<em>Prior to my introduction to this sublime poem, I wish to express my sincere thanks to Jonathan, who helped me a lot in editing what I wrote. Without his refinements, this would have been insipid or even misleading.</em>

The poem I would like to share with you below is "Shuidiao Getou" (水调歌头) by the Song Dynasty poet, Su Shi (苏轼; 1037-1101). By way of explanation, Shuidiao Getou, meaning Prelude to Water Melody, is the name of a traditional Chinese melody that serves as a basis for a poem in the Ci (词) style, while Ci is one of the literary genres that are unique to the Song dynasty. As was the custom then, Su, as well as other poets, overlay different lyrics to make a poem based on this traditional Chinese melody, to aid in its recitation. While numerous poets have also written different lyrics to the melody, the one I will introduce to you now, is arguably one of the most famous.

In addition to his later fame for his poems, Su was also a competent government official and major personality of the Song era, and later on, widely regarded as one of the most accomplished and influential figures in classical Chinese literature. In spite of his competence in his duties, and his immense artistic talents, he often clashed with other officials over policies that negatively affected those he represented, and as a result, endured two lengthy political exiles during his lifetime. From the last one, he finally received a pardon in 1100, as well as a new government posting in Chengdu. However, he died in Changzhou after his period of exile and while he was en route to his new assignment in the year 1101.

As difficult as his life was, Su always maintained a positive attitude, an outlook that not only formed the basis of his artistic work, but also found ample expression in it. He composed this Shuidiao Getou during the Mid-Autumn Festival in 1076, as he was thinking about his younger brother Su Zhe (苏辙; 1039–1112) whose courtesy name is Zi You (子由). This occasion has been an important festival since the days of the Shang Dynasty, and has often been a traditional time for family reunions. Having endured separation from his brother for the past 7 years, Su greatly longed for his company, particularly during this highly celebrated and family oriented holiday. He contemplated the fact that even though they were far apart in physical distance, they somehow might be able to share the beauty of the same moon at the same time. Those were the reasons behind his words and his writing of this legendary poem. 

Here is my favorite English version of it as translated by Xu Yuanchong (许渊冲), who is a translator par excellence in China, and best known for translating ancient Chinese poems into English and French. There is a preface before the body of the poem which was not translated by Xu. For easier understanding, I combined the translation of the preface by Zhu Manhua (朱曼华) with Xu’s translation.

<em style="color: rgb(107, 36, 178);">In the Chinese Moon Festival, (the 15th day of the 8th Lunar Month), 1077, I fuddled my cap until dawn and wrote this while thinking of my brother Zi Youh.</em>

Here is the original poem both in simplified and traditional Chinese characters. The use of Pinyin shows how the lyrics rhyme.

水调歌头

【宋】苏轼

丙辰中秋，欢饮达旦，大醉，作此篇，兼怀子由。

明月几时有，把酒问青天。不知天上宫阙，今夕是何年。我欲乘风归去，又恐琼楼玉宇，高处不胜寒。起舞弄清影，何似在人间。

转朱阁，低绮户，照无眠。不应有恨，何事长向别时圆？人有悲欢离合，月有阴晴圆缺，此事古难全。但愿人长久，千里共婵娟。

水調歌頭

【宋】蘇軾

丙辰中秋，歡飲達旦，大醉，作此篇，兼懷子由。

明月幾時有，把酒問青天。不知天上宮闕，今夕是何年。我欲乘風歸去，又恐瓊樓玉宇，高處不勝寒。起舞弄清影，何似在人間。

轉朱閣，低綺戶，照無眠。不應有恨，何事長向別時圓？人有悲歡離合，月有陰晴圓缺，此事古難全。但願人長久，千裏共嬋娟。

shuǐ diào gē tóu

【 sòng 】 sū shì

bǐng chén zhōng qiū ， huān yǐn dá dàn ， dà zuì ， zuò cǐ piān ， jiān huái zǐ yóu 。

míng yuè jǐ shí yǒu ， bǎ jiǔ wèn qīng tiān 。 bù zhī tiān shàng gōng què ， jīn xī shì hé nián 。 wǒ yù chéng fēng guī qù ， yòu kǒng qióng lóu yù yǔ ， gāo chù bù shèng hán 。 qǐ wǔ nòng qīng yǐng ， hé sì zài rén jiān 。

zhuǎn zhū gé ， dī qǐ hù ， zhào wú mián 。 bù yīng yǒu hèn ， hé shì cháng xiàng bié shí yuán ？ rén yǒu bēi huān lí hé ， yuè yǒu yīn qíng yuán quē ， cǐ shì gǔ nán quán 。 dàn yuàn rén cháng jiǔ ， qiān lǐ gòng chán juān 。

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<em>Enjoy!</em>