Gong Qiuxia – Song of the Night 龔秋霞 - 宵之詠 1948
Today, December 4, Gong Qiuxia was born in 1916 in Jiangsu. To remember and celebrate the birth of one of China's seven great singing stars of the 1940s, here is a song recorded on July 27, 1948 from the 1948 Datong Film Production of 柳浪聞鶯 Orioles Singing in the Willows. It starred Bai Guang, Xu Yikang, Gao Bo, and Gong Qiuxia, and was directed by Wu Cun吳村( who also wrote the screenplay) and Huang Han黃漢. Music by Lǜ shuǐ 綠水 and lyrics by Qīng shā 青山. The film is about 2 girls, Qian Fen and Ling Ling, who loved to sing! One is successful but one goes astray. It is set on the West Lake 西子湖畔in Hangzhou 杭州 at 柳浪聞鶯 (the film's title) which is the fifth of the ten scenic spots in the West Lake. It is a large park located on the southeast bank of the West Lake at Qingbo Gate. It is divided into four scenic spots: 友誼、聞鶯、聚景、南園 (Friendship, Wenying, Jujing and Nanyuan.) Willow bushes set off exotic flowers such as purple cedar, cedar, magnolia, and plum.
Gong Qiuxia was also considered one of the three great mandopop singers of the 1930s, along with Zhou Xuan and Bai Hong. In 1933, she travelled the country across Southeast Asia as part of the Shanghai Plum Flower Troupe. In 1936 she made her first film Father, Mother, Son, and Daughter, and appeared in 99 films. One of the theatrical plays she took part in was the Five Tiger Generals (五虎将) As a result of her training, she was an accomplished tap dancer. Her early films would capitalize on this talent as one of the few Chinese female stars who was a triple-threat (acting, singing, dancing). People would affectionately refer to her as an older Shirley Temple. She relocated to Hong Kong in 1949. In 1937, she starred in the movie 压岁钱 and began taking a relatively serious attitude toward filmmaking. She is most recognized for playing the mature, housewife image. Bless you 龔秋霞, and thank you for your contributions to Chinese Popular Music and the Silver Screen. Happy Birthday!!
Wu Cun was born Wu Shijie in 1904 in Xiamen, Fujian. He was a famous Shanghai filmmaker in the 1930s and 1940s. He once served as a member of the CPPCC National Committee and a member of the Standing Committee of the Shaanxi CPPCC. He died in Xi'an in 1972 at the age of 68. He held Gong Qiuxia in very great esteem.
Lyrics
風兮蕭蕭 葉兮飄飄
月兮無語 星兮閃耀
碎了的心 無從補了
枯了的花 無從開了
春風忽又吹到 野草欣然呼號
今宵喲今宵 又回到春的懷抱
再給我花一般的夢吧
再給我花一般的夢吧
向煩惱的青春奠杯苦酒
奠杯苦酒
讓逝去的年華回頭一笑
春風忽又吹到 野草欣然呼號
今宵喲今宵 又回到春的懷抱
又回到春的懷抱
Pinyin
Fēng xī xiāoxiāo yè xī piāo piāo
yuè xī wúyǔ xīng xī shǎnyào
suìle de xīn wúcóng bǔle
kūle de huā wúcóng kāile
chūnfēng hū yòu chuī dào yěcǎo xīnrán hūháo
jīnxiāo yō jīnxiāo yòu huí dào chūn de huáibào
zài gěi wǒ huā yībān de mèng ba
zài gěi wǒ huā yībān de mèng ba
xiàng fánnǎo de qīngchūn diàn bēi kǔ jiǔ diàn bēi kǔ jiǔ
ràng shìqù de niánhuá huítóu yīxiào
chūnfēng hū yòu chuī dào yěcǎo xīnrán hūháo
jīnxiāo yō jīnxiāo yòu huí dào chūn de huáibào
yòu huí dào chūn de huáibào
English Translation
The wind is rustling, the leaves are fluttering
The moon is silent and the stars are shining
Broken heart can't be mended, withered flowers cannot bloom
The spring breeze suddenly blew up
And the withered flowers called with joy
Tonight, tonight, I'm back in the arms of spring
Give me more dreams
Give me more dreams
Bring a cup of bitter wine to troubled youth
Let the passing away smile back
The spring breeze suddenly blew up
And the withered flowers called with joy
Tonight, tonight, I'm back in the arms of spring
Back to Spring's embrace