Introduction to the Song of Yi River | Generated by AI
Question: Introduction to “易水歌” (Yi Shui Ge)
Answer:
《易水歌》 (Yì Shuǐ Gē), often translated as “Song of the Yi River” or “Easy Water Song,” is one of the most famous short ancient Chinese songs/poems in history. It is closely associated with the legendary assassin Jing Ke (荆轲) during the late Warring States period.
Historical Background
In 227 BCE, the state of Qin was rapidly conquering other states. To save Yan from destruction, Crown Prince Dan of Yan (燕太子丹) planned to assassinate Qin Shi Huang (then King of Qin). He recruited Jing Ke for this dangerous mission. Before departing, Prince Dan and his followers (all dressed in white, a color symbolizing mourning and death) saw Jing Ke off at the Yi River (易水, in present-day Hebei Province). Jing Ke’s friend Gao Jianli (高渐离) played the zhu (a string instrument), and Jing Ke sang this song in a mournful yet heroic tone. The scene was so intense that “everyone’s hair stood on end and tears flowed” (发尽上指冠, 皆垂泪涕泣).
The Most Famous Version (Core Lines)
The classic and widely recognized version is very short:
风萧萧兮易水寒，
壮士一去兮不复还。
Pinyin: Fēng xiāo xiāo xī Yì shuǐ hán,
Zhuàng shì yī qù xī bù fù huán.
English Translation:
The wind howls mournfully, the Yi River is cold;
This brave man sets forth, never to return.
Some extended versions (possibly later additions or dramatized accounts) include additional lines:
探虎穴兮入蛟宫，
仰天呼气兮成白虹。
Translation:
Venturing into the tiger’s den / entering the dragon’s palace;
Looking up to heaven and exhaling, a white rainbow is formed.
These lines symbolize the extreme danger of the mission and the hero’s soaring spirit (the “white rainbow” is a classical image of extraordinary valor or tragic determination).
Literary Significance
- Extremely concise (only 15 characters in the core version), yet immensely powerful.
- Uses simple natural imagery (autumn wind + cold river) to express tragic heroism.
- Perfectly blends scene description and emotion — the bleak environment mirrors the hero’s doomed fate.
- Considered a timeless expression of 慷慨悲壮 (generous, heroic, and tragic grandeur).
- Has influenced Chinese literature, theater, and popular culture for over 2,200 years. It is frequently quoted when describing farewell to a dangerous mission or certain death.
Later Imitations
Many poets wrote poems titled 《易水歌》 in later dynasties, using Jing Ke’s story to express their own feelings (e.g., Ming dynasty poet Chen Zilong wrote a longer, more elaborate version lamenting the fall of the Ming dynasty).
In short, 《易水歌》 is not just a farewell song — it has become the ultimate symbol of a hero knowingly walking toward death for a noble cause in Chinese cultural memory.
References:
- 《易水歌》 - Baidu Baike (荆轲 version)
- 古诗文网 - 荆轲《易水歌》原文及赏析
- 史记·刺客列传 (Sima Qian’s Records of the Grand Historian)