House of Flying Daggers - The Beauty Song (十面埋伏 - 佳人歌)

Xah Lee, 2004-12-30, …, 2011-12-18

In the movie 十面埋伏 (House of Flying Daggers) , there's is this song 佳人歌 (The Beauty Song), which is a poem written around 80 BCE, and is used as the main theme of the film. Here's the lyrics.

Title: 佳人歌
Singer: 章子怡
Lyrics：李延年 (Li Yannian)
Music: ?
Translation: 李杀 (Xah Lee)

北方有佳人,
絕世而獨立。
一顧傾人城,
再顧傾人国。
寧不知倾城与倾国。
佳人難再得。

In the North there's a lady,
stunning and singular.
One look confounds a city;
a touch dooms an empire.
Rather not wishing to know, the ruination that may follow.
Rare beauty is here and now.

This song is sung by the actress 章子怡 (Zhang Ziyi) (b1979) herself in the film.

The Beauty Song, from 〈House of Flying Daggers〉 amazon

This is a gravely beautiful poem, perhaps the most beautiful in praising the beauty of a woman.

The English translation in the DVD i'm watching goes thus:

a rare beauty in the North, she's the finest lady on earth
a glance from her, the whole city goes down
a second glance leaves the nation in ruins
there exists no city or nation, that has been more cherished
than a beauty like this.

This translation does not do the poem justice. It's rather crude and rash, and missing meanings and the sublime and weight of the poem's essence.

Wikipedia on Li Yannian (李延年) gives this translation, which i think is faithful to the original and high quality.

In the north there is a beauty:
Surpassing the world, she stands alone.
A glance from her will overthrow a city;
A second glance will overthrow the State.
Don't I know she can overthrow the city and the State?
But such a beauty cannot be found again!

Here are some Screenshots from the movie:

house of flying daggers 013 — 1923×1280 This dance scene in the beginning of the film is the cream of the movie.

hofd-hq3 — 1400×922 Note the florid and elaborate dress. Also note the extremely ornate Chinese setting. I wonder, if the setting reflects any genuine Chinese palace in the past in terms of richness or style, or, was it purely a fictional fancy. Also note the gorgeous parquetry or paint on the floor, and the delicate rose deco in each and every drum. (are these drums pure fiction? i think i've never touched the concept of drums with painted face)

hofd-hq9 — 1400×942 Note the beautiful, delicate costume. In particular, the mathematics of weaving of the hat.

References and Sources

Scholarly essay about this poem. 北方有佳人 (2000) By 潘啸龙. @ Source www.guoxue.com (local copy the_beauty_song.txt)
Photo source: Source www.helloziyi.us

Lovers; Kathleen Battle

Another beautiful song in this movie, is one called Lovers, sung by Kathleen Battle.

“Kathleen Battle - Lovers” amazon

There was a field in my old town 
Where we always played hand in hand 
The wind was gently touching the grass 
We were so young so fearless 

Then I dreamt over and over of 
you holding me tight under the stars 
I made a promise to my dear Lord 
I will love you forever 

Time has passed 
So much has changed 
But the field remains in my heart 
Oh where are you? 
Ineed to tell you I still love you 
So I reach out for you 
You fly around me like a butterfly 
Your voice still echoes in my heart 
You are my true love

Though, the lyrics has little to do with the film, and little poetic quality.