dàn yuàn rén cháng jiǔ Cover (Su Shi - Prelude to Water Melody)
308Happy Mid-Autumn Festival everyone! Enjoy the family time and have some mooncakes!
The Song dynasty poet 苏轼(sū shì) wrote these lyrics on the Mid-Autumn Festival in 1076 AD, it felt like a magical adventure for me to perform this song 946 years later today.
水调歌头 (shuǐ diào gē tóu) is the name of a traditional Chinese melody to which a poem in the 词(cí) style can be sung. Different poets have written different lyrics to the melody which are usually prefixed by this melody's title, this being one of the most famous.
Cí (词) is one of the literary genres that are unique to the Song dynasty, and can be sung to melody. Many ancient melodies are lost to history, but modern composers often compose new melodies for 词(cí).
In 1983, 梁弘志(Vincent Liang) set Su's poem to new music as the song 但愿人长久(dàn yuàn rén cháng jiǔ) translated "Wishing We Last Forever" or "Always Faithful". This new setting was recorded by 邓丽君(Teresa Teng) and later artists such as 王菲(Faye Wong), 张学友(Jacky Cheung) and 芳华十八(China Flowers) covered this song in albums and concerts.
Original Chinese lyrics：苏轼 Su Shi
English translation：许渊冲 Xu Yuanchong
Melody: 梁弘志 Vincent Liang
Arranger: 辛伟力 Alex San
Original singer: 王菲 Faye Wong
- ORIGINAL CHINESE POETRY LYRICS -
《水调歌头》苏轼 Prelude to Water Melody - Su Shi
míng yuè jǐ shí yǒu? bǎ jiǔ wèn qīng tiān.
明月几时有？把酒问青天。
bùzhī tiān shàng gōng què, jīn xī shì hé nián?
不知天上宫阙，今夕是何年？
wǒ yù chéng fēng guī qù, yòu kǒng qióng lóu yù yǔ, gāo chùbù shèng hán.
我欲乘风归去，又恐琼楼玉宇，高处不胜寒。
qǐ wǔ nòng qīng yǐng, hé sì zài rén jiān?
起舞弄清影，何似在人间？
zhuǎn zhū gé, dī yǐ(qǐ) hù, zhào wú mián.
转朱阁，低绮户，照无眠。
bù yīng yǒu hèn, hé shìcháng xiàng bié shí yuán?
不应有恨，何事长向别时圆？
rén yǒu bēi huān lí hé, yuè yǒu yīn qíng yuán quē, cǐ shì gǔ nán quán.
人有悲欢离合，月有阴晴圆缺，此事古难全。
dàn yuàn rén cháng jiǔ, qiān lǐ gòng chán juān.
但愿人长久，千里共婵娟。
Prelude to Water Melody
Translated by Xu Yuanchong (许渊冲)
How long will the full moon appear?
Wine cup in hand, I ask the sky.
I do not know what time of the year
It would be tonight in the palace on high.
Riding the wind, there I would fly,
Yet I'm afraid the crystalline palace would be
Too high and cold for me.
I rise and dance, with my shadow I play.
On high as on earth, would it be as gay?
The moon goes round the mansions red
Through gauze-draped window soft to shed
Her light upon the sleepless bed.
Why then when people part, is the oft full and bright?
Men have sorrow and joy; they part or meet again;
The moon is bright or dim and she may wax or wane.
There has been nothing perfect since the olden days.
So let us wish that man
Will live long as he can!
Though miles apart, we'll share the beauty she displays.