江天渺渺江月霽 江上波光乍合離
一引洞簫春江夜 萬頃滉漾碧琉璃
明月遍照千江水 千江瀲灧月東西
雲邊鶴影誰化去 道人丹成著羽衣
江流千古月千古 月色江聲兩依依
江花渚中別樣紅 江畔高岸芳草萋
濤聲汩汩遠還近 江邊人立白石磯
天外清風如有意 隔水吹來拂面低
望中江波增浩淼 遠接銀漢星斗移
清江一棹風煙外 月落江心生漣漪
"Inspired by ancient Chinese music "春江花月夜" - "A Moonlit Night on the Spring River" (Played with Vertical Bamboo flute/Chinese Bamboo Xiao)
The river scatters moon and sky, congeals them, light and wavering.
A bamboo flute brings spring by night, rolling miles of blue-green glaze.
Bright moon, a thousand rivers, thousands flowing, east-west, overflowing.
A cloud, a shadow crane* — a Taoist, freed to feathers, leaves the maze.
Both river, moon, forever rhythmed; sound and colour bind each other.
Clear river’s flowers skirt an islet; high sides’ grass, a luscious place.
The clasps of waves sound far, then close; at river’s edge, white rock, a stranger.
Clear breeze beyond the heavens, come and cross the river, stroke my face.
Far off, the river’s glints expand, becoming stars and cosmic stipples.
Clear river: boat, through wind and smoke. Moon sinks to river’s heart, ripples.
* a shadow crane: In Chinese history, legend has it that when Taoists succeeded in their cultivation, they could become immortals. Sometimes they transformed themselves into a beautiful crane and flew into the heavens, or rode upon a crane and flew away.
Translated by Jennifer Zeng and Damian Robin