长短不齐，却明白通顺，朗朗上口，成为汉语诗歌宝库中歌唱少数民族人民生活的稀有珍品。
开头六个字交待地理位置，这是豪迈地歌唱家乡的开始。第二句写站在草原上，上望天，下望地，都是苍茫无尽、看不到边际的那种感觉。在平坦辽阔的草原上，极目所至，天与地在看不见的远方交合在一起，围绕着目视者形成一个圆圈。只有真切地体验到这种感觉的人才能写出“天似穹庐，笼盖四野”的诗句。最后两句写出在天地苍茫之间，并非空若无物，而是充满着无限生机：绿草肥美，覆盖大地，高过牛羊，在风儿的吹动下草浪滚滚；牛羊成群，自由自在，点缀在绿草之中。全诗动中有静，静中有动，悠远辽阔，充满生机。全篇气势恢宏，令人心旷神怡，充分表达了草原牧民对家乡的热爱，直到今天仍然是草原牧歌中最优秀的一首。
Interpretation
This poem was composed in the mid Northern Wei Dynasty during the Northern and Southern Dynasties．It was originally written in Xianbei（Sienpi）dialect，singing the praise of the beautiful prairie which was the home of the ancient Chile people．It was translated into Chinese later by an anonymous person，thus forming such a poem consisting of long and short lines．The translator，however，was familiar with the life of the grassland and had a good command of Chinese．Although the lines vary in length，the poem is plain and smooth and can be read aloud fluently．It has become a rare treasure in the Chinese poetic treasure-house singing the life of the ethnic minority people.
The first line tells the readers the geographical background，and the second line shows that the poet felt the grassland boundless when he was standing on it gazing upward into the sky and downward onto the grass．When one looks as far as his eyes can on the smooth and vast grassland，he sees that the heaven and the earth appear to merge at the horizon and form a circle around him．Only those who have experienced this personally can write the lines “Heaven looks like a vaulted house，which shrouds the vast expanse of the open ground.”The last two lines point out that between the boundless sky and the earth，it’s full of life．The rich grass covering the land grows higher than the herds，surging as the wind blows and one can see cattle and sheep grazing here and there when the grass bends low．There is quietness in motion and motion in quietness in the poem，so the poem is full of vitality．The whole poem is magnanimous，making us feel carefree and happy．The poem has really expressed the herdsmen’s love for their native land，and has thus become one of the most excellent pieces of the grassland pastorals.
木兰诗（1）
〇南北朝乐府诗
唧唧复唧唧（2），木兰当户织（3）。
不闻机杼声（4），惟闻女叹息（5）。
问女何所思，问女何所忆（6），
女亦无所思，女亦无所忆（7）。
昨夜见军帖（8），可汗大点兵（9），
军书十二卷（10），卷卷有爷名（11）。
阿爷无大儿，木兰无长兄，
愿为市鞍马 （12），从此替爷征 （13）。
东市买骏马，西市买鞍鞯 （14），
南市买辔头 （15），北市买长鞭。
旦辞爷娘去 （16），暮宿 （17）黄河边。
不闻爷娘唤女声，
但闻 （18）黄河流水鸣溅溅 （19）。
旦辞黄河去，暮至黑山头。
不闻爷娘唤女声，
但闻燕山胡骑 （20）鸣啾啾 （21）。
万里赴戎机 （22），关山度若飞 （23）。
朔气传金柝 （24），寒光照铁衣 （25）。
将军百战死，壮士十年归 （26）。
归来见天子 （27），天子坐明堂 （28）。
策勋十二转 （29），赏赐百千强 （30）。
可汗问所欲 （31），木兰不用尚书郎 （32）。
愿驰千里足 （33），送儿还故乡。
爷娘闻女来，出郭相扶将 （34）；
阿姊闻妹来，当户理红妆 （35）；
小弟闻姊来，磨刀霍霍向猪羊 （36）。
开我东阁门，坐我西阁床，
脱我战时袍，著 （37）我旧时裳，
当窗理云鬓 （38），对镜帖花黄 （39）。
出门看伙伴，伙伴皆惊忙：
同行十二年，不知木兰是女郎。
雄兔脚扑朔 （40），雌兔眼迷离 （41）；
双兔傍地走 （42），安能辨我是雄雌 （43）？
【注释】
(1) 木兰诗：本诗的题目也叫《木兰辞》，选自宋代郭茂倩编的《乐府诗集》。
(2) 唧唧复唧唧：“唧唧（jījī）”是模仿织布机织布的声音，也有人说是叹息的声音。复：重复着，一声接一声。
(3) 木兰当户织：“木兰”是本诗女主人公的名字，诗中无姓，不知从何时起人们认为木兰姓花。当户织：正在家中织布。
(4) 不闻机杼声：闻：听。杼（zhù）：织布机上的梭子。全句意为：听不到织布机上梭子往来的声音。
(5) 惟闻女叹息：惟，同唯，只有，仅仅。全句为：（当织布机声忽然停止的时候），只听到屋中女孩的叹息。
(6) 问女何所思，问女何所忆：这里使用了诗外旁白的手法，似乎是木兰的父母在问木兰，你在想些什么呀，为什么一声声地叹息？思、忆：思考、思念、思虑。
(7) 女亦无所思，女亦无所忆：这句似乎是女孩对父母的回答，女儿也没有想什么事。这样说好像是在安慰父母。忆：思念。
(8) 昨夜见军帖：昨天晚上看到军事文告。军帖（tiě）：军书，这里是指国家因战争需要而发出的征兵文件及名册。
(9) 可汗大点兵：皇上大规模征兵。可汗（kè hán）：中国古代鲜卑（bēi）、突厥（jué）、回纥（hé）、蒙古等少数民族最高统治者的称号。这里当指北朝的君主。
(10) 十二卷：这里是指军书中的名册很多很长，表示征兵人数很多，并不是严格意义上的十二卷。后文中的“十年归”、“十二转”、“十二年”都是虚数，表示时间长、数量多，而非确指。
(11) 爷名：父亲的名字。下文中的“阿爷”也是指父亲。
(12) 愿为市鞍马：愿意为此事到集上买马匹和马具。市：在市场上买卖货物。鞍（ān）：放在马背上供人骑乘或驮运货物的工具。
(13) 替爷征：代替父亲从军打仗。
(14) 鞍鞯：马鞍和马鞍下的垫子。鞯：读jiān。
(15) 辔头：驾驭（yù）牲口用的嚼（jiáo）子和缰（jiāng）绳。辔：读pèi。
(16) 旦辞爷娘去：早晨告别了父母，踏上征途。旦：早晨。辞：告别。爷娘：父母。
(17) 暮宿：夜晚睡在……
(18) 但闻：只听见。但：只，仅仅。闻：听见。
(19) 鸣溅溅：水流的声音哗哗地响。鸣：鸟叫或物体发出声音。溅溅（jiān jiān）：水流声。
(20) 燕山胡骑：燕山下北方少数民族的骑兵。骑（jì）：战马、骑兵。
(21) 鸣啾啾：马匹一声声地叫。啾（jiū）：马叫声。
(22) 万里赴戎机：走了千万里路，直奔战场。万里：表示征途漫长而非确指。赴：径直前往某处。戎（róng）：军事。机：军事、军机。
(23) 关山度若飞：像飞一样迅速跨过一道道关，翻过一座座山。
(24) 朔气传金柝：北方寒冷的空气中传过来夜里打更的声音。朔（shuò）：北方。金柝（tuò）：夜里打更用的工具。
(25) 寒光照铁衣：寒冷的月光照在战士用金属片做的战袍上。铁衣：也叫铠（kǎi）甲，是古代军人作战时穿的护身衣，通常用金属片连缀而成。
(26) 将军百战死，壮士十年归：这两句诗使用的是互文的手法，并不是准确地说一百次战斗或十年时间，也并非具体指某位将军死了。诗句的含义是将军和战士都经历了无数次艰苦卓绝、九死一生的战斗，许多人牺牲了，而诗中的主人公木兰在勇敢战斗了十多年后终于告别了战场，回到后方。
(27) 天子：皇帝，在本诗中即前面所说的可汗。
(28) 明堂：古代帝王举行盛大典礼或隆重会议的大厅。
(29) 策勋十二转：给木兰记功很多次。策：简策，是记功的账册，古代用竹片做成。勋：功勋、战绩。转：量级，表示军功的等级。
(30) 赏赐百千强：赏赐了很多的财物。百千：言指很多。强：有余，比……还多。
(31) 可汗问所欲：皇上问木兰还有什么希望和要求。
(32) 不用尚书郎：不想担任高级官员。尚书郎：中国古代某种高级政府官员的职务名称。
(33) 愿驰千里足：希望骑上千里马。此句另一版本为：愿驰明驼千里足。明驼：一种日行千里的骆驼。
(34) 出郭相扶将：互相搀扶着走到村外（迎接木兰）。郭（guō）：外城，本诗指庄外。
(35) 当户理红妆：（赶快）在家里梳洗打扮，涂脂抹粉，（好漂漂亮亮地迎接妹妹）。当户：在家里。理：梳理。红妆：也写成“红装”，指妇女用胭脂、口红等红色化妆品涂抹后的艳丽外表，后泛指妇女的装束。
(36) 磨刀霍霍向猪羊：磨快了刀杀猪宰羊。霍霍：磨刀的声音。向：对着。
(37) 著（zhuó）：穿上。
(38) 理云鬓：梳理高高蓬起如云朵般的头发。鬓（bìn）：鬓角，常代指头发。
(39) 对镜帖花黄：对着镜子用金色纸剪成花样贴在额上或头发上，这是古代妇女的一种装饰。帖：同贴。
(40) 雄兔脚扑朔：雄性兔子喜欢乱蹬脚，不安稳。
(41) 雌兔眼迷离：雌性兔子喜欢安静，不跑动时两眼总是眯成细缝。迷离：微闭着眼。
(42) 傍地走：贴着地面跑。傍：紧贴。
(43) 安能辨我是雄雌：怎样能分辨出哪一个是雄性，哪一个是雌性呢？
Song of Mulan
Yuefu Poetry in the Northern and Southern Dynasties
Alack，alas！Alack，alas！
Mulan weaves and sees the shuttle pass.
You cannot hear the shuttle，why？
Its whir is drowned in her deep sigh.
“Oh，what are you thinking about？
Will you tell me？Will you speak out？”
“I have no worry on my mind，
Nor have I grief of any kind.
I read the battle roll last night，
The Khan has ordered men to fight.
The roll is written in twelve books;
My father’s name is in twelve nooks.
My father has no grown-up son，
For elder brother I have none.
I’ll buy a horse of hardy race，
And serve in my old father’s place.”
She buys at the fairs east and west
A steed with saddle fitting best.
She buys a long whip north and south
And metal bit for the horse’s mouth.
At dawn she leaves her parents by the city wall;
At dusk she reaches Yellow River shore.
All night she listens for old folks’ familiar call，
But only hears the Yellow River’s roar.
At dawn she leaves the Yellow River shore;
At dusk to Mountain Black she goes her way.
All night she hears her old folk’s voice no more，
But only on north mountains Tartar horses neigh.
For miles and miles the army marches along，
And cross the mountain barriers as in flight.
The northern wind has chilled the watchmen’s gong，Their coat of mail glistens in wintry light.
In ten years they’ve lost many captains strong，
But battle-hardened warriors come back in delight.
Back，they have audience with the Khan in the bright hall，
Honors and gifts are lavished on them with grace．The Khan asks her what she wants after all，
She wants to ride a camel to her native place.
Hearing that she has come，
Her parents hurry to meet her at city gate.
Her sister rouges her face at home，
Her younger brother kills pig and sheep to celebrate.
She opens the doors east and west
And sits on her bed for a rest.
She doffs her garb worn under fire，
And wears again female attire.
Before the window she arranges her hair
And in the mirror sees her image fair.
Then she comes out to see her former mates，
They are lost in amazement great.
“We’ve marched together for twelve years，
Not knowing you’re a lass among our compeers.”
“The wooing buck would stamp his feet;
The doe，wooed，blink bleary eyes sweet.
When side by side two rabbits go，
Who can tell the buck from the doe？”
【赏析】
这首诗是根据古代人民群众中口头流传的故事写成的长篇叙事诗歌。
全诗分成七个部分：
第一部分从开头到“惟闻女叹息”，写女主人公木兰的忧愁。这几句诗中声、形、情并茂，交代了主人公的名字、性别、身份、所处环境和当时的心情。
第二部分从“问女何所思”到“从此替爷征”，写木兰叹息的真正原因以及最终的解决办法。这一段开始时采用民歌常用的问答方式，使人感到亲切生动，入情入理。紧接着又用倒叙手法介绍了事情的前后经过：原来是要打仗了，皇帝下了命令，征召父亲从军参战。父亲已年老体弱，家里没有其他成年男子，在没有办法的情况下，木兰下定决心要替父从军。这一段并没有什么浓重的笔墨，但却写出了木兰作为女儿对父母的敬爱与孝心、作为青年人保家卫国的精神和勇气。
第三部分从“东市买骏马”到“燕山胡骑鸣啾啾”，写从军前的准备和从军后征途中的情况。“东市、西市、南市、北市”的写法，并不是真的一类东西分四处去买，而是一种艺术手法，表现出准备工作的繁忙有序。两组“旦辞……，暮宿（暮至）……；不闻……，但闻……”的对仗写法，以十分清晰的层次说明了木兰告别父母后踏上征程的情况，不仅写明了出征的路线与旅途中晓行夜宿的艰辛，同时也写出了女儿对父母的思念以及河水滔滔、战马嘶鸣的壮阔场面。这从侧面反衬出从军女英雄宽广的胸怀和惊人的胆量。
第四部分从“万里赴戎机”到“壮士十年归”，写木兰在战场上的情况。这一段本应是“木兰从军”内容最核心的部分，因为只有这一段写了木兰在战场上的表现，但作者却用了简洁的笔法，只用三十个字作了高度的概括。应该说，这一概括相当成功，写出了万里征程、夜半更声、寒光铁衣、九死一生，直到最后的胜利凯旋。语言虽短却感人至深，写出木兰经受住了战争的考验而成为一名战斗英雄的过程。
第五部分从“归来见天子”到“送儿还故乡”，写胜利后的木兰被天子接见的情况。这一段突出介绍木兰的赫赫战功和居功不自傲、功成不受赏的优良品质。这充分说明，木兰勇敢从军作战并不是为了个人升官发财，而是为了保国安邦，为了人民能过幸福安定的生活。这一段描写使木兰的形象更加丰满和高大，她不仅孝顺、勇敢，而且有一颗纯洁的心，不计较个人得失，不追求虚荣名利，热爱家乡，热爱人民，热爱生活。这一段描写也使本诗的意义得到深化和提高，指出人民热爱和平、反对战争，并指出参加战争的目的是为了制止战争、重现和平。
第六部分从“爷娘闻女来”到“不知木兰是女郎”，写全家欢迎木兰还乡的情况。这一段写得细致具体，不同人物的不同表现、木兰自己回家后恢复女儿装的轻松心情，都写得合乎身份，入情入理，使全诗呈现出欢快的喜剧色彩。特别是同行十二年的伙伴发现战场上的勇士竟是一位女郎，个个惊慌失措，更反衬出木兰不是男儿胜似男儿的高大形象，彻底打破了封建社会男尊女卑的思想观念，令人拍手称快。
第七部分是最后四句，用雌雄兔静卧时表现不一而运动中却难分彼此作比喻，对木兰从军故事的真实可信性作出了说明。这样的结尾，既说理，又生动有趣，具有鲜明的民歌色彩。
总之，这首诗歌颂了中国古代妇女勤劳、善良、勇敢、纯洁的优秀品质，反映出广大人民热爱生活、反对战乱、渴望和平的意愿，冲破了封建礼教轻视妇女的思想禁区，为后世人树立了“木兰”这样一位女中豪杰的形象。这一形象千百年来在人民群众中产生了深远的影响，对广大妇女更起到了激励和鞭策的作用。“木兰诗”也因此成为中国古代诗歌特别是民歌宝库中稀有的珍品。
Interpretation
This long narrative poem was composed on the basis of a folk story handed down orally by the ancient Chinese people.
The poem consists of seven parts.
The first part，from the beginning to “only the girl’s sigh is heard，”depicts the heroine’s anxiety．These sentences tell the heroine’s name，gender，identity，surroundings and feelings.
The second part，from “what are you thinking about”to “henceforth I’ll join the army taking my father’s place，”tells us why Mulan heaved a sigh and how she settled the problem finally．The paragraph begins with a question-and-answer formula often used in folk songs，which seems vivid，fair and reasonable．Right after that comes the introduction of the whole course of the incident by means of flashback．It goes like this：there was going to be a war and the emperor ordered Mulan’s father to enlist in the army．As her father was old and weak and there were no other male adults in the family，Mulan made up her mind to enlist in place of her father．With just a few words，the paragraph portrays Mulan’s love for and filial devotion to her parents，and her spirit and courage of defending her motherland.
The third part，from “buy a steed from the eastern market”to “at the foot of the Mount Yan the war-horses of the Mongols are neighing，”describes Mulan’s preparation for joining the army and the situation during her journey．The phrases “eastern market，western market，southern market and northern market”do not really mean going all around for the purchase of things needed；they are a kind of artistic expression，showing how busy and orderly the preparatory work is．The two groups of “say good bye to … in the morning，stay in … in the evening；not hear…，but hear …”are antitheses，telling the readers in details what had happened on Mulan’s journey after she bid farewell to her parents．They not only show us the route and the hardships she suffered during the day and the camping site in the night，but also convey Mulan’s longing for her parents and the grand scene of the billowing water and neighing war-horses，all of which serve indirectly as a foil to the heroine’s broad mind and amazing courage.
The fourth part，from “ten thousand li she tramped on the errand of war”to “the heroine returns after ten years，”describes Mulan’s heroic deeds in the battlefields．This stanza，which is the only part displaying Mulan’s performance in the army，should have been the core of “Mulan joining the army”，but the writer simplified it to only thirty characters．The condensation proved to be quite a success，depicting the journey of ten thousand li，the sounding of the night watches late at night，cold moonlight and armour，a narrow escape from death，and the triumphant return at last．Short as it is，it’s very moving，revealing the process in which Mulan had stood the war test and become a heroine.
The fifth part，from “return and have an audience with the emperor”to “send me to my hometown，”briefs the situation in which Mulan was received by the emperor，highlighting Mulan’s brilliant military success and her fine qualities of not being arrogant and not being willing to receive awards for her outstanding service．This has fully demonstrated that the reason why Mulan joined the army and fought heroically is not for personal power and money，but for safeguarding and bringing peace to her country，and for the people to live a happy and peaceful life．This stanza has fully developed Mulan’s lofty image that she was not only filial and brave，but also had a pure mind．Regardless of personal gains or losses and not affected by vanity and fame，she had deep love for her hometown and the people，and enjoyed the pleasures of life．The description also deepens the meaning of the poem，indicating that people love peace and hate war，and that they fight a battle only to stop the war and restore peace.
The sixth part，from “her parents hear that Mulan’s coming home”to “not knowing Mulan is a young woman，”describes the situation after Mulan’s returning home and how her family welcomed her．The description of this stanza is detailed and specific，different people acting differently and Mulan being much relaxed at home after resuming her woman’s raiment．This description is exact and reasonable，adding cheerful and comedic colors to the entire poem．Particularly，the scene that her comrades-in-arms who had been in the war with her for twelve years were panic-stricken on the discovery that Mulan，a warrior in the battlefield，was a female，also serves as a foil to Mulan’s lofty image．Mulan was not a man but fought better than a man，which broke thoroughly the mode of thought of men being superior and women being inferior in the feudal society.
The seventh part is composed of the last four lines．With an analogy from male and female rabbits who act differently when lying quietly，but hard to differentiate one from the other in motion，it tries to prove the truthfulness of the story Mulan Joining the Army．The ending is reasonable and interesting，imbued with a distinctive of flavour folk song.
In brief，this poem sings the praises of the fine qualities of industriousness，virtuousness，bravery and pureness of ancient Chinese women，reflecting people’s virtue of loving life，opposing war and longing for peace．Breaking through the forbidden zone of the Confucian ethics which looked down on women in the feudal society，this poem has set the image of Mulan as a heroine，who has made a far-reaching influence on the people through the ages，encouraged the broad masses of women particularly．The song of Mulan，therefore，has become a treasure in the treasure-house of the ancient Chinese poetry，especially folk songs.
