Chinese Language Learning Program Lesson 127 – A Chinese poem-- Prelude to Water Melody

Chinese Language Learning Program

Lesson 127 – A Chinese poem-- Prelude to Water Melody

Hello, everyone. Welcome back. This is Baixue’s Chinese Language Learning Program. Last time we talked about a Chinese plural. Today, we will talk about a Chinese poem-- Prelude to Water Melody.

“shuǐ diào gē tóu”

                                             水     调   歌  头

(Prelude to Water Melody)

nián dài: Sòng    zuò zhě: Sū Shì

                              年    代：  宋 ;      作    者：苏   轼

(Dynasty: Song;   Author: Su Shi )

míng yuè jǐ shí yǒu,

                                          明     月 几  时   有，

(How long will the full bright moon appear?)

bǎ jiǔ wèn qīng tiān.

                                       把  酒   问     青    天。

(With cup in hand, I ask the blue sky.)

bù zhī tiān shàng gōng quē, jīn xī shì hé nián?

                不   知   天      上       宫      阙，今 夕  是  何   年？

(I do not know which year is in the celestial sphere,)

wǒ yù chéng fēng guī qù,

                                  我   欲     乘       风    归   去，

(Riding the wind, there I would fly,)

yòu kǒng qióng lóu yù yǔ, gāo chù bù shèng hán.

              又     恐        琼     楼  玉  宇，高     出  不     胜      寒。

(Yet I fear the crystal and jade mansions are much too high and cold for me.)

qǐ wǔ nòng qīng yǐng, hé sì zài rén jiān!

                      起  舞    弄     清      影， 何 似  在  人   间！

(Dancing with my moon-lit shadow, It does not seem like the human world.)

zhuǎn zhū gé,  dī qǐ hù,

                                        转      朱   阁,  低 绮 户，

(The moon turns round the vermilion penthouse,

Casting its beams down through the lattice windows)

zhào wú mián.

                                              照    无    眠。

(Shines upon the sleepless.)

bù yìng yǒu hèn, hé shì cháng xiàng bié shí yuán?

            不    应    有    恨，何  事       长        向     别   时   圆？

(Don’t blame on the moon any more;

Why does it turn full when we are farewell?)

rén yǒu bēi huān lí hé,

                                      人    有   悲     欢  离 合，

(We all have joys and sorrows, partings and re-unions.)

yuè yǒu yīn qíng yuán quē,

                                  月    有   阴    晴      圆     缺，

(The moon is bright or dim and she may wax or wane.)

cǐ shì gǔ nán quán.

                                       此  事  古   难     全。

(Nothing in this world is ever perfect.)

dàn yuàn rén cháng jiǔ,

                                     但     愿     人      长     久，

(I wish a long life to us all.)

qiān lǐ gòng chán juān.

                                      千  里    共      婵     娟。

(Then, whatever far apart we are

We'd still be sharing the same enchanting moonlight.)

Ok, that is all for today.

xiè  xiè!

 谢   谢 ! (Thanks!)

xià  cì  jiàn

 下  次  见!  (See you next time!)