the qixi festival (七夕节), also known as chinese valentine's day, or double seventh festival, falls on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month.
it marks the annual reunion of cowherd niulang and zhinü, the goddess of weaving – whose romance is the subject of a traditional chinese folk tale calledthe cowherd and the weaver girl, dating back more than 2,000 years to the han dynasty.
the cowherd and the weaver girl fell in love at first sight, got married happily, and had two children, a boy and a girl. however, when zhinü's mother found her daughter had secretly married a mortal man she was furious and ordered zhinü back to heaven. she then created a huge river, which we recognise as the milky way, to divide heaven and earth and separate the couple.
the tale has a happy ending as magpies, touched by the romance, decided to flock together to create a bridge and reunite the lovers. they do this once every year.
the couple are one of the greatest symbols of romance found in chinese folklore, and many chinese poets have written poems recounting the story.
therefore, cgtn europe is marking the day with two celebrated love poems that cross cultures: one was penning in the song dynasty by qin guan, and the other by scottish poet robert burns.
immortal at the magpie bridge
read by jamie owen
by qin guan 秦观
translated by xu yuanchong 许渊冲
clouds float like works of art
纤云弄巧
stars shoot with grief at heart
飞星传恨
across the milky way the cowherd meets the maid
银汉迢迢暗度
when autumn's golden wind embraces dew of jade
金风玉露一相逢
all the love scenes on earth, however many, fade
便胜却人间无数
their tender love flows like a stream
柔情似水
this happy date seems but a dream
佳期如梦
can they bear a separate homeward way?
忍顾鹊桥归路
if love between both sides can last for aye
两情若是久长时
why need they stay together night and day?
又岂在朝朝暮暮
a red, red rose 我的爱人像朵红红的玫瑰
by robert burns 罗伯特·彭斯
read by li jianhua 李建华
translated by wang zuoliang 王佐良
o my luve is like a red, red rose
呵，我的爱人像朵红红的玫瑰
that's newly sprung in june
六月里迎风初开
o my luve is like the melody
呵，我的爱人像支甜甜的曲子
that's sweetly played in tune
奏得合拍又和谐
so fair art thou, my bonnie lass
我的好姑娘，多么美丽的人儿
so deep in luve am i
请看我，多么深挚的爱情
and i will luve thee still, my dear
亲爱的，我永远爱你
till a' the seas gang dry
纵使大海干涸水流尽
till a' the seas gang dry, my dear
纵使大海干涸水流尽
and the rocks melt wi' the sun
太阳将岩石烧作灰尘
i will luve thee still, my dear
亲爱的，我永远爱你
while the sands o' life shall run
只要我一息犹存
and fare thee weel, my only luve
珍重吧，我唯一的爱人
and fare thee weel awhile
珍重吧，让我们暂时别离
and i will come again, my luve
但我定要回来
though it were ten thousand mile.
哪怕千里万里
