Shirley Sung Chinese Popular Song--011: The Immensity of Water and Mountains

LISTEN TO SHIRLEY SING THE SONG

After learning to sing Chinese folk songs and art songs for about 4 years now, I have become interested in Chinese popular songs. I enjoy them for their freer style. Many excellent Chinese popular songs have learned from Western music styles, many of them have absorbed much nourishment from China’s own traditional music, dramas and operas and have their own Chinese character... :-)

I have enjoyed the Chinese popular song The Immensity of the Water and the Mountains as the theme song of the TV series,   Emperor Kangxi Wore Plain-Clothes to Inspect his Country Unofficially since I first heard it.

I enjoy it because I feel its tone, rhythm and style have a strong taste of Chinese traditional opera, especially that of the Beijing opera. I feel that it makes a good job of combining both the modern style and the traditional Chinese style... :-)

Kangxi(1662?1722) was one of the greatest emperors of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912) and in Chinese history and during his time as emperor China flourished. While he was emperor he visited most parts of the China and travelled to the South of China from far away Beijing to get to know and inspect the country. So since then and up to now there have been many art, music and literary works recording his travels.

This song and the TV series is just one of them. :-)


(Here is a link to ancient art works that record his travels to the South of China)

I do hope that my introduction and singing will be a little help to you in knowing more about Chinese culture and music and also in helping you to improve your own Chinese listening level... :-)


MAIN MEANING OF THE SONGLISTEN TO SHIRLEY SING THE SONG:

With my sharp sword,
I ride on my dapple horse,
to see the immensity of the water and themountains.
I am travelling day and night,
to feel the change of the moon and stars.
I have to see north and inspect south,
to deal with thousands and thousands of things,
Anyway, who can judge all the things in the world?
I have seen north and I have inspected south,
I know that everything and everyone can not escape
from heaven, the land and the human world...

I am going on a carriage pulled by two horses,
I am travelling by a boat with a black top.
The mountains are high and the road is far away,
no matter whether awake,
or dreaming,
the life of a person is very short indeed.
As an emperor in history,
he has dealt with thousands and thousands of things,
his merits and faults can only be commented on
by the common people
As an emperor in history,
he has dealt with thousands and thousands of things,
As everything and everyone,
neither can he escape
from heaven,the land and the human world...



CHINESE CHARACTERS AND PRONUNCIATION LISTEN TO SHIRLEY SING THE SONG:

五花马 -- Wu hua man,
青锋剑 -- qingfeng jian,
江山无限 -- jiangshang wuxiang。
夜一程 -- Ye yicheng,
昼一程 -- chou yichen,
星月轮转 -- xing yue lunchuan。
巡南走北 -- Xun nan zou bei,
悠悠万事 ? youyou wangshi
世 上 善 恶 谁 能 断 -- shi shang shan e shui neng duan。
巡南走北 -- Xun nan zou bei,
悠悠万事 -- wan shi youyou,
难逃天地人寰 -- nan tao tiandi renhuan。

双辕车 -- Shuang yuan che,
乌蓬船 -- wufeng chuan,
山高路远 -- shang gao lu yuan。
醒也罢 -- Xing ye ba,
梦也罢 -- meng ye ba,
人生路短 -- rensheng lu duan。
千古帝王 -- qian gu diwang,
悠悠万事 -- wan shi youyou,
功过自有百姓言-- gong guo zi you baixing yan。
千古帝王 -- qiangu diwang,
悠悠万事 -- wan shi youyou,
难逃天地人寰 -- nan tao tiandi renhuan。


LISTEN TO SHIRLEY SING THE SONG:

If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please write to shirley@ebridge.cn, or shirleyz004@yahoo.com, You are welcome to publish your opinions in Forum For Friends. :-)   

--Shirley
Written, Translated, Sung and Recorded on Sat, April 14, 2007