Classic Taiwan song 绿岛小夜曲 Vienna Teng: lyrics, pinyin, English translation. Who wrote Lv dao xiao ye qu, the authorship, intent of Green Island Serenade. Information of Green Island of Taiwan, quotes of Green, Green Day – 21 Guns.

The song is updated for education purpose.


綠島小夜曲|史逸欣 | Vienna Teng

“Green Island Serenade” is a Mandarin Chinese classic song composed in 1954 by 周藍萍 Zhou Lanping. Zhou, originally from Hunan in China, came to Taiwan in the late 1940s. The lyrics were written by 潘英傑 Pan Yingjie, a professional musician.

This song was first performed by 紫薇 Zi Wei who was a very popular singer at Taiwan at that time. Some people say this song is associated with politics, for the real Green Island (绿岛 Lù dǎo) was used as the jail for political prisoners from the late 1940s by Taiwan’s 國民黨 Guomindang (Chinese Nationalist Party). However, 40 years after the composer passed away, his daughter 周揚明 Zhou Yangming did a research and confirmed that her father composed this song with the lyrics help from his coworker Pan Yingjie, and gave it as a love song to her mother, 李慧倫 Li Huilun, while he was still pursuing her. However, Zhou Yang Ming also mentioned that her father once told her that “he felt there is a lot of greenery in Taiwan Island, so he wrote Green Island Serenade for Taiwan.” Probably Zhou Yangming’s father was embarrassed about mentioning the true motive behind writing the love song?

There is another theory about who is the lyrics writer. Some said poet 鄧禹平 Deng Yu Ping wrote the song’s lyrics, and because of writing this song, he was suspected as one of Green Island’s political prisoners.

As for the original singer, some said it should be 司馬音 Sima yin (1927 – 2001).

“Green Island Serenade” was not a down right hit song when it first published. Years later, the song gradually spread to the Chinese spoken communities in Southeast Asia and gradually gained its popularity. Several years later, it came back as a hit song to Taiwan. Nowadays, “Green Island Serenade” is regarded as a classic song of Taiwan.

绿岛小夜曲
Lv dao xiao ye qu
Green Island Serenade
or
Serenade of Green Island

紫薇

費玉清+陳昇-綠島小夜曲

这绿岛像一只船 在月夜里摇啊摇
zhe4 lv4 dao3 xiang4 yi4 zhi1 chuan2 zai4 yue4 ye4 li3 yao2 a5 yao2
This Green Island is like a boat, swaying and swaying in the moon night.

这(this)绿(green)岛(island)像(is like)一(one)只(measure word for boat)船(boat/ship) 在(in/at)月(moon)夜(night)里(within)摇(sway)啊(interjection of surprise / Ah! / Oh! )摇(sway)

姑娘喲你也在我的心海里飘呀飘
gū1 niang3 yo5 ni3 ye3 zai4 wo3 de5 xin1 hai3 li3 piao1 ya5 piao1
Ah, girl , you are also drifting and floating in the heart sea of mine.

姑娘(girl/young women)喲(syllable filler in a song)你(you)也(also)在(in)我的(my)心(heart)海(sea)里(within)飘(float)呀(interjection of surprise / Ah! / Oh! )飘(float)

让我的歌声随那微风 吹开了你的窗帘
rang4 wo3 de5 ge1 sheng1 sui2 na4 wei2 feng1 chui1 kai1 le5 ni3 de5 chuang1 lian2
Let my sound of song along with the breeze blow open your window curtain.

让(let)我的(my)歌(song)声(sound)随(accompany)那(that)微风(breeze) 吹(blow)开(open)了(past tense particle)你的(your)窗(window)帘(curtain)

让我的衷情随那流水 不断地向你倾诉
rang4 wo3 de5 zhong1 qing2 sui2 na4 liu2 shui3 bu2 duan4 de5 xiang4 ni3 qing1 su4
Let my inner feeling along with that flowing water unceasingly talk everything to you.

让(let)我的(my)衷(heart)情(feeling)随(follow)那(that)流(flowing)水(water) 不(not)断(discontinue)的(particle after adverb)向(toward)你(you)倾诉(to say everything (that is on one’s mind)

椰子树的长影 掩不住我的情意
ye2 zi3 shu4 de5 chang2 ying3 yan3 bu2 zhu4 wo3 de5 qing2 yi4
The long shadow of coconut trees can’t conceal my affection.

椰子(coconut)树(tree)的(connecting particle)长(long)影(shadow) 掩不住(not able to cover/conceal)我的(my)情意(affection)

明媚的月光 更照亮了我的心
ming2 mei4 de5 yue4 guang1 geng4 zhao4 liang4 le5 wo3 de5 xin1
Bright, beautiful moonlight even more illuminates my heart.

明(bright)媚(pretty)的(connecting particle)月(moon)光(light) 更(furthermore/even more)照(shine)亮(bright)了(past tense particle)我的(my)心(heart)

这绿岛的夜 已经这样沈静
zhe4 lv4 dao3 de5 ye4 yi3 jing1 zhe4 yang4 shen2 jing4
This Green Island’s night has already been so calm and quiet.

这(this)绿(green)岛(island)的(connecting particle)夜(night) 已经(already)这样(this way)沈(calming)静(quietly)

姑娘哟你为什么还是默默无语
gu1 niang2 yo5 ni3 wei4 shen2 me5 hai2 shi4 mo4 mo5 wu2 yu3
Ah, girl, why are you still so silent without words?

姑娘(girl)哟(syllable filler in a song)你(you)为什么(why)还是(still)默默(quiet)无(no)语(words)

Repeat Once

**If you are a lady, you can use this version too**

这绿岛像一只船 在月夜里摇啊摇
zhe lv dao xiang yi zhi chuan zai yue ye li yao a yao
This Green Island is like a boat, swaying and swaying in the moon night.

情郎呀你也在我的心海里飘呀飘
qing lang ya ni ye zai wo de xin hai li piao ya piao
Ah, boyfriend, you are also drifting and floating in the heart sea of mine.

让我的歌声随那微风 吹开了你的窗帘
rang wo de ge sheng sui na wei feng chui kai liao ni de chuang lian
Let my sound of song along with the breeze blow open your window curtain.

让我的衷情随那流水 不断的向你倾诉
rang wo de zhong qing sui na liu shui bu duan de xiang ni qing su
Let my inner feeling along with that flowing water unceasingly talk everything to you.

椰子树的长影 掩不住我的情意
ye zi shu de chang ying yan bu zhu wo de qing yi
The long shadow of coconut trees can’t conceal my affection.

明媚的月光 更照亮了我的心
ming mei de yue guang geng zhao liang liao wo de xin
Bright, beautiful moonlight even more illuminates my heart.

这绿岛的夜 已经这样沈静
zhe lv dao de ye yi jing zhe yang shen jing
This Green Island’s night has already been so calm and quiet.

情郎哟你为什么还是默默无语
qing lang yo ni wei shi me huan shi mo mo wu yu
Ah, boyfriend, why are you still so silent without words?

Repeat Once

Translated by Shu

Information about Green Island:

Green Island ( 綠島 Lv Dao) is a small volcanic island in the Pacific Ocean, about 33 km (21 mi) off the eastern coast of Taiwan. In the 19th century it was known as Samasana Island and the Japanese called it Kasho-to (火燒島 Fire Burning Island). The island is a township of Taitong County.

The island is most known as the place of past and current prisons and penal colonies. Green Island first served as an isolated exile spot for political prisoners during the martial law period of Taiwanese history under 國民黨 Guomindang’s rule. After their release, many of those prisoners were jailed there between the late 1940s and the late 1980s established the Democratic Progressive Party 民主進步黨 Minzhujinbudang or 民進黨 Minjindang. The prison was later closed, its interior is now opened to the public.

Nowadays, Green Island is a popular scuba-diving destination for both locals and expats residing in Taiwan.

Quotes of green:

“If I keep a green bough in my heart, then the singing bird will come”
Chinese Proverbs quotes

“For in the true nature of things, if we rightly consider, every green tree is far more glorious than if it were made of gold and silver.”
Martin Luther quotes

“If your knees aren’t green by the end of the day, you ought to seriously re-examine your life.”
Bill Watterson quotes

“If you refuse to be made straight when you are green, you will not be made straight when you are dry”
African Proverb quotes

“This planet has — or rather had — a problem, which was this: most of the people living on it were unhappy for pretty much of the time. Many solutions were suggested for this problem, but most of these were largely concerned with the movements of small green pieces of paper, which is odd because on the whole it wasn’t the small green pieces of paper that were unhappy.”
Douglas Adams quotes

“Sometimes our fate resembles a fruit tree in winter. Who would think that those branches would turn green again and blossom, but we hope it, we know it.”
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe quotes

“I have been wounded but not yet slain. I shall lie here and bleed awile. Then I shall rise and fight again. The title of champion may from time to time fall to others more than ourselves. But the heart, the spirit, and the soul of champions remains in Green Bay.”
Vince Lombardi quotes

“People usually consider walking on water or in thin air a miracle. But I think the real miracle is not to walk either on water or in thin air, but to walk on earth. Every day we are engaged in a miracle which we don’t even recognize: a blue sky, white clouds, green leaves, the black, curious eyes of a child — our own two eyes. All is a miracle.”
Thich Nhat Hanh quotes

“An optimist is a person who sees a green light everywhere, while a pessimist sees only the red stoplight. . . The truly wise person is colorblind.”
Albert Schweitzer quotes

“You could cover the whole earth with asphalt, but sooner or later green grass would break through”
Ilya Ehrenburg quotes

These wonderful quotes from: http://thinkexist.com/quotes/with/keyword/green/3.html

綠島 of Taiwan

綠島位於台東東方約33公里的太平洋上
又名火燒島 島身呈不等邊四角形
最早為達悟族、阿美族等原住民居地
清朝嘉慶年間 小琉球人為風漂至火燒島,
於阿眉山下的海濱著手開墾…

Green Day – 21 Guns [Official Video + lyrics]

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周杰伦 Jay Chou Zhou jie lun 蒲公英的约定 pu gong ying de yue ding Dandelion’s Promise: lyrics, pinyin, English translation, quotes of dandelion

The song is updated for teaching purpose.

周杰倫 – 蒲公英的约定

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蒲公英的约定 pu gong ying de yue ding Dandelion’s Promise

周杰伦Jay Chou Zhou jie lun

小学篱芭旁的蒲公英
xiao3 xue2 li2 ba1 pang2 de5 pu2 gong1 ying1
The dandelions beside the fence of the elementary school

小学(elementary school)篱芭(fence)旁(side)的(connecting particle)蒲公英(dandelion)

是记忆里有味道的风景
shi4 ji4 yi4 li3 you3 wei4 dao4 de5 feng1 jing3
Is flavorous scenery within the memories

是(is)记忆(memory)里(within)有(have)味道(taste)的(connecting particle)风景(scenery)

午睡操场传来蝉的声音
wu3 shui4 cao1 chang3 chuan2 lai2 chan2 de5 sheng1 yin1
During noon nap, the cicada’s sound passed from the sports field

午(noon)睡(sleep)操场(sports field)传(pass)来(over)蝉(cicada)的(connecting particle)声音 (sound)

多少年后也还是很好听
duo1 shao3 nian2 hou4 ye3 huan2 shi4 hen3 hao3 ting1
Many years later, it is still pleasant to the ear

多少(how many)年(year)后(later)也(also)还(still)是(is)很(very)好(good)听(listening)

将愿望折纸飞机寄成信
jiang1 yuan4 wang4 zhe2 zhi3 fei1 ji1 ji4 cheng2 xin4
Folded wishes into paper airplane and mailed it as a letter

将(introduces object of main verb, used in the same way as 把)愿望(wish)折(fold)纸(paper)飞机(airplane)寄(mail)成(become)信(letter)

因为我们等不到那流星
yin1 wei4 wo3 men1 deng3 bu2 dao4 na1 liu2 xing1
For we waited but that meteor did not arrive

因为(because)我们(we)等(wait)不(not)到(arrive)那(that)流(flowing)星(star)

认真投决定命运的硬币
ren4 zhen1 tou2 jue2 ding4 ming2 yun4 de5 ying4 bi4
Seriously throw the coin that will decide the fate

认真(seriously)投(throw)决定(decide)命运(fate)的(connecting particle)硬币(coin) 

却不知道到底能去哪里
que4 bu4 zhi1 dao4 dao4 di3 neng2 qu4 na4 li3
Yet not to know in the end where I will be able to go

却(yet)不(not)知道(know)到底(after all )能(able to)去(go)哪里(where)

一起长大的约定
yi4 qi3 zhang3 da4 de5 yue1 ding4
The promise of growing up together

一起(together)长大(grow up)的(connecting particle)约定(promise) 

那样清晰 打过勾的我相信
na4 yang4 qing1 xi1 da3 guo4 gou1 de5 wo3 xiang1 xin4
That clear, I who made pinky promise believe

那样(that kind)清晰(clear) 打(make)过(particle shows past experiences)勾(hook)的(connecting particle)我(I)相信(believe)

说好要一起旅行
shuo1 hao3 yao4 yi4 qi3 lv3 xing2
We talked and agreed to travel together

说好(talked and agreed)要(want)一起(together)旅行(travel)

是你如今 唯一坚持的任性
shi4 ni3 ru2 jin1 wei2 yi1 jian1 chi2 de5 ren4 xing4
It is nowadays your sole persistent headstrongness

是(is)你(you)如今(now) 唯一(only one)坚持(persistent)的(connecting particle)任性(willful / headstrong / unruly)

Music

*************

在走廊上罚站打手心
zai4 zou3 lang2 shang4 fa2 zhan4 da3 shou3 xin1
In the hallway, we were made to stand still as a punishment, were hit on the palms

在(preposition)走廊(hallway)上(upon)罚站(to be made to stand still as a punishment )打(hit)手心 (palm)

我们却注意窗边的蜻蜓
wo3 men1 que4 zhu4 yi4 chuang1 bian1 de5 qing1 ting2
Yet we only paid attention to the dragonfly beside the window

我们(we)却(yet)注意(pay attention to)窗(window)边(side)的(connecting particle)蜻蜓(dragonfly)

我去到哪里你都跟很紧
wo3 qu4 dao4 na3 li3 ni3 du1 gen1 hen3 jin3
No matter where I went you always tightly followed

我(I)去(go)到(to)哪里(where)你(you)都(all)跟(follow)很(very)紧(tight)

很多的梦在等待着进行
hen3 duo1 de5 meng4 zai4 deng3 dai4 zhe5 jin4 xing2
Many dreams are waiting to be proceeded

很(very)多(many)的(connecting particle)梦(dream)在((indicating an action in progress) )等待(wait)着(aspect particle indicating action in progress )进行(to proceed)

一起长大的约定
yi4 qi3 zhang3 da4 de5 yue1 ding4
The promise of growing up together

一起(together)长大(grow up)的(connecting particle)约定(promise) 

那样真心
na4 yang4 zhen1 xin1
That kind of true heart

那样(that kind/ that sort)真(true)心 (heart)

那样清晰 打过勾的我相信
na4 yang4 qing1 xi1 da3 guo4 gou1 de5 wo3 xiang1 xin4
That clear, I who made pinky promise believe

那样(that kind)清晰(clear) 打(make)过(particle shows past experiences)勾(hook)的(connecting particle)我(I)相信(believe)

说好要一起旅行
shuo1 hao3 yao4 yi4 qi3 lv3 xing2
We talked and agreed to travel together

说好(talked and agreed)要(want)一起(together)旅行(travel)

是你如今 唯一坚持的任性
shi4 ni3 ru2 jin1 wei2 yi1 jian1 chi2 de5 ren4 xing4
It is nowadays your sole persistent headstrongness

是(is)你(you)如今(now) 唯一(only one)坚持(persistent)的(connecting particle)任性(willful / headstrong / unruly)

一起长大的约定
yi4 qi3 zhang3 da4 de5 yue1 ding4
The promise of growing up together

一起(together)长大(grow up)的(connecting particle)约定(promise) 

那样真心
na4 yang4 zhen1 xin1
That kind of true heart

那样(that kind/ that sort)真(true)心 (heart)

与你聊不完的曾经
yu3 ni3 liao2 bu4 wan2 de5 ceng2 jing1
The past endless chatting with you

与(with)你(you)聊(chat)不(not)完(finished)的(connecting particle)曾经(once/past)

而我已经分不清
er2 wo3 yi3 jing1 fen1 bu4 qing1
However, already I have been unable to distinguish it clearly

而(yet)我(I)已经(already)分(distinguish)不(not)清 (clearly)

你是友情还是错过的爱情
ni3 shi4 you3 qing2 huan2 shi4 cuo4 guo4 de5 ai4 qing 2
You are friendship or the love that I missed

你(you)是(are)友情(friendship)还是(or is)错过的(missed)爱情(love)

Translated by Shu

Quotes of dandelion / dandelions

“What I need is the dandelion in the spring. The bright yellow that means rebirth instead of destruction. The promise that life can go on, no matter how bad our losses. That it can be good again.”
― Suzanne Collins

Weeds are nature’s graffiti. ~Janice Maeditere

Roses are red,
Violets are blue;
But they don’t get around
Like the dandelions do.
~Slim Acres

“The miracles of nature do not seem miracles because they are so common. If no one had ever seen a flower, even a dandelion would be the most startling event in the world.”

“It gives one a sudden start in going down a barren, stony street, to see upon a narrow strip of grass, just within the iron fence, the radiant dandelion, shining in the grass, like a spark dropped from the sun”
Henry Ward Beecher quotes

“You cannot forget if you would those golden kisses all over the cheeks of the meadow, queerly called dandelions.”
Henry Ward Beecher quotes

“If dandelions were hard to grow, they would be most welcome on any lawn.”
Andrew V. Mason quotes

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