Shuidiao Getou
Shuidiao Getou is the name of a traditional Chinese melody to which a poem in the cí style can be sung. Different poets have written different lyrics to the melody which are usually prefixed by this melody's title, the Song dynasty poet Su Shi's work "Shuǐdiào Gētóu – Míngyuè Jǐshíyǒu " being one of the most famous.
Cí is one of the literary genres that are unique to the Song dynasty, and can be sung to melody. Many ancient melodies are lost to history, but modern composers often compose new melodies for cí.
Text of Su's poem
| Original text in traditional Chinese | English translation |
| 水調歌頭1 | Water Melody |
| 丙辰2中秋3， 歡飲達旦， 大醉， 作此篇， 兼懷子由4。 | Mid-autumn of the Bing Chen year Having been drinking happily over night I'm drunk So I write this poem Remembering my brother, Zi You |
| 明月幾時有？ 把酒問青天。 不知天上宮闕5， 今夕是何年？ | When will the moon be clear and bright? With a cup of wine in my hand, I ask the clear sky. In the heavens on this night, I wonder what season it would be? |
| 我欲乘風歸去， 又恐瓊樓玉宇6， 高處不勝寒。 起舞弄清影7， 何似在人間8！ | I'd like to ride the wind to fly home. Yet I fear the crystal and jade mansions are much too high and cold for me. Dancing with my moonlit shadow, It does not seem like the human world. |
| 轉朱閣9， 低綺戶10， 照無眠11。 不應有恨， 何事長向別時圓？ | The moon rounds the red mansion, Stoops to silk-pad doors, Shines upon the sleepless, Bearing no grudge, Why does the moon tend to be full when people are apart? |
| 人有悲歡離合， 月有陰晴圓缺， 此事古難全。 但願人長久， 千里共嬋娟12。 | People experience sorrow, joy, separation and reunion, The moon may be dim or bright, round or crescent shaped, This imperfection has been going on since the beginning of time. May we all be blessed with longevity, Though thousands of miles apart, we are still able to share the beauty of the moon together. |