Credits
Performed by: Zhou Shen 周深
Written by: Tan Qiyin 谭淇尹
Produced by: Yang Ninghao 杨柠豪, Zhou Shen 周深
Sit down, it's time for mythology class. (If you're not interested, you can skip to the lyrics. Just treat the names in the translation as holy creatures XD)
Many parts of this song are based on 山海经 (Classics of Mountains and Rivers). Essentially, it's a compilation of mythical creatures and is the source of most, if not all, legends. Here's the thing. Though it's a work of 'mythical' creatures, at some point in history, this wasn't just an 'entertainment' work; it was a textbook of sorts. In fact, putting the mythical elements apart, you can see the geography of its era. Search it up if you're interested. Many creative works (games, dramas, novels...) Are based on it.
Here are some mythical beings listed in the 山海经 that are used in this song. I will put the OG work (based on Baidu), translation, and more notes.
吉量 (Ji Liang) - 有文马,缟身朱鬣,目若黄金,名曰吉量,乘之寿千岁 (There is a horse with red mane and gold eyes, named Ji Liang, those who ride it live a thousand years). It is the Year of the Horse, so. There's that.
羲和 (Xi He) - 羲和者,帝俊之妻,生十日 (Xi He is the wife of Di Jun, and gave birth to ten suns) (Di Jun is like the King of Gods). She takes care of the "suns" and drives one of them from East to West in a carriage daily. (Hence the rise and set of the sun). Legend has it that one day, the suns weren't happy with the order and came out all at once, scorching the world. Hou Yi shot down 9 of them, leaving the world with only 1 as it is now.
望舒 (Wang Shu) - I don't think she was in 山海经 (couldn't find info), but she's like the Moon version of Xi He. Xi He drives the sun, Wangshu drives the moon.
弱水 (Ruo Shui) - 其下有弱水之渊环之 “Weak River" is the river said to surround Kunlun (a story for another day, just think of it as a very holy mountain, but if you watch Xianxia or Wuxia dramas, you probably heard of it). It is so "weak” that not even a feather could flow on it.
祝融 (Zhu Rong) - Zhu Rong is the God of Fire, 山海经 says 南祝融,兽身人面,乘两龙 (Zhu Rong of the South has an animal's body, a human's face, and rides two dragons). Do not ask me how he became the God of Fire.
禺彊 (Ou Jiang) - 北海之渚中,有神,人面鸟身,珥两青蛇,践两赤蛇,名曰禺彊 (In the Northen Seas, there is a god with a human's face and bird's body, he has two green snakes around his neck and steps on two red snakes, his name is Ou Jiang). Ou Jiang is the God of the Seas.
鸾鸟 (Luan Niao) - It's a mythical bird that looks like a phoenix. It's mentioned in the 山海经, but I don't think it has a full description like the others. So. Think of it as a very holy bird.
建木 (Jian Mu) - It's described in 山海经, ngl I don't really understand what it says either, but know this: it's a very holy tree.
羲和车上金铃铛 (叮当叮当)
On Xihe's carriage, the golden bells charm
望舒驾后银尾巴 (摇摇晃晃)
The silver tail of Wangshu's cart sways
弱水岸边唤吉量 吉量吉量
Calling for Jiliang at the shore of Weak River (Jiliang, Jiliang)
叮叮当当 天地叮叮当当
Dingding dangdang, the bells ring throughout the world
T/N: Ding dang is the bells ringing~
九天之上飘来一朵雪花
A snowflake falls from the Nine Heavens
原来是我那英俊的小马
Oh, that's my handsome little horse
金色星星在它眼里安家
The golden stars rest in its eyes
祝融手持火种编织了它的发
Zhu Rong created its mane with his fire
T/N: These two lines basically 'describe' how Jiliang has golden eyes and red mane~
我的小马一天一天长大
My little horse grows up day by day
穿过凛冬和最沸腾的夏
Trotting through the bitter winter and burning summer
衔来西边石头东边的花
It brought me pebbles from the West and flowers from the East
马蹄扬起层层层层的云沙
Its hoofs raise clouds and clouds of drifting sands
羲和车上金铃铛 (叮当叮当)
On Xihe's carriage, the golden bells charm
望舒驾后银尾巴 (摇摇晃晃)
The silver tail of Wangshu's cart sways
弱水岸边唤吉量 吉量吉量
Calling for Jiliang at the shore of Weak River (Jiliang, Jiliang)
叮叮当当 天地叮叮当当
Dingding dangdang, the bells ring throughout the world
T/N: Ding dang is the bells ringing~
吉量 我亲爱的小马
Jiliang, my dear little horse
漫漫长夜你呀
In the long night
抖一抖脊梁
You shook your back
吉量 当你路过他乡
Jiliang, as you pass by other villages
最绵长的山岗
On top of the never-ending mountains
要挂我的月亮
Do hang my moon
等到人们听说我的小马
Waiting for people to hear about my little horse
听说禺彊长风追不上它
Hear that Ou Jiang's wind cannot catch up to it
银河里的光会顺流而下
The light of the galaxy flows with the current
T/N: 银河 means galaxy, but if you split the words, 银 is silver, 河 is river, hence the light from the galaxy flowing with the current~
大地长出通往九野的枝丫
Branches that reach towards the whole world sprouted from the ground
T/N: 九野 comes from 九域之野, meaning the ground of the "9 states" aka CN
高高山上鸾鸟唱 (叮当叮当)
On the high mountains, the heaven birds sing
东海浪里搅银汤 (汤汤荡荡)
Stir up the Eastern Seas
建木树下唤吉量 (吉量吉量)
Calling for Jiliang under the Jianmu tree (Jiliang, jiliang)
叮叮当当 天地叮叮当当
Dingding dangdang, the bells ring throughout the world
T/N: Ding dang is the bells ringing~
吉量 我勇敢的小马
Jiliang, my brave little horse
当人间需要桥梁
When the world needs a bridge
请你垂下缰
Please lower your neck
吉量 树顶上那颗太阳
Jiliang, see that sun above the tree
在晨雾里张望
Peeking through the morning mist
驮它来我身旁
Carry it to my side
羲和车上金铃铛 (叮当叮当)
On Xihe's carriage, the golden bells charm
望舒驾后银尾巴 (摇摇晃晃)
The silver tail of Wangshu's cart sways
弱水岸边唤吉量 吉量吉量
Calling for Jiliang at the shore of Weak River (Jiliang, Jiliang)
叮叮当当 天地叮叮当当
Dingding dangdang, the bells ring throughout the world
T/N: Ding dang is the bells ringing~
高高山上鸾鸟唱 (叮当叮当)
On the high mountains, the heaven birds sing
东海浪里搅银汤 (汤汤荡荡)
Stir up the Eastern Seas
建木树下唤吉量 (吉量吉量)
Calling for Jiliang under the Jianmu tree (Jiliang, jiliang)
叮叮当当 天地叮叮当当
Dingding dangdang, the bells ring throughout the world
T/N: Ding dang is the bells ringing~