《桃夭》的多重隐喻意象

The Multiple Metaphorical Images of Tao Yao

《桃夭》是《诗经》中一首轻快活泼的祝婚诗。全诗三章均以茂盛而美丽的桃树起兴,从修辞学角度讲,属于以物喻人的比喻;从《诗经》的艺术表现手段看则属于兴中兼比,具有明显的隐喻性质。作者选取桃树作诗的整体隐喻意象,以桃花、桃子、桃叶作多重隐喻,层层递进地对新娘婚后生活幸福、早生子女、家业兴旺做了巧妙暗示,同时结合"之子于归,宜其室家"的写实,表达了对新娘幸福美满的婚后生活的热情祝愿。《桃夭》的这种多重隐喻既源于作者对生活的细致观察,又与当时的社会文化背景密切相关。

Tao Yao is a jaunty prothalamium in The Book of Songs.The whole poem is divided three chapters which begin with the beautiful and thriving peach trees.From the perspective of rhetoric,this expression belongs to metaphor.The author chooses peach trees as the general metaphor image in poem in which the peach blossom,peach leaf and peach also use multiple metaphors.After the bride gets married,she lives a happy life,has her children and the family is thriving,which has been implied step by step.It expresses best wishes to the bride.The multiple metaphor of Tao Yao not only comes from the author＇s careful observation on life but also closely relates to social cultural background at that time.