关山酒 – Bilingual Lyrics Chinese/English

• By: 等什么君

Lyrics & Translation

Embark on a linguistic and cultural journey with "关山酒" (Guanshan Wine), a captivating Guofeng song by 等什么君. Its poetic lyrics, steeped in classical Chinese imagery and historical allusions, offer a beautiful entry point for learning the language. The song's evocative themes of heroism, loyalty, and resilience, combined with its distinct traditional Chinese musical style, make it a special piece for understanding the nuances of Chinese culture and expression.

[English]

I pour wine at the mountain’s pass, all the ages flow down my throat.

There's also steaming snow to drink along with the turbulent winds and clouds.

I am an old friend from afar, the green mountains should age with me.

In my youth, I borrowed a silver spear to flaunt my charm.

Years of wind and snow have sharpened the blade, the north wind shares this lonely day.

In this chaotic world, I see the same rugged and thin faces.

The smoke of war outside the fortress has not dispersed, the yellow clouds bring widespread sorrow.

Fortunately, the red plum has lingered long, never falling from its branch.

The long smoke enters my embrace, I make hasty plans amidst chaos.

I tread across flying sands, drawing my sword to cut down enemies.

As the setting sun burns low, the spring breeze ascends the tall building.

In troubled times, the flames of war endlessly imprison Chang'an.

I pour wine at the mountain’s pass, all the ages flow down my throat.

There's also steaming snow to drink along with the turbulent winds and clouds.

I am an old friend from afar, the green mountains should age with me.

In my youth, I borrowed a silver spear to flaunt my charm.

...

I once rode through Chang'an, freely indulging in wine along ten streets.

A startling dream reflects the bonfires, tonight I’ll try a new helmet.

If my soul should break on the battlefield, I won’t see the land reclaimed.

Who will remain immortal with whom? Golden spears also rust over time.

Heaven’s fate is wild, like a solitary goose wandering away.

In this world, I pour out a belly full of ghostly schemes.

Singing freely, I raise my cup to the Big Dipper.

For thousands of miles, I wish to guard the mountains and rivers with you.

I pour wine at the mountain’s pass, all the ages flow down my throat.

There's also steaming snow to drink along with the turbulent winds and clouds.

I am an old friend from afar, the green mountains should age with me.

In my youth, I borrowed a silver spear to flaunt my charm.

I pour wine at the mountain’s pass, all the ages flow down my throat.

There's also steaming snow to drink along with the turbulent winds and clouds.

I am an old friend from afar, the green mountains should age with me.

In my youth, I borrowed a silver spear to flaunt my charm.

...

[Chinese]

我自關山點酒 千秋皆入喉

更有沸雪酌與風雲某

我是千里故人 青山應白首

年少猶借銀槍逞風流

幾載風雪捲刃 朔風同孤晝

瞧得亂世 一般嶙峋瘦

塞外硝煙未斷 黃雲遍地愁

僥倖紅梅久 不曾下枝頭

長煙入懷 潦草作運籌

踏過飛沙拔劍斬仇寇

殘陽暮火 春風上重樓

亂世烽火不盡長安囚

我自關山點酒 千秋皆入喉

更有沸雪酌與風雲某

我是千里故人 青山應白首

年少猶借銀槍逞風流

我曾長安走馬 十街任斗酒

驚夢照烽火 今宵試新鍪

倘若魂斷沙場 不見失地收

誰共誰不朽 金戈亦染鏽

天命輕狂 應似孤鴻遊

向人世間盡一腹鬼謀

縱意而歌 玉懷斟北斗

河山萬里願與君同守

我自關山點酒 千秋皆入喉

更有沸雪酌與風雲某

我是千里故人 青山應白首

年少猶借銀槍逞風流

我自關山點酒 千秋皆入喉

更有沸雪酌與風雲某

我是千里故人 青山應白首

年少猶借銀槍逞風流

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
酒 /jiǔ/ A1	noun - alcoholic beverage; liquor
青山 /qīng shān/ B1	noun - green mountains; beautiful mountains
故人 /gù rén/ B1	noun - old friend; former acquaintance
风云 /fēng yún/ B2	noun - wind and clouds; tumultuous events
年少 /nián shào/ B2	adjective - young; youthful
刀剑 /dāo jiàn/ B2	noun - sword; blade
风流 /fēng liú/ C1	adjective - romantic and carefree
长安 /cháng ān/ B2	noun - Chang'an; ancient capital city
烽火 /fēng huǒ/ C1	noun - beacon fire; signal of war
随意 /suí yì/ B1	adverb - at will; as one wishes
守 /shǒu/ A2	verb - to guard; to protect

Key Grammar Structures

• 我自關山點酒 千秋皆入喉

  ➔ Present tense with time expression

  ➔ The phrase '千秋皆入喉' uses '千秋' (thousands of autumns) as a time expression to indicate a long period, combined with the present tense '入喉' (goes down the throat), emphasizing a continuous action over time.

• 我是千里故人 青山應白首

  ➔ Present tense with modal verb

  ➔ The phrase '應白首' uses the modal verb '應' (should) in the present tense to express a natural or inevitable outcome, indicating that the mountains will turn white with age.

• 年少猶借銀槍逞風流

  ➔ Adverbial clause of concession

  ➔ The phrase '年少猶借銀槍' uses '猶' (still) to form a concessive clause, indicating that despite being young, the speaker still borrows a silver spear to show off.

• 瞧得亂世 一般嶙峋瘦

  ➔ Resultative complement

  ➔ The phrase '一般嶙峋瘦' serves as a resultative complement, describing the state of thinness and ruggedness as a result of the chaotic world.

• 長煙入懷 潦草作運籌

  ➔ Coordination of verbs

  ➔ The phrase '長煙入懷 潦草作運籌' coordinates two verbs '入懷' (enter the bosom) and '作運籌' (make plans) without a conjunction, emphasizing simultaneous actions.

• 亂世烽火不盡長安囚

  ➔ Adverbial phrase of negation

  ➔ The phrase '不盡' forms an adverbial phrase of negation, indicating that the war and chaos never end, keeping the people of Chang'an imprisoned.

• 天命輕狂 應似孤鴻遊

  ➔ Simile with '似'

  ➔ The phrase '應似孤鴻遊' uses the simile '似' (like) to compare the speaker's fate to that of a lone swan, emphasizing freedom and solitude.

• 河山萬里願與君同守

  ➔ Object clause with '與'

  ➔ The phrase '願與君同守' uses '與' (with) to introduce an object clause, expressing the wish to guard the rivers and mountains together with the addressee.