A couple of weeks ago, I had the opportunity to watch Arcane, an excellent animated action-adventure series set in the League of Legends fictional universe. Apart from the highly artistic imagery and conflict-driven storyline, I also enjoyed the opening theme “Enemy” by Imagine Dragons and JID.
Soon after that, I learned that Arcane was recently shown in China, with its Chinese-language title literally meaning “League of Legends: The Battle of Two Cities”. The Chinese edition of the series also has a different opening theme, in Mandarin, which was specifically written to be performed by renowned Hong Kong singer Eason Chan.
The song’s Chinese title – Gu Yong Zhe – literally means “the one who’s alone and fearless”. It is commonly translated as “The Lonely Warrior”, although “The Lone Warrior” is perhaps more appropriate. In the official music video, the song’s English title is “You are the Hero”. The lyrics were written by Tang Tian, a cancer survivor.
Below is my attempted English translation of the song’s beautiful lyrics:
—–
You are the Hero (The Lone Warrior)
Lyrics by Tang Tian
Melody by Qian Lei
Performed by Eason Chan
*
Fearless to show
Your forehead's wound, your differences, your mistakes
Needless to hide
Your worn-out dolls, your masks, your Self
They say, bear the light and tame the monsters
They say, seal your wounds – clowns aren't loved
Why are you alone, glory denied?
Aren't imperfections worth praising?
Who says those covered in mud aren't heroes?
Love you, lone warrior in dark streets
Love you, refusing ever to kneel
Love you, having confronted desperation
Refusing to cry
Love you, in tattered clothes
Daring to block Destiny's guns
Love you, we're so alike
Sharing the same defects
Shall we? Can we? Wear this ragged hero's cape
We fight? We fight! Offer the meekest of dreams
To the weeping and roaring in the dark
Who says only those standing in light are heroes?
They say, cease madness like erasing stains
They say, bow your head and mount the steps
Then forbid me from riding the wind
You remain proud, alone and fearless
Who says those defying normalcy aren't heroes?
Your flaws, so unique
Your silence, so deafening
Love you, lone warrior in dark streets
Love you, refusing ever to kneel
Love you, having confronted desperation
Refusing to cry (You are the hero)
Love you, rising from the wilderness
Your life, borrowing nobody's light
You're destined to raise your city
from the ruins (You are the hero)
Should we? We should! With the meekest of dreams
We fight? We fight! Offer our most sacred dreams
To the weeping and roaring in the dark
Who says only those standing in light are heroes?
—–
都 是勇敢的
你額頭的傷口 你的 不同 你犯的錯
都 不必隱藏
你破舊的玩偶 你的 面具 你的自我
他們說 要帶著光 馴服每一頭怪獸
他們說 要縫好你的傷 沒有人愛小丑
為何孤獨 不可 光榮
人只有不完美 值得歌頌
誰說污泥滿身的不算英雄
愛你孤身走暗巷
愛你不跪的模樣
愛你對峙過絕望
不肯哭一場
愛你破爛的衣裳
卻敢堵命運的槍
愛你和我那麼像
缺口都一樣
去嗎？配嗎？這襤褸的披風
戰嗎？戰啊！以最卑微的夢
致那黑夜中的嗚咽與怒吼
誰說站在光里的才算英雄
他們說 要戒了你的狂 就像擦掉了污垢
他們說 要順台階而上 而代價是低頭
那就讓我 不可 乘風
你一樣驕傲著 那種孤勇
誰說對弈平凡的不算英雄
你的斑駁 與眾不同
你的沈默 震耳欲聾 You Are The Hero
愛你孤身走暗巷
愛你不跪的模樣
愛你對峙過絕望
不肯哭一場 (You Are The Hero)
愛你來自於蠻荒
一生不借誰的光
你將造你的城邦
在廢墟之上
去嗎？去啊！以最卑微的夢
戰嗎？戰啊！以最孤高的夢
致那黑夜中的嗚咽與怒吼
誰說站在光里的才算英雄
—–
Note: For a different but equally beautiful interpretation of Eason Chan’s “You are the Hero”, please see HERE.
Also Note: Thanks to S and S for their assistance in the translation process.
Voices under the Sun 陽光下的聲音 