Immortals on a Magpie Bridge
两 情 若 是 久 长 时，又 岂 在 朝 朝 暮 暮.
If love between both sides can last for aye, Why need they stay together night and day?
So, this is probably one of the most famous Ancient Chinese poems of all time. There are many different versions of the poem by this version written in the Song Dynasty by Qin Guan is the most well know. The legend is based on a the love between a weaver girl and a cow herder, their love was not allowed so they were separated by the milky way. However, once a year on the 7th day of the 7th lunar month they were allowed to meet on a bridge of magpies. Which is really rather charming. Romeo and Juliet, eat your heart out. There are other versions of this story, one which involves the seventh daughter of the King of Heaven and a commoner, again they were separated by the galaxy and were only allowed to meet once a year.
纤 云 弄 巧, 飞 星 传 恨, 银 汉 迢 迢 暗 渡. ’Clouds float like works of art; stars shoot with grief at heart. Across the Milky Way the Cowherd meets the Maid’
This reiterates the myth. But the imagery here is rather stunning, the clouds helping to build the bridge for these two lovers. Like works of art they float across the sky towards each other in the heavens.
金 风 玉 露 一 相 逢, 便 胜 却 人 间 无 数. ‘When the golden wind and the Jade meet, all scenes of love on earth, however many- fade’
In short their love is like no other. Their love, which exists in the heavens, is everlasting and will out live all others on Earth. Their love cannot even compare to the love that exists on Earth as it transcends human experience and can only exist on a heavenly plane.
柔 情 似 水, 佳 期 如 梦, 忍 顾 鹊 桥 归 路。Their love flows like a stream; their happy state seems but a dream, Can they bear to separate homeward way?
The optimist in me says that this is exactly what love should feel like, deliriously happy. Yet we have to acknowledge the pain that comes at the end of this line. After all this is based on a story of two people who were not allowed to be together. It was a little mercy that the Gods took pity on them and allowed them to meet but once a year. But they could only meet for one day. Its bittersweet, its heartbreaking. But they know that they’ll see each other again, as is explained in the next line.
两 情 若 是 久 长 时，又 岂 在 朝 朝 暮 暮. If love between both sides can last for aye, Why need they stay together night and day?
This last line is probably the most famous in all of China, it exemplifies the love between them, the love that is ever lasting. Even when they are apart for all of the year, they will always and forever remain faithful and loving towards each other.
This poem is an idealistic view of love, one that didn’t really anticipate the age of Tinder. But that doesn’t mean that this poem doesn’t have any relevance at all. Think about the world we currently live in! The age of Covid-19, it has separated, friends, family and loved ones for months. The UK has just marked the one year anniversary of lockdown, there are family members I haven’t seen since the start of lockdown, alas there is no magpie bridge to take me to them. But I do know I shall see them again, everyone shall be re-united again.