Xiang Liu and Xiao Yao’s Story and Romance

 AH :

liddi is probably more familiar with the details and precise translations, but the title of the novel in Mandarin is more like "Eternally Yearning for You" and "Lost You Forever" is the title of the first volume of the novel. 

The title of the novel 长相思 literally means Eternally Yearning for Each Other. 

The word 相思 means the yearning / lovesickness is experienced by both parties, so it is not unrequited love.

Revised editions of the novel from 2019 onwards added a new subtitle for Vol 1. The pictures are from the most recent 2023 publication:

Vol 1 如初见 As When We First Met  (red)
Vol 2 诉衷情 Love Confessed  (green)
Vol 3 思无涯 Unending Yearning  (blue)

The prose that goes with each title is as follows:

Vol 1   (the first part of the song Xiao Yao sang to lure Fei Fei)

君若水上风，妾似风中莲。If you are the wind above the water, I am like the lotus in the wind
相见相思，相见相思。Seeing and missing each other, Seeing and missing each other
君若天上云，妾似云中月。If you are the cloud in the sky, I am like the moon in the clouds
相恋相惜，相恋相惜。Loving and cherishing each other, Loving and cherishing each other
君若山中树，妾似树上藤。If you are the tree on the mountain, I am like the vine on the tree
相伴相依，相伴相依。Accompanying and relying on each other, Accompanying and relying on each other
君若天上鸟，妾似水中鱼。If you are the bird in the sky, I am like the fish in the water
相忘相忆，相忘相忆。Forgetting and remembering each other, Forgetting and remembering each other

Vol 2   (the 2nd part of the song Xiao Yao sang to lure Fei Fei)

缘何世间有悲欢     Why is there joy and sorrow in the world?
缘何人生有聚散    Why there are gatherings and separations in life?
唯愿与君                   I only wish, with you
长相守、不分离   To stay together forever, never to part
长相守、不分离...   To stay together forever, never to part... 

Vol 3   (the song that is intrinsically linked to Chi Chen and A Heng's tragic love story)

请将我的眼剜去    Please cut out my eyes
让我血溅你衣          So my blood splashes on your robes
似枝头桃花               Like peach blossoms on the branches
只要能令你眼中有我   As long as I am in your eyes
请将我的心掏去             Please take out my heart
让我血漫荒野                  Let my blood spill in the wilderness
似山上桃花                       Like peach blossoms on the mountains
只要能令你心中有我     As long as you have me in your heart

It is commonly posited that the original title for Vol 1 (which is the title of the book) refers to Cang Xuan, Vol 2 to Jing, and Vol 3 to Xiang Liu. In some ways it makes sense, because in the early parts of the book particularly during  the Qingshui town arc, both Cang Xuan and Xiao Liu constantly miss each other, reliving their happiest moments together in their childhood.

 blimarch:

Wasn't XL a disciple of Gong Gong and the later prolifient as a healer from Shen Nong or something like that? I though I read that in the novel?  In any case, the fangs marks are very different from the love bites (episode 6 watch at 25mn48: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmJq41aOuBA) and in the drama we see XL deliberately transforming them.

From my impression, what Hong Jiang (Gong Gong) taught Xiang Liu was to heal himself internally, and wanted to bring him to the Flame Emperor for further treatment. There is no indication that he could heal others. He also had to depend on medicines to heal Xiao Yao's hand after slashing it to destroying the lover's bug. What we do see when Fangfeng Bei fed on her wrist is that he could stop her bleeding, after which what remained looked like a passionate kiss mark.

 AH :

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So "Lost You Forever" is no longer used at all? Not as a volume title and not as the title of the novel overall?

Thank you for the detailed translations of the titles and songs, and the additional info! ^^

You're welcome. No, the title of the novel remains as 长相思 Eternally Yearning for Each Other.

Tong Hua only added a volume title to Vol 1.

To be honest, I have no idea where the title "Lost You Forever" came from, but I guess it should be the official title, even if it is not a literal translation of the original.

 liddi:

To be honest, I have no idea where the title "Lost You Forever" came from, but I guess it should be the official title, even if it is not a literal translation of the original.

In her notes for chapter 17 of LYF, Koala wrote:

This chapter 17 of Lost You Forever marks the end of Volume 1 of the novel. Volume 1 was simply titled Lost You Forever, but Volume 2 is further titled Telling of a Sorrowful Love, while Volume 3 has the additional title of Longing Without a Horizon. 

In her notes for chapter 34 of LYF she wrote:

This chapter 34 of Lost You Forever is the start of the third and final volume of the three-part epic novel. It’s called Missing You Without End or as the English translation cuts right to the chase and calls it simply Missing You Forever.

 liddi:

The title of the novel 长相思 literally means Eternally Yearning for Each Other.

The word 相思 means the yearning / lovesickness is experienced by both parties, so it is not unrequited love.

Revised editions of the novel from 2019 onwards added a new subtitle for Vol 1. The pictures are from the most recent 2023 publication:

Vol 1 如初见 As When We First Met (red)
Vol 2 诉衷情 Love Confessed (green)
Vol 3 思无涯 Unending Yearning (blue)

This is so so good! I've copied the prose so I can study it more carefully.

Many thanks!

 liddi:

Thank you for the references to Koala's translation!

Yw ^^

 liddi:

Wonder if Lost You Forever is the official translation , since it is adopted by the drama as well.

It seems to be: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18493388-lost-you-forever

The link seems to suggest that there might be an official translation of the novel, but I haven't been able to find it. I think the reviews might all based either on the Mandarin version or Koala's fan translation.

 Elise:

This is what I'm thinking too. I think they're just voting for Jing because of the actor and not the couple. I admit he's really handsome lol. 

I remember this. It's so funny but true.

Jing reminded me of sleeping beauty. He didn't wake up until Xiao Yao gave him that medicine kiss.

I hate to bring back a TSJ-critique meme, but it got me thinking about each of the main guys' attitudes towards their death and XY's death. I feel like it's basically:

TSJ: If XY is dead then I want to be dead too. I'll try to revive her by giving her all my spirit power, but if that doesn't work I'll shield her body from the flames and die too.

XL: XY is going to live whether she likes it or not. I'll use up as many lives, give her as much essential blood, and spend as much time healing her as necessary to bring her back from the brink of death every time. As for myself, I am going to die on the battlefield whether she likes it or not. I'll try to make her not love me too much before I die so my death is a bit less devastating to her, and I'll use one of my lives to bring her fiancee back from the dead so she can marry him.

CX: XY is not allowed to die before me. If she seems dead, I'll give any order and make any trade necessary to bring her back. In the meantime, I'll wipe out the people who hurt her. But also... I'd rather kill XY's fiancee than let her marry him and leave me. If XY kills me for it, I understand. If she kills herself too, even better. Then I can still keep her by my side even in death and not worry about leaving her behind.