The full text of Su Shi's "Shui Tiao Ge Tou" is as follows:
"Shui Diao Ge Tou·When Will the Bright Moon Come"
Author: Su Shi
Bingchen was drunk until the end of the Mid-Autumn Festival, and I wrote this article because I was pregnant with my son.
When will the bright moon appear? Ask the sky for wine. I don’t know what year it is today in the palace in the sky. I want to ride the wind back home, but I'm afraid it's too cold in the high places. Dance to figure out the shadow, how does it seem to be in the human world.
Turn to the Zhu Pavilion, where you will find a low-rise house, and the light will make you sleepless. There shouldn't be any hatred, so what's the point of saying goodbye? People have joys and sorrows, separations and reunions, and the moon waxes and wanes. This is a difficult thing in ancient times. I hope that people will live long and travel thousands of miles to meet Chanjuan.
『Translation』
During the Mid-Autumn Festival of the Bingchen year (1076 AD), I drank all night long until dawn and was very drunk. I took the opportunity to write this article while expressing my feelings for my younger brother. Feelings of nostalgia.
When will there be a bright moon like the Mid-Autumn Festival? I held my wine glass and asked the sky. I don't know what day it is now in the palace where Gao Yao is above. I wanted to use the wind to go back to the sky to have a look, but I was worried that the jade building was too high and I couldn't stand the cold. I stood up and danced, admiring my clear shadow under the moonlight. The moon palace could not be as heart-warming as the fireworks on earth.
The moon moved, turned around the vermilion pavilion, and hung low on the carved windows, illuminating those who were not sleepy. The bright moon shouldn't have any resentment towards people, but why does it always become full when people leave? Life is full of joys and sorrows, and the moon often waxes and wanes. (The moon is also full when you want people to be reunited.) Such good things have been difficult to have both at the same time since ancient times. I just hope that all the relatives in this world can be safe, healthy and live a long life, and that they can still enjoy the bright moon even if they are thousands of miles apart.
『Notes』
Bingchen: refers to 1076 AD (the ninth year of Xining, Shenzong of the Song Dynasty). In this year, Su Shi served as the prefect of Mizhou (now Zhucheng City, Shandong Province).
Dadan: Until dawn.
Ziyou: The name of Su Zhe, Su Shi’s younger brother.
Put the wine in hand: Pick up the wine glass. Hold, hold, hold.
Heavenly Palace (què): refers to the palace in the middle of the moon. Que, the stone platform behind the ancient city wall.
Go back: Go back, here refers to returning to the moon palace.
Qiong (qióng) Lou Yuyu: a building made of beautiful jade, referring to the imaginary fairy palace.
Invincible (shèng, pronounced shēng in the old days): unable to withstand.
Sheng: bear, endure.
Clear the shadow: It means that the figure under the moonlight also makes various dance postures. Nong: enjoy playing.
He is like: How is it, how can it be compared.
Turn around the vermilion pavilion, looking down at the Qi (qǐ) household, illuminating the sleepless people: the moon moves, turns around the vermilion pavilion, hangs low on the carved windows, illuminating the sleepless people (referring to the sleepless people) the poet himself).
Zhu Pavilion: A gorgeous vermilion pavilion. Kito: Doors and windows with ornate carvings.
There shouldn't be any hatred, why should it always be round when we say goodbye: (Yue'er) shouldn't have any resentment (toward people), why do we always round when people are separated?
What: Why.
Long direction: always there. "Long" refers to a long time, a long time, and can also be extended to always, a long time ago. "Xiang" is a preposition, meaning in.
This matter: refers to people's joy and harmony" and the clearness and roundness of the moon.
But: only.
千里***Chan (chán) Juan (juān): Even if we are thousands of miles apart, we can enjoy the beautiful moonlight together.
***: Appreciate the moon together.
『Creative Background』
This poem was written by the author when he was in Mizhou during the Mid-Autumn Festival in 1076 AD (the ninth year of Xining, Emperor Shenzong of the Song Dynasty). The small preface before the poem explains the process of writing the poem: "Bingchen." During the Mid-Autumn Festival, people drink and get drunk. I wrote this article because I was pregnant with my son. "Because Su Shi had different political views from Wang Anshi, the reformer in power, and others, he sought to be transferred to other places and served as an official in various places. He once asked to be transferred to an official position closer to Su Che, so that his brothers could gather together.
In 1074 AD (the seventh year of Xining), Su Shi sent a message to Mizhou, but this wish still could not be realized. In the Mid-Autumn Festival of 1076 AD, the moon was shining brightly, and the land was full of silver. The poet and his brother Su Zhe. After separation, they have not been reunited for seven years. At this moment, facing the bright moon, the poet was in high spirits, so he wrote this famous poem while he was in high spirits.
"Introduction to the Author"
Su Shi, (January 8, 1037 - August 24, 1101), courtesy name Zizhan and Hezhong, also known as Tieguan Taoist and Dongpo layman, was known as Su Dongpo and Su Xian in the world, Han nationality, eyebrow A native of Meishan, Sichuan Province, his ancestral home was Luancheng, Hebei Province. He was a famous writer, calligrapher, and painter in the Northern Song Dynasty, and a famous figure in historical flood control.
Su Shi was a literary leader in the mid-Northern Song Dynasty. He has made great achievements in calligraphy and painting. His writing is bold and unbridled; his poems are broad in subject matter, fresh and vigorous, good at using exaggerated metaphors, and have a unique style. Together with Huang Tingjian, he is called "Su Huang"; his poetry is bold and bold, and he is the same as Xin Qiji. He sent a representative, and was also called "Su Xin"; his prose writings were grand and bold, and he was called "Ou Su" together with Ouyang Xiu. One of the famous painters; he is good at literati paintings, especially ink bamboo, strange rocks, dead wood, etc.
Together with Han Yu, Liu Zongyuan and Ouyang Xiu, they are known as the "Four Great Masters of Eternal Writing". His works include "Dongpo Seven Collections", "Dongpo Yi Zhuan", "Dongpo Yuefu", "Xiaoxiang Bamboo and Stone Picture Scroll", "Old Trees and Strange Stones Picture Scroll", etc.