王翰的一生行迹（687-726）
王翰（约687-726），字子羽，并州晋阳人，盛唐边塞诗人。景云元年进士，性豪荡不羁，家有声妓，纵酒自放。历受张嘉贞、张说赏识，官至驾部员外郎。张说罢相后连遭贬谪，卒于道州司马任上。《凉州词》二首雄视千古，王世贞推其"葡萄美酒夜光杯"为唐人七绝压卷。
晋阳（687） · 晋阳少年
武后垂拱三年（687年）前后，王翰出生于并州晋阳（今山西太原）。晋阳为李唐龙兴之地，地近边塞，民风尚武任侠。王翰少有才名，性情豪迈，"发言立意，自比王侯"，少年即显露出不凡的气概。
并州（登第）（710） · 并州军幕
唐睿宗景云元年（710年），王翰进士及第。时张嘉贞任并州长史，素闻王翰才名，厚加礼遇。王翰作乐府词谱乐府歌伎，张筵高会，气象豪奢，自此声名动于并州。
并州（天兵军幕）（721） · 并州军幕
唐玄宗开元九年（721年），张说以兵部尚书出任并州长史、天兵军节度大使，检校边防。张说素爱王翰之才，招致幕中。王翰亲历军旅、观览塞上，写下千古绝唱《凉州词》。
长安（入朝）（722） · 京华清贵
唐玄宗开元十年（722年），张说入朝拜相，引荐王翰入朝为秘书正字，不久擢升通事舍人。王翰自塞上军幕步入长安官场，文名武略皆为时人所重，与王昌龄、祖咏等诗人交游唱和。
长安（驾部员外）（725） · 京华清贵
唐玄宗开元十三年（725年）前后，王翰官至驾部员外郎。他蓄养声妓、马厩多良驹，日与文士豪侠纵酒驰逐，为长安城中最负盛名的风流才子。殷璠《河岳英灵集》盛赞其诗"多杀敌之词"。
汝州（726） · 三贬南荒
唐玄宗开元十四年（726年），张说罢相，王翰失其奥援，出为汝州长史。自长安清贵之选骤迁外郡佐贰，王翰心境骤变。汝州地近嵩山，他于此回望京华，写下怀念长安的《凉州词》其二。
仙州（726） · 三贬南荒
唐玄宗开元十四年（726年），王翰自汝州长史改仙州别驾。他贬谪途中与友人祖咏等诗酒酬赠，犹不改其豪放本色。然而狂放愈甚，忌者愈众，终因"行为狂纵"再贬道州司马。
道州（726） · 三贬南荒
唐玄宗开元十四年（726年），王翰贬道州司马，行至湘南，不久卒于贬所，年仅四十岁左右。一代边塞诗宗客死蛮荒，然其《凉州词》已传诵天下，与王之涣、王昌龄诸作同垂不朽。
The Life Journey of Wang Han, the Drunkard of Liangzhou
Wang Han (c. 687-c. 726), of Jinyang near the frontier, was the wildest talent of the early Tang border-poets and the author of its most famous toast: 'Grape wine in cups of luminous jade — the pipa urges us to drink... Do not laugh at those who lie drunk on the battlefield — how many, since the old days, have ever come back from the wars?' A jinshi at twenty-three, favorite first of Zhang Jiazhen and then of the statesman Zhang Yue, the most splendid diner-out in Chang'an — and when his patron fell, three demotions in one year and death in the far south at about forty. One quatrain for a lifetime.
Timeline of the Journey
- 687 · Jinyang — Born in the Tang's northern stronghold where the people still carried swords to market: the boy who 'spoke of himself as a match for kings and dukes' — and was not entirely joking.
- 710 · Bingzhou — Jinshi at twenty-three; Zhang Jiazhen, governor at Bingzhou, treated him with extraordinary courtesy — answered with songs for the governor's banquets, sung by his own trained musicians: fame by extravagance.
- 721 · The Tianbing Army — Zhang Yue, taking military command of the north, took Wang Han into the headquarters: the frontier seen from the staff tent at last — and 'Liangzhou' written out of it, wine, war and pity in four lines.
- 722 · Chang'an — Zhang Yue to the chancellorship, Wang Han with him: secretary in the Palace Library, then interpreter-of-audiences — the poet of the frontier walking into the capital's business.
- 725 · Chang'an — At the height: Gentleman for the Stud, the best horses in his stables and the best singers in his house, racing and drinking with the capital's young literary blades — 'many poems of killing the enemy,' the anthologies noted.
- 726 · Ruzhou — Zhang Yue fell; the patronage fell with him. Out to Ruzhou as assistant prefect — the drop from capital elegance to river-town paperwork, the second 'Liangzhou' written looking back at Chang'an.
- 726 · Xianzhou — Then Xianzhou, then Daozhou — three demotions in a single year: the unreformed reveler making enemies faster than poems now.
- 726 · Daozhou — Dead in the far south at about forty, friend Zu Yong's farewell verses still in his baggage. 'How many have ever come back from the wars?' — Wang Han, who never went to one, answered it best.
'Do not laugh at those who lie drunk on the sand — how many, since the old days, have come back from the wars?' The most generous line in the border canon, from the life that least needed war to understand it.
