送别 – Farewell song in memory of a girl from Old Beijing – 城南旧事

How many of you remember your favorite childhood movies? Isn’t it true that those old movies and songs remind you of the old good times that you had? 城南旧事 chéng nán jiùshì (My Memories of Old Beijing) was one of my favorite movies though I couldn’t fully understand all the spirit of the movie at that time.

城南旧事 chéng nán jiùshì was the memoir of Taiwanese writer 林海音 lín hǎi yīn’s childhood life in Beijing. The book was published in 1960 and a movie adaptation was done in 1984.

Two things that I’m sure to remember for the rest of my life about the movie are the face of little 英子 yīng zǐ and the theme song that is so unforgettable. Overall, it would have been a pleasant movie if it had not related the fate of 秀贞 xiù zhēn and her daughter, who were both killed by a passing train. That scared me quite a bit while watching since I couldn’t understand why such terrible thing could have happened to them.

Nowadays, an excerpt from chapter 爸爸的花儿谢了 bàba de huā’ér xiè le in the book has been edited into Elementary Chinese textbooks.

To this post, I added a video that captures some scenes of the 1984 version movie with its theme song 送别 sòngbié, playing in the background. It does bring back some old memories for me. Hope the song can bring some for you too. :-)

送别
长亭外，古道边，芳草碧连天。

晚风拂柳笛声残，夕阳山外山。

天之涯，海之角，知交半零落。

一瓢浊洒尽余欢，今宵别梦寒。

长亭外，古道边，芳草碧连天。

问君此去几时来，来时莫徘徊。

天之涯，海之角，知交半零落。

人生难得是欢聚，唯有别离多。


[pinyin]

sòngbié
Lǐ Shūtóng

cháng tíng wài， gǔdào biān， fāng cǎo bì liántiān。
wǎn fēng bì liǔ dí shēng cán， xīyáng shān wài shān。
tiān zhī yá， hǎi zhī jiǎo， zhījiāo bàn língluò。
yī piáo zhuó sǎ jìn yú huān， jīn xiāo bié mèng hán。
cháng tíng wài， gǔdào biān， fāng cǎo bì liántiān。
wèn jūn cǐ qù jǐshí lái， lái shí mò páihuái。
tiān zhī yá， hǎi zhī jiǎo， zhījiāo bàn língluò。
rénshēng nándé shì huān jù， wéiyǒu biélí duō。

[English translation]

Farewell

Translated by:  冯源 Feng Yuan (Hainan University, Haikou, China 570228)

Song in My Memories of Old Beijing (Shanghai Films Studio, 1982)
Translated by Feng Yuan

Out-side the road shelter by the ancient trail,
Grasses are green and wild.

Willows are waving with lingering flute,
The sun’s setting down the hill.

To the ends of the earth,
Gone are the friends and acquaintances.

Take a cup of farewell with kind wishes,
Leaves the heart with cold dreams.

Out-side the road shelter by the ancient trail,
Grasses are green and wild.

Hope you come back when it’s convenient,
Don’t hesitate to return.

To the ends of the earth,
Gone are the friends and acquaintances.
Always remember the happy together
When you are far away.