omg so last night Li Yugang, one of the most respected singers in the Chinese music industry, released a song called 羽生 (Yu Shēng/Hanyu). its a song he wrote for Yuzuru Hanyu, inspired by Yuzuru. i cant emphasize enough how big this is. everyone in China knows Li Yugang. i feel like everyones bound to fall in love with Yuzuru and his skating.
anyway he wrote a poetic essay on his Weibo to introduce this song. the song is STUNNING. pls give it a listen.
Thank you for sharing this!
Translations:
Post:
I forget, which day of which year was it? I was at work, with the TV on beside me, and from the TV came the voice of the Chinese commentator:
“I am fortunate to have known your peach blossom face, which brings me many days of spring across winding paths.”
A moving commentary, an extraordinary piece of writing; they made me imagine endlessly. I was quickly allured before the TV. What entered my sight was a young Eastern man (T/N: this description is not as weird in Chinese), dancing, unrestrained, upon the ice. I later learned that there is a young man by the name of Yuzuru Hanyu.
China is a nation of poetry. Through CCTV Sports’ Chen Ying’s commentary, I was able to better understand this young man, who brings people limitless beauty and strength.
“Face like jade. Posture like a pine tree. Flies like a startled goose. Graceful like a winding dragon.” And hence, I better comprehended, what is true sportsmanship? To cross mountains and oceans, cross nations, ceaselessly pursuing. To express love and peace.
Fate whispers to the warrior, “You cannot withstand the storm.” The warrior whispers back, “I am the storm.” A tenacious will, and a simple and genuine love can thaw all.
Today I sincerely wrote a song. Its title is “羽生 [Yusheng]” (T/N: “Hanyu”). I praise all people who bring good into this world, praise all people who work hard and fight! I praise all things, to be borne of feathers (T/N: uses the two characters from “Hanyu,” which individually mean “feather” and “birth”).
– Li Yugang
Song lyrics (all content in brackets are T/N):
(Commentary VO: “I am fortunate to have known your peach blossom face, which brings me many days of spring across winding paths.”)
羽落 Feathers fall [羽 is first character in “Hanyu”]
生生不息 To no end [common saying, uses 生 which is also second character in “Hanyu”]
结满 Fully bloom upon [结 is first character in “Yuzuru”]
思念的弦 The strings of longing [弦 is second character in “Yuzuru”]
风起 The wind rises
动了眉眼 And raises its brow
在人间 In this mortal realm
羽落 Feathers fall
生生不息 To no end
结满 Fully bloom upon
思念的弦 The strings of longing
盛世 A golden age
东方美颜 A beauty of the East
在祝愿 Are wishing well
容颜如玉 Face like jade
身姿如松 Posture like a pine tree
翩若惊鸿 Flies like a startled goose
婉若游龙 Graceful like a winding dragon
时光作度 As time crosses
眉目传书 And your eyes tell a story
羽化而生 Born after metamorphosis [uses 羽生, or “Hanyu”]
丝竹结弦 The strings connect upon the sizhu [traditional wooden string Chinese instruments; “strings connect” or 结弦 = “Yuzuru”]
幸得 Fortunate
识卿桃花面 To have known your peach blossom face
从此 Brings me
阡陌多暖阳 Many days of warm sun across winding paths
身无 Bodies have no
彩凤双飞翼 Wings like those of a phoenix
心有 Hearts have
灵犀一点通 Understanding like a rhino horn [the rhino horn historically was considered a magical and sensitive object. Together with the previous three lines, forms a saying about two people who cannot fly to meet one another, but whose hearts are linked]
羽落 Feathers fall
生生不息 To no end
结满 Fully bloom upon
思念的弦 The strings of longing
风起 The wind rises
动了眉眼 And raises its brow
在人间 In this mortal realm
羽落 Feathers fall
生生不息 To no end
结满 Fully bloom upon
思念的弦 The strings of longing
盛世 A golden age
东方美颜 A beauty of the East
在祝愿 Are wishing well
在祝愿 Are wishing well
General T/N: As noted by Li Yugang, a lot of the lyrics come from classic poetry. Many of the lines are often used in romantic contexts, or to show deep love for someone.
