In the year 202 BCE, the Hegemon-King of Chu, Xiang Yu, who had brought the Qin empire to its knees, who had once been the supreme leader across the central plains, arrived at Gaixia with his defeated army. Their numbers were few, and their food supplies exhausted. The Han army already had them surrounded.
Singing of songs from Chu by the enemy travelled into Xiang Yu’s camp. In shock, Xiang Yu exclaimed, “have they taken over all of Chu already?”
He had won impossible battles. He had dominated all his competitors. Kneeling before him after his legendary victory, they hadn’t dared to meet his eyes. If only he had heeded his advisor and rid of Liu Bang, king of Han, during the banquet at Swan’s Gate. Despaired by the devastation of his army, torn by the fate that awaited his loved one once the Han army advanced, Xiang Yu sang to his consort Yu:
“力拔山兮气盖世，
时不利兮骓不逝。
骓不逝兮可奈何，
虞兮虞兮奈若何！”
“With strength to lift mountains, and an unrivalled air of dominance;
Yet times have turned unfavored, my prized steed runs no longer;
My steed runs no longer, what now can I do
Yu, my dearest Yu, what can I do with you?”
Consort Yu took up a sword and performed a dance, answering him in verses:
“汉兵已略地，
四面楚歌声。
大王意气尽，
贱妾何聊生！”
“The Han army has conquered our lands
With our songs surrounding us on all sides
My king’s strength and will are spent,
How can I, a lowly consort, speak of life!”
All who were present wept. His followers couldn’t bear the sight of their proud, valiant leader now a broken man in tears. Not wanting to burden her king's escape and battle, Consort Yu put herself to the sword, ending his dilemma. He buried her at the site of her death.
What ensued was a battle to the death. Xiang Yu cut out a bloody path, killed more than a hundred enemies, and managed to escape to the river banks of Wu. A subordinate rowed a boat forth. He urged Xiang Yu to cross the river and rebuild his forces in the eastern lands, where he had first risen to power.
Xiang Yu laughed. “If it’s Heaven’s will to end me, what’s the point of crossing? I brought eight thousand sons of the eastern lands to advance west, yet not one returns alive. Even if they should make me leader again out of love and pity, can I bring myself to face them? Even if they don’t speak of it, do I not know guilt?”
He gave his treasured warhorse to the subordinate. His horse shall return, but not its rider. Xiang Yu turned back and charged at his enemies, slaying a further hundred enemy soldiers. He too had been gravely wounded in battle. Upon seeing an old friend in the enemy ranks, Xiang Yu called out to him, and said: “I heard the king of Han put a bounty of a thousand gold on my head, and promised the title of Lord of Ten Thousand Households. Consider this a favor for you!” Xiang Yu then put his sword to his neck, ending his life at the age of thirty-one.
The king of Han, Liu Bang, emerged the ultimate victor from the chaos since the fall of the Qin empire, and was titled Emperor Gaozu of Han. Thus began the great Han dynasty, which will last for the next four hundred years in the history of the central plains.
作曲//Composer：陈亦洺 (Chen Yi Ming) / KBShinya
作词//Lyrics：骆栖淮 (Luo Qi Huai)
编曲//Arrangement：向往 (Xiang Wang)
原唱//Original vocal：av65904455 赤羽 (Vocaloid Chiyu)
调教//Tuning (for Vocaloid)：坐标P (Zuo Biao P)
翻混//Mixing：三无 Marblue (San Wu Marblue; also the cover for the video)
南箫//Flute：囚牛 (Qiu Niu)
吉他//Guitar：Riyo
视频//Video：RUMIA、BUNG KON【麻薯映像】
曲绘//Art：
杂煮虎猫糕（虞姬舞剑）- Za Zhu Hu Mao Gao (Consort Yu's sword dance)
白鄔東（鸿门宴、楚汉棋局对垒）- Bai Wu Dong (Banquet of Swan's Gate, Chu vs Han chess)
AKWA（刘邦被刺、项羽自刎）- AKWA (Sword stabbing at Liu Bang, Xiang Yu commits suicide)
酒绛子（霸王别姬）- Jiu Jiang Zi (Xiang Yu bidding farewell to his consort)
***
汉军已略地 四面楚歌声
霸王意气尽 贱妾何聊生
The Han army has conquered our lands
With our songs, surrounding us on all sides
My king’s strength and will are spent,
How can I, a lowly consort, speak of life!
[On the banquet of Swan’s Gate]
明月如水掀浪 风云际会弦上
杯酒交互锋芒 君心探试短长
华筵邀判来者 舞拔剑光
席间鸿门将相 哪个称霸王
The bright moon’s like a rising wave, a stormy encounter hangs by a string
Blades exchanged with wine cups, intending to test his heart
A great feast to invite and judge its guests, a dance with swords unsheathed
Lords and generals seated in this deadly banquet, who shall claim dominance
[On Xiang Yu, Hegemon-King of Chu]
千古坐拥 世无双
Forever secured in history, a name unparalleled
拆山河 川流割裂五岳摇荡
几曾寻剑泰阿说颓唐
分天下 各自为君排兵列仗
可笑锦衣富贵如何不归乡
Lands taken apart, rivers cut up, and the five mountains quaked
Search for the sword of the first emperor fell to languor
The world divided, each army arranged in battle formation for their kings
How laughable, why would one who made his fortune not return home
（且问 且量）任平生尽逐兵戈场 自可取天地与四方
（且战 且狂）敢破釜沉舟气势张 将三军胄甲拟兴亡
（且悲 且怅）见八千子弟不得还 将军擂鼓提剑赴大江
虞姬隔江犹把楚声唱
(To ask, to gauge) His life spent chasing upon battlefields, all lands by nature was his to claim
(To battle, to rage) He once dared sink boats to bolster battle spirits, composed fates with the armor of his men
(To grief, to mourn) Eight thousand sons of the east never to return, the general struck his war drum, and with his sword, headed for the river
His consort Yu seemed to sing beyond the river still
[On Liu Bang, King of Han]
运筹策谋帷帐 决胜千里奔忙
春秋难测庸常 劈风斩月相抗
楚汉寂寞封疆 野水苍茫
阅尽英雄功业 哪个是真王
Strategies and tactics drawn up in his camps, toiling for victory with foresight
Seasons prove its unpredictability, fighting odds with ferocious tenacity
At the lonely border between Chu and Han, its waters wild and bleak
Having studied the works of great men, who is truly the king?
烽火不歇 黄沙烫
Flames of war cease not, yellow sands scorched
大风起 不忌前尘国士贤良
所行振旗策马需同往
四海绝 平生之志永定家邦
应叹潜龙跃麟君指刀锋扬
Great winds rise, minding not the past but the merits of patriots
Where his standards go they ride and follow
Within the four seas, was his lifelong ambition to secure home and nation
Like a hidden dragon, a leaping beast, he raised the tip of his blade
（且疑 且妄）拜下邑画策张子房 更劝都关中别洛阳
（且疾 且向）逢一朝鸿鹄青云上 策一朝悬壁通云梁
（且呼 且王）终成败有尽登庙堂 其路漫漫万载俱流芳
大江东去天下称帝皇
(To doubt, to bewilder) Humbling himself to the one who advised, Zhang Zifang, for a capital in Guanzhong not Luoyang
(To spur, to go) With each encounter he reaches above the swans in the sky, each move he climbed cliff walls through the clouds
(To hail the king) A necessary end to his legacy made its place in temple halls, a long road to leave great names down the ages
As the river flows east, he claimed emperor under heaven
拆山河 川流割裂五岳摇荡
几曾寻剑泰阿说颓唐
分天下 各自为君排兵列仗
可笑锦衣富贵如何不归乡
Lands taken apart, rivers cut up, and the five mountains quaked
Search for the sword of the first emperor fell to languor
The world divided, each army arranged in battle formation for their kings
How laughable, why would one who made his fortune not return home
（且问 且量）任平生尽逐兵戈场 自可取天地与四方
（且战 且狂）敢破釜沉舟气势张 将三军胄甲拟兴亡
（且悲 且怅）见八千子弟不得还 将军擂鼓提剑赴大江
虞姬隔江犹把楚声唱
(To ask, to gauge) His life spent chasing upon battlefields, all lands by nature was his to claim
(To battle, to rage) He once dared sink boats to bolster battle spirits, composed fates with the armor of his men
(To grief, to mourn) Eight thousand sons of the east never to return, the general struck his war drum, and with his sword, headed for the river
His consort Yu seemed to sing beyond the river still
***
Translator's note:
Long, long, long overdue post. Have posted the backstory, translation, and some footnotes, in the comments of the video weeks ago. I intended to elaborate further in the blog, but Real Life™ caught up with me. So here we are.
When this song first came out, I was totally blown away at my first listening. I mean, how epic is this? Especially knowing some of the story behind, it's just... love at first sight. I had been listening to this one song on loop, with all the different covers, for most a week. The tragic hero coupled with the lover’s sacrifice makes such a compelling story that it has never faded from our cultural consciousness. There's a well-known Chinese opera play based on it, "Farewell to My Concubine" (霸王别姬).
The reason this is called "Chess Under Heaven" (I can't find the exact word to translate "局", but it approximately means the state of the game, and in this case it obviously refers to chess), is because the both parties in our modern Chinese chess represents the two sides in this battle between the Chu (楚) and the Han (汉). Xiang Yu was rumored to favor the color black, and was said to dress in black and rides a black horse; while Liu Bang fashioned himself "the Red Emperor".
There really is too much story for me to possibly do it justice. Interestingly, many people side with the loser (Xiang Yu, the tragic hero) rather than the victor (Liu Bang). Some thought Xiang Yu was too naive for his own good. He's this domineering figure, utterly fearless on the battlefield. He had cut off all retreat for him and his men to fight against a much larger army, while his allies hid behind their walls. It was a phenomenal victory that established his superiority over the other warlords of the time. Yet he shows a very human side. Historical records say he would attend to his sick or wounded men, sending them food and well-wishes in person, with tearful glints in his eyes. One contemporary described him as having "a woman's kindness, and a brute's bravado" (these were not meant to be compliments). At impending doom, he showed no fear of death, but pained for his lover and his favorite horse. Personally, I find his forthright personality almost childlike. But do not be fooled into thinking he is some Ned Stark. He has a vicious streak, evidently from his ruthless assassination of various political rivals (including the supposed Emperor of Chu), burying up to 200,000 surrendered Qin soldiers alive, massacring whole cities, and frying the body of a rival's mother in rage, who had committed suicide to thwart Xiang Yu's plan to make her hostage.
Liu Bang on the other hand, is equally compelling in his own way. Though a minor official, he's often portrayed as a gangster figure in his hometown. Doesn't really bother much about family. But boy does he have lots of friends. He liked to hang out with the working class people (unlike Xiang Yu, who was born into an old aristocratic family). In fact, a huge proportion of his supporters were people from the grassroots of society, e.g. butchers, prison wardens. His warring track record isn't exactly as shiny as Xiang Yu, however, he emerged the ultimate victor, all thanks to his political savvy and knowing when to listen to his advisers.
As all good politicians go, he can be quite coldly calculating, to the point where he could kick his own son and daughter off his chariot to escape faster from his pursuers (though the historical truth of this event is being contended). In fact, he caught Xiang Yu off guard just before that final battle because he breached the peace treaty they just signed. After he became emperor, he got rid of potential threats to his regime, even those who had made his ascension to the throne possible. Zhang Liang, one of his closest advisers (the one in the video), foresaw this not long after Liu Bang ascended his throne. He tried to warn one of his colleagues (General Han Xin) to retire before Liu Bang decided to get rid of them. "Once the cunning hare has died, the hunting dogs are cooked." Han Xin made the fatal mistake of ignoring Zhang Liang's advice. Zhang Liang on the other hand, who had given up the potential rewards that came with his merits, lived peacefully in retirement till his death. A wise strategist will know how to preserve himself, even from his boss.
Anyway, I think I've rambled enough. I personally found this part of history really fascinating, and dug deep into it after falling in love with the song.
