​
 

十二月十九夜 / The Nineteenth Night of December

​commissioned by Rebecca Lea

​

Music by Sun Keting

Lyrics by Yilin Wang for the English translation of the original poem by Fei Ming

​

This song sets a dreamlike winter poem by Fei Ming, translated by Yilin Wang, where a single lantern at night becomes a portal into memory, longing, and imagination. Light, flame, and reflection echo throughout, blurring the lines between home and nature, thought and feeling. 

 

深夜一枝灯，

若高山流水，

有身外之海。

星之空是乌林，

是花，是鱼，

是天上的梦，

海是夜的镜子。

思想是一个美人，

是家，

是日，

是月，

是灯，

是炉火，

炉火是场上的树影，

是冬夜的声音。

​

in the late night, the lantern

is like the songs of lofty mountains and flowing waters,

a sea beyond the physical self.

the realm of stars is a forest of birds,

is flowers, is fish,

is the dreams of the sky above.

the sea is a mirror for the night.

longing is a beautiful person,

is home.

is the sun,

is the moon,

is the lantern,

Is flames.

flames are the shadows of trees on the wall,

the melody of winter nights.