赤伶 – Bilingual Lyrics Chinese/English

• By: 执素兮

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the poignant story of “赤伶,” a song that blends Chinese opera with modern music to tell of sacrifice and patriotism. Explore the rich cultural elements and historical context woven into the lyrics, and understand the emotional depth conveyed through its melodies. This song offers a unique window into Chinese history and the art of its opera.

[English]

People walk by on the stage, the old colors have faded.

The person on stage sings a heartbreaking farewell song.

It’s difficult to write emotions, she sings with blood to harmonize.

The curtain rises, the curtain falls, who is the guest?

In this play, the sleeves rise and fall.

Singing of joys and sorrows, singing of partings and reunions, has nothing to do with me.

The fan opens and closes, the drums sound and then fall silent.

Emotions in the play, people outside the play, who can say?

Accustomed to blending all joys and sorrows into the performance.

What does it matter if the old lines are sung through? Both the bones and the ashes are me.

In chaotic times, I endure watching the flames consume the mountains and rivers.

In a lowly position, I dare not forget the worries of the nation, even if no one knows me.

People walk by on the stage, the old colors have faded.

The person on stage sings a heartbreaking farewell song.

It’s difficult to write emotions, she sings with blood to harmonize.

The curtain rises, the curtain falls, who is the guest?

Ah...

Ah...

In this play, the sleeves rise and fall.

Singing of joys and sorrows, singing of partings and reunions, has nothing to do with me.

The fan opens and closes, the drums sound and then fall silent.

Emotions in the play, people outside the play, who can say?

Accustomed to hiding all joys and sorrows within the performance.

What does it matter if the old lines are sung through? Both the bones and the ashes are me.

In chaotic times, I endure watching the flames consume the mountains and rivers.

In a lowly position, I dare not forget the worries of the nation, even if no one knows me.

People walk by on the stage, the old colors have faded.

The person on stage sings a heartbreaking farewell song.

It’s difficult to write emotions, she sings with blood to harmonize.

The curtain rises, the curtain falls, in the end, I am just a guest.

As you finish singing, I take the stage.

Do not mock the performance of the wind and moon, do not laugh at humanity's absurdities.

I’ve once asked about prosperity and decline, I’ve once sung strongly about rise and fall.

Is there indifference? Is there affection? How to contemplate?

Is there indifference? Is there affection? What a waste of contemplation.

[Chinese]

台下人走过 不见旧颜色

台上人唱着 心碎离别歌

情字难落墨 她唱须以血来和

戏幕起 戏幕落 谁是客

戏一折 水袖起落

唱悲欢 唱离合 无关我

扇开合 锣鼓响又默

戏中情 戏外人 凭谁说

惯将喜怒哀乐都融入粉墨

陈词唱穿又如何 白骨青灰皆是我

乱世浮萍忍看烽火燃山河

位卑未敢忘忧国 哪怕无人知我

台下人走过 不见旧颜色

台上人唱着 心碎离别歌

情字难落墨 她唱须以血来和

戏幕起 戏幕落 谁是客

啊……

啊……

戏一折 水袖起落

唱悲欢 唱离合 无关我

扇开合 锣鼓响又默

戏中情 戏外人 凭谁说

惯将喜怒哀乐都藏入粉墨

陈词唱穿又如何 白骨青灰皆是我

乱世浮萍忍看烽火燃山河

位卑未敢忘忧国 哪怕无人知我

台下人走过 不见旧颜色

台上人唱着 心碎离别歌

情字难落墨 她唱须以血来和

戏幕起 戏幕落 终是客

你方唱罢我登场

莫嘲风月戏 莫笑人荒唐

也曾问青黄 也曾铿锵唱兴亡

道无情 道有情 怎思量

道无情 道有情 费思量

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
台下 tái xià C1	noun - below the stage; area where the audience is
旧颜色 jiù yán sè C2	noun - old colors; past appearance or mood
心碎 xīn suì B2	adjective - heartbroken; deeply saddened
离别 lí bié B1	noun - parting; separation
情字 qíng zì C2	noun - the word 'love' or 'emotion'; representing feelings
难落墨 nán luò mò C2	verb phrase - difficult to put into ink; hard to express in writing
戏幕 xì mù B2	noun - theatrical curtain; act of a play
水袖 shuǐ xiù C2	noun - water sleeves; traditional long sleeves used in Chinese opera
喜怒哀乐 xǐ nù āi lè B2	noun - joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness; human emotions
粉墨 fěn mò C2	noun - powder and ink; makeup and paint in traditional Chinese theater
陈词 chén cí C1	noun - set phrases; stereotyped speech
白骨 bái gǔ B2	noun - white bones; skeletal remains
山河 shān hé B2	noun - mountains and rivers; landscape, country
忧国 yōu guó C1	noun - concern or worry for the country
兴亡 xīng wáng C2	noun - rise and fall; prosperity and decline of a state or nation
思量 sī liáng C1	verb - to ponder; to consider deeply

Key Grammar Structures

• 台下人走过 不见旧颜色

  ➔ 不见 (bù jiàn) - no longer visible/present

  ➔ The phrase "不见" indicates that something that was once present is no longer visible or has disappeared. It implies a sense of loss or change. Here, it means "the old colors are no longer seen/visible." The relevant word is "不见".

• 情字难落墨

  ➔ 难 + Verb (nán + V) - difficult to do something

  ➔ The structure "难 + Verb" expresses that an action is difficult or hard to perform. "落墨" means to put brush to paper, to write. So "难落墨" means "difficult to put into words/write down." The relevant phrase is "难落墨".

• 她唱须以血来和

  ➔ 须以...来... (xū yǐ... lái...) - must use... to... (Literary/formal expression)

  ➔ This is a formal and somewhat archaic structure. "须" means 'must' or 'need to'. "以...来..." means 'to use... to...'. The entire phrase indicates that she "must use blood to accompany/harmonize with her singing," emphasizing the depth of her emotional sacrifice. The relevant words are "须" and "以...来...".

• 唱悲欢 唱离合 无关我

  ➔ 无关 (wú guān) - unrelated to, has nothing to do with

  ➔ "无关" is a common fixed phrase indicating a lack of connection or relevance. It means "has nothing to do with" or "is irrelevant to." Here, it means "has nothing to do with me." The relevant word is "无关".

• 惯将喜怒哀乐都融入粉墨

  ➔ 惯将...都... (guàn jiāng... dōu...) - accustomed to taking/putting... all into... ("将" as a literary object marker)

  ➔ "将" is a literary equivalent of "把" (bǎ), used to mark the direct object before the verb. "都" emphasizes that *all* of something is involved. "惯" means accustomed to. So, "惯将...都融入..." means "accustomed to integrating all [emotions] into [the performance]." The relevant words are "惯将" and "都".

• 陈词唱穿又如何

  ➔ V + 穿 (V + chuān) - resultative complement indicating thoroughness/exhaustion; 又如何 (yòu rúhé) - rhetorical question, "so what?"

  ➔ "唱穿" uses the resultative complement "穿" (chuān) to imply singing something so much that it's "worn out" or thoroughly performed. "又如何" is a rhetorical question meaning "so what?" or "what does it matter?", suggesting that the outcome is insignificant. The relevant words are "唱穿" and "又如何".

• 位卑未敢忘忧国

  ➔ 未敢 (wèi gǎn) - dare not yet (literary negative adverb "未")

  ➔ "未" is a formal/literary negative adverb meaning "not yet" or "haven't." It is often used in classical Chinese or formal contexts. "未敢" means "dare not yet" or "have not dared to." The relevant word is "未敢".

• 哪怕无人知我

  ➔ 哪怕... (nǎpà...) - even if, even though (concessive conjunction)

  ➔ "哪怕" introduces a concession, meaning "even if" or "even though." It indicates that something will happen or a certain attitude will be maintained regardless of the challenging condition that follows. The relevant word is "哪怕".

• 你方唱罢我登场

  ➔ 方...罢... (fāng... bà...) - just finished... then... (Literary temporal structure)

  ➔ This is a literary and concise way to express a sequence of actions. "方" means "just" or "just now," and "罢" acts as a verb complement indicating completion, often followed by another action, meaning "as soon as... finished, then...". The relevant words are "方" and "罢".

• 莫嘲风月戏

  ➔ 莫 + Verb (mò + V) - do not, don't (literary imperative)

  ➔ "莫" is a formal or literary imperative, equivalent to "不要" (bùyào) or "别" (bié), meaning "do not" or "don't." It expresses a prohibition or a warning. The relevant word is "莫".