西瓜JUN – 临安小记 (Mr. Watermelon – A Record of Lin’An) Lyrics + English Translation

Prior to further translation and analysis, I thought it was some ordinary love song. Apparently, I think this is a requiem, with a lot of themes on missing a dead loved one.

西瓜JUN – 临安小记
Mr. Watermelon – A Record of Lin’An

词:贰哲
曲:Winky诗
编曲:Winky诗
和声:西瓜JUN
和声设计:西瓜JUN
混音:MPCI03
竹笛:水玥儿

青山温润方知临门雨意
The blue mountains gently realize the signs of approaching rain arriving at the door
小炉温入浓甜香气
The water furnace warms into a dense, sweet fragrance
炊烟借片檐瓦白墙挂起
The joyful smoke borrows a slice of verge tile to be hung up on the white wall
恍然云下曲水白溪
In a flash, beneath the clouds sings a white stream of water

赊三两相思红玉缀青衣
To credit three taels* [is] yearning with lovesickness for the woman servant* decorated in red jade
(青衣 literally means “blue clothes” but in Classical Chinese it refers to a woman servant.)
糯香漫溢方寸院邸
The fragrance of a glutinous cereal overflows through several square inches* of the mansion courtyard
(方寸 can also mean “heart and mind”, so it would be referring to the heart and mind of a high official.)
春湖吹皱满怀多情心意
The spring lake blows with wrinkles, full of tenderness and affection
斟开隆冬雪末 不曾停息
Pouring open the end of the midwinter snow, never stopping to rest.

曾几青山长堤
Ever since who knows how many blue mountains have risen
万般颜色都不敌
With every manifold of color, [it] can never beat
一味碎金稻米 落笔染醉意
Stubbornly, [even with] broken gold pieces and rice paddies, [I] the pen, washing [it] with broken feelings
舟前浓墨伞底
In front of the boat, at the bottom of a dark-ink umbrella
此身烟雨也漂离
Your figure falls away from the misty rain
刹那岁月何夕 云去无痕迹
Slaughtering those years and countless sunsets, with the clouds leaving without a trace

择几片明前龙芽方称意
Just when [I] satisfactorily selected a few slices of dragon shoots before All Souls’ Day*
(明前 refers to “before Festival of Pure Brightness (清明节)”, the Chinese counterpart of All Saints’ and All Souls’ Day or Day of the Dead.)
沏开热汤氤氲眸底
[And] infused boiling water to enshroud* the base of the pupils of my eyes
(氤氲 can also mean generative forces of heaven and earth.)
不解柔肠百转如何别离
Not understanding how my numerously changing tender feelings* could never leave
(柔肠 literally means “soft intestine or gut”, hence “tender feelings”.)
又是渡口寒烟 才知故里
Once again, it’s the winter mist crossing that I know that I am home

曾几青山长堤
Ever since who knows how many blue mountains have risen
万般颜色都不敌
With every manifold of color, [it] can never beat
一味碎金稻米 落笔染醉意
Stubbornly, [even with] broken gold pieces and rice paddies, [I] the pen, washing [it] with broken feelings
舟前浓墨伞底
In front of the boat, at the bottom of a dark-ink umbrella
此身烟雨也漂离
Your figure falls away from the misty rain
刹那岁月何夕 云去无痕迹
Slaughtering those years and countless sunsets, with the clouds leaving without a trace

白龙一点茶气
The white dragon lights up the scent of tea
思绪千字难提笔
[I] think of a thousand words, having difficulty to raise my pen
石巷青苔依稀 记四时痕迹
The stone-laded alley with moss is dimly visible, noting the vestiges of the four seasons
又起小炉新泥
Again, another small furnace is molded anew
烹透青艾圆糯米
Brewing thoroughly a blue mugwort rounded glutinous rice
一抔隆冬雪末 温热开雨季
Taking up the end of the midwinter snow in both hands, humidly opening the rainy season
执伞叩问
Grasping the umbrella, making inquiries
可否是归期
Can this be [your] date of return?

(糯米 can mean glutinous or sticky rice; but in this song, it seems to reference some sticky feelings.)