《雨霖铃》本是唐代教坊大曲。安史之乱中，唐玄宗入蜀时，至斜谷口，连天霖雨，在栈道中闻铃声，隔山相应，内心十分凄凉，于是根据这种声音，创作了《雨霖铃》曲，以寄托悲恨，悼念杨贵妃，因实景实情写下《雨霖铃》曲以寄托离恨。宋代人倚旧声填词，遂亦成曲牌名。宋代演奏这首《雨霖铃》曲，听起来还感到极其哀怨。柳永选取它来写“清秋节”的“伤离别”，无论“清秋”的萧飒或“离别”的凄恻，都与曲调的“哀怨”风格十分吻合。我们今天固然已经不能了解它究竟怎样歌唱，感受它的音乐形象，但通过吟诵，也还可以领略其低回悲怆、凄楚欲绝的情味。这是由于柳永写景、写情，充分利用了语言音调的特点，那悲悲切切的词句，读起来就仿佛听见离人断断续续的哭诉。词中押的是短促急迫入声韵，不押韵的地方也多以仄声字收句，通篇又多用低而细的齿音，这样就像那“寒蝉”的“凄切”，就像那“骤雨”的萧萧，就像那“晓风”的习习，一片哽咽的抽泣，传达出“多情自古伤离别，更那堪冷落清秋节”的如同“夜雨闻铃”那般的“断肠声”。柳永充分发挥词的音乐性能。使词的形象的美与声调的美结合起来，使文情与声情统一起来，这也是《雨霖铃》词之所以具有巨大艺术感染力量的一个重要因素。（肖旭）

【作者介绍】

　　柳永，（约987年—约1053年）北宋著名词人，婉约派最具代表性的人物。汉族，崇安（今福建武夷山）人，原名三变，字景庄，后改名永，字耆卿，排行第七，又称柳七。宋仁宗朝进士，官至屯田员外郎，故世称柳屯田。他自称“奉旨填词柳三变”，以毕生精力作词，并以“白衣卿相”自诩。其词多描绘城市风光和歌妓生活，尤长于抒写羁旅行役之情，创作慢词独多。铺叙刻画，情景交融，语言通俗，音律谐婉，在当时流传极其广泛，人称“凡有井水饮处，皆能歌柳词”，对宋词的发展有重大影响。【宋词英译】

Liu Yong(987-1053)

Tune of Falling Rain

(Parting In Autumn)

While cicadas were making a thrilling rattle,

We’re at the pavilion in late evening hour.

During a break in the sudden shower,

We improvised with a drink in the portal.

But my mind was all blank.

As I indulged to linger on,

The boatman said it was time to be gone.

We held each other’s hands,

And gazed with our eyes as tears ran.

Silent and tongue-tied,

All words failed us then.

I figured out what ahead lies:

It’s going to be evening haze,

Over a thousand miles of waves,

Under a southern sky,

Overcast; and stretching wide.

Sorrow in losing a friend,

Is what a romantic heart will bring.

Especially with Autumn Festival at hand.

After tonight’s drink,

When I’m sober again,

Where shall I be?

Willows lining the riverbank,

Shall see me,

Under a twilight moon, in the morning breeze.

As for the years to come, any festive day,

Shall be worthless to celebrate.

Even there’re loads of feelings in my mind,

But to whom can I confide!

翻译二：

To the Tune of Yulingling
Liu Yong

Cicadas trill sad songs.
At the post pavilion,
The evening shower stops;
We're saying goodbye, at this wayside stall.
Who wants to drink, here at the Capital gate?
The boatman's in a hurry, he calls,
But we can't tear ourselves away.
We stare, in tears, hand in hand,
Struggling in vain to say what words we've got.
Knowing how far south I'm to go,
To drift along in the southern climate,
Under the cloudy sky at dusk.
Oh, the heartache!
Lovers always weep, saying goodbye—
And today is autumn, and, cold.
When the wine finally leaves me sober,
Where will I be? Along a river bank
Lined with willows—in a morning breeze—
Under a sinking moon.
But our farewell is for a long time,
And without you
Beauty and happiness both will be wasted on me.
Even when I have heartloads of love
Who, oh who can I tell about it?

【词牌简介】

　　《雨霖铃》，词牌名之一，又名《雨霖铃慢》，双调一百零三字，前后阕各五仄韵，本调常用入声韵，且多用拗句。

　　《雨霖铃》词牌来源：

　　马嵬兵变后，杨贵妃缢死，在平定叛乱之后，玄宗北还，一路戚雨沥沥，风雨吹打皇鸾的金铃上。如《明皇杂录》里写道：“明皇既幸蜀，西南行，初入斜谷，属霖雨涉旬，于栈道雨中闻铃，音与山相应。上既悼念贵妃，采其声为《雨霖铃》曲，以寄恨焉。”这也便是词牌《雨霖铃》的来历。雨霖铃：又名《雨霖铃慢》，双调一百零三字，前后阕各五仄韵，本调常用入声韵，且多用拗句。《雨霖铃》词牌来源

　　此调原为唐教坊曲。相传唐玄宗避安禄山乱入蜀，时霖雨连日，栈道中听到铃声。为悼念杨贵妃，便采作此曲，后柳永用为词调。又名《雨霖铃慢》。上下阕，一百零三字，仄韵。这首词选自《全宋词》，雨霖铃又作雨淋铃。这首词是他离开都城汴京（现在河南开封）时写的，抒发了跟情人难分难舍的感情。

【格律】

平平平仄，仄平平仄、仄(仄)平仄。

平平仄仄平仄，平平仄仄、平平平仄。

仄仄平平、仄仄仄平仄平仄。

仄仄仄、平仄平平，仄仄平平仄平仄。　

平平仄仄平平仄。仄平平、仄仄平平仄。

(平)平仄仄平仄，平仄仄，仄平平仄。

仄仄平平，仄仄平平仄仄平仄。

仄仄仄、(仄)仄平平，仄仄平平仄。