Recital of the Chinese poem on a memorial stone at Cambridge – 再别康桥 Leaving the Revisited Cambridge

Posted by Grace Feng on September 7, 2012

The first two lines of a famous Chinese poem were inscribed on a memorial stone at Cambridge in England.

If you’ve ever been to Cambridge, if you’ve ever come by the stone, today’s post will help you understand what was written on the stone. As you might guessed, the stone is to commemorate 徐志摩 (January 15, 1897 – November 19, 1931) Xu Zhimo, who was a poet, a university teacher, also one of the pioneers in forming modern Chinese literature. He devoted his short lifetime to pursue freedom, love and beauty.

The two years that he spent at Cambridge as a student might have been the most beautiful memories in his life. During the two years in Cambridge, he was largely inspired by British literature, which sparkled his enthusiasm on creating modern style poems that had become widely loved by generations to come. His love affair with a talented Chinese beauty 林徽因 Lin Huiyin also happened during that period. The affair left a heart broken Xu alone at Cambridge.

Some time later, Xu revisited Cambridge and was overwhelmed by all the bitter and sweet memories. On his leaving, he wrote down this beautiful poem for Cambridge, which turned out to be his farewell to Cambridge.

He died a few years later in a plane crash at age 34.

You will read and listen to the recital of this poem by a female voice in the video (with background music).

[simplified Chinese with pin yin]

再别康桥 zài bié Kāngqiáo

轻轻的我走了 Qīng qīng de wǒ zǒu le

正如我轻轻的来 Zhèng rú wǒ qīng qīng de lái

我轻轻的招手 Wǒ qīng qīng de zhāo shǒu

作别西天的云彩 Zuò bié xī tiān de yún cai

那河畔的金柳 Nà hé pàn de jīn liǔ

是夕阳中的新娘 Shì xī yáng zhōng de xīn niáng

波光裡的艷影 Bō guāng li de yàn yǐng

在我的心头荡漾 Zài wǒ de xīn tóu dàng yàng

软泥上的青荇 Ruǎn ní shàng de qīng xìng

油油的在水底招摇 Yóu yóu de zài shuǐ dǐ zhāo yáo

在康河的柔波裡 Zài kāng hé de róu bō li

我甘心做一条水草 Wǒ gān xīn zuò yī tiáo shuǐ cǎo

那榆荫下的一潭不是清泉 Nà yú yīn xià de yī tán bù shì qīng quán

是天上虹揉碎在浮藻间 Shì tiān shàng hóng róu suì zài fú zǎo jiān

沉淀着彩虹似的梦 Chén diàn zhe cǎi hóng shì de mèng

撑一支长篙 Chēng yī zhī cháng gāo

向青草更青处漫溯 Xiàng qīng cǎo gèng qīng chù màn sù

满载一船星辉 Mǎn zài yī chuán xīng huī

在星辉斑烂裡放歌 Zài xīng huī bān lán li fàng gē

但我不能放歌 Dàn wǒ bù néng fàng gē

悄悄是别离的笙箫 Qiāo qiāo shì bié lí de shēng xiāo

夏虫也为我沉默 Xià chóng yě wèi wǒ chén mò

沉默是今晚的康桥 Chén mò shì jīn wǎn de kāng qiáo

悄悄的我走了 Qiāo qiāo de wǒ zǒu le

正如我悄悄的来 Zhèng rú wǒ qiāo qiāo de lái

我挥一挥衣袖 Wǒ huī yī huī yī xiù

不带走一片云彩 Bù dài zǒu yī piàn yún cai

 

[traditional Chinese with pinyin]

再別康橋 zài bié Kāngqiáo

輕輕的我走了 Qīng qīng de wǒ zǒu le

正如我輕輕的來 Zhèng rú wǒ qīng qīng de lái

我輕輕的招手 Wǒ qīng qīng de zhāo shǒu

作別西天的雲彩 Zuò bié xī tiān de yún cai

那河畔的金柳 Nà hé pàn de jīn liǔ

是夕陽中的新娘 Shì xī yáng zhōng de xīn niáng

波光裡的艷影 Bō guāng li de yàn yǐng

在我的心頭蕩漾 Zài wǒ de xīn tóu dàng yàng

軟泥上的青荇 Ruǎn ní shàng de qīng xìng

油油的在水底招搖 Yóu yóu de zài shuǐ dǐ zhāo yáo

在康河的柔波裡 Zài kāng hé de róu bō li

我甘心做一條水草 Wǒ gān xīn zuò yī tiáo shuǐ cǎo

那榆蔭下的一潭不是清泉 Nà yú yīn xià de yī tán bù shì qīng quán

是天上虹揉碎在浮藻間 Shì tiān shàng hóng róu suì zài fú zǎo jiān

沉澱著彩虹似的夢 Chén diàn zhe cǎi hóng shì de mèng

撐一支長篙 Chēng yī zhī cháng gāo

向青草更青處漫溯 Xiàng qīng cǎo gèng qīng chù màn sù

滿載一船星輝 Mǎn zài yī chuán xīng huī

在星輝斑爛裡放歌 Zài xīng huī bān lán li fàng gē

但我不能放歌 Dàn wǒ bù néng fàng gē

悄悄是別離的笙簫 Qiāo qiāo shì bié lí de shēng xiāo

夏蟲也為我沉默 Xià chóng yě wèi wǒ chén mò

沉默是今晚的康橋 Chén mò shì jīn wǎn de kāng qiáo

悄悄的我走了 Qiāo qiāo de wǒ zǒu le

正如我悄悄的來 Zhèng rú wǒ qiāo qiāo de lái

我揮一揮衣袖 Wǒ huī yī huī yī xiù

不帶走一片雲彩 Bù dài zǒu yī piàn yún cai

 

[English translation]

Curtsey of http://people.ds.cam.ac.uk

Leaving the Revisited Cambridge

Quietly now I leave the Cam,
As quietly as I came.
Gently wave farewell the clouded
Western sky aflame—

There the golden willow stands
a bride of sunset’s glow.
How its dancing ripples glint
and stir my heart below;

crowded rushes wave in water
bouncing with the weed
flowing slick by soft-soil’d banks—
I long to thus proceed!

Duckweed-crumpled rainbow’s pool
of iridescent dream
pure as springs ’neath elmtree’s bough—
O search the shrouded stream;

Punt toward the yonder whence
the emerald fields lie;
Return with joyous song engulfed
by tranquil starlit sky.

But as for me, I cannot sing
this muted summer’s evening;
Even insects hush, as silence
plays the flute for leaving.

Stealth’ly now I part from Cam,
As bid farewell I must.
Waving sleeve so gently lest
a cloudspeck I should dust.

 

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Category: Chinese poems

Tags: Chinese poem, learn Chinese online, Leaving the Revisited Cambridge, 再别康桥

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