Song of Everlasting Regret - Bai Juyi
/长恨歌 - 白居易/
唐代帝妃動人悲歌的永恆回響
漢皇重色思傾國，
The Emperor of Han prized beauty, longing for a face that could topple a realm,
御宇多年求不得。
For many years he ruled, yet none matched his heart’s desire.
楊家有女初長成，
Among the Yang clan, a young girl had just come of age,
養在深閨人未識。
Raised in seclusion, unknown to the world.
天生麗質難自棄，
Born with heavenly grace, she could not remain hidden,
一朝選在君王側。
Until one day she was chosen to attend the Emperor’s side.
回眸一笑百媚生，
One backward glance, one smile, a hundred charms awakened,
六宮粉黛無顏色。
Leaving the other palace beauties pale by comparison.
春寒賜浴華清池，
In the chilly spring, he granted her a bath at Huaqing Pool,
溫泉水滑洗凝脂。
Warm waters caressed her creamy skin.
侍兒扶起嬌無力，
Attendants supported her gentle form, languid with grace,
始是新承恩澤時。
For it was then she first tasted imperial favor.
雲鬢花顏金步搖，
Cloud-like hair, flower-like face, adorned with gold ornaments,
芙蓉帳暖度春宵。
Under the lotus canopy, they passed a warm spring night.
春宵苦短日高起，
Alas, spring nights were brief, they rose late each day,
從此君王不早朝。
And the Emperor no longer attended morning court.
承歡侍宴無閑暇，
He reveled in her company without respite,
春從春遊夜專夜。
Springtime frolics by day, devoted nights by night.
後宮佳麗三千人，
Though three thousand beauties filled his harem,
三千寵愛在一身。
All his favor fell upon her alone.
金屋妝成嬌侍夜，
In gilded chambers, she adorned herself to enchant each night,
玉樓宴罷醉和春。
In the jade tower, banquets ended in a haze of springtime wine.
姊妹弟兄皆列土，
Her siblings all bestowed with noble titles,
可憐光彩生門戶。
Such splendor was cast upon her family’s name.
遂令天下父母心，
So across the land did parents yearn,
不重生男重生女。
For daughters over sons.
驪宮高處入青雲，
In the lofty halls of Lishan Palace, climbing into azure clouds,
仙樂風飄處處聞。
Celestial music drifted everywhere on the wind.
緩歌慢舞凝絲竹，
Soft songs and slow dances wove through pipes and strings,
盡日君王看不足。
All day long the Emperor watched, never sated.
漁陽鼙鼓動地來，
But war drums from Yuyang rumbled the earth,
驚破霓裳羽衣曲。
Shattering the Rainbow Skirt and Feathered Coat dance.
九重城闕煙塵生，
The Ninefold Palace was enveloped in dust and smoke,
千乘萬騎西南行。
As thousands of chariots and horses fled southwest.
翠華搖搖行復止，
Imperial banners swayed, the march stopped and started,
西出都門百餘里。
Beyond the city gates they went a hundred li.
六軍不發無奈何，
The imperial troops refused to go on; what else could be done?
宛轉蛾眉馬前死。
Thus, that gentle beauty met her death before the horses.
花鈿委地無人收，
Her jeweled hairpin fell to the ground, unclaimed,
翠翹金雀玉搔頭。
As did her jade comb and gold-encrusted ornaments.
君王掩面救不得，
The Emperor covered his face, powerless to save her,
回看血淚相和流。
Turning back, he saw tears and blood flow together.
黃埃散漫風蕭索，
Yellow dust spread, the wind grew bleak,
雲棧縈紆登劍閣。
They traversed winding cloud paths up Sword Gate Pass.
峽中驚魂少閑日，
In the gorge, fear ruled each restless day,
嶺上淒涼行客多。
Over the ridges, bleakness greeted many travelers.
蜀江水碧蜀山青，
Shu’s waters shone emerald, Shu’s mountains glowed green,
聖主朝朝暮暮情。
But the Emperor’s heartbreak endured each dawn and dusk.
行宮見月傷心色，
In the temporary palace, moonlight evoked sorrow,
夜雨聞鈴腸斷聲。
Night rain and distant bells rent his soul.
天旋日轉迴龍馭，
Days and nights turned as the imperial entourage returned,
到此躊躇不能去。
Yet he lingered in sorrow, unwilling to depart.
馬嵬坡下泥土中，
Beneath Mawei Slope, in the mud,
不見玉顏空死處。
He found no trace of her jade-like face—only an empty place of death.
君臣相顧盡霑衣，
The Emperor and his ministers gazed at each other, tears soaking their robes,
東望都門信馬歸。
They turned east toward the capital, letting the horses wander in grief.
歸來池苑皆依舊，
Returning, the ponds and gardens seemed unchanged,
太液芙蓉未央柳。
Lotus blooms in Taiye Pond, willows by Weiyang Palace.
芙蓉如面柳如眉，
Lotus blossoms like her face, willows like her brows,
對此如何不淚垂。
How could he not weep at such reminders?
春風桃李花開夜，
Spring winds brought peach and plum blossoms to bloom by night,
秋雨梧桐葉落時。
Autumn rains made paulownia leaves drift down.
西宮南內多秋草，
In the western palace and southern halls, autumn grass spread,
落葉滿階紅不掃。
Fallen leaves covered the steps in untended red.
梨園弟子白髮新，
His Pear Garden performers turned white-haired,
椒房阿監青娥老。
While eunuchs of the women’s quarters grew old.
夕殿螢飛思悄然，
At twilight in deserted halls, fireflies glimmered in hushed longing,
孤燈挑盡未成眠。
A lonely lamp burned low, yet sleep would not come.
遲遲鐘鼓初長夜，
Slowly bells and drums marked the lengthening evening,
耿耿星河欲曙天。
While distant starlight signaled the nearing dawn.
鴛鴦瓦冷霜華重，
Mandarin-duck roof tiles chilled under heavy frost,
翡翠衾寒誰與共。
The emerald quilt felt cold—who would share it now?
宿妝嬌怯慢回燈，
She who once softly turned the lamp, her nightly makeup still on,
曉鏡但愁雲鬢改。
At dawn, she worried her cloud-like hair had changed.
玉容寂寞淚闌干，
Her jade visage, lonely, tears flowing,
梨花一枝春帶雨。
Like a pear blossom in spring, heavy with rain.
君王恩重求無處，
His deep love left without recourse,
不信妖嬈禍如此。
He never believed beauty could bring such calamity.
在天願作比翼鳥，
In heaven, may we be two birds flying side by side,
在地願為連理枝。
On earth, may we be two branches twined as one.
天長地久有時盡，
Heaven and earth may one day end,
此恨綿綿無絕期。
But this sorrow endures forever, unbounded in time.
《長恨歌》是白居易以唐玄宗與楊貴妃的愛情悲劇為題材所創作的長篇敘事詩，充分展現了唐代華麗的宮廷生活與動蕩的政治局勢。詩歌首段描寫兩人如何相遇，從楊貴妃初入宮廷，一躍成為帝王寵愛的焦點，到華清池畔溫泉沐浴，都蘊含著濃烈的浪漫氣息。接著透過緩舞輕歌、妝樓盛宴等描述，衝擊出宮廷繁華與君王耽於逸樂的意象。然而，當“漁陽鼙鼓動地來”，安史之亂突如其來，改變了命運的方向：六軍不發，楊貴妃馬前慘死，玄宗悲痛欲絕，卻只能黯然回望。詩的後半部滲入悽涼與懷念，從行宮明月到夜雨孤燈，皆是相思凄苦的象徵，亦讓整首詩格外淒楚動人。結尾“在天願作比翼鳥，在地願為連理枝”更是千古傳唱的愛情誓言，強調縱使人鬼殊途，誓願與愛人共度生死，也要比翼雙飛、連理同生，將無盡的哀思昇華成永恆的眷戀。這首詩既抒發了深刻的愛情悲愴，也隱含了對政局動盪、君王荒淫誤國的批判，因此自唐代以來一直獲得廣泛讚譽與傳誦，成為頌揚至情至性的代表之作。
重點
• 表現了深刻悲劇色彩的帝妃愛情故事
• 映照了大唐盛衰及安史之亂的歷史背景
• 詩中融合宮廷奢華與英雄末路的強烈對比
• 透過人物命運與情感，間接批判皇帝失政
• 結尾“比翼鳥”“連理枝”象徵愛情悲壯不渝
