a debt of tears, a gay shark
While hoping to find the Dream of the Red Chamber TV drama from the 80s, I came across this gem, called "Dai-yu xiao le" ("Dai-yu Smiled").
I don't speak Cantonese at all, but here is my best shot at a humble translation, accompanied by commentary based on what I've read/know about the novel:
Dai-yu Smiled*
* Explaination for even the song title! But, uh, Dai-yu is not a character normally known for her smiles. She's totally tsundere and hypersensitive, so she cries a LOT. I can't remember the details, but in one scene the main character, Bao-yu says something about how precious/special her smiles are.
one western chamber* after another
so many, yet they seem like dilapidated temples
one purple hairpin** after another
so many of them are sparkling now
one thought after another
so many old memories that have yet to scatter* The Romance of the Western Chamber is a famous play that both Bao-yu and Dai-yu love.
** "Hairpin" in this case is written with same character as the "chai" in Bao-chai, the other lead female from the book and Dai-yu's love rival + bff. Dai-yu and Bao-chai are polar opposites, together they're meant to represent the ideal woman (at least for the main character, Bao-yu. in fact ,the "bao" in Bao-chai is the same as the one in Bao-yu, and same with Dai-yu's "yu".). The counter word used for "hairpin" is the one normally used for flowers; idk if this is one of those grammar things or a possible reference to how Dai-yu is supposed to be the reincarnation of a flower.one day at a time, it starts
only after many days does it become known
separating a moment of rest
yet there was never an omen
book after book of poetry and novels *
who can anticipate each scene?
* Not terribly important, but Dai-yu is one of the best poets out of all the characters in the novel. Since they're upper-class, most of the young people are educated and pretty involved in literature; the family matriarch suggests in one scene that fiction distorts their world views.
or maybe all of the mysteries have already been written
the earth has the sky
the moon has the stars
and then tears will have smiles
fate and duty have met
and hurriedly scattered again
I've already awakened from the dream of the red chamber
perhaps after one more autumn
I'll obtain everything I missed ** This may be a reference to the fact that Bao-yu, the lead male, loves Dai-yu, but marries Bao-chai. Or, well, he loves them both. I mentioned before that Dai-yu is the reincarnation of a flower; Bao-yu is the human avatar of the jade that watered the flower to bring it to life. Thus the flower promised to repay this debt with a lifetime of tears as a human girl. There's a lot of anguish over how Bao-yu and Bao-chai are fated to be together, yet he and Dai-yu still have to meet so that she can repay that debt.
I've accepted both parting and joining
and can no longer abandon you*
the dream of the red chamber is calling to me
there's no need to bury flowers**
just a need for a smile
crying over a person from the past ***
is too stupid* I don't really get this line orz. I don't know whether it's my shortcomings n Chinese or if it's a Canto-only set phrase that I just don't get.
** Dai-yu has a habit of gathering fallen flowers up and burying them. She associates strongly with them because of their short-lived beauty- Dai-yu herself has been sickly since childhood and is almost overly aware of her own mortality. In artwork, she's usually depicted burying flowers. The word used for "bury" is specifically for intering, but I wasn't sure if it'd sound too pretentious/unnatural to use "inter."
*** The debt of tears again.
one after another
one smile* after another
have blossomed
and hurriedly wilted
I've obtained
yet hurriedly lost again
only some thing that can't be forgotten
are true
are false**
I understood each and every one
yet got them confused again
in the end, there's only something I can't forget**** Again, the counter word used is the same for flowers.
** The main character Bao-yu's family name is Jia, a homophone for "false." There's another Bao-yu in the novel with the family name "Zhen," which is a homophone for "true" or "real." The two families are parallels, as are the two Bao-yus. They have similar personality characteristics but different fates.
*** About this line and the two that come before: A major theme of the novel of course is the tension between what's real and what's false. Ultimately, the idea is supposed to be that no one can really tell. It's a Taoist idea (along the same vein as Zhuangzi's butterfly dream) as well as a Buddhist one (the idea that all of existence is transient and illusory). Additionally, the "unforgettability" of that "something" may be because the entire text of the novel is supposed to be carved on the surface of the jade (after he finishes his life as Bao-yu on earth). <- this is why one of the book's many names is The Story of the Stone
one precious jade after another*
so many are mine
one daughter** after another
so many are stagnant
one thought after another
so many old memories that have yet to scatter* "Precious jade" is the same as Bao-yu's name. The counter used is normally for people.
** Although the phrase means "daughter," the two characters are literally "thousand gold." Just as Dai-yu is associated with the flower and Bao-yu with the jade, Bao-chai is associated with gold. As a human, Bao-yu was born with a jade in his mouth (the same jade he's an avatar of. so yeah, he kind of is and kind of isn't the jade itself at the same time). Bao-chai has a gold locket with an inscription that matches the inscription on Bao-yu's (not the story/novel. while on earth, it has a different, perfectly banal, inscription), and her parents were told by the monk who gave it to her that she can only marry someone who has jade to match her gold.
Oh, and again, the counter is the one normally used for people.
I've accepted both parting and joining
and can no longer abandon you
in the red dust*, I've discovered I've become so small
even if she must cry painfully,
even if she must smile
that envious** Dai-yu
realizes that burying flowers
isn't enough to stifle their charms
having regretted
became a broken dawn
and forgot* The world of the living, in Buddhism, is also called the Ream of Red Dust or something to that effect. A reference to how the jade was reincarnated in the human world as Bao-yu.
** Dai-yu gets jealous easily/a lot.
Anyway~~ I also have something else to share that I think more people would actually be interested in?
Now sharing: my Squalo folder.
Normally I don't care much for the ~*~ long-haired bishie ~*~ type, but Squalo is so freaking obnoxious ♥ (yes, that is endearing to me).
Click to viewI don't speak Cantonese at all, but here is my best shot at a humble translation, accompanied by commentary based on what I've read/know about the novel:
Dai-yu Smiled*
* Explaination for even the song title! But, uh, Dai-yu is not a character normally known for her smiles. She's totally tsundere and hypersensitive, so she cries a LOT. I can't remember the details, but in one scene the main character, Bao-yu says something about how precious/special her smiles are.
one western chamber* after another
so many, yet they seem like dilapidated temples
one purple hairpin** after another
so many of them are sparkling now
one thought after another
so many old memories that have yet to scatter* The Romance of the Western Chamber is a famous play that both Bao-yu and Dai-yu love.
** "Hairpin" in this case is written with same character as the "chai" in Bao-chai, the other lead female from the book and Dai-yu's love rival + bff. Dai-yu and Bao-chai are polar opposites, together they're meant to represent the ideal woman (at least for the main character, Bao-yu. in fact ,the "bao" in Bao-chai is the same as the one in Bao-yu, and same with Dai-yu's "yu".). The counter word used for "hairpin" is the one normally used for flowers; idk if this is one of those grammar things or a possible reference to how Dai-yu is supposed to be the reincarnation of a flower.one day at a time, it starts
only after many days does it become known
separating a moment of rest
yet there was never an omen
book after book of poetry and novels *
who can anticipate each scene?
* Not terribly important, but Dai-yu is one of the best poets out of all the characters in the novel. Since they're upper-class, most of the young people are educated and pretty involved in literature; the family matriarch suggests in one scene that fiction distorts their world views.
or maybe all of the mysteries have already been written
the earth has the sky
the moon has the stars
and then tears will have smiles
fate and duty have met
and hurriedly scattered again
I've already awakened from the dream of the red chamber
perhaps after one more autumn
I'll obtain everything I missed ** This may be a reference to the fact that Bao-yu, the lead male, loves Dai-yu, but marries Bao-chai. Or, well, he loves them both. I mentioned before that Dai-yu is the reincarnation of a flower; Bao-yu is the human avatar of the jade that watered the flower to bring it to life. Thus the flower promised to repay this debt with a lifetime of tears as a human girl. There's a lot of anguish over how Bao-yu and Bao-chai are fated to be together, yet he and Dai-yu still have to meet so that she can repay that debt.
I've accepted both parting and joining
and can no longer abandon you*
the dream of the red chamber is calling to me
there's no need to bury flowers**
just a need for a smile
crying over a person from the past ***
is too stupid* I don't really get this line orz. I don't know whether it's my shortcomings n Chinese or if it's a Canto-only set phrase that I just don't get.
** Dai-yu has a habit of gathering fallen flowers up and burying them. She associates strongly with them because of their short-lived beauty- Dai-yu herself has been sickly since childhood and is almost overly aware of her own mortality. In artwork, she's usually depicted burying flowers. The word used for "bury" is specifically for intering, but I wasn't sure if it'd sound too pretentious/unnatural to use "inter."
*** The debt of tears again.
one after another
one smile* after another
have blossomed
and hurriedly wilted
I've obtained
yet hurriedly lost again
only some thing that can't be forgotten
are true
are false**
I understood each and every one
yet got them confused again
in the end, there's only something I can't forget**** Again, the counter word used is the same for flowers.
** The main character Bao-yu's family name is Jia, a homophone for "false." There's another Bao-yu in the novel with the family name "Zhen," which is a homophone for "true" or "real." The two families are parallels, as are the two Bao-yus. They have similar personality characteristics but different fates.
*** About this line and the two that come before: A major theme of the novel of course is the tension between what's real and what's false. Ultimately, the idea is supposed to be that no one can really tell. It's a Taoist idea (along the same vein as Zhuangzi's butterfly dream) as well as a Buddhist one (the idea that all of existence is transient and illusory). Additionally, the "unforgettability" of that "something" may be because the entire text of the novel is supposed to be carved on the surface of the jade (after he finishes his life as Bao-yu on earth). <- this is why one of the book's many names is The Story of the Stone
one precious jade after another*
so many are mine
one daughter** after another
so many are stagnant
one thought after another
so many old memories that have yet to scatter* "Precious jade" is the same as Bao-yu's name. The counter used is normally for people.
** Although the phrase means "daughter," the two characters are literally "thousand gold." Just as Dai-yu is associated with the flower and Bao-yu with the jade, Bao-chai is associated with gold. As a human, Bao-yu was born with a jade in his mouth (the same jade he's an avatar of. so yeah, he kind of is and kind of isn't the jade itself at the same time). Bao-chai has a gold locket with an inscription that matches the inscription on Bao-yu's (not the story/novel. while on earth, it has a different, perfectly banal, inscription), and her parents were told by the monk who gave it to her that she can only marry someone who has jade to match her gold.
Oh, and again, the counter is the one normally used for people.
I've accepted both parting and joining
and can no longer abandon you
in the red dust*, I've discovered I've become so small
even if she must cry painfully,
even if she must smile
that envious** Dai-yu
realizes that burying flowers
isn't enough to stifle their charms
having regretted
became a broken dawn
and forgot* The world of the living, in Buddhism, is also called the Ream of Red Dust or something to that effect. A reference to how the jade was reincarnated in the human world as Bao-yu.
** Dai-yu gets jealous easily/a lot.
Anyway~~ I also have something else to share that I think more people would actually be interested in?
Now sharing: my Squalo folder.
Normally I don't care much for the ~*~ long-haired bishie ~*~ type, but Squalo is so freaking obnoxious ♥ (yes, that is endearing to me).