1083年

Main text attributed to Su Shi (蘇軾), in regular script with elements of semi-cursive script (行楷書):

• 赤壁賦。壬戌之秋。七月既望。蘇子與客泛舟游于赤壁之下。清風徐來。水波不興。誦明月之詩。
• [...] 舉酒屬客。 [...] 詩。歌窈窕之章。少焉。月出於東山之上。徘徊於斗牛之間。白露橫江。水光接天。縱一葦之所如。陵萬頃之茫然。浩浩乎如憑虛御風。而不知其所止。飄飄乎如遺世獨立。羽化而登僊。 於是飲酒樂甚。扣舷而歌之。歌曰。桂棹兮蘭槳。擊空明兮泝流光。渺渺兮余懷。望美人兮天一方。客有吹洞蕭者。倚歌而和之。其聲嗚嗚然。如怨如慕。如泣如訴。餘音嫋嫋。不絕如縷。舞幽壑之潛蛟。泣孤舟之嫠婦。蘇子愀然。正襟危坐。而問客曰。何為其然也。客曰。月明星稀。烏鵲南飛。此非曹孟德之詩乎。西望夏口。東望武昌。山川相繆。鬱乎蒼蒼。此非孟德之困於周郎者乎。方其破荊州。下江陵。順流而東也。舳艫千里。旌旗蔽空。釃酒臨江。橫槊賦詩。固一世之雄也。而今安在哉。況吾與子。漁樵於江渚之上。侶魚蝦而友糜鹿。駕一葉之扁舟。舉匏罇以相屬。寄蜉蝣於天地。渺浮海之一粟。哀吾生之須臾。羨長江之無窮。挾飛仙以遨游。抱明月而長終。知不可乎驟得。託遺響於悲風。 蘇子曰。客亦知夫水與月乎。逝者如斯。而未嘗往也。贏虛者如彼。而卒莫消長也。蓋將自其變者而觀之。則天地曾不能以一瞬。自其不變者而觀之。則物與我皆無盡也。而又何羨乎。且夫天地之間。物各有主。苟非吾之所有。雖一毫而莫取。惟江上之清風。與山間之明月。耳得之而為聲。目遇之而成色。取之無禁。用之不竭。是造物者之無盡藏也。而吾與子之所共食。客喜而笑。洗盞更平酌。肴核既盡。杯盤狼籍。相與枕藉乎舟中。不知東方之既白。
• 軾去歲作此賦。未嘗輕出以示人。見者蓋一二人而已。欽之有使至。求近文。遂親書以寄。多難畏事。欽之愛我。必深藏之不出也。又有後赤壁賦。筆倦未能寫。當俟後信。軾白。

Text attributed to Wen Zhengming (文徵明), in regular script:

• 右東坡先生親書赤壁賦。前缺三行。謹按蘇滄浪補自序之例。輒亦完之。夫滄浪之書。不下素師。而有極媿糠粃之謙。徵明於東坡無能為役。而亦點污其前。媿罪又當何如哉。嘉靖戊午至日。後學文徵明題。時年八十又九。

Text attributed to Dong Qichang (董其昌), in semi-cursive script:

• 東坡先生此賦。楚騷之一變。此書。蘭亭之一變也。宋人文字俱以此為極則。與參參知。所藏名迹雖多。知無能逾是矣。萬曆辛丑携至靈巖村觀。因題。董其昌。

Text attributed to Xiang Yuanbian (項元汴), in semi-cursive script:

• 右繫文待詔補三十六字。

This particular scroll was personally written by Su Shi upon the invitation of his friend Fu Yaoyu (傅堯俞, 1024–1091). He wrote it in regular script. His statements about "living in fear of more troubles" (多難畏事) and "by your love for me, you will hold this Ode in secrecy" (欽之愛我。必深藏之不出也), written on the scroll, gives a certain sense of Su Shi's fear from being implicated in the emperor's displeasure over writings.

• Reminiscences: the Artistic Narratives (web archive). A Thousand, Thousand Churning Waves: The Legendary Red Cliff Heritage (2009 exhibit). Taipei: National Palace Museum.
  赤壁文物特展_赤壁懷古 (web archive). 捲起千堆雪－赤壁文物特展 (2009年展覽). 臺北: 國立故宮博物院.
• 宋蘇軾書前赤壁賦　卷. 書畫典藏資料檢索系統. 臺北: 國立故宮博物院.
• Additional information: Lin, Boting (林柏亭). 2006. Da guan Bei Song shu hua te zhan = Grand View : Special exhibition of Northern Sung Painting and Calligraphy(大觀 : 北宋書畫特展). Taipei Shi: Guo li gu gong bo wu yuan (國立故宮博物院).