從鶴的物性看白居易詩中的鶴

The Creatural Properties of the Red-Crowned Crane and Bai Ju-Yi's Odes to the Cranes

丹頂鶴因為體形龐大醒目、姿態優美，在中國自上古以來除了是吉祥物之外，更是文學作品所歌詠的對象。唐代詩歌在形塑鶴的意象過程中突破以往刻板化的描寫，尤其是白居易，自五十一歲任杭州刺史之後便擁有長達廿餘年養鶴經驗，對鶴的觀察及描寫更是體物深入，異於前人。本文擬從丹頂鶴的物性以及人鶴之間關係著手，探討白居易養鶴前、後，詩中鶴意象的轉變，白居易養鶴及裴度乞鶴的過程，最後探討白居易洛下詩中書寫鶴的特殊意涵，並以洛下寫鶴詩闡發白居易晚年處境及心境，說明白居易晚年詩中出現鶴的意義，是人鶴雙憐，而不僅僅是詠鶴。

The Red-crowned Crane is the enormous Asian crane and the rarest cranes in the world. In China, it is known as a symbol of auspiciousness, longevity and fidelity. As the ride of the celestial in China, the red-crowned crane was full of mysterious imaginations written down as noble flyer. The red-crowned cranes feed on fish, shrimp, prawn, rice, wheat, buckwheat, water plants, and a variety of water plants. In order to tame the red-crowned crane, people ought to supply the cranes with these foods, and establish a pond in their garden to provide enough space for the cranes. When Bai Ju-yi relinquished the political powers and retreated to his Lu-Dao garden (履道園) in the Luo-Yang city (洛陽), he bred two or three red-crowned cranes in his garden. Bai furnished the cranes with enough foods, inhabitable spheres, sufficient affection, and the domesticated fowls fed back their emotional fellowship. Bai and his cranes considered they are companions to each other, especially dwelt in the Lu-Dao garden. When Bai chanted the creatural properties of his cranes, he regarded himself with the virtues that resembled his cranes. In the period of Bai's late life, Bai and his cranes were mutual companions inhabited in the Lu-Dao garden.