Chinese Classical Poem & Art Song--0014: Hua Fei Hua -- A Flower Is In The Fog

LISTEN TO THE TEXTLISTEN TO SHIRLEY SANGE THE POEM

Hi, friends, today I would like to introduce a new Chinese classical poem Hua Fei Hua--A Flower In The Fog by Bai Juyi(772―846), one of the greatest poets in Tang Dynasty(A.D.618-A. D.907) and also one of the greatest Buddhists. About its meaning, there are many different opinions. Some people said that is a Buddhist’s chant or hymn. Some people said it is a poem to write the tryst of a man and a woman. I am not sure even though I could recite this poem when I was very young, I just feel it is very beautiful. So, here, I would like only tell you its surface meaning of the words and let you to make a judgment by yourself.

This poem has been matched music by Huang ZiIt is a song for the Chinese students who are learning vocal music have to learn. I learned it in the early of 2003. I am going to try to sing it for you as well.

MAIN MEAMING OF THE POEMLISTEN TO SHIRLEY SANGE THE POEM:

It’s a flower, but it’s not a real flower,
It’s a fog, but it’s not a fog as well.
It comes at midnight and goes at dawn,
It comes as a spring dream and can not stay for awhile,
It goes as the morning clouds and can not look for anywhere.

( Note: Here is another translation by People's Education Publish House, give you for information as well:

A Flower In The Haze

In bloom, she's not a flower;
Hazy, she's not a haze.
She comes at midnight hour;
She goes with starry rays.
She comes like vernal dreams that cannot stay
And goes like morning clouds that melt away.

I did not translate something in the poem to be "she", I would like to give our readers bigger room to imagine. I do hope to hear your opinions about that as well...)

CHINESE PRONUNCIATIONLISTEN TO SHIRLEY SANGE THE POEM:

花非花:Hua1 fei1 hua1,
雾非雾:Wu4 fei1 wu4,
夜半来:Ye4 ban4 lai2,
天明去: Tian1 ming2 qu4。
来如春梦不多时:Lai2 ru2 chun1 men4 bu4 duo1 shi2,
去似朝云无觅处:Qu4 si4 chao1 yun2 wu2 mi4 chu4。


NEW WORDS:

花非花: hua1 fei1 hua1 -- flower, it is not a flower
花: hua1 -- flower
非:bu2 sh4 -- not

雾非雾:wu4 fei1 wu4 -- fog/hazy, it is not a fog/hazy
雾:wo4 -- fog, hazy

夜半来:ye4 ban4 lai2 -- come in the midnight
夜半: ye4 ban4 -- in the midnight
来: lai2 -- come

天明去: tian1 ming2 qu4 -- go at the dawn/daybreak
天明:tian1 ming2 -- dawn, daybreak
去: qu4 -- go

来如春梦不多时:(it) comes as a spring dream and can not stay for a long time
如: ru2 --like, as
春梦: spring dream, vernal dream
多时: duo1 shi2 -- a long time

去似朝云无觅处:qu4 si4 chao1 yun2 wu2 mi4 chu4 -- When (it) goes, just like a morning clouds, can not be look for everywhere/melt away
似:si4 -- prep. like
朝云:zhao1 yun2 -- morning clouds
无: wu2 -- no
觅:mi4 -- look for
处: place

CHINESE CHARACTERS>LISTEN TO SHIRLEY SANGE THE POEM:

花非花,
雾非雾,
夜半来,
天明去。
来如春梦几多时，
去似朝云无觅处。

Ok, how do you think of this poem? Do you like it? What is its meaning in your opinion?

If you have any questions, comments and suggestions, please write to shirley@ebridge.cn, you are welcomed.

--Shirley
Written on Thur., Oct 20, 2005
Edited and Recorded On Oct 22, 2005