Blossoms Drift through the Spring City

[Intro]

[Verse 1]

Chang'an in late spring

Petals like a flurry of colored sand

Not a single street escapes

Even the remotest alley entrance is veiled in gauze

The willows beside the imperial canal

Pressed southward again and again by the east wind

[Pre-Chorus]

At the Cold Food Festival, every household forbids fire

Only last year’s ash and cinders remain in the hearth

[Chorus]

春城无处不飞花 — Throughout the springtime city, blossoms fly

寒食东风御柳斜 — At the Cold Food Festival, the east wind bends the imperial willows

At dusk in the Han palace, candles are lit to be bestowed

轻烟散入五侯家 — Light smoke drifts into the homes of the five favored lords

In ordinary alleys，cold pots，cold stoves，and dark roof tiles

Smoke, choosing only grand and wealthy houses to settle over

[Verse 2]

Chang’an is quiet and still by day

Even the cooking smoke has taken a holiday

The children gnaw on cold dumplings

An elder hands over a bowl of cool tea

The sky darkens inch by inch

So dark that only the stars keep blinking

[Pre-Chorus]

Just at this moment, ah

A clamor rises from the palace

[Chorus]

春城无处不飞花 — Throughout the springtime city, blossoms fly

寒食东风御柳斜 — At the Cold Food Festival, the east wind bends the imperial willows

At dusk in the Han palace, candles are lit to be bestowed

轻烟散入五侯家 — Light smoke drifts into the homes of the five favored lords

In ordinary alleys，cold pots，cold stoves，and dark roof tiles

Smoke, choosing only grand and wealthy houses to settle over

[Instrumental]

[Verse 3]

A company of riders left the Han palace

Candlelight blooms through gauze lanterns like an evening glow

The candle's flame is a gift from the emperor

The only radiance on Cold Food Festival night

Pipes and drums play all along the way

Children chase the procession, reaching out to catch something

[Bridge]

The procession stops before the lofty gates

Formal words of thanks come from behind vermilion gates

Candles are sent inside one by one

Wisps of candle smoke climb toward the rafters

Night in the five marquises' mansions is bright as day

The windows of the lowly houses are still pitch-black

The very same city in spring

Half brightly lit, half pitch-black

[Verse 4]

Flowers pay no heed to any of this

Still scattering into bright places and dark alike

The wind pays no mind to any of this

It blows through the imperial willows and over the fences too

Once daylight comes

Cold stoves burn again, cooking smoke sets out in curling wisps once more

[Final Chorus]

春城无处不飞花 — Throughout the springtime city, blossoms fly

寒食东风御柳斜 — At the Cold Food Festival, the east wind bends the imperial willows

At dusk in the Han palace, candles are lit to be bestowed

轻烟散入五侯家 — Light smoke drifts into the homes of the five favored lords

In ordinary alleys，cold pots，cold stoves，and dark roof tiles

Smoke, choosing only grand and wealthy houses to settle over

[Outro]

The smoke from the Five Marquises’ homes has dispersed

In the spring wind's eyes, grand vermilion gates and humble brushwood gates are alike