红绝| (hong jue)

Hu Xia's '红绝' (hong jue) is a song that seems to weave a tapestry of traditional Chinese imagery with themes of love, transience, and the supernatural. The lyrics are rich with metaphor and cultural references, painting a picture of a world where the divine and the mortal intertwine. The song opens with a scene of a celestial palace above the clouds, where a red altar and a mysterious bell attract butterflies in their cocoons, suggesting a transformation or awakening that is about to occur. The mention of a 'ghost secret' hidden in a captivating dream adds a layer of mystique and perhaps speaks to the hidden depths of the human heart or the elusive nature of love.

The song continues with references to a 'fairy wind' that turns an ancient courtyard into emptiness, and a red thread that is likened to the breeze of late spring, symbolizing fate and the connections between people. The dance of the moon and the dragon in the dark, and the gentle sending of a lantern with a wish, evoke a sense of longing and the desire to convey one's feelings across distances or even realms. The chorus speaks of a grand love that fills a city with flowers, a love so powerful that it seems to transcend life and death, and the singer expresses a willingness to take on magical powers to protect and honor this love.

The song's narrative seems to explore the idea of love as an eternal flame, a beacon that persists through countless lifetimes. The lyrics touch on the Buddhist concept of samsara, the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth, and the enduring nature of emotions through this cycle. The singer's reflections on memories trapped in mirrors, the warmth of peach blossom water compared to the sound of red garments in the wind, and the wish for belief and trust to last forever, all contribute to the song's exploration of the ephemeral versus the everlasting. '红绝' is a poetic journey through the landscapes of the heart, where love is both a dream and a destiny, as fragile as it is eternal.