“Alone Up the West Chamber” – a Chor Lau Heung 1984 MV

"Alone Up the West Chamber" Chor Lau Heung 1984 MV (Du Shang Xi Lou with Pinyin) from Icha74 on Vimeo.

Since I listened to Teresa Teng’s rendition of Li Yu’s “Du Shang Xi Lou” (“Alone Up the West Chamber”), I’ve always wanted to make this MV. I just finished it, and I hope it touches many MB/CLH fans. The story is about Song Siu Ching reminiscing on her love story with Chor Lau Heung after he took her hairpin and left her in the Palace. I found the theme of Du Shang Xi Lou befitting her loneliness upon Chor tai-gor’s departure.

Du Shang Xi Lou is part of Li Yu’s poem titled "Grief" (哀思 ai si), which in itself is the segment of "Happy reunion" (相見歡 xiang jian huan). The late, angelic Teresa sang Du Shang Xi Lou as part of her Dandan Youqing (Light Exquisite Feeling) album.  If you’re a fan of Teresa Teng, or just found out about her angelic voice, you should listen to this album.

The original lyric is from this site, while the English translation is from HKships4TeresaTeng2’s YouTube video of Dandan Youqing (Light Exquisite Feeling). The Pinyin lyrics are combined from the two sites. The English translation is below the break. Click here for my previous fanfiction on this theme. 

"Alone Up the West Chamber" Chor Lau Heung 1984... by icha74

Alone Up the West Chamber

Du Shang Xi Lou (独上西楼)　

无言独上西楼　

wu yan du shang xi lou

In silence I alone ascend the West Chamber

月如钧

yue ru gou

The Moon is like a hook

寂寞梧桐　

ji mo wu tong

A lone parasol tree

深院锁清秋

shen yuan suo qing qiu

A deep courtyard locking up the clear Autumn

剪不断　理还乱　

jian bu duan li huan luan

Unseverable, sorted but still tangled

是离愁

shi li chou

Is the sorrow of parting

别有一番滋味在心头

bie you yi fan zi wei zai xin tou

It is a special kind of taste on my mind


Another translation of this poem was provided by Chan Hong-mo as follows. I find I like both translation versions, though Chan's was more lyrical. 

無言獨上西樓 Alone to silence, up the western tower, I myself bestow.

月如鉤 Like silver curtain hook, so does the moon glow.

寂寞梧桐 The fallen leaves of one forsaken parasol

深院鎖清秋 Make deeper still the limpid autumn locked up in the court below.

剪不斷 Try cutting it, it is still profuse –

理還亂 More minding will but more confuse –

是離愁 Ah, parting's such enduring sorrow!

別有一番滋味在心頭 It leaves behind a very special taste the heart alone could know

Click here for my old post on Li Yu (Li Hou Zhu) 2006 series starring Nicky Wu and Liu Tao.