《秋兴八首》是唐代宗大历元年（766）秋杜甫在夔州时所作的一组七言律诗，因秋而感发诗兴，故曰“秋兴”。杜甫自唐肃宗乾元二年（759）弃官，至当时已历七载，战乱频仍，国无宁日，人无定所，当此秋风萧瑟之时，不免触景生情。持续八年的安史之乱，至广德元年（763）始告结束，而吐蕃、回纥乘虚而入，藩镇拥兵割据，战乱时起，唐王朝难以复兴了。此时，严武去世，杜甫在成都生活失去凭依，遂沿江东下，滞留夔州。诗人晚年多病，知交零落，壮志难酬，在非常寂寞抑郁的心境下创作了这组诗。
杜甫·《秋兴·其四》
闻道长安似弈棋，百年世事不胜悲。
王侯第宅皆新主，文武衣冠异昔时。
直北关山金鼓震，征西车马羽书迟。
鱼龙寂寞秋江冷，故国平居有所思。
Eight Octaves on Autumnal Musings IV
Du Fu
I've heard that things in Chang'an are like chess games:
Its events these tens of years are seethed with sorrow.
The princely, noble mansions have new masters;
All civil and martial chiefs are none of years ago.
Right north from passes of mounts, reports of fights din;
The messages of westward campaigns in fights do flee.—
Like fish and dragons, neath autumn river cold,
I think of my native soil as an absentee.
（孙大雨 译）
