中秋特别节目｜【歪果仁陪你过中秋】Prelude to Water Melody 知道是哪首应景诗吗？

“How long will the full moon appear? 
Wine cup in hand, I ask the sky. 
I do not know what time of the year
it would be tonight in the palace on high.” 

These two lines are from the poem Prelude to Water Melody written by Song Dynasty poet Su Dongpo (1037-1101).
这两句诗源于《水调歌头》作者是宋代文学家苏东坡。

The lonely poet appreciated the bright moon in the sky and missed his family very much on the night of Mid-Autumn Festival -- a reunion day in Chinese traditional culture.
诗中描绘了作者在中秋佳节团圆之际的夜晚孤独赏月的画面 。

Mid-Autumn Festival began in the Tang Dynasty (618-907). It falls on the 15th day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar. This year it is on Sept 13. 
中秋节起始于唐朝，每年的农历八月十五被定作中秋节。今年的中秋节则是在公历九月十三号这一天。

Since ancient times, customs of the Mid-Autumn Festival have included appreciating the moon, eating moon cakes and drinking osmanthus wine. The full moon on Mid-Autumn night symbolizes family reunion. With the full moon hanging in the sky, people who are far away from home might miss their families while falling under the spell of the moonlight.
自古以来，中秋节的习俗就包括了赏月，吃月饼和饮桂花酒，天空中的满月象征着家人的团圆。圆月当空，那些离家游子可能更容易触景生情，思念家人。

Su Dongpo, the author of  Prelude to Water Melody, is a famous writer, calligrapher and painter of the Northern Song Dynasty. He wrote this poem after he drank heavily on Mid-Autumn night. Su Shi and his brother had been apart for seven years by the time he wrote the poem, since Su disagreed with other officials and was banished to Mizhou (in today's Shandong province). The author, who was far away from home, illustrates his loneliness and homesickness in the poem.
《水调歌头》的作者苏东坡是北宋著名的文学家和书法家。当时他是在中秋之夜通宵畅饮以后写下了这首词。当年苏东坡与其他大臣政见不合，自愿流放密州（今山东诸城）。作此词时苏东坡和他的弟弟已经分别七年了，思乡之情与身处异乡的孤寂感跃然纸上。



The line "I do not know what time of the year. It would be tonight in the palace on high" depicts a picture of the author looking at the moon on Mid-Autumn night. The lonely scene is vividly described.
“不知天上宫阙，今夕是何年”生动地描绘了作者在中秋之夜望着月亮时孤独的情景。

There is another line in the poem: “Men have sorrow and joy; they part or meet again; The moon is bright or dim and she may wax or wane. There has been nothing perfect since the olden days.” 
诗中还有一句话:“人有悲欢离合，月有阴晴圆缺，此事古难全。”

The author compares the various shapes of the moon on different days to the situations that people will have in different periods of their lives.  From ancient times to the present, it has been difficult to have an unchanged, perfect existence. It seems the poet was trying to comfort himself that lonely night, and also delivers realism and philosophical thinking.
作者将月亮在不同日子里的各种形状，比作人在不同人生阶段的境遇。古往今来，人的一生总是会起起落落，好比那时盈时亏的月亮。诗人似乎是想借盈虚有数的月亮来宽慰自己，同时也在表达一种看淡人生起伏的哲思。

Finally, let me share with you the last line of the poem, "I only pray our life be long, and our souls together heavenward fly!"
最后，让我和你分享这句诗的最后一句“但愿人长久，千里共婵娟”

Today is Mid-Autumn Festival. With best regards from Su Dongpo, I hope you all can get together with your families and have a memorable time during Mid-Autumn Festival! 
今天是中秋节，带着来自苏东坡的祝愿，祝福你能和家人团聚，共享中秋佳节！