A translation of Su Shi's "Prelude to Water Melody" (theme song in My Heroic Husband (2021))
One of my favourite theme songs in My Heroic Husband (2021) was the ending theme - Prelude to Water Melody 水調歌頭, which sets the famous Song dynasty poem of Su Shi 蘇軾 aka Su Dong Po 蘇東坡 (1037-1101) to music. It is sung by Zheng Yun Long in My Heroic Husband - you can listen to the song here.
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| Ep7: A show stopping rendition |
As well as being the ending theme song, Prelude to Water Melody is used to great effect in episode 7, when Ning Yi saves the day by pulling off a stunning performance of this song, directed with modern day special effects (wire work, lighting, petal machines, fireworks etc) and alongside a secret weapon break out star. See here for a short clip💛
I think Prelude to Water Melody is a great choice of song for the drama - it captures all the wistful longing for reunion with loved ones who are far away and who may be wishing on the same moon...
As the prelude of Su Shi's poem/song explains, it was written at the time of the Mid-Autumn Festival of the year 1076 AD. After getting drunk, he recalls his younger brother, Su Zhe (courtesy name Zi You), whom he had not seen for some years and who is far away in Jinan. Missing his brother, he pens the famous ci 詞 style poem, set to the tune of Prelude to Water Melody 水調歌頭.
I've tried to capture the essence of the poem/song below in my translation below, but inevitably, much of the beauty of Shu Shi's words are lost in translation. All mistakes are, of course, my own.
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水調歌頭 - 蘇軾 Prelude to Water Melody, by Su Shi 丙辰
中秋， 明月幾時有? When will there be a bright moon? 把酒問青天。 I raise a wine cup to the clear skies and ask. 不知天上宮闕, In the celestial palaces, 今夕是何年? What year is it this evening? 我欲乘風歸去, I wish to ride the winds to return, 又恐瓊樓玉宇, But fear the jade towers, 高處不勝寒。 It is unconquerably bleak and cold in lofty places. 起舞弄清影, To begin a playful dance with one's clear shadow, 何似在人間。 Is this akin to being in the mortal world? 轉朱閣, The moon surrounds the red mansion, 低綺戶, Descends to silken doors, 照無眠。 Shining on the sleepless. 不應有恨, It should bear no resentments, 何事長向別時圓 So why is it oft full moon during times of
separation? 人有悲歡離合, People have sorrows, joys, separations and reunions, 月有陰晴圓缺, The moon may be dim or bright, it may wax or wane, 此事古難全。 These imperfections have been the case of old. 但願人長久, But the hope is that you long remain, 千里共嬋娟。 Though thousands of miles apart, we can still share together the moon's beauty. |
