The Relationship Between Cosmopolitanism and Nationalism Tsuneto Kyo War is the greatest crime that humankind can ever commit! When a war starts between one nation and another, the feelings of people on both sides are inflamed with beast-like hatred. Every act of warfare thereafter is an incessant outburst of beast-like ferocity. If slaughtering humans is … Continue reading The Relationship Between Cosmopolitanism and Nationalism by Tsuneto Kyo (Excerpt) 恒藤恭「世界主義と国家主義との関係」（抜粋）
Author: Stella Hsieh
Writer and translator on East Asian language & literature, film, music, art.
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Memory by Tsuneto Kyo 恒藤恭「思ひ出」
思ひ出 恒藤恭Memory by Tsuneto Kyo ほのかなる思ひ出ありあざやかなる思ひ出ありいきどほろしき思ひ出ありいともかなしきおもひ出ありThere is memory that‘s dimMemory vividMemory dreadfulAnd memory immensely sad 今もなほ胸ふくらむごときおもひ出あり思ひ出づるもはづかしきおもひでありStill, even now, memoryFilling my heart there isAnd memory embarrassingWhen I recall おもひでこそはいとほしくはかなきものかIs memory nothing butThat of painfulAnd fleeting? 来る日も来る日もわづらはしき世の務めにあわただしくも過ごしつつDays go by and byBy the duties of the troubled worldAmid hustle and bustleDisappearing they all go 時ありておもひ出の網をたぐりよせ忘却の海に立ち向かひつつ寄せてはかへすしら浪のしぶきの中にすなどる人のわがすがたかもThere are times whenOne hauls … Continue reading Memory by Tsuneto Kyo 恒藤恭「思ひ出」
Drums on the Capital’s Main Street by Li Ho 李賀《官街鼓》
官街鼓李賀 曉聲隆隆催轉日，暮聲隆隆呼月出。漢城黃柳映新簾，柏陵飛燕埋香骨。磓碎千年日長白，孝武秦皇聽不得。從君翠髮蘆花色，獨共南山守中國。幾回天上葬神仙，漏聲相將無斷絕。 Drums on the Capital's Main Street by Li HoThundering thundering at dawn the drums hasten the rising sun.Thundering thundering at dusk the drums call out the moon.Upon the capital, the yellowish shoot of willows shine upon curtains newly hanged,While down in the mausoleum enshrouded by cypress trees, lie fragrant bones of royal consorts.Pounding … Continue reading Drums on the Capital’s Main Street by Li Ho 李賀《官街鼓》
Lyrics: A Love Letter to Filmmakers 給電影人的情書
A collaboration between the Hong Kong filmmaker Alex Law, Taiwanese singer-songwriter Jonathan Lee, and singer Tsai Chin, this song was released in the year 2008 for the centenary anniversary of Chinese language cinema, and probably as a tribute to the Taiwanese film auteur Edward Yang, who was Tsai's ex-husband and passed away a year ago.With … Continue reading Lyrics: A Love Letter to Filmmakers 給電影人的情書
Song on the Wild Goose’s Tomb, to the Tune of “Snatching a Fish” by Yüan Hao-wen 元好問《摸魚兒-雁丘詞》
摸魚兒·雁丘詞 [金] 元好問 乙丑歲赴試幷州，道逢捕雁者雲：“今旦獲一雁，殺之矣。其脫網者悲鳴不能去，竟自投於地而死。” 予因買得之，葬之汾水之上，壘石爲識，號曰“雁丘”。同行者多爲賦詩，予亦有《雁丘詞》。舊所作無宮商，今改定之。 問世間，情爲何物，直教生死相許？天南地北雙飛客，老翅幾回寒暑。歡樂趣，離別苦，就中更有癡兒女。君應有語：渺萬里層雲，千山暮雪，隻影向誰去？ 橫汾路，寂寞當年簫鼓，荒煙依舊平楚。招魂楚些何嗟及，山鬼暗啼風雨。天也妒，未信歟？鶯兒燕子俱黃土。千秋萬古，爲留待騷人，狂歌痛飲，來訪雁丘處。 Song on the Wild Goose's Tomb, to the Tune “Snatching a Fish” by Yüan Hao-wen I went to Bing County for the civil service examination in the year 1205. On my way there I met a geese-catcher saying, “I caught and killed a wild goose this morning. The other … Continue reading Song on the Wild Goose’s Tomb, to the Tune of “Snatching a Fish” by Yüan Hao-wen 元好問《摸魚兒-雁丘詞》
The Ornamented Zither by Li Shang-yin 李商隱《錦瑟》
錦瑟李商隱錦瑟無端五十弦，一弦一柱思華年。莊生曉夢迷蝴蝶，望帝春心託杜鵑。滄海月明珠有淚，藍田日暖玉生煙。此情可待成追憶，只是當時已惘然。 The Ornamented Zither by Li Shang-yinThe ornamented zither, for what reason, has to have fifty strings altogether?Since every single string and bridge calls the fading golden years to my mind.Chuang-tzu was illuded in his daydream as a butterfly,And Emperor Wang poured his amorous heart into cuckoo’s cry.The pearls shed tears in the vast moonlit … Continue reading The Ornamented Zither by Li Shang-yin 李商隱《錦瑟》
Verse of the Remnant Gossamer by Li Ho 李賀《殘絲曲》
殘絲曲李賀 垂楊葉老鶯哺兒，殘絲欲斷黃蜂歸。綠鬢年少金釵客，縹粉壺中沉琥珀。花臺欲暮春辭去，落花起作迴風舞。榆莢相催不知數，瀋郎青錢夾城路。 Verse of the Remnant Gossamer by Li HoThe time when leaves of weeping willows turn old, orioles feed their young.Still some lingering gossamers, the wasps are already gone.Youngsters with dark locks and ladies wearing golden hairpins,Drown in liquor amber, sinking at the bottom of bluish-white flagon.Twilight comes near to the flower terrace, spring … Continue reading Verse of the Remnant Gossamer by Li Ho 李賀《殘絲曲》
Lyrics: Ga Ming by Kay Tse and Wyman Wong 謝安琪/黃偉文《家明》
In memory of the Tiananmen Massacre on June 4th, 1989, this seemingly cantopop love song carries a subtle message of protest. The title Ga Ming (in Cantonese spelling) is a common Chinese name as well as an abbreviation of "the Future (Ming, tomorrow) of a Nation (Ga, family or nation)," symbolizing the students who sacrificed … Continue reading Lyrics: Ga Ming by Kay Tse and Wyman Wong 謝安琪/黃偉文《家明》
A Private Dialogue: Shigehiko Hasumi and Ryuichi Sakamoto on The Last Emperor
A long conversation between film composer and actor Ryuichi Sakamoto, and scholar and film critic Shigehiko Hasumi on The Last Emperor. Read Sakamoto's previous interview with director Bernardo Bertolucci: https://lysisme.art.blog/2021/03/14/translation-ryuichi-sakamoto-interviews-bernardo-bertolucci/ Originally published in A Picture Book of The Last EmperorDecember 10, 1987.Photographer: Takahisa IdeEnglish translation by Stella Hsieh Ryuichi Sakamoto and Shigehiko Hasumi 01. The … Continue reading A Private Dialogue: Shigehiko Hasumi and Ryuichi Sakamoto on The Last Emperor
Lyrics: The Orphan of Asia by Lo Ta-yu 羅大佑《亞細亞的孤兒》
Years before the end of the Japanese Rule of Taiwan (1895-1945), the writer Wu Chuo-liu started writing the semi-autobiographical novel Orphan of Asia. The protagonist Hu Tai-ming is a young Taiwanese intellectual drifting between the mainland, Taiwan, and Japan during colonial rule. Suffering from the turbulent historical period and identity crisis, he finally lost his … Continue reading Lyrics: The Orphan of Asia by Lo Ta-yu 羅大佑《亞細亞的孤兒》
Between Thought and Expression 