Iron Veins of Beijing
(北京市城市主题宣传曲系列)
作词:泽希& 东山居士
混音:东山居士
Empress Dowager Xiao stood on Wangjing Terrace high
Grain fleets sailed in a mighty line, reaching the sky
“Copper bottom, iron bank” — this river’s name they cry
A thousand years of water still flows, passing by
Li Ling Dam’s stones built by Liu Jing and his son
Gave army grain to save thousands from drought’s cruel run
Beijing’s roots lie not deep in palace halls alone
In every river, every handful of earth, well-known
Copper bottom, iron bank, thousand-year grain river
From Liao’s oar songs to today’s tune, forever
Copper bottom, iron bank, Beijing’s mother river
Flowed through Yuan Dadu, Beiping, new China’s endeavor
Copper bottom, iron bank, memories that never fade
Cloisonné copper body, filigree gold inlaid
Copper bottom, iron bank, bloodline never unmade
Boat after boat of stories, sung from old to present day
Old master at enamel factory, sixty years of blue he’s laid
One wire pinches out flowers, birds, mountains unafraid
He says this river’s water nurtured this craft’s trade
As long as water flows, this art will never fade
Docks along the canal long lost their ships, no more
But “copper bottom, iron bank” still spreads from door to door
Beijing’s stories lie not between book lines, pure core
In elders’ mouths, on both river banks, evermore
Copper bottom, iron bank, thousand-year grain river
From Liao’s oar songs to today’s tune, forever
Copper bottom, iron bank, Beijing’s mother river
Flowed through Yuan Dadu, Beiping, new China’s endeavor
Tonghui River’s locks, Jishuitan’s sails in the air
Shichahai’s winter, springs flow beneath ice, fair and square
Central axis is spine, canal is vein, declare
Thousand-year Beijing lives on water, everywhere
Copper bottom, iron bank, memories that never fade
Cloisonné copper body, filigree gold inlaid
Copper bottom, iron bank, bloodline never unmade
Boat after boat of stories, sung from old to present day
Copper bottom, iron bank, memories that never fade
Cloisonné copper body, filigree gold inlaid
Copper bottom, iron bank, bloodline never unmade
Boat after boat of stories,
sung from old to present day