Notes

Transliteration

Hong2 qing1ting2
Hong2 qing1ting2
qing1 qing1 ting2.
Shi2 shang4 qing1 qing1 ting2,
shui3 shang4 qing1 qing1 ting2,
feng1 li3 qing1 qing1 ting2.

I asked my cousin, James Yannucci, who lives in China, about the numbers in the transliteration. Here's what he wrote:

"The numbers are the tones used for each word. The Chinese use 4 different tones.

1. Is a high level tone (almost like your singing the word)
2. Is a high rising tone
3. The tone starts at a neutral point then drops down low then returns.
4. Drops fast and abrupt

A word such as "qing" will have 4 (or more) completely different meanings depending on which tone you use."

*****

Anna-Marie wrote, "If you like I can give you the Dutch translation too. Maybe this is good for people in Belgium and the Netherlands."

rode waterjuffers (libel)
rode waterjuffers
ze stoppen heel zacht
stilblijvend op de rotsen
zacht verpozend op het water
licht pauzerend in de wind.

Comments

The Traditional Chinese Text in computer format (we apologize if it doesn't display properly on your screen):

紅蜻蜓

紅蜻蜓
紅蜻蜓
蜻輕停
石上蜻輕停
水上蜻輕停
風里蜻輕停

Thanks and Acknowledgements

Many thanks to Anna-Marie for contributing this song, for providing the transliterated version, and for translating it into English and Dutch!

M goi! & Xie xie!