Hundreds of years ago when emperors rule The most beautiful girl was torn apart An honour to her family but death to her heart I was a commoner, a slave to the rules Inside the Forbidden City, I was rooted With a glimpse of her peach blossom eyes Caught, imprisoned and beaten Oh, what a grave sin it is to stare at the emperor's concubine One gloomy night she came and brought some provisions Completely forgetting the hunger and pain As she parted her lips for a brief conversation The visit has blossomed into romance The beginning of a tragic affair with the emperor's concubine Upon release I go back to my woodcutting station And under the new moon's light to my lover's temptation Inside the forest, witnessed by the stars, we made love Parting before the rituals begin in The palace of the emperor's concubine Fire in our eyes Fire in our hearts We have dared to defy imperial convention Some good things never last, and for us it quickly came to pass Like a Shakespearian sonnet, knocking at the doors of death The emperor's fury was conquered with love and mercy To his concubine he said, "Remove the unwanted in your womb, And your life will be spared." Fire in our eyes Fire in our hearts We have dared to defy imperial convention Off with our heads Off with our loves We will wait till our next incarnation.