A Moonlit Night on the Spring River 春江花月夜 Chun Jiang Hua Yue Ye

Details

Description

A Moonlit Night on the Spring River 春江花月夜 Chun Jiang Hua Yue Ye
Act ~ Music: Toronto Ya-yue Art Center
Guzheng Solo: Nina Cao, Xiao Solo: Lipeng Wu, Pipa Xiaolei Yang , Erhu Donghua Feng
Poetry Reciter: Yufei Jin
Canada One Family Network presents The 8th AGE OF LITERATI Cultural Festival “Poetic Arts” Concert, Nov 5, 2023, Flato Markham Theatre,
Lyrics:
唐乐府 张若虚
春江潮水连海平，海上明月共潮生。    滟滟 随波千万里，何处春江无月明！
江流宛转绕芳甸 ，月照花林皆似霰 。   空里流霜不觉飞，汀 上白沙看不见。
江天一色无纤尘，皎皎空中孤月轮。    江畔何人初见月？江月何年初照人？
人生代代无穷已，江月年年望相似。    不知江月待何人，但见长江送流水。
白云一片去悠悠，青枫浦上不胜愁。    谁家今夜扁舟子？何处相思明月楼？
可怜楼上月徘徊，应照离人妆镜台。    玉户帘中卷不去，捣衣砧 上拂还来。
此时相望不相闻，愿逐月华流照君。    鸿雁长飞光不度，鱼龙潜跃水成文。
昨夜闲潭梦落花，可怜春半不还家。    江水流春去欲尽，江潭落月复西斜。
斜月沉沉藏海雾，碣石潇湘无限路。   不知乘月几人归，落月摇情满江树。

In spring the river rises as high as the sea,  
And with the river‘s rise the moon uprises bright.
She follows the rolling waves for ten thousand li,
And where the river flows, there overflows her light.
The river winds around the fragrant islet where
The blooming flowers in her light all look like snow.
You cannot tell her beams from hoar frost in the air,
Nor from white sand upon Farewell Beach below.
No dust has stained the water blending with the skies;  
A lonely wheel like moon shines brilliant far and wide.
Who by the riverside first saw the moon arise?  
When did the moon first see a man by riverside?
Ah, generations have come and pasted away;  
From year to year the moons look alike, old and new.
We do not know tonight for whom she sheds her ray,  
But hear the river say to its water adieu.
Away, away is sailing a single cloud white;  
On Farewell Beach pine away maples green.
Where is the wanderer sailing his boat tonight?
Who, pining away, on the moonlit rails would learn?
Alas! The moon is lingering over the tower;
It should have seen the dressing table of the fair.
She rolls the curtain up and light comes in her bower;
She washes but can’t wash away the moonbeams there.
She sees the moon, but her beloved is out of sight;
She'd follow it to shine on her beloved one's face.
But message-bearing swans can't fly out of moonlight,
Nor can letter-sending fish leap out of their place.
Last night he dreamed that falling flowers would not stay.
Alas! He can't go home, although half spring has gone.
The running water bearing spring will pass away;
The moon declining over the pool will sink anon.
The moon declining sinks into a heavy mist;
It's a long way between southern rivers and eastern seas.
How many can go home by moonlight who are missed?
The sinking moon sheds yearning o'er riverside trees.

Toronto Ya-Yue Art Center
A group of Scholars, started in 2008, promote Chinese traditional court music, classic music and literati and elegant arts, martial arts culture and etc., in traditional Yaji (elegant gathering), presentation, performance, workshops, and art exhibitions to demonstrate literati philosophy, literature, and arts.

Professor Donghua Feng graduated from the Wuhan Conservatory and served in the Zhengzhou University School of Music as a professor of erhu for decades. The China Nationalities Orchestra Society Grading committee of expert judges. She has repeatedly won the China Nationalities Orchestra Society outstanding instructor award. In 1996 won the National Higher Education in Vocal Music Society instrumental competition erhu solo prize.
Lilian (Xiaolei) Yang, a Pipa (Chinese lute) musician, is a member of the Artist Society of Toronto. As a dynamic figure in Beijing’s traditional Chinese music scene, Lilian has performed as Pipa soloist countlessly in the celebrated Beijing Concert Hall and Forbidden City Concert Hall.
Lipeng Wu, A dizi performer and educator in Toronto. His music demonstrates refined techniques and strong manifestation of expressions in the art of dizi playing.
Lina Cao is a guzheng musician, is also a member of the Toronto Musicians Association, American Federation of Musicians and Guzheng Society of Chinese Musicians Association. Lina received master's degree in Shanghai Conservatory of Music in 2016. Lina won the two most authoritative awards of China: the highest music award “The Golden Bell Awards” and top prize of Chinese Ministry of Culture “Wen Hua Award”. Lina was nominated for the 40th Dora "Outstanding Performance Ensemble" of Canada in 2019.