牡丹百花丛中最鲜艳，是富贵吉祥的化身：牡丹因其花大色艳、雍容华贵，自古被视为“富贵花”，是唐诗中经典的吟咏意象。牡丹花有“百花之王”、“国色天香”的美誉，在传统花文化中享有至尊地位，乃至成为描摹盛世气象的经典词汇。在文化出海的今天，国色天香的牡丹文化，更是中华文化对外传播的靓丽名片。今甄选十六首唐代咏牡丹名篇，品读诗行间的群芳之美，赏千古国色的绝代风华。

1. 《赏牡丹》

唐・刘禹锡

庭前芍药妖无格，池上芙蕖净少情。

唯有牡丹真国色，花开时节动京城。

Admiring Peonies

By Liu Yuxi (Tang Dynasty)

Translated by Wang Yongli

In the yard, the herbaceous peony is flashy yet devoid of grace;

By the pond, the lotus stands pure but cold of face.

Only the tree peony bears the true national hue,

When it blooms, it stirs the capital through and through.

1. 《红牡丹》

唐・王维

绿艳闲且静，红衣浅复深。

花心愁欲断，春色岂知心。

Red Peony

By Wang Wei (Tang Dynasty)

Translated by Wang Yongli

Green leaves stand calm in gentle quiet grace,

Red petals blend in hues of light and lace.

Its heart is torn with melancholy sore;

Can spring’s bright glow such hidden grief explore?

3.《戏题牡丹》

唐・韩愈

幸自同开俱隐映，何须相倚斗轻盈。

陵晨并作新妆面，对客偏含不语情。

双燕无机还拂掠，游蜂多思正经营。

长年是事皆抛尽，今日栏边暂眼明。

Playful Ode to Peonies

By Han Yu (Tang Dynasty)

Translated by Wang Yongli

They bloom together, half veiled from sight,

No need to vie in grace or airy light.

At dawn they don new make-up side by side,

To guests they hold a wordless tender tide.

Two swallows glide, no craft in their free flight;

Bees linger long, to seek sweet nectar’s delight.

I cast all worldly cares far from my breast;

By rail today, my eyes find joy and rest.

4. 《牡丹》

唐・韩琮

桃时杏日不争浓，叶帐阴成始放红。

晓艳远分金掌露，暮香深惹玉堂风。

名移兰杜千年后，贵擅笙歌百醉中。

如梦如仙忽零落，暮霞何处绿屏空。

Peony

By Han Cong (Tang Dynasty)

Translated by Wang Yongli

It vies not with peach and apricot’s bright show;

Till leaves weave shade, it blooms in crimson glow.

At dawn it holds the dew from golden tray,

At dusk its scent drifts through the hall’s soft sway.

Its fame outshines orchid through thousand years,

Mid feast and song, its noble charm appears.

Like dream, like fairy, blooms soon fade away;

Green screens stand empty ’neath the evening ray.

5.《牡丹》

唐・徐凝

何人不爱牡丹花，占断城中好物华。

疑是洛川神女作，千娇万态破朝霞。

Peony

By Xu Ning (Tang Dynasty)

Translated by Wang Yongli

Who would not praise the peony’s glorious bloom?

It outshines all fair blooms within the town’s wide room.

It looks the work of Luo River’s goddess fair,

Whose myriad graces outshine morning’s glow in air.

Note: Luo River’s goddess is the legendary goddess, namely Mifei, from Cao Zhi’s Ode to the Goddess of the Luo River. (传说中的洛水女神，即宓妃,源自曹植《洛神赋》)

6.《惜牡丹花》

唐・白居易

惆怅阶前红牡丹，晚来唯有两枝残。

明朝风起应吹尽，夜惜衰红把火看。

Lament for Fading Peonies

By Bai Juyi (Tang Dynasty)

Translated by Wang Yongli

I grieve for peonies before the steps in view;

At dusk but two withered blooms remain in view.

Tomorrow wind will sweep all blooms away;

I hold a torch to watch their fading ray.

7. 《牡丹诗》

唐・李正封

国色朝酣酒，天香夜染衣。

The Peony

By Li Zhengfeng / Tr. Wang Yongli

Drunk with morning wine, a realm's beauty she displays;

Her heavenly scent at night dyes robes in fragrant ways.

8、《牡丹》

唐・皮日休

落尽残红始吐芳，佳名唤作百花王。

竞夸天下无双艳，独立人间第一香。

The Sovereign Peony

By Pi Rixiu

Translated by Wang Yongli

When all the fading reds have fallen from sight,

Then blooms the King of Flowers in her might.

The world vies to praise her unmatched hue—

Alone she stands, first fragrance on earth true.

9.《杭州开元寺牡丹》

唐・张祜

浓艳初开小药栏，人人惆怅出长安。

风流却是钱塘寺，不踏红尘见牡丹。

Peonies at Kaiyuan Temple, Hangzhou

By Zhang Hu (Tang Dynasty)

Translated by Wang Yongli

Bright blooms unfold above the herb bed mound;

From Chang’an folk depart with wistful mood.

This Qiantang temple holds the finest grace:

Peonies bloom apart from mortal trace.

10.《白牡丹》

唐・裴潾

长安豪贵惜春残，争赏先开紫牡丹。

别有玉盘承露冷，无人起就月中看。

White Peony

By Pei Lin (Tang Dynasty)

Translated by Wang Yongli

The rich in Chang’an mourn spring’s fading hour,

And crowd to view the purple peony flower.

A white bloom like jade plate bears cold dew’s glow;

None come to gaze beneath the moon’s soft bow.

11.《思黯南墅赏牡丹》

唐・刘禹锡

偶然相遇人间世，合在增城阿姥家。

有此倾城好颜色，天教晚发赛诸花。

Admiring Peonies at Si’an’s Villa

By Liu Yuxi (Tang Dynasty)

Translated by Wang Yongli

By chance I meet such blooms in mortal land;

They belong to goddess' realm on fairy strand.

With beauty that could turn the whole world’s eye,

Late-blooming, they all other flowers outvie.

Note: goddess' realm refer to the Queen Mother of the West who lives at Zengcheng, the fairy city on Kunlun Mountain.(仙女之境，“增城”为昆仑山上的仙城，“阿姥”指西王母)

12.《牡丹花》

唐・罗隐

似共东风别有因，绛罗高卷不胜春。

若教解语应倾国，任是无情亦动人。

芍药与君为近侍，芙蓉何处避芳尘。

可怜韩令功成后，辜负秾华过此身。

Peony Blossoms

By Luo Yin (Tang Dynasty)

Translated by Wang Yongli

Bound with the vernal wind by hidden tie,

Red robes unfurl to drink spring’s ecstasy.

Could it speak words, it’d charm the royal court;

Though heartless, its grace steals every heart’s resort.

Herbaceous peonies stand as maids aside,

But where can the lotus from its fragrant dust hide?

Lord Han, your glory won in days gone by—

You let such splendid bloom pass you goodbye.

13.《牡丹二首·其一》

唐・温庭筠

轻阴隔翠帏，宿雨泣晴晖。

醉后佳期在，歌馀旧意非。

蝶繁经粉住，蜂重抱香归。

莫惜薰炉夜，因风到舞衣。

Peonies (I)

By Wen Tingyun (Tang Dynasty)

Translated by Wang Yongli

Thin shade veils green curtains all around;

Last night’s rain weeps beneath bright sunny ground.

Joy lingers on when feast and wine subside,

Old fondness fades when songs no longer bide.

Butterflies stay where pollen floats around,

Bees bear sweet fragrance homeward, heavy-bound.

Burn incense through the long and silent night;

Its breath shall drift to dancer’s gown in flight.

14.《牡丹》

唐・薛能

去年零落暮春时，泪湿红笺怨别离。

常恐便随巫峡散，何因重有武陵期。

传情每向馨香得，不语还应彼此知。

欲就栏边安枕席，夜深闲共说相思。

Peony

By Xue Neng (Tang Dynasty)

Translated by Wang Yongli

Last spring its blooms fell ’mid the fading hour;

I wet red notes with tears for parted flower.

I feared its grace would vanish like Wuxia’s dream,

Yet now once more we meet as in Wuling’s stream.

Its fragrance bears the love my heart would send;

Though mute, two souls each other comprehend.

I’d lay a mat beside the rail’s tall frame,

To whisper love till late within the flame.

15.《红白牡丹》

唐・吴融

不必繁弦不必歌，情中相对更情多。

殷鲜一半霞分绮，洁澈旁边月飐波。

看久愿成庄叟梦，惜留须待鲁阳戈。

重来应共今来别，风堕香残衬绿莎。

Red and White Peonies

By Wu Rong (Tang Dynasty)

Translated by Wang Yongli

No need for music, no need for songs to sing;

Face bloom to bloom, more love the heart can bring.

Red glows like rosy clouds in woven dye,

White shimmers like the moon on rippling tide.

Long gazing lost in Zhuangzi’s dreaming sphere;

To stay their bloom, I’d wield Duke Luyang’s Spear.

We part today, and meet in days ahead;

Fallen blooms and scent rest on green grass bed.

Note: 1. Zhuangzi Dreaming of a Butterfly" originates from "Zhuangzi·On the Equality of Things", refer to a wonderful dream, or to metaphorically indicate the impermanence of life.(庄周梦蝶，语出战国·庄周《庄子·齐物论》。借指奇妙的梦境，或以此比喻人生变幻无常。)

2.Duke Luyang, a noble of the Zhou Dynasty, was said to have brandished his spear to halt the setting sun, symbolizing the power to reverse fate and hold back time.（注：周朝贵族鲁阳公据说曾挥舞长矛阻止夕阳西下，象征着扭转命运、逆转时光的力量。）

16、《牡丹》

唐・李商隐

锦帏初卷卫夫人，绣被犹堆越鄂君。

垂手乱翻雕玉佩，招腰争舞郁金裙。

石家蜡烛何曾剪，荀令香炉可待熏。

我是梦中传彩笔，欲书花叶寄朝云。

Peony

By Li Shangyin (Tang Dynasty)

Translated by Wang Yongli

Like Madam Wei behind brocade drawn wide,

Or Lord E’jun ’neath embroidered cover tied.

Their swaying blooms jostle carved jade’s soft chime,

Like dancers fair who show their tulip-gowned prime.

Rich candles burn untrimmed as Shi’s old fame;

Incense from Xun’s censer breathes its fragrant flame.

A magic brush bestowed in dream I hold,

To write on blooms for morning cloud untold.

Note: Madame Wei Nanzi: the wife of Duke Ling of Wei during the Spring and Autumn Period, was renowned for her beauty. According to "Dianlue": when Confucius returned to the state of Wei, he was received by Nanzi behind a brocade curtain, and Confucius bowed northward. Nanzi responded from behind the curtain, with the sound of her jade and pearl ornaments echoing.(卫夫人：春秋时卫灵公的夫人南子，以美艳著称。《典略》载，孔子回到卫国，受到南子接见。南子在锦帷中，孔子北面稽首，南子在帷中回拜，环佩之声璆然。)

此十六首牡丹诗英译，以“信达雅”为纲，兼顾“功能对等”之旨。译者于意象处求“达”——如“庭前芍药妖无格”，译为 In the yard, the herbaceous peony is flashy yet devoid of grace;其中devoid of grace 精准对应 “无格”，直指花木缺少风雅气韵，贴合古典品评花木的措辞，文学感更强。“动京城”译为“stir” 惊动、撼动，力度比 move 更强；through and through 全城上下、彻彻底底，层层渲染万人轰动的盛况，韵律绵长。非字面直译，而取文化等效，使英语读者感知其至尊地位。于典故处施“异化”——如“庄周梦蝶”“卫夫人”“鲁阳戈”均保留专名并辅以尾注，不削足适履，以存东方典故之原味。同时，于韵律节奏则行“归化”之法，采用英语传统格律诗体（抑扬格与尾韵），朗朗上口，不因“异”而失其“诗”。全帙以“功能对等”为尺，力求译文在英语文化中激发与原诗在汉语中相近的审美体验——牡丹之秾艳、惜花之惆怅、盛世之气象。

综上，以信达雅之笔完成英译，让唐诗里的牡丹芳华跨越语言阻隔。让国色天香的文化融合诗意，让古典牡丹文化走向世界，更让这份东方雅韵浸润四海人心，代代相传。（王永利）