Preface:
On the Mid-Autumn Festival of the Bingchen year, I drank joyfully until dawn, became deeply intoxicated, and wrote this piece, also thinking of Ziyou.
When did the bright moon first appear?
Holding my wine cup, I ask the blue sky.
I do not know, in the palaces of heaven,
What year it is tonight.
I long to ride the wind and return there,
Yet I fear the jade towers and crystal halls—
So high, so cold, I could not bear them.
I rise and dance with my clear shadow;
How can this compare to life among men?
The moon turns round the crimson pavilion,
Sinks low through carved lattice doors,
And shines upon the sleepless.
Surely it bears no grudge –
Then why is it always full when people part?
People have sorrow and joy, parting and reunion;
The moon is dim or bright, waxes or wanes.
Such perfection has never existed since ancient times.
I only wish that those we love may live long,
And though a thousand miles apart, share this beautiful moonlight.
Note
The Author: Su Shi (苏轼, 1037–1101)
Su Shi, also known by his art name Su Dongpo, was one of the greatest writers, poets, calligraphers, and statesmen of the Song Dynasty. He is celebrated for his open-mindedness, wit, and resilience in the face of repeated political exile. His works blend Confucian responsibility, Daoist detachment, and Buddhist acceptance, making him one of the most beloved literary figures in Chinese history.
The Tune Name:Shuidiao Getou (水调歌头)
Shuidiao Getou, often translated as “Prelude to Water Melody,” is not the poem’s title but the name of a traditional musical tune pattern used in Song Dynasty Ci poetry.Ci were lyrics written to existing melodies, much like modern songs. Different poets could write different words to the same tune. Su Shi’s version is by far the most famous.
The Occasion: Mid-Autumn Festival in 1076
The poem was written during the Mid-Autumn Festival of 1076, when Su Shi served as governor of Mizhou (modern Zhucheng, Shandong). The Mid-Autumn Festival is a traditional Chinese holiday centered on the full moon, family reunion, and gratitude for the harvest. The round moon symbolizes completeness and togetherness, so being separated from loved ones on this night feels especially poignant.
“Ziyou”: His Younger Brother Su Zhe (苏辙)
“Ziyou” was the courtesy name of Su Shi’s younger brother, Su Zhe. The two brothers were extraordinarily close; they passed the imperial examinations together, supported each other through political crises, and remained lifelong companions in spirit even when separated by distance. By 1076, they had not seen each other for several years—some accounts say five years, others seven – because Song Dynasty officials were restricted in where they could serve and could not travel freely to visit family. The poem’s emotional core is Su Shi’s longing for his brother.
“Palaces of Heaven” and the Moon Palace
Chinese mythology imagines a celestial realm with jade palaces and immortal beings. The moon, in particular, was associated with the Guanghan Palace (Broad Cold Palace), home of the moon goddess Chang’e. When Su Shi asks what year it is “in the palaces of heaven,” he is playfully imagining a world beyond human time and suffering.
“Ride the Wind and Return” (乘风归去)
The word “return” (归) is significant. Su Shi does not say he wants togo to heaven, but to return there, as if his true home were among the immortals. This reflects Daoist ideas of transcending the mortal world. Yet he immediately hesitates, suggesting that complete detachment from human life is not truly desirable.
“Jade Towers and Crystal Halls” (琼楼玉宇)
These phrases describe the imagined architecture of the heavenly moon palace – beautiful but cold and remote. They also carry a political meaning: the imperial court in the capital was splendid, but dangerous. Su Shi had left the capital to avoid the fierce factional struggles surrounding Wang Anshi’s New Policies. “Too high, too cold” thus expresses both spiritual hesitation and political caution.
“Dancing with My Clear Shadow” (起舞弄清影)
This image recalls Li Bai’s famous line, “I raise my cup to invite the moon; with my shadow, we become three.” Su Shi dances alone under the moon, accompanied only by his shadow. Yet instead of despair, the scene feels graceful and free. He chooses the human world – with its warmth, memory, and affection – over a perfect but lonely heaven.
“Why Always Full When People Part?” (何事长向别时圆)
Here Su Shi gently scolds the moon. It has no reason to resent humans, yet it seems cruelly bright and round precisely when families are separated. This personification turns the moon into a silent witness to human longing, a common motif in Chinese poetry.
“Men Have Sorrow and Joy… The Moon Waxes and Wanes”
This is the philosophical turning point. Su Shi moves from personal sadness to a broader understanding of life: imperfection is natural. Just as the moon cannot remain forever full, human life cannot remain forever united. Accepting this does not mean giving up feeling; it means finding peace within limitation.
“Share This Beautiful Moonlight” (千里共婵娟)
Chanjuan(婵娟) originally describes a graceful, beautiful woman, but in poetry it often refers to the lovely moon. The final lines do not promise physical reunion. Instead, they offer a tender consolation: even if we are far apart, we can look at the same moon and feel connected. This line has become one of the most quoted expressions of love, friendship, and familial longing in Chinese culture.
水调歌头·明月几时有
宋·苏轼
丙辰中秋，欢饮达旦，大醉，作此篇，兼怀子由。
明月几时有？把酒问青天。
不知天上宫阙，今夕是何年。
我欲乘风归去，又恐琼楼玉宇，高处不胜寒。
起舞弄清影，何似在人间。
转朱阁，低绮户，照无眠。
不应有恨，何事长向别时圆？
人有悲欢离合，月有阴晴圆缺，此事古难全。
但愿人长久，千里共婵娟。
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