Chinese Song – Words from the West Wind

Lotus Pond at the Botanical Garden in Taipei, Taiwan

Thanks (but, no thanks) to slugs, deer, squirrels and wild rabbits, we did not have much to harvest from our vegetable garden this year. Still, I am happy to have autumn come and ease us into winter. Admiring the fall scenery of green, gold and red, I think of an old song named “Words from the Westwind”, with music by 黄自 (Huáng Zì), and lyrics by 廖辅叔 (Liào Fǔshū). Here is the link to a nice performance of this song. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjImaRMRg9c

西风的话
Xīfēng de Huà
Words from the West Wind

去年我回来,
Qùnián wǒ huílái,
When I came back last year,

你们刚穿新棉袍.
nǐmen gāng chuān xīn mián páo.
You had just donned your new gown.

今天我来看你们;
Jīntiān wǒ lái kàn nǐmen;
Today I come to visit you,

你们变胖又变高!
Nǐmen biàn pàng yòu biàn gāo!
How stout and tall you have grown!

你们可记得,
Nǐmen kě jìde,
I wonder if you still remember,

池里荷花变莲蓬?
chí lǐ héhuā liánpeng?
The lotus in the pond formed pods?

花少不愁没颜色,
Huā shǎo bù chóu méi yánsè,
Blooms are scarce, but there’ll still be colors,

我把树叶都染红.
wǒ bǎ shùyè dōu rǎn hóng
For I shall tint the leaves with red.

As you may know, west winds are associated with fair weather. Therefore, you would expect kind words from the west wind. In fact, you can tell that the west wind is talking to a bunch of children. 新 (xīn) means new, and 棉袍 (mián páo) are quilted cotton gowns or jackets. Before winter arrives, parents usually give their children new jackets to wear to keep them warm. The big give-away is on the forth line. Only children and youth can keep growing big and tall. 变 (biàn) means to change or to become. 胖 (pàng) means plump, chubby or stout, and 高 (gāo) means tall. 又 (yòu) means again or also.

There is no mention of the season of the year in the lyrics. However, you can guess from the context that it is autumn, or 秋天 (qiūtiān). In the fall, the lotus flowers turn into pods, which contain edible lotus seeds. Lotus seed paste makes delicious filling for moon cakes. Here is an interesting article about lotus pods and lotus seeds. https://avecchantillysvp.wordpress.com/2013/10/10/exotic-weird-and-wonderful-fresh-lotus-seeds/

不愁 (bù chóu) means need not worry about something.

我希望世界上所有的人都不愁吃不愁穿.
Wǒ xīwàng shìjièshàng suǒyǒu de rén dōu bù chóu chī bù chóu chuān.
I hope all the people in the world won’t have to worry about want of food or clothing.

There are fewer flowers in autumn than in spring, but we need not worry about lack of colors. The west wind will color the leaves red for us. Here the word 染(rǎn) means to dye. This word also means to contaminate, to acquire a bad habit or to catch a disease.

當心不要被傳染到感冒.
Dāngxīn bùyào bèi chuánrǎn dào gǎnmào.
Take care not to catch a cold.

Please see Chapter 23 of “Learn Chinese through Songs and Rhymes” for additional words, expressions and songs related to the four seasons.