[English translation] 白虹貫日 - White Ray Through the Sun

作曲/編曲//Composer：tony_ms
作詞//Lyrics：ediq
演唱//Vocal：小千 (Xiao Qian)
混音//Mixing：HITA
繪圖//Art ：燈盞子 （Deng Zhan Zi)

***

讓月光

去邂逅一場 曠世之前

已無人問津的交響

Let the moonlight

Clash with an unparalleled symphony

Now already lost to the world

雪中​​狼

它哮入眼眶 與生俱來

凌駕於江湖的鋒芒

Wolves in the snow

Howling, in its eyes that which comes by nature

A sharpness reigning supreme over the world

胸膛上

刀刻流年洶湧如浪

奇遇到訣別最難忘

Upon my chest

I carved the flow of years, turbulent as waves

Quaint encounters till final partings prove most unforgettable

舟離江

招架不住那撇燭光

它把你影子勾勒太長

The boat's left the river

I cannot fend off those rays of candlelight

They have sketched too long a shadow for you

努力學得一招半式也就那樣

乘風破浪只為守在你的身旁

I’ve learned these one or two moves just for so

I’ve traversed stormy waves just to wait by your side

天涯路 退算輸

骸骨都化為塵土

愛像冰 能致命

是我飲下的毒

The wanderer’s path, to retreat is to lose

Bones shall turn to ash and dust 

Love’s like ice, a fatal chill

It’s a poison I have downed

離鞘劍 白虹貫 滿日出

刺透了孤獨

至情至性才不負

Sword unsheathed, a white ray cut across the sun in full brightness

Pierced through my loneliness

Only then can I live up to my truest of passions

夜色涼

錯過沿途海棠綻放

笑傲過苦短的輕狂

The night hue’s cold

Having missed the begonias blooming along the path

I laughed in prideful madness towards the brevity of it all

在終章

久別後又邀約重陽

走近你髮尾冉冉的香

In the final chapter

After a long parting, once more a rendezvous during the Double Ninth Festival

I closed in to the fragrance at the ends of your hair

努力學得一招半式也就那樣

乘風破浪只為守在你的身旁

I’ve learned these one or two moves just for so

I’ve traversed stormy waves just to wait by your side

天涯路 退算輸

骸骨都化為塵土

愛像冰 能致命

是我飲下的毒

The wanderer’s path, to retreat is to lose

Bones shall turn to ash and dust 

Love’s like ice, a fatal chill

It’s a poison I have downed

離鞘劍 白虹貫 滿日出

刺透了孤獨

至情至性才不負

Sword unsheathed, a white ray cut across the sun in full brightness

Pierced through my loneliness

Only then can I live up to my truest of passions

****

Translator's note:

虹 usually means rainbow, and 白虹 may be literally translated to white rainbow. Some may interpret it as a fog bow, but since it cuts through the sun, I do not think it means a fog bow in this context. It is apparently an optical phenomenon at low temperatures. The closest thing I'm able to find in English is a parhelic circle, or parhelia (if it wasn't for the overly science-y feel of the term, this could actually be the title of this song). 

白虹貫日 was given great significance back in those days, usually foretelling events ominous, unnatural, or spectacular. The sun can be seen to represent a figure of high standing, i.e. kings, emperors, prime ministers. Hence, to have a ray piercing through the sun was seen as a bad omen. However, in the song, I believe it is to express the forthright, fearless, heroic attitude of the protagonist, daring to challenge heaven itself.


Be warned: historical stories unrelated to the song ahead, but I promise they're sad but good!


Two most notable historical records of this phenomenon involve assassins. One is about the story of Nie Zheng (聂政), an assassin during the Warring Period of China. A bureaucrat in the State of Han, Yan Sui (严遂), had grievances due to a power struggle with the prime minister, Han Gui (韩傀). To exact his revenge, Yan befriended Nie, who had only been a butcher and a fugitive from murder then, by gifting Nie's mother plenty of gold for her birthday. Nie refused the gift, but he was moved by Yan's willingness to humble himself and befriend someone of his status. Nie maintained that he was complacent with his situation only because he wanted to give his mother and elder sister a good life.

Many years later, Nie Zheng's mother passed away and his sister got married. Nie Zheng told Yan Sui that he had turned him down before because he didn't want to get his mother and sister involved, but the time has come to repay his generosity. He set the plan in motion once the mourning period has passed. Alone, Nie Zheng barged into prime minister Han Gui's residence and killed the man on the spot. He bellowed at the guards who came rushing and cut down a few dozen more. Nie then carved off his own face, gouged out his eyes, and stabbed himself in the abdomen so that he would die without being identified, keeping his sister safe.

His body was put on display, and a bounty announced for the person who can identify the assassin. Still, nobody knew who he was.

When Nie Zheng's sister, Nie An (聂荌), heard that the prime minister has been assassinated, she already guessed it was her brother. "Yan Zhongzi (Yan Sui) understands my brother well!" She traveled to the capital and wept bitterly over the body. People asked, "this man killed our prime minister, and our king has put a bounty of a thousand gold to retrieve his name, why did you come to identify his body?"

"Yan Sui selected my brother to befriend, saving him from poverty and low-birth, what is he to do? A man of honor ought to give his life to one who appreciates him. It is only because I am alive that he disfigures himself, in hopes to spare me. How can I then let his name be forgotten forever, just because I fear for my own life?" She died from extreme grief there and then. People spoke highly of the courage and fiery convictions of the siblings.

The second story should be more familiar. It is said that when Jing Ke left for his mission, a pale rainbow was seen in the sky. I hadn't put the full poem before, only the first two most well-known verses, so here is the full Song of the Yi River:

***

风萧萧兮易水寒，
壮士一去兮不复还。
探虎穴兮入蛟宫，
仰天呼气兮成白虹。

Shrill winds rise, waters cold,
The hero shall go and never come home.
Tiger's den and dragon's hall I go,
Towards the heavens, my sigh turns a fog bow.

***

Because of the same word (白虹) being used, 白虹貫日 can be seen in reference to Jing Ke.

So that's all for now, cheers!