【註】樓蘭：漢時西域鄯善国的前国名，詩中泛指當時侵擾西北邊區的敵人。

【詩人简介】王昌龄（约690—约756），字少伯，山西太原人。盛唐著名边塞诗人，后人誉为“七绝圣手”。早年贫贱，困于农耕，年近不惑，始中进士。初任秘书省校书郎，又中博学宏辞，授汜水尉，因事贬岭南。开元末返长安，改授江宁丞。被谤谪龙标尉。安史乱起，为刺史闾丘所杀。其诗以七绝见长，尤以登第之前赴西北边塞所作边塞诗最著，有“诗家夫子王江宁”之誉。王昌龄诗绪密而思清，与高适、王之涣齐名。

Note: Loulan: the former name of Shanshan State, a kingdom in the Western Regions during the Han dynasty. In poetry it came to refer broadly to enemy forces harassing China’s northwestern frontiers.

Introduction to the poet:

Wang Changling (ca. 690 – ca. 756), courtesy name Shaobo, was a native of Taiyuan, Shanxi Province. He was a renowned frontier poet of the High Tang period, later honored as the “Master of the Seven-Character Quatrain.” Born into poverty, he toiled in farming during his youth. Not until his forties did he finally pass the imperial examinations. He first served as Proofreader in the Secretariat, later passed the erudition and eloquence examination, and was appointed as magistrate of Sishui. Because of an incident, he was demoted to Lingnan. Near the end of the Kaiyuan reign, he returned to Chang’an and was reassigned as assistant magistrate of Jiangning. Later, due to slander, he was demoted again to Longbiao as a minor official. During the An Lushan–Shi Siming Rebellion, he was killed by the governor Lüqiu.

His poetry was especially strong in the seven-character quatrain form (qijue). Most celebrated are his frontier poems written before he passed the exams, when he traveled to the northwestern borderlands. He earned the title “Master Poet Wang of Jiangning.” His verse is known for its compact structure and clear thought, and he was ranked alongside Gao Shi and Wang Zhihuan.