[updated November 2022]
Eastern Winds Blow: (Lang Ruan Returns)
东 风 吹: 阮 郎 归
东 风 吹 水 日 衔 山
春 来 长 是 闲。
落 花 狼 藉 酒 阑 珊
笙 歌 醉 梦 间。
佩 声 悄，晚 妆 残
凭 谁 整 翠 鬟？
留 连 光 景 惜 朱 颜
黄 昏 独 倚 阑。
Dong Feng Chui: (Ruan Lang Gui)
Dong feng chui shui ri xian shan
Chun lai chang shi xian.
Luo hua lang ji jiu lan shan
Sheng ge zui meng jian.
Pei sheng qiao, wan zhuang can
Ping shei zheng cui huan?
Liu lian guang jing xi zhu yan
Huang hun du yi lan.
Eastern Winds Blow: (Lang Ruan Returns)
Eastern winds blow, sun on the waters and cherished mountains
Spring arrives, long periods of idleness.
Fallen flowers and remains from a wine feast scattered and messy
In between drunk dreams, sheng music.
Waist pendant sounds silent, late-evening make-up remains
For whom is she dressing up, and wearing emerald-green jaded hairbuns?
She lingers to enjoy the valuable pearl colors and landscape reflections
Yellow dusk, so late and alone.
Notes:
Written in the year 971 when Li Yu became emperor. He sent a younger brother to negotiate for peace with the Song nation. The brother instead was held for ransom. Li Yu was worried about his fate.
Lang Ruan: Story of a man who went into the mountains. Along the way he met two female deities. Many years passed before he finally returned back home. Li Yu uses this story as a metaphor for his missing brother.
Sheng music: Made from a reed pipe wind instrument.