I. CaiWei (采薇)

The first piece, whose lyrics is the poem CaiWei (《诗经-采薇》) written approximately 2,800 years ago, portrays a soldier's longing for home amidst the hardships of war.

This piece was inspired by the choral piece YuMenGuan (《玉门关》) written by Chengzhi Jin (金承志), which was one of my favorite choral piece I sang in FDUC. YuMenGuan was also a piece decribing ancient war and the emotions of the soldiers. A link to the video of this piece is attached here:

In order to cope with the rhyme of the poem CaiWei, this piece should be sung in ancient Chinese 2700 years ago (上古汉语).
The poem is attached below (both original Chinese and English translation).

Let us gather the thorn-ferns, let us gather the thorn-ferns;
The thorn-ferns are now springing up.
When shall we return? When shall we return?
It will be late in the [next] year.
Wife and husband will be separated,
Because of the Xian-yun (*the enemy).
We shall have no leisure to rest,
Because of the Xian-yun.

Let us gather the thorn-ferns, let us gather the thorn-ferns;
The thorn-ferns are now tender.
When shall we return? When shall we return?
Our hearts are sorrowful;
Our hearts are sad and sorrowful;
We shall hunger, we shall thirst.
While our service on guard is not finished,
We can send no one home to enquire about our families.

Let us gather the thorn-ferns, let us gather the thorn-ferns;
The thorn-ferns are now hard.
When shall we return? When shall we return?
The year will be in the tenth month.
But the king's business must not be slackly performed;
We shall have no leisure to rest.
Our sorrowing hearts are in great distress;
But we shall not return from our expedition.

What is that so gorgeous?
It is the flowers of the cherry tree.
What carriage is that?
It is the carriage of our general.
His war carriage is yoked;
The four steeds are strong.
Dare we remain inactive?
In one month we shall have three victories.

The four steeds are yoked,
The four steeds, eager and strong;
The confidence of the general,
The protection of the men.
The four steeds move regularly, like wings;
There are the bow with its ivory ends, and the seal-skin quiver.
Shall we not daily warn one another?
The business of the Xian-yun is very urgent.

At first, when we set out,
The willows were fresh and green;
Now, when we shall be returning,
The snow will be falling in clouds.
Long and tedious will be our marching;
We shall hunger; we shall thirst.
Our hearts are wounded with grief,
And no one knows our sadness.

采薇采薇，薇亦作止。
曰归曰归，岁亦莫止。
靡室靡家，猃狁之故。
不遑启居，猃狁之故。
采薇采薇一把把，薇菜新芽已长大。
说回家呀道回家，眼看一年又完啦。
有家等于没有家，为跟玁狁去厮杀。
没有空闲来坐下，为跟玁狁来厮杀。

采薇采薇，薇亦柔止。
曰归曰归，心亦忧止。
忧心烈烈，载饥载渴。
我戍未定，靡使归聘。
采薇采薇一把把，薇菜柔嫩初发芽。
说回家呀道回家，心里忧闷多牵挂。
满腔愁绪火辣辣，又饥又渴真苦煞。
防地调动难定下，书信托谁捎回家！
‍
采薇采薇，薇亦刚止。
曰归曰归，岁亦阳止。
王事靡盬，不遑启处。
忧心孔疚，我行不来！
采薇采薇一把把，薇菜已老发杈枒。
说回家呀道回家，转眼十月又到啦。
王室差事没个罢，想要休息没闲暇。
满怀忧愁太痛苦，生怕从此不回家。

彼尔维何？维常之华。
彼路斯何？君子之车。
戎车既驾，四牡业业。
岂敢定居？一月三捷。
什么花儿开得盛？棠棣花开密层层。
什么车儿高又大？高大战车将军乘。
驾起兵车要出战，四匹壮马齐奔腾。
边地怎敢图安居？一月要争几回胜！

驾彼四牡，四牡骙骙。
君子所依，小人所腓。
四牡翼翼，象弭鱼服。
岂不日戒？猃狁孔棘！
驾起四匹大公马，马儿雄骏高又大。
将军威武倚车立，兵士掩护也靠它。
四匹马儿多齐整，鱼皮箭袋雕弓挂。
哪有一天不戒备，军情紧急不卸甲！

昔我往矣，杨柳依依。
今我来思，雨雪霏霏。
行道迟迟，载渴载饥。
我心伤悲，莫知我哀！
回想当初出征时，杨柳依依随风吹；
如今回来路途中，大雪纷纷满天飞。
道路泥泞难行走，又渴又饥真劳累。
满心伤感满腔悲。我的哀痛谁体会！

Links to the videos of these pieces are attached here:

II. ShaoNianYou (少年游)

The second, based on a poem ShaoNianYou (《少年游》) written by poet Bangyan Zhou (周邦彦) from around 950 years ago, explores themes of love and the delicate, ambiguous chemistry between lovers.

This piece was inspired by several choral pieces that I love in FDUC, including ChaoTianQu (《朝天曲》) and Sudden Shower Beating on New Lotus Leaves (《骤雨打新荷》) by Mi Tian (田汨),  HuMa(《胡马》) by Hua Lin (林华) . The first two pieces were based on ancient Chinese poems written about 800-1000 years ago, the last piece was based on ancient Chinese poem was written about 1400 years ago. The three pieces are all in a contemporary Chinese style. So this ShaoNianYou I also wrote in this style.

In order to cope with the rhyme of the poem, this piece should be sung in ancient Chinese 1000 years ago (中古汉语). The poem is attached below (both original Chinese and English translation).

The knife from Bing sharp as water,
the salt from Wu white as snow,
she cuts for him a fresh orange in her slender fingers.
‍
Behind the newly warmed brocade curtain,
the incense incessantly rising from the animal-shaped burner,
they sit opposite each other, tuning up their reed pipe instruments.


Softly she inquires:
“Where are you going to spend the night?
It’s the third watch on the city wall,
‍
"the frost thick, the road too slippery for the horse.
Don’t leave.
Really, few people walk outside!”

并刀如水，吴盐胜雪，纤手破新橙。
并州产的刀子锋利如水，
吴地产的盐粒洁白如雪，
女子的纤纤细手剥开新产的熟橙。
锦幄初温，兽烟不断，相对坐调笙。
锦制的帷帐中刚刚变暖，
兽形的香炉中烟气不断，
二人相对着把笙调弄。

低声问，向谁行宿？城上已三更。
女子低声地探问情人：
今夜您到哪里去住宿？
时候已经不早了，城上已报三更。
马滑霜浓，不如休去，直是少人行。
路上寒霜浓重马易打滑，
不如不要走了，
街上已经少有人行走！

III. A Lane in the Rain (雨巷)

The final piece, whose lyrics was a poem named A Lane in the Rain (雨巷) written just about 97 years ago (1927) by modern Chinese poet Wangshu Dai (戴望舒), speaks of hope and ideals, reflecting the struggle of navigating uncertainty about the future.

This piece was inspired by the choral piece Saying Good-bye to Cambridge Again (《再别康桥》) written by Datao Li (李达涛) and adapted to SATB choir by Jenny H. Chou (周鑫泉), which was again one of my favorite choral piece I sang in FDUC. Saying Good-bye to Cambridge Again was also a poem written by modern Chinese poet around late 1920s (It was written by Zhimo Xu (徐志摩) in 1928). A link to the video of this piece is attached here:

p.s. During the writing process, (because the poem refered to the scent of lilac) I had the pleasure of discovering two exquisite lilac-themed perfumes: Frederic Malle's En Passant and Lanvin's Éclat d'Arpège. Highly recommended.
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The poem A Lane in the Rain is attached below (both original Chinese and English translation).

FDUC recorded this piece, and it was posted on my QQ Music channel. Check the link below for the original choral version of this piece!

Alone holding an oil-paper umbrella,
I wander along a long
Solitary lane in the rain,
Hoping to encounter
A girl like a bouquet of lilacs
Gnawed by anxiety and resentment.
‍
A girl
The colour of lilacs,
The fragrance of lilacs,
With the worries of lilacs,
Feeling melancholy in the rain,
Plaintive and hesitating,
She wanders along the solitary lane in the rain.
‍
Holding an oil-paper umbrella
Just as I do,
Just like me,
Walking slowly in silence,
Aloof, sad and melancholy.
‍
Silently she comes closer,
Closer, giving me
A glance like a sigh;
Then she floats past
Like a dream,
Dreary and blank like a dream.

Like a lilac
Floating past in a dream,
the girl floats past me;
Silently she goes further and further,
To the crumbling wall,
Out of the lane in the rain.
‍
In the mournful melody of the rain,
Her colour has faded,
Her fragrance has disappeared,
Vanished into the void;
Even her glance like a sigh,
Melancholy like lilacs.
‍
Alone, holding an oil-paper umbrella,
I wander along a long
Solitary lane in the rain,
Hoping to pass
A girl like a bouquet of lilacs
Gnawed by anxiety and resentment.

撑着油纸伞，独自
彷徨在悠长，悠长
又寂寥的雨巷，
我希望逢着
一个丁香一样地
结着愁怨的姑娘。

她是有
丁香一样的颜色，
丁香一样的芬芳，
丁香一样的忧愁，
在雨中哀怨，
哀怨又彷徨，
她彷徨在这寂寥的雨巷;

撑着油纸伞
像我一样，
像我一样地
默默彳亍着；
冷漠，凄清，又惆怅。

她静默地走近
走近，又投出
太息一般的眼光，
她飘过
像梦一般的，
像梦一般的凄婉迷茫。

像梦中飘过
一枝丁香的，
我身旁飘过这女郎；
她静默地远了，远了，
到了颓圮的篱墙，
走尽这雨巷。

在雨的哀曲里，
消了她的颜色，
散了她的芬芳
消散了，甚至她的
太息般的眼光，
丁香般的惆怅。

撑着油纸伞，
独自彷徨在悠长，
悠长又寂寥的雨巷，
我希望飘过
一个丁香一样地
结着愁怨的姑娘。