Feb 4, 2006

LISTEN TO THE TEXTLISTEN TO CHINESE FOLK DANCE MUSIC --WATER LILY SONG


Hi, friends, have you heard the lines that "There is heaven in the sky, there are Suzhou and Hangzhou in the human world"? That means Suzhou and Hangzhou are the most beautiful places in China. So, today, I would like to introduce a new Chinese classical poem that relates to a view in the most beautiful place -- the West Lake in Hangzhou Xiao Chu Jingcisi Song Lin Zifang -- Going Out Of Jingci Temple To Send Lin Zifang In The Morning By Song Dynasty (960-1279)poet Yang Wangli(1127 --1206).

Yang Wangli was a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations in 1125. He insisted to fight again the aggression from a Dynasty names Jin(1115 - 1234) that was North of China. But, he was excluded and died with a sorrow heart.   

Yang Wangli was a famous poet in Song Dynasty(960-1279) He was one of the Greatest Four Masters of South Song and had a same reputation as You Mao, Fang Dacheng, Lu You in Chinese literature history. He had created over 20,000 poems and now there are still more than 4200 poems in the world.

I enjoy this poem for it is writing something about sending off a friend, but instead of talking something sad, it just writes a beautiful landscape of a corner of the West Lake -- lotus pool and its view and gives readers a quite wide imagination room. :-)

The West Lake is the most beautiful place of Hangzhou. I do hope someday that you have an opportunity to visit there and to see the wonderful lotus flowers.

For helping you to know how Chinese enjoy water lily. I have recorded a modern Chinese folk music Water Lily Song for you.:-) For the file is too big and I had to compress it from over 42,000k to be 786k, the sound has be affected, just give you a basic impression. :-)   

MAIN MEANING OF THE POEM

After all it's the Middle of June of the West Lake,
The beautiful view is really different
from the other seasons.
The lotus leaves are so wide and endless,
they are connecting the skyline
with their so much bluish green,
to set off the beautiful water lilies
especially red in the sunshine.

NEW WORDS

Note: Please hit any Chinese character that you need helped, to see its Chinese pinyin, pronunciation, meaning and follow me to read it.

CHINESE CHRACTERS AND PRONUNCIATION

晓出净慈寺送林子方--Xiao Chu Jingcisi Song Lin Zifang

杨万里 -- Yang Wangli

毕竟西湖六月中 -- bìjìng xīhú lìuyuè zhōng,
风光不与四时同 -- fēngguāng bùyǔ sìshí tóng。
接天莲叶无穷碧 -- jīetiān liányè wúqióngbì,
映日荷花别样红 -- yìngrì héhuā bié。


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


--Shirley
Written and Recorded On Sun, Feb 5, 2006