Thank you for sharing this!
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”).
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”]
思念的弦
The strings of longing
东方美颜
A beauty of the East
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
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”]
识卿桃花面
To have known your peach blossom face
阡陌多暖阳
Many days of warm sun across winding paths
彩凤双飞翼
Wings like those of a phoenix
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]
思念的弦
The strings of longing
思念的弦
The strings of longing
东方美颜
A beauty of the East
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.
