Listen to this article刘江 篆书：李白《清溪行》
【释文】清溪清我心，水色异诸水。借问新安江，见底何如此。人行明镜中，鸟度屏风里。向晚猩猩啼，空悲远游子。
【款识】李白清溪行一首，甲子仲夏，刘江篆。
【简析】
这是一首情景交融的抒情诗，是天宝十二载（753）秋后李白游池州（治所在今安徽贵池）时所作。池州是皖南风景胜地，而风景名胜又大多集中在清溪和秋浦沿岸。清溪源出石台县，象一条玉带，蜿蜒曲折，流经贵池城，与秋浦河汇合，出池口泻入长江。李白游清溪写下了好多有关清溪的诗篇。这首《清溪行》着意描写清溪水色的清澈，寄托诗人喜清厌浊的情怀。
“清溪清我心”，诗人一开始就描写了自己的直接感受。李白一生游览过多少名山秀川，独有清溪的水色给他以清心的感受，这就是清溪水色的特异之处。
接着，诗人又以衬托手法突出地表现清溪水色的清澈。新安江源出徽州，流入浙江，向以水清着称。南朝梁沈约就曾写过一首题为《新安江水至清浅深见底贻京邑游好》的诗：“洞彻随深浅，皎镜无冬春。千仞写乔树，百丈见游鳞。”新安江水无疑是清澈的，然而，和清溪相比又将如何呢？“借问新安江，见底何如此？”新安江那能比得上清溪这样清澈见底呢！这样，就以新安江水色之清衬托出清溪的更清。
然后，又运用比喻的手法来正面描写清溪的清澈。诗人以“明镜”比喻清溪，把两岸的群山比作“屏风”。你看，人在岸上行走，鸟在山中穿度，倒影在清溪之中，就如：“人行明镜中，鸟度屏风里。”这样一幅美丽的倒影，使人如身入其境。胡仔云：“《复斋漫录》云：山谷言：‘船如天上坐，人似镜中行。’又云：‘船如天上坐，鱼似镜中悬。’沈云卿诗也。……予以云卿之诗，原于王逸少《镜湖》诗所谓‘山阴路上行，如坐镜中游’之句。然李太白《入青溪山》亦云：‘人行明镜中，鸟度屏风里。’虽有所袭，然语益工也。”（《苕溪渔隐丛话》）
最后，诗人又创造了一个情调凄凉的清寂境界。诗人离开混浊的帝京，来到这水清如镜的清溪畔，固然感到“清心”，可是这对于我们这位胸怀济世之才的诗人，终不免有一种心灵上的孤寂。所以入晚时猩猩的一声声啼叫，在诗人听来，仿佛是在为自己远游他乡而悲切，流露出诗人内心一种落寞悒郁的情绪。
【Simple Translation】
This is a lyrical poem with a blend of scenes, which was written by Li Bai in the autumn of 753 when he visited Chizhou (the present-day Guichi, Anhui Province). Chizhou is a scenic spot in southern Anhui, and most of the scenic spots are concentrated along the Qingxi River and Qiu Pu. Qingxi source out of Shitai County, like a jade belt, winding, flowing through the city of Guizhi, and Qiu Pu River confluence, out of the mouth of the pool into the Yangtze River. Li Bai wrote a lot of poems about Qingxi when he visited it. The poem “Qingxi Xing” focuses on the clarity of the water in Qingxi, and conveys the poet’s love for clarity and dislike for turbidity.
”The poet begins by describing his own direct feelings. Li Bai has visited many famous mountains and rivers in his life, but the water color of Qingxi Creek is the only one that gives him the feeling of clear heart, which is the special feature of the water color of Qingxi Creek.
Then, the poet highlights the clarity of the water of Qingxi River by setting it off. Xin’an River originates from Huizhou and flows into Zhejiang, which is known for its clear water. In the Southern Dynasty, Shen Yao wrote a poem titled “The water of Xin’an River is so clear and shallow that I can see the bottom for a good trip to Beijing”: “The hole is as deep as it is shallow, and the bright mirror has no winter and spring. Thousands of feet write trees, a hundred feet see the swimming scales.” The water of Xin’an River is undoubtedly clear, however, how will it compare with Qingxi River? “I ask the Xin’an River, how can I see the bottom?” The Xin’an River is not as clear as the Qingxi River! In this way, the clearness of the water of the Xin’an River is used to set off the clearness of the Qingxi River.
Then, the poet uses metaphors to describe the clarity of the river in a positive way. The poet uses the metaphor of “mirror” to describe the clear stream, and compares the mountains on both sides of the river to a “screen”. You can see that people are walking on the shore, birds are passing through the mountains, and the reflection is in the clear stream, just like: “People are walking in the bright mirror, birds are in the screen.” Such a beautiful reflection makes people feel like they are in the same place. Hu Zai Yun: “Fuzhai Manuscript” cloud: valley said: ‘boat like sitting in the sky, people like walking in the mirror.’ Another cloud: ‘boat like sitting in the sky, fish like a mirror hanging.’ Shen Yunqing poem also. …… to be Yunqing’s poem, originally from Wang Yishao “mirror lake” poem called ‘shanyin road travel, such as sitting in the mirror swim’ line. However, Li Taibai’s “Into the Qingxi Mountain” is also cloudy: ‘People walking in the bright mirror, birds in the screen wind. Although there is a copy, but the language benefit also.” (The Fishermen’s Retreat of Campsite Creek)
Finally, the poet has created a realm of silence with a bleak mood. The poet left the muddy imperial capital and came to the clear water like a mirror on the bank of the river, of course, he felt “clear-hearted”, but this is a kind of loneliness of mind for our poet who has the talent to help the world. Therefore, the cry of the orangutans at night sounds to the poet as if they are sad for their travels to other countries, revealing a kind of despondency and depression in the poet’s heart.
