Lyrics Translation

上海神话 Shanghai Myth

Song Information

  • Lyrics: 胡逆天 (Hu Nitian)
  • Original Track: ZUN - 上海紅茶館 ～ Chinese Tea
  • Vocal: 鲤沅 (Lioy)
  • Historical Setting: Republican Era Shanghai (1912–1949)

Lyrics & MV Context

上海外滩：自1844年起被划为英国租界，是旧上海租界区及整个上海近代都市发展的起点
The Bund, Shanghai: Designated as a British Concession starting in 1844, serving as the origin of Old Shanghai’s Concession area and modern urban expansion.
登场人物：红美铃、霍青娥
Characters Featured: Hong Meiling, Kakusei Seiga
盛上新沏的一壶红茶
Pour a pot of freshly brewed black tea,
水光浮动朱华1
Where crimson blooms ripple upon the gleaming water.
郑正秋：中国最早的电影编剧和导演之一，被誉为“中国电影之父”
Zheng Zhengqiu: One of China’s earliest film screenwriters and directors, revered as the “Father of Chinese Cinema”.
明星影片公司：1922年3月创立于上海，为中国电影史上首家正规化电影公司，1922至1937年间为中国最大的制片公司之一
Mingxing Film Company: Founded in Shanghai in March 1922, it was the first standardized film studio in Chinese cinematic history and one of the largest production companies from 1922 to 1937.
谁知往日的山野璞玉2
Who could have known this unpolished jade from the wilderness,
换了如今的一幅绮旎面纱
Would now wear a veil of such dazzling elegance?

展望缭乱的七彩朝霞
Gazing at the dazzling, multicolored morning dawn,
海上船笛喑哑3
Whistles of ships at sea echo low and muffled.
底下却又是多少豪客
Yet beneath, how many ambitious dreamers,
盼着今天就该我意气风发
Eagerly long for today to be their moment of glory?

给我拨开那胭脂盒吧
Open up that rouge compact for me,
搽上蔻丹4指甲
And paint my nails with crimson lacquer.
让这摩登5的俪影艳光
Let this modern, enchanting silhouette
陪你缱绻出你的上海神话
Weave with you the intoxicating legend of Shanghai.
南京大戏院（今上海音乐厅）：始建于1930年3月，由著名建筑师范文照、赵深设计，是中国第一座专业音乐厅
Nanking Theatre [now Shanghai Concert Hall]: Built in March 1930 and designed by renowned architects Fan Wenzhao and Zhao Shen, it was China’s first professional concert hall.

你说你爱我高雅
You say you love my refined elegance,
《良友》画报：1926年2月由伍联德在上海创办的大型综合性画报，隶属良友图书公司，发行遍及全球近30个国家和地区，月销量超4万册，被誉为“百科式大画报”，内容涵盖时事、军事、政治、艺术、文学等领域
The Young Companion Pictorial: A comprehensive pictorial magazine founded by Liang Desheng/Wu Liande in Shanghai in February 1926. Distributed across nearly 30 countries and regions with monthly sales exceeding 40,000 copies, it was hailed as an “encyclopedic pictorial,” covering current affairs, military, politics, art, and literature.
我微笑 掩藏着过往
I smile, gently veiling my buried past.
你愿意知我多少
How much of me do you truly wish to know?
我会斟酌透露 给你思量
I shall reveal only what is measured, for your mind to ponder.

或许你想的是个可人的知己
Perhaps you long for a charming soulmate;
我会低眉由你尽兴随你驰驱
I’ll bow my head, letting you indulge and lead the way.
或你愿访寻亮丽底下的辛苦
Or perhaps you seek the heartbreaks behind the glamour;
我会颔首携你一同渐渐感触
I’ll nod softly, guiding you to feel every quiet tear.

拣张唱片来放首歌吧
Pick a record and put on a song,
转出百代6风华
Let the turntable spin out the golden glory of Pathé.
把那曾经的乱离情痴
Take all the past madness and tragic devotions,
泼洒到万国都为你醉狂欲撕
And splash them until the world goes mad with ecstasy.

尽兴舞动吧尽量浪漫吧
Dance to your heart’s content, embrace the romance;
想出名要趁早7
If you seek fame, you must hurry before it’s too late.
管他海天外风紧云骤
Who cares if storm clouds gather beyond the horizon?
这里就是把永远付与快乐中
For here, eternity is surrendered to endless bliss.

你说你爱我端凝
You say you love my poised grace,
我微笑 含蓄着真情
I smile, guarding a sincerity buried deep.
松平恒雄：日本外交官，曾任驻天津总领事等职
Tsuneo Matsudaira: Japanese diplomat who served as Consul-General in Tianjin among other diplomatic roles.
你愿意信我几多
How much do you choose to trust in me?
丁鉴修：伪满洲国汉奸，1937年任伪实业协会会长、满洲电业会社董事长等职
Ding Jianxiu: A collaborator during the Manchukuo era who served as President of the Puppet Industrial Association and Chairman of the Manchuria Electric Corporation in 1937.
头山满：日本近代著名右翼团体“玄洋社”创始人
Mitsuru Toyama: Founder of Gen’yōsha, a prominent modern Japanese right-wing organization.
我会放胆开怀 革你命
I shall laugh boldly and burn down your regime.

或许你想的是个可人的知己
Perhaps you long for a charming soulmate;
我会低眉由你尽兴随你驰驱
I’ll bow my head, letting you indulge and lead the way.
或你愿访寻亮丽底下的辛苦
Or perhaps you seek the heartbreaks behind the glamour;
我会颔首携你一同渐渐感触
I’ll nod softly, guiding you to feel every quiet tear.
七七事变/卢沟桥事变：发生于1937年7月7日，是日本全面侵华战争的开端，亦是中国全民族抗战的起点
Marco Polo Bridge Incident: Occurred on July 7, 1937, marking the outbreak of Japan’s full-scale war of aggression against China and the beginning of China’s nationwide resistance.
淞沪会战/八一三战役：发生于1937年8月13日至11月12日，是中国军队为保卫上海与日军展开的首次大规模惨烈会战，历时三个月
Battle of Shanghai: Fought from August 13 to November 12, 1937; a major three-month clash between Chinese and Japanese forces aimed at defending Shanghai.

凝望渐暗的漠漠长空
Gazing up at the darkening, desolate sky,
想像我的中国
I envision the solemn soul of my China.
PV在此处开始闪过大量抗日战争时期的悲壮历史影像
From this point onward, the MV background flashes a massive sequence of heroic and tragic historical imagery from the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression.
彩云补连8的忧愁烦冤
A patchworked cloak of clouds, woven with bitter griefs,
到底都是我舍不去的魂梦
Are all the boundless dreams I can never bring myself to forsake.

再邀我跳上一支舞吧
Ask me for one last dance,
美人总也不老9
For a beauty never truly grows old.
“接住闹？”——红美铃，河南方言意为“接下来干嘛？”
“What’s next?” — Hong Meiling; a phrase in Henan dialect asking “What should we do now?”
且行且再搬一折《游园》10
Let us walk on and perform another scene of “The Garden Visit”,
为你也为我再添一抹轻笑
Adding a soft smile for you, and for myself,
为你也为我再添一 笑
Adding a tender smile, for you… and for me.
“中！”——霍青娥，原著《聊斋志异》设定其为晋豫一带出身，河南方言意为“好/行”
“Deal!” — Seiga Kaku; specified as hailing from the Shanxi-Henan border region in the original “Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio”, using the Henan dialect for “Alright/Agreed”.

Author’s Submission Notes

东方的情怀是怀旧，各种各样在新时代保存一些旧时代的东西。
那么我们在这AI时代的当口，再跳上一支手工时代的舞，追想张爱玲、白先勇的那个旧时代，也是很合理的吧。

The sentiment of Touhou lies in nostalgia—in preserving fragments of bygone eras within a new age in various ways.
Thus, as we stand at the threshold of this AI era, it seems only fitting that we dance one last handcrafted dance, reminiscing about that past era immortalized by Eileen Chang and Pai Hsien-yung.

Author’s Supplementary Commentary

歌名来自符立中先生的著作《上海神话——张爱玲与白先勇图鉴》（2009），于是填词的时候也融了不少张爱玲与白先勇的名句进去。我博士研究的是华语流行歌词，而各家要讲起它的历史，都不能不谈1930-40年代的上海时代曲。那个年代留下无数传奇，录音也留下许多；我既然自己也创作，也该有向那个时代致敬的作品。于是2015年办《东方文化学刊》谈及〈上海红茶馆〉的同人曲时，就开始酝酿。填好后断断续续做了好几年，这真是十年磨一剑。有学院功底的Davidsan模仿时代风格令人一亮。

The title comes from Mr. Fu Lizhong’s work “The Myth of Shanghai: A Pictorial Guide to Eileen Chang and Pai Hsien-yung” (2009). Consequently, I incorporated several famous lines from Chang and Pai while writing the lyrics. My doctoral research focused on Mandopop lyrics, and any historical account of this music genre inevitably traces back to the Shanghai Shidaiqu (era songs) of the 1930s and 1940s. That epoch left behind countless legends and recordings. As a creator myself, I felt compelled to make a work paying homage to that golden age. The idea began germinating in 2015 while organizing the “Journal of Oriental Culture” to discuss fan songs based on “Shanghai Teahouse.” After drafting the lyrics, the production spanned several years intermittently—a true decade of honing a single sword. Davidsan, backed by academic training, delivered a brilliant vocal performance capturing the authentic style of that era.

那个年代的上海可以容纳无数故事，我本来也编了个更复杂、牵涉更多人事的脚本，不过篇幅和手工能力有限，最后还是只得简化至此，但想想这样有个意思也就差不多了。以后用AI真能整个剧情片出来，但若做得太满，排挤了想像空间，或许反而败兴。

Shanghai in that era could accommodate endless narratives. I originally drafted a far more complex script involving intricate character dynamics. However, due to constraints in length and manual animation capacity, I ultimately simplified it to its current form. Upon reflection, leaving it subtle works just as well. While AI may allow us to produce full narrative films in the future, overcrowding a piece with detail might overcrowd the viewer’s imagination and ruin the charm.

犹记大一的时候，历史之夜（每年每个系都会举办的晚会，就叫ＸＸ之夜），我们班最会读书的同学负责一个节目，他就导演了一段老上海的歌舞，完后还在班板上发言说很是感念，有了那样一种很旧的感觉。大四时修资治通鉴选读，听老师说“读史不可无灵心善感”。毕业后大家四散分飞，劳碌生涯中能用上“灵心善感”的地方不多，但我想我们心里还是存着这么一个东西，时而可以醒个一下的。所以这片也一并献给我的老同学们。

I still remember my freshman year during “History Night” (an annual gala hosted by each academic department). The most academically gifted student in our class directed an Old Shanghai song-and-dance performance. Afterwards, he posted on our class forum, expressing deep nostalgia and a longing for that antique vibe. During my senior year, while taking a course on “Selected Readings of Zizhi Tongjian,” our professor remarked that “one cannot study history without an intuitive and empathetic heart.” After graduation, we went our separate ways. In our busy daily lives, there are few moments requiring such sensitive historical empathy, yet I believe a spark of it remains within us, ready to be awakened. Thus, I dedicate this video to my former classmates as well.

Annotations & Allusions

  1. 1.朱华: 泛指红色的花，出处如曹植《朔风诗》“昔我初迁，朱华未希”及《滕王阁序》“邺水朱华，光照临川之笔”。词中移用写红茶汤色。
    Crimson Blooms: Refers broadly to red flowers (derived from Cao Zhi's "Shuofeng Poem" and Wang Bo's "Preface to Tengwang Pavilion"). Here, it poetically describes the reddish hue of brewed black tea.     ↩
  2. 2.璞玉: 借用台湾名茶“红玉”形容璞玉。暗示上海从平凡渔村蜕变为国际商埠，亦如村姑变身为名媛明星。
    Unpolished Jade: Borrowed from Taiwan's famed "Ruby" black tea. It symbolizes Shanghai's transformation from a humble fishing village into an international metropolis, as well as rural women rising to stardom.     ↩
  3. 3.喑哑: 形容嗓子低沉哑默。此处指黄浦江上轮船汽笛低沉的鸣响。
    Muffled Voice: Describes a low, hushed sound. Used here to portray the deep, resonant whistles of steamships along the Huangpu River.     ↩
  4. 4.蔻丹: 染指甲的植物代称，后借指指甲油。灵感来自40年代老歌《拜年》（林黛、严俊唱）“嘴抹唇膏要喷火，十个指甲搽蔻丹”。
    Crimson Lacquer: Originally a plant dye for nails, later used as a synonym for nail polish. Inspired by the 1940s classic song "New Year Greetings" ("Ten fingernails painted with crimson lacquer").     ↩
  5. 5.摩登: 音译自英文 "Modern"，原词出《楞严经》，清末民初翻译家常用旧词译新意。
    Modern: A phonetic transliteration of "Modern." Originally a Buddhist term from the Surangama Sutra, repurposed by early 20th-century Chinese translators for modern concepts.     ↩
  6. 6.百代风华: 指法商百代唱片（Pathé Records），当时中国第一代流行音乐与唱片工业的巨头。
    Golden Glory of Pathé: Refers to Pathé Records (EMI Shanghai), the pioneer and premier record label of China's early modern pop music industry.     ↩
  7. 7.想出名要趁早: 出自张爱玲《传奇》再版序：“出名要趁早呀！来得太晚的话，快乐也不那么痛快。”
    Seek Fame Early: Quoted from Eileen Chang's preface to "Romance": "Ah, fame must come early! If it arrives too late, the joy won't feel half as satisfying."     ↩
  8. 8.彩云补连: 出自张爱玲诗作《中国的日夜》：“补了又补，连了又连的，补钉的彩云的人民。”
    Patchworked Clouds: Derived from Eileen Chang's poem "China's Days and Nights": "Mended and mended again, linked and re-linked, the patchworked-cloud people of my land."     ↩
  9. 9.美人总也不老: 化用白先勇小说《永远的尹雪艳》：“尹雪艳总也不老。”
    A Beauty Never Grows Old: Adapted from Pai Hsien-yung's renowned short story "Yin Hsueh-yan Eternal": "Yin Hsueh-yan never truly grows old."     ↩
  10. 10.游园: 昆曲《牡丹亭》经典折目《游园惊梦》，亦暗指白先勇同名短篇小说《游园惊梦》，表达繁华散尽后的沧桑感。
    The Garden Visit: Refers to "The Garden Visit and the Interrupted Dream" from the Kunqu opera "The Peony Pavilion," as well as Pai Hsien-yung's modern story of the same title, symbolizing post-war nostalgia and vanished glory.     ↩