谪仙 – Bilingual Lyrics Chinese/English

• By: 葉里, 伊格賽聽

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the world of '谪仙' (Zhé Xiān) by Ye Li and Yi Ge Sai Ting. This song, rich with imagery of ancient Chinese aesthetics and storytelling, offers a wonderful opportunity to explore evocative Mandarin vocabulary related to mythology, literature, and a life of poetic abandon. Its melody and narrative make learning about Chinese culture through language a truly captivating experience.

[English]

The celestial song sounds like a jade flute, and the wine cup is as clear as jade dew

A light sword dance breezes past the shadow of a white robe

The newly built palace, finely carved with flowing gold, resounds with the sound of the konghou

One bold ink stroke leaves a poem of wild passion

In jade robes and with a long sword, one is truly dashing; the rivers and mountains bear no memory of the past

Composing poems in frenzy, yet there is no sorrow

The exiled immortal cannot linger in the jade palace; he descends to the mortal world to duel with wine in the Red Mansion

Passionate eyes, ink staining the scroll—how many more poetry battles?

Pour the fiercest wine in the world and recline in the towering heights of Chang’an

Having seen the whole world, who can match his carefree spirit?

In jade robes and with a long sword, one is truly dashing; the rivers and mountains bear no memory of the past

Composing poems in frenzy, yet there is no sorrow

The exiled immortal cannot linger in the jade palace; he descends to the mortal world to duel with wine in the Red Mansion

Passionate eyes, ink staining the scroll—how many more poetry battles?

Pour the fiercest wine in the world and recline in the towering heights of Chang’an

Having seen the whole world, who can match his carefree spirit?

The exiled immortal cannot linger in the jade palace; he descends to the mortal world to duel with wine in the Red Mansion

Passionate eyes, ink staining the scroll—how many more poetry battles?

Pour the fiercest wine in the world and recline in the towering heights of Chang’an

Having seen the whole world, who can match his carefree spirit?

[Chinese]

仙歌音玉笛靈 酒盞玉露清

劍舞輕 瀟灑過白袍影

新殿又細雕流金 聲聲箜篌鳴

一筆濃墨留詩狂情

玉袍長劍堪風流 山川不念舊

賦詩為狂也無有愁

稱謫仙瑤宮難留 去凡間紅樓鬥酒

多情眸 落墨詩卷又幾鬥

斟世間最烈的酒 臥長安巍巍高樓

看盡天下何人可似他無憂

玉袍長劍堪風流 山川不念舊

賦詩為狂也無有愁

稱謫仙瑤宮難留 去凡間紅樓鬥酒

多情眸 落墨詩卷又幾鬥

斟世間最烈的酒 臥長安巍巍高樓

看盡天下何人可似他無憂

稱謫仙瑤宮難留 去凡間紅樓鬥酒

多情眸 落墨詩卷又幾鬥

斟世間最烈的酒 臥長安巍巍高樓

看盡天下何人可似他無憂

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
仙 xiān B2	noun - immortal
笛 dí B1	noun - flute
酒 jiǔ A2	noun - wine; alcohol
盞 zhǎn B2	noun - cup; small cup for wine
清 qīng A2	adjective - clear; pure
劍 jiàn B1	noun - sword
舞 wǔ A2	noun - dance verb - to dance
輕 qīng B1	adjective - light; gentle
瀟灑 xiāo sǎ C1	adjective - unrestrained; elegant and free
袍 páo B2	noun - robe; gown
影 yǐng B1	noun - shadow; image
殿 diàn B2	noun - hall; palace hall
詩 shī B1	noun - poem; poetry
墨 mò B1	noun - ink
狂 kuáng B2	adjective - mad; wild
風流 fēng liú C1	adjective - romantic; elegant
愁 chóu B2	noun - sorrow; worry
眸 móu C1	noun - eye; pupil
烈 liè B2	adjective - strong; fierce; intense
憂 yōu B2	noun - worry; sorrow

Key Grammar Structures

• 劍舞輕 瀟灑過白袍影

  ➔ Adverbial use of 輕 (lightly)

  ➔ The word 輕 is used adverbially to describe the manner of the sword dance, meaning 'lightly' or 'gracefully'.

• 一筆濃墨留詩狂情

  ➔ Use of 留 (to leave/keep) with an object

  ➔ The verb 留 is used transitively with the object 詩狂情, meaning 'to leave behind' or 'to keep' the intense poetic emotion.

• 稱謫仙瑤宮難留

  ➔ Use of 稱 (to call/refer to)

  ➔ The verb 稱 is used to refer to someone as 'the exiled immortal', emphasizing the title or label.

• 去凡間紅樓鬥酒

  ➔ Use of 鬥 (to compete) in a verb phrase

  ➔ The verb 鬥 is used in the phrase 鬥酒, meaning 'to compete in drinking' or 'to drink heavily'.

• 看盡天下何人可似他無憂

  ➔ Use of 看盡 (to see through/exhaustively see)

  ➔ The phrase 看盡 is used to mean 'to see through everything' or 'to exhaustively see', emphasizing completeness.