TO THE TUNE “SHUI DIAO GE TOU: SONG OF WATER”

Since when has the moon been up there?

Lifting my wine cup, I ask the sky. What season is it

for the immortals in the palace of clouds?

I would ride up there on the horses of gale, but I fear

the winter in the transparent palaces made

of crystal and onyx would erase my shadow. I dance

with my shadow and know it is still good

to be in this world. Curving past the crimson chamber,

the moon hangs low in the window to be with

the sleepless travelers. The moon shouldn’t detest us mortals,

but why is it always beautiful when men part?

How we never get used to the joy in meetings, fear

parting, toyed with by the moon’s wax and wane.

This brokenness we must get used to. Friend, I wish you

a long life from a thousand miles away.

Night after night, a moon hangs up in two windows.

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苏轼 Su Shi (1037–1101), also known as Su Dongpo, was a multifaceted figure in the Northern Song dynasty. He excelled in poetry, essays, calligraphy, painting, gastronomy, and travel writing. He had a lengthy career in bureaucracy, including briefly serving as a senior official at the imperial court. Su Shi faced political challenges due to his outspoken criticism and involvement in rivalries, and his creative career flourished during periods of political exile. He is one of the most accomplished figures in classical Chinese literature. Among his many contributions is the famous dish Dongpo meat, a preparation of pork belly that is pan-fried and then red-cooked, a beloved culinary classic in China.

方商羊 Shangyang Fang grew up in Chengdu, China. He is the author of Burying the Mountain.