[updated September 2022]
River Dragon Chant
水 龙 吟
小 舟 横 截 春 江
卧 看 翠 壁 红 楼 起。
云 间 笑 语
使 君 高 会
佳 人 半 醉。
危 柱 哀 弦
艳 歌 余 响
绕 云 萦 水。
念 故 人 老 大
风 流 未 减
独 回 首， 烟 波 里。
推 枕 惘 然 不 见
但 空 江， 月 明 千 里。
五 湖 闻 道
扁 舟 归 去
仍 携 西 子。
云 梦 南 州
武 昌 东 岸
昔 游 应 记。
料 多 情 梦 里
端 来 见 我
也 参 差 是。
Shui Long Yin
Xiao zhou heng jie chun jiang
Wo kan cui bi hong lou qi.
Yun jian xiao yu
Shi jun gao hui
Jia ren ban zui.
Wei zhu ai xian
Yan ge yu xiang
Rao yun ying shui.
Nian gu ren lao da
Feng liu wei jian
Du hui shou yin bo li.
Tui zhen wang ran bu jian
Dan kong jiang yue ming qian li.
Wu hu wen dao
Bian zhou gui qu
Reng xie xi zi.
Yun meng nan zhou
Wu chang dong an
Xi you ying ji.
Liao duo qing meng li
Duan lai jian wo
Ye can cha shi.
River Dragon Chant
Small boat cuts across the springtime river
Lie down, look at the towering green cliffs and red buildings
Within the clouds, words and laughter
You are having a happy and cultured party.
With beautiful women who are half drunk
Music of several octaves, full of sorrow and grief
After these haunting songs, the echoes swirl in the clouds
Entwines the river water.
Think of you as an old friend, yet your strength flows unrestrained
I return my attention to inside the waves and mists
Awake, push back my pillow, dream of you is gone
Only have an empty river and hundreds of miles of moonlight.
Five Lakes famous route, flat boats return with Xi Zi
South of the Yunmeng region, east of Wuchang
I remember past travels together in this dream
Maybe you too can see me in your dreams as well.
Notes:
Five Lakes: Lake Tai, Hongze, Chao, Poyang, and Dongting
Xi Zi: The famous, and considered the most beautiful woman in Chinese history.
Yunmeng region: eastern Hubei Province
Wuchang: District in the city of Wuhan, Hubei Province
Commentary:
The nations of Wu and Yue fought, Wu won, the Yue king had to plead for his life. He promised to serve the Wu king as a servant. Meanwhile he plotted the return of his armies. He gave to the Wu king the most beautiful woman in Yue, XiZi. She got the Wu king to spend all of his money buying her beautiful estates. Later the Yue king brought his army back to Wu and took over the Wu nation.