Shui diào ge tóu
Encyclopedia
Shui diao ge tou is the name of a traditional Chinese melody to which a poem in the cí style can be sung. Different poets have written different lyrics to the melody which are usually prefixed by the title "水調歌頭". The poem by Song dynasty
poet Su Shi
, also known as Su Dongpo, 水調歌頭·丙辰中秋 being the most famous.
Cí(詞) 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 cí.
in her album Light Exquisite Feeling (淡淡幽情), which also contained songs based on other poems from the Tang
and Song
dynasties. Later artists such as Faye Wong
, Jacky Cheung
and China Flowers (芳華十八) covered this song in albums and concerts.
In June 1956, Mao Zedong
wrote the poem "游泳" ("Swimming") which is also rhymed to the tune of Shuǐ diào gē tóu.
Song Dynasty
The Song Dynasty was a ruling dynasty in China between 960 and 1279; it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period, and was followed by the Yuan Dynasty. It was the first government in world history to issue banknotes or paper money, and the first Chinese government to establish a...
poet Su Shi
Su Shi
Su Shi , was a writer, poet, artist, calligrapher, pharmacologist, gastronome, and statesman of the Song Dynasty, and one of the major poets of the Song era. His courtesy name was Zizhan and his pseudonym was Dongpo Jushi , and he is often referred to as Su Dongpo...
, also known as Su Dongpo, 水調歌頭·丙辰中秋 being the most famous.
Cí(詞) 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 cí.
Text of Su's poem
| Original Text in Chinese Chinese language The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages... |
English Translation |
|---|---|
| b>水調歌頭1 | Thinking of you |
| 丙辰2中秋3， 歡飲達旦， 大醉， 作此篇， 兼懷子由4。 |
Mid-autumn of the Bing Chen year Having been drinking happily over night I'm drunk So I write this poem Remembering my brother, Zi You |
| 明月幾時有？ 把酒問青天。 不知天上宮闕5， 今夕是何年？ |
When will the moon be clear and bright? With a cup of wine in my hand, I ask the blue sky. In the heavens on this night, I wonder what season it would be? |
| 我欲乘風歸去， 唯恐瓊樓玉宇6， 高處不勝寒。 起舞弄清影7， 何似在人間8！ |
I'd like to ride the wind to fly home. Yet I fear the crystal and jade mansions are much too high and cold for me. Dancing with my moonlit shadow, It does not seem like the human world. |
| 轉朱閣9， 低綺戶10， 照無眠11。 不應有恨， 何事長向別時圓？ |
The moon rounds the red mansion, Stoops to silk-pad doors, Shines upon the sleepless, Bearing no grudge, Why does the moon tend to be full when people are apart? |
| 人有悲歡離合， 月有陰晴圓缺， 此事古難全。 但願人長久， 千里共嬋娟12。 |
People may have sorrow or joy, be near or far apart, The moon may be dim or bright, wax or wane, This imperfection has been going on since the beginning of time. May we all be blessed with longevity, Though thousand miles apart, we are still able to share the beauty of the moon together. |
Modern settings
In 1983, Liang Hong Zhi (梁弘誌) set Su's poem to new music as the song "Wishing We Last Forever" (但願人長久). This new setting was recorded by Teresa TengTeresa Teng
Teresa Teng , was an immensely popular and influential Chinese pop singer from Taiwan. Teresa Teng's voice and songs are instantly recognized throughout East Asia and in areas with large Asian populations...
in her album Light Exquisite Feeling (淡淡幽情), which also contained songs based on other poems from the Tang
Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
and Song
Song Dynasty
The Song Dynasty was a ruling dynasty in China between 960 and 1279; it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period, and was followed by the Yuan Dynasty. It was the first government in world history to issue banknotes or paper money, and the first Chinese government to establish a...
dynasties. Later artists such as Faye Wong
Faye Wong
Faye Wong is a highly successful and influential Chinese singer-songwriter and actress who is usually referred to as a diva . Early in her career she briefly used the stage name Shirley Wong . Born in Beijing, she moved to Hong Kong in 1987 and rose to stardom in the early 1990s by singing...
, Jacky Cheung
Jacky Cheung
Jacky Cheung is a Hong Kong singer-songwriter and actor. The Chinese language media refers to him, Aaron Kwok, Andy Lau and Leon Lai as the Cantopop Four Heavenly Kings , with more than 60 million records sold as of 2000....
and China Flowers (芳華十八) covered this song in albums and concerts.
Other uses
Mao Zedong
Mao Zedong, also transliterated as Mao Tse-tung , and commonly referred to as Chairman Mao , was a Chinese Communist revolutionary, guerrilla warfare strategist, Marxist political philosopher, and leader of the Chinese Revolution...
wrote the poem "游泳" ("Swimming") which is also rhymed to the tune of Shuǐ diào gē tóu.