A Rec and Appreciation post for a Bilibili FMV I found for The Spirealm :)
IMPORTANT: Contains spoilers for all the way through to the show! You've been warned!
Link to the edit: You don't need an account to watch things on Bilibili, but if you do, remember to give it a thumbs up! 💕
The song used and will be discussed by me in relation to the clips of the drama used in the fmv is 人间不值得 (The Human Realm is Not Worth It) by 黄诗扶 (Huáng Shīfú).
Disclaimer:
1. I'm not Chinese by any means, I only happen to be a student who loves this song very very much for its nuances and symbolism and it always makes me so happy to see a fandom I like has gotten an edit to this song. This post is an attempt to get more like-minded people to appreciate it! All the translations are from here where you can read even deeper to the lyrics and learn the background of the song.
2. I will be posting screenshots from the edit that correspond significantly to the song lyrics for those who'd like some help with noticing the parallels. Again, and obviously, this means SPOILERS! Don't proceed if you don't want to be spoiled. I won't be sharing gifs nor clips from the edit because that'd be straight up reposting and I don't want to do that, and a single screenshot may not be sufficient for you to understand what's happening in the scene unless you've seen the show/fmv.
Without further ado!
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渡口爱上深山, 薄雪中意晚莲 -A Crossing Ferry falls for Deep Mountain, Thin Layer of Snow likes Evening Lotus
A ferry transportation wouldn't be done in an area with deep mountains, it requires a flat and calm body of water. Lotuses don't bloom in the snow-falling season. Aka this means two things that are star-crossed. Hence: 🥲
夕阳熬红双眼 想等来晨钟聊聊天- Setting sun waits till its eyes turned red, hoping it can chat with morning bell
Again, the setting sun cannot meet the morning bell. The vidder has used a scene of Ruan Lanzhu sitting with his eyes closed on a bench, waiting for Jiushi- it's not that specific so I'm not including a screenshot.
心上人在梅边柳边 偏不在身边- Person on heart is by plum or willow, but not by (the person singing the song)
A Hongloumeng reference to say that your beloved is not by you but elsewhere, see the link above for more details.
-A scene of Jiushi patting Lanzhu's shoulder and going away for a door challenge while Lanzhu stands agonized-
小白蛇浇透临安 许仙却没带伞- Little white snake is drenched in the rain of Lin An, but Xu Xian forgets to bring an umbrella
From the legend of White Snake and Xu Xian, they meet on a rainy day and Xu Xian gives White Snake an umbrella. Here, the lyrics say he forgot aka things didn't happen the way they should've.
-The clip chosen for this line is more happy because they both got to use the umbrella hehe-
少女压坏秋千 书生十年落选- Young girl crushes the swing, scholar fails at exams for ten years
A little girl on a swing and a scholar who passes the exams are nice things to imagine, but the lyrics say the contrary happened. The edit shows scenes from the case of the bullied school girl and the classmate who betrayed her, who both had their youths ruined. :(
命运总是挑挑拣拣 诸事不成全- Fate is always picky and things just can’t be fulfilled
-Scenes from the first case (snow village), not using screenshots because the line itself isn't very specifc and therefore neither is the scene-
小和尚没化到缘 又路过烧鸭店- Little monk doesn’t get offerings, then happens to walk by a roasted duck shop
Describes a situation where your life sucks and then some more.
-The scene of the little beggar fainting from the Child trafficking case put in contradiction with the scene of Jiushi enjoying skewers with Xiong Qi.-
The chorus:
拈杯酒眯着眼 说专心看人间- Pinching a cup of wine and squinting eyes, saying (I/you/whoever) is looking at the human real with full concentration
The song is advising you to take a cup of wine, let go and just observe the world around you. Scenes of Lanzhu and Jiushi having swigs/sips of drinks is followed by them happily gazing up at New Year fireworks. It's pretty self explanatory.
看长安建安与潘安 都想沾一沾- (seeing) Chang’an Jian An and Pan’An, wanting to touch them all
Chang'an was an ancient Chinese capital, Jian'an was a literaty gathering, Pan'an was a historical man who was famous for his beauty and loyalty to his wife (the character Liu Xueyi's was modelled upon for the recently aired drama In Blossoms🤭) aka these three things are unrelated except for rhyming. So it's basically like saying "You want this, you want that too" and to just chill and embrace it all; your mortal desires and sorrows.
The scenes used are from the night street celebrations from the Child trafficking case, and are not specific to the line except for that the aesthetics match that of Chang'an night scenary in Tang dynasty period dramas. (And maybe Jiushi staring at Li Dongyuan's handsome face refers to the Pan'an part heh)
神仙掐指算 此去少圆满- Gods making predictions, this trip shall lead to little fulfillment 得来失 聚了散 千万莫求全- Losing what has been found, parting after reunion, don’t try to aim for perfection at all
Means that sometimes gains and loses just cannot be helped.
-Scenes of Li Dongyuan's last moments- 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
借泥炉烧碗饭 在檐上种炊烟- Borrowing earth stove to make meal, planting cooking smoke on the top of the eave
-cooking scenes from the show, self-explanotory-
管小寒大寒与心寒 都来暖一暖- No matter if it’s Small Cold, Big Cold, Or heart cold, all come over and warm up
Xiao Han and Da Han are two of the wintry solar terms of traditional Chinese calendar. Heart Cold is; well, having lost hope and being unhappy. The song tells you to get together and warm yourself up whether your coldness is external or internal.
好提胆闯人海 再叩风月关- So that you can build up the courage and venture into the crowd, knocking on the door of profanity (of life)
Now this line may look simple but is really iconic to the show. It means to build up your guts [lit:gallbladder] (through the power of the warmth from forming bonds as mentioned above), so you can go out and enjoy all the beautiful romantic things in life, and bravely knock on the doors (HA) of each levels of life as you go.
The scenes used are Lanzhu and Jiushi marching into door challenges, them sitting and enjoying quiet moments together, and DOORS. Bejeezus...
兜兜转转八十一难 我们走着看- Around and around through 81 tribulations, we shall see how it goes
Another cleverly utilized line. 81 tribulations are what the main characters underwent in Journey to the West in order to bring the Buddhist texts, and if you've finished Spirealm, you know the 12 doors are inspired by the 12 links in the Law of Dependent Origin of Buddhist philosophy. In simpler words, the 12 links are the reasons for your mundane sorrows, longings and confusion, and 81 tribulations are the hardships you undergo because of them. The core scene used is Jiushi completing the 12 doors of the game, followed by the friend gang badass-strutting into the case scenes, fitting for the part "let's see how it goes".
竹马去寻竹马 青梅意兴阑珊- Bamboo horse goes searching for bamboo horse, blue plum feels discouraged
Now this is my FAVORITE line 😆 I always love to see what the vidders do with this part when this song is used on a BL edit.
This comes from the famous poem line, “郎骑竹马来,绕床弄青梅”:” boy comes on a bamboo horse, circling around the bed and playing with plum branch”. It refers to boys and girls who are meant to be each others' since childhood. But sometimes, the bamboo horse (boy) doesn't go for a blue plum (girl), and will seek another bamboo horse instead, yeah? The scenes chosen are first Lanzhu and Jiushi, chased after by Li Dongyuan, leaving behind the exasperated Zhuang Rujiao 😂 Our poor lil blue plum!
伯牙琴弦摔断 叔夜刚绝交山巨源- Bo Ya breaks the string on his Qin, Shu Ye breaks off from Shan Juyuan
This line is about two legendary friendships, in the first pairing Bo Ya broke his Qin after his friend's death because nobody could appreciate his playing better than his friend, and the latter pairing broke up because of diff ideals.
The scenes used are when Jiushi and his ex bff used to be together, and broke up later.
知己半路就散 结发总另结新欢- Good friends part half-way, spouses marry someone else
-Yixie crying holding Qianli, the nurse whose lover betrayed her in the sanatorium arc-
小情侣恰好遇见 喜鹊没来上班- Young couples who happen to meet when the magpies are not on duty
Refers to the Chinese fairytale Magpie Bridge where magpies helped the couple meet once every year, and without magpies they wouldn't get even that chance.
The scenes used are: 🥺
长生岂能如愿 古稀尚靠垂怜- How can longevity be fulfilled, it depends on heaven’s mercy to live to one’s 70s
Jeebus, have I mentioned this vidder is a GENIUS? The corresponding scene used is the big baddie of the show standing tall and playing almighty, and the happiness of our good guys is at his mercy, followed by the scene of 50 Years Later HUHU
老病倒比莺莺燕燕 多陪二十年- The Old and the sick somehow gets 20 more years than the happy young couple
LOL the vidder knows how to be a troll, too. As the song says "Old and sick gets to live", Chen Fei and the lady friend (I don't even rem her name) who couldn't have been more background charactery if they tried, and they got to move onwards with their lives in peace while "happy, young" Zaozao and Dongyuan didn't 😔
小嫦娥偷吃灵药 却反而羡人间- Chang’e takes magical elixir, yet feels jealous of the human realm
The moon goddess, who enjoys longevity but is full of regrets about the life she left behind.
-Zaozao, who is finally under the spotlight she always deserved, but... *bawls harder*
The chorus from before repeats, that tells you to have a drink, chill and look at this world, not care so much about this and that, to not push yourself too hard because it isn't worth it, have a meal with your loved ones to chase away the cold instead, build up the courage to endure the beauty and challenges (DOORS) of the life.
Complimentary scenes follow:
人生在世不称意呀 失眠或失恋- Living in this realm is often unsatisfying, losing sleep or losing love
-For "unsatisfying" part, past-and-present scenes of the son and mother from the Triplet case, for "Losing Sleep" part Lanzhu staring at sleeping Jiushi on the same bed and then the chocolate scene, the younger sister's confession being rejected in the Sister Drum case and the Lady in the Rain for "Losing Love" part.-
只劝你来把个盏 侃呀么侃大山- (I) suggest you drink (the wine) up, then have a nice long chat
-The scene where Lanzhu wordlessly empties the can after Dongyuan's incident, followed by memories of when they were eating and chatting together, and also those of Qianli's 🤧
The final part:
喝完大酒撑条船 说今生不靠岸- After a big drink go ride on a boat, saying never to dock till the end of this life 去天涯海角浪个遍 失意当尝鲜 -To the edge of the horizon and corners of the sea, taking disappointment as fresh experiences
-Scenes of Lanzhu and Jiushi together, braving the challenges-
这一路手握剑 身侧有千帆- Holding a sword on the way, with thousands of sails passing by
-The girl from the school bullying case, now grown bright and confident, wielding a sword (that was SUCH a great moment! You go, darling!), followed by the now-regretless Door Ghosts smiling happily in the last episode.-
时不时 回头看看 百味是人间- From time to time, turn around and look, hundreds of tastes makes up the human realm
-Lanzhu looking back at Jiushi for one last time, Jiushi looking back before entering a door- *sniffles
Followed by happy montages of all their friends, and Chestnut.
时不时 也睡个懒觉 醒来多加餐- From time to time, sleep in, and eat an extra meal when (you) wake up
-A scene of Lanzhu tucked in cozily, Jiushi stretching awake from a sleep, well into daytime, and for the "Extra Meal" part, that giant drumstick platter Lanzhu and Rujiao made Dongyuan get for them 😁.-
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AAAnd DONE!
Phew, that gotta be one of the longest posts I've made in one sitting.
If you are still here, thank you so much for your patience and attention, I hope you enjoyed this brilliant fmv meta! Don't forget to give the vidder the love they much deserve, and read up the AveX link for more thorough understanding of the song itself.
Toodles for now!
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人间不值得 - This Human World Isn’t Worth It
人间不值得 - 黄诗扶
This Human World Isn’t Worth It - Huang Shifu
Original Song Here
Lyrics: Chi Yi
Composition: Huang Shifu
Arrangement: Mzf Xiao Mu
渡口爱上深山 薄雪中意晚莲
夕阳熬红双眼 想等来晨钟聊聊天
The harbor falls in love with the mountains in the distance, and a beautiful evening lotus catches the eye of the cold winter snow.
The sunset stays awake until its eyes are brimming red just waiting for the dawn to come by for a chat.
心上人在梅边柳边 偏不在身边
小白蛇浇透临安 许仙却没带伞
My beloved stands there beside plum blossoms and willow trees, but remains out of my reach.
The white snake finds herself soaked through near the West Lake, but Xu Xian did not bring his umbrella.
少女压坏秋千 书生十年落选
命运总是挑挑拣拣 诸事不成全
A young girl tumbles as her swing falls apart beneath her, and a young scholar fails his exams again ten years counting.
Fate is such a fickle thing, never fulfilling anyone's wishes.
小和尚没化到缘 又路过烧鸭店
A young monk comes back empty handed, as he passes by roasting ducks on a street stand.
拈杯酒眯着眼 说专心看人间
看长安建安与潘安 都想沾一沾
Cups of wine in hand, with heavy eyes barely open, they say they are watching this human world carefully.
Looking over the beauty of Chang'an, Jian'an, and Pan'an, they wanted a taste of everything.
神仙掐指算 此去少圆满
得来失 聚了散 千万莫求全
The gods count each one out one by one- few things are ever truly completed.
Things we gain will lead to loss, and those who come together will inevitably part, so we must be careful never to ask for too much.
借泥炉烧碗饭 在檐上种炊烟
管小寒大寒与心寒 都来暖一暖
Let's borrow a clay oven, and cook a bowl of food, raising billows of smoke over the eaves
Whether it's a icy storm, a cold spell, or a bitter, frozen heart- may they all be warmed a little.
好提胆闯人海 再叩风月关
兜兜转转八十一难 我们走着看
So that we may gather the courage to push through the sea of people around us, we bow again to the quiet moonlight above.
No matter the ups and downs that await us on this winding path of life, let's walk along and see.
竹马去寻竹马 青梅意兴阑珊
A young boy comes along on a bamboo horse, but trots away to play with the others,
And the little girl beneath green plum trees grows tired of waiting.
伯牙琴弦摔断 叔夜刚绝交山巨源
Bo Ya snaps the strings of his qin in grief,
And Shuye (Xi Kang) severs his ties with Ju Yuan (Shan Tao).
知己半路就散 结发总另结新欢
小情侣恰好遇见 喜鹊没来上班
The friend you hold closest abandons you halfway through, as the one you love marries another,
A pair of young lovers finally happen to meet, and yet cupid seems to have abandoned his post.
长生岂能如愿 古稀尚靠垂怜
老病倒比莺莺燕燕 多陪二十年
Over the course of such a long life, how could you expect everything to go as you may have wished? In the end, the elderly continue to lean upon the mercy of others.
The illness of old age accompanies you twenty years longer than the spring of youth.
小嫦娥偷吃灵药 却反而羡人间
A young Chang'e stole the elixir of immortality, only to turn and envy the lives of humankind.
拈杯酒眯着眼 说专心看人间
看长安建安与潘安 都想沾一沾
Cups of wine in hand, with heavy eyes barely open, they say they are watching this human world carefully.
Looking over the beauty of Chang'an, Jian'an, and Pan'an, they wanted a taste of everything.
神仙掐指算 此去少圆满
得来失 聚了散 千万莫求全
The gods count each one out one by one- few things are ever truly completed.
Things we gain will lead to loss, and those who come together will inevitably part, so we must be careful never to ask for too much.
借泥炉烧碗饭 在檐上种炊烟
管小寒大寒与心寒 都来暖一暖
Let's borrow a clay oven, and cook a bowl of food, raising billows of smoke over the eaves
Whether it's a icy storm, a cold spell, or a bitter, frozen heart- may they all be warmed a little.
好提胆闯人海 再叩风月关
兜兜转转八十一难 我们走着看
So that we may gather the courage to push through the sea of people around us, we bow again to the quiet moonlight above.
No matter the ups and downs that await us on this winding path of life, let's walk along and see.
人生在世不称意呀 失眠或失恋
只劝你来把个盏 侃呀么侃大山
喝完大酒撑条船 说今生不靠岸
去天涯海角浪个遍 失意当尝鲜
Our time in this human world can be so bitter, whether it's sleepless nights or broken hearts.
One can only advise you to take a cup, and come by for a bit of idle chatter
After finishing the wine, take a boat out and swear never to land again in this lifetime.
Go forth to the ends of the earth and sea, and taste each new disappointment as it comes.
这一路手握剑 身侧有千帆
时不时~回头看看 百味是人间
时不时~也睡个懒觉 醒来多加餐
Along the way, keep a sword at hand, and a thousand sails beside you.
Every now and then, look back at the hundreds of flavors of the human world.
Every now and then, sleep in a bit, and once you wake, help yourself to a another meal.
Side Note: There are a lot of direct references to Chinese literature here, and some other more ambiguous ones. I'll be posting some notes later to capture the ones I found. There are some localizations I did where possible, but for the most part I left things relatively literal because there was so much.
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