Mo Li Hua
Template:Short description Template:Redirect Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox song
"Mo Li Hua" (Template:Lang-zh,Template:Efn also called Sinfa<ref name=Sheppard />) is a Chinese folk song of the "xiǎodiào" ("short tune") genre, from the Jiangnan region (south of the lower Yangtze river, around Suzhou, Shanghai and Hangzhou).<ref name="ShanghaiDaily" /><ref name="chinadaily" />Template:Third-party inline The song is usually dated to the 18th century reign of the Qianlong Emperor (Qing dynasty), though some argue it is Ming era (pre-1644).<ref name="Lau2019">Template:Citation</ref> Over time, many regional variations gained popularity in China and abroad.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
The song was popular in China in the 18th century, and was first published in Europe in 1804. At the beginning of the 20th century, it was frequently played across China by travelling musicians. It was also adapted as temporary national anthem by Qing officials in Europe, and became popular there.<ref name="Lau2019" /> Giacomo Puccini's 1920s opera Turandot uses it as the leitmotif for the titular fairy-tale Chinese princess.<ref name=":2">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="Lau2019" />
The tune has been adapted and referenced in "various traditional Chinese and international music concert circuits, concerts by pop bands and solo singers, scholarly debates, new choral arrangements, and state-sponsored events as an emblem of national pride"<ref name="Lau2019" /> and has been called a "significant national musical and cultural icon" of China, akin to Korea's "Arirang" and Japan's "Sakura Sakura".<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The song was widely used by the Chinese government in turn-of-the-century official events,Template:Refn but became censoredTemplate:Refn after the 2011 Chinese pro-democracy protests, also called the Jasmine ("Mo li hua") Revolution,Template:Refn which used the song as a deniable and hard-to-block way of expressing support for democracy.<ref name="SCMP_unconventional" /><ref name="slate" /><ref name="NYT" />
HistoryEdit
The song has been generally cited to originate during the Qianlong era (1735–1796) of the Qing dynasty,<ref name="ShanghaiDaily"/> though ethnomusicologist Frederick Lau has noted that "we now know that the earliest "Molihua" lyrics appeared during the Ming dynasty Wanli period (1563–1620)."<ref name="Lau2019" /> There are several regional versions of the song,<ref name="EverettLau2004">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="Jin2011"/>Template:Rp with different lyrics and melody.<ref name="ZhangChen2001">Template:Cite book</ref>Template:Rp One version of the song describes a custom of giving jasmine flowers, popular in the southern Yangtze delta region of China.<ref name="ShanghaiDaily"/> Another, longer version describes the fear of plucking the flower.<ref name="ZhangChen2001"/>Template:Rp<ref name="Jin2011"/>Template:Rp Through these variations, the song has also been called "Xian Hua Diao" ("Fresh Flower Melody") and in northern China, the song is sometimes called "La Mei Hua" ("Waxed Plum Blossom") or "Yu Mei Hua" ("Jade Plum Blossom").<ref name="Lau2019" /> The song descends from the "xiǎoqǔ/xiǎodiào" genre, which have the characteristics of being "usually multistanza in form and with uniform phrase structures and equal numbers of words."<ref name="Lau2019" /> It has been played on ancient metal bells (bianzhong) and modern jade chimes.<ref name=chinadaily/> It uses the five note (pentatonic) scale ubiquitous in Chinese music. The tune is one of xiaodiao ("short tunes"), popular in Chinese urban areas.<ref name="Thrasher2008">Template:Cite book</ref>
British diplomat John Barrow, assistant attaché to George Macartney during the Macartney diplomatic mission to the imperial court of Qianlong, was the first to copy the tune into western notation, in 1793.<ref name="Lau2019" /> When he published it in Europe in 1804,<ref name="Lau2019" /> he noted that the tune seemed to be one of the most popular songs in China.<ref name="Jin2011"/>Template:Rp His publication gave the song a "grand entrance on the world stage" and "widespread international popularity", according to ethnomusicology scholar Frederick Lau.<ref name="Lau2019" />
The song was one of the first Chinese folk songs to become widely known outside China.<ref name="Jin2011">Template:Cite book</ref>Template:Rp Beginning in 1896, the song was sometimes used as a temporary national anthem by the Qing Chinese officials in Europe before the adoption of "Cup of Solid Gold" as the official national anthem of the Qing state in 1911.<ref name="Lau2019" /> The song was also analyzed in the unfinished three volume work of the 19th century Austrian-Czech music historian August Wilhelm Ambros, "History of Music," who remarks on the musical leaps within the melody.<ref name=Janz>Template:Cite book</ref> As such, the melody had already become well known among Western listeners when it was used by Giacomo Puccini in his opera Turandot (1926), boy choir air "Là, sui monti dell'est", where it is associated with 'Turandot's splendor'.<ref name="ShanghaiDaily"/><ref name=chinadaily/><ref name="AshbrookPowers1991">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="Fisher2004">Template:Cite book</ref>
In 1982 the song found a place on a UNESCO list of recommended songs.<ref name="Jin2011" />Template:Rp When China regained sovereignty of Macau and Hong Kong, in 1999 and 1997, respectively, this music was played in the ceremonies. The song was said to be a favorite of the former CCP general secretary, Jiang Zemin (it was at his request that the song was played during the transfer ceremony in Hong Kong).<ref name="NYT">Template:Cite news</ref> The tune was played during Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) meetings,<ref name="Kuhn2009">Template:Cite book</ref> and was widely used as hold music by provincial government offices.<ref name="rhist">Template:Cite news, also at The New York Times</ref>
During the 2011 Chinese pro-democracy protests, many protesters reposted videos of Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officials singing "Mo Li Hua", and suggested playing it on cell phones as a form of antigovernment protest.<ref name="NYT" /><ref name="SCMP_unconventional">Template:Cite news</ref> The song was placed on authorities' list of online censored materials.<ref name="SCMP_unconventional"/> Videos of the song, including at least one from an official event (a 2006 Kenyan students' welcome for CCP general secretary Hu Jintao, in which he sings the song and explains its importance), were removed from Chinese websites, and searches for the song's name were blocked.<ref name=econ/> The censorship attracted widespread media attention and was difficult because of the popularity of the song and its association with Chinese culture and history.<ref name=slate>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=NYT/> Physical jasmine flowers were also restricted.<ref name="rhist"/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> At least one new version of the song has been developed by the activists as a response, with lyrics translating in part as "You can’t find jasmine flowers in China/If you have one in your hand, Public Security will arrest you".<ref name=slate/><ref name=protestlyrics>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
LyricsEdit
There are several versions of the song, with different lyrics and melody.
First variantEdit
One of the popular versions lyrics goes: Template:Col-begin Template:Col-2
Traditional ChineseEdit
<poem>好一朵美麗的茉莉花 好一朵美麗的茉莉花 芬芳美麗滿枝椏 又香又白人人誇 讓我來將你摘下 送給別人家 茉莉花呀茉莉花</poem>
Simplified ChineseEdit
<poem>好一朵美丽的茉莉花 好一朵美丽的茉莉花 芬芳美丽满枝桠 又香又白人人夸 让我来将你摘下 送给别人家Template:Efn 茉莉花呀茉莉花</poem>
PinyinEdit
<poem>Hǎo yī duǒ měilì de mòlihuā Hǎo yī duǒ měilì de mòlihuā Fēn fāng měilì mǎn zhī yā Yòu xiāng yòu bái rén rén kuā Ràng wǒ lái jiāng nǐ zhāi xià Sòng gěi biérén jiāTemplate:Efn Mòlihuā ya mòlihuā</poem> Template:Notelist Template:Col-2
Literal translation fitting musicEdit
<poem>What a pretty Jasmine flower, What a pretty Jasmine flower, Nice to see and nice to smell! Praiseworthy scent, and white as well! You are what I'd like to pluck – Giving other people (luck). Oh so pretty, Jasmine Flower!</poem>
Poetic translationEdit
<poem>Flower of jasmine, so fair! Flower of jasmine, so fair! Budding and blooming here and there, Pure and fragrant all do declare. Let me pick you with tender care, Sweetness for all to share. Jasmine fair, oh Jasmine fair.</poem>
Literary translationEdit
<poem>What a Jasmine Brimming with Beauty<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> What a jasmine brimming with beauty! What a jasmine brimming with beauty! Aromas round twigs dance glee. It's sweet 'n white, all praise highly. Please allow me to pick thee, as a gift ne'er twee. Jasmine thee, yeah, Jasmine thee.</poem>
English version sing-alongEdit
<poem>Hǎo yī duǒ měi lì de mò li huā Hǎo yī duǒ měi lì de mò li huā Fragrant flowers filled the air, Beautiful blossoms everywhere Choose a blossom white and pure Give to the one that you adore Mò li huā, yā, mò li huā.</poem> Template:Col-end
Second variantEdit
Another popular versions' lyrics, with three strophes:<ref name="ZhangChen2001"/>Template:Rp
Template:Col-begin Template:Col-2
Traditional ChineseEdit
<poem>好一朵茉莉花, 滿園花開香也香不過她, 我有心采一朵戴 又怕看花的人兒罵.
好一朵茉莉花, 茉莉花開雪也白不過她, 我有心采一朵戴, 又怕旁人笑話.
好一朵茉莉花, 滿園花開比也比不過她, 我有心采一朵戴, 又怕來年不發芽.</poem>
Simplified ChineseEdit
<poem>好一朵茉莉花, 好一朵茉莉花, 满园花开香也香不过它, 我有心采一朵戴 又怕看花的人儿要将我骂.
好一朵茉莉花, 好一朵茉莉花, 茉莉花开雪也白不过它, 我有心采一朵戴, 又怕旁人笑话.
好一朵茉莉花, 好一朵茉莉花, 满园花开比也比不过它, 我有心采一朵戴, 又怕来年不发芽.</poem>
Hanyu PinyinEdit
<poem>Hǎo yī duo mòlìhuā, Mǎn yuán huā kāi xiāng yě xiāng bùguò tā, Wǒ yǒuxīn cǎi yī duo dài Yòu pà kàn huā de rén er mà. Hǎo yī duo mòlìhuā, Mòlìhuā kāi xuě yě bái bu guò tā, Wǒ yǒuxīn cǎi yī duo dài, Yòu pà pángrén xiàohuà. Hǎo yī duo mòlìhuā, Mǎn yuán huā kāi bǐ yě bǐ bùguò tā, Wǒ yǒuxīn cǎi yī duo dài, Yòu pà láinián bù fāyá.</poem>
Literal translationEdit
<poem>What a jasmine flower! Of all the fragrant flowers and grasses in the garden, there is none as fragrant as it. I want to pluck one and wear it, but the gardener would scold me.
What a jasmine flower! When jasmine blooms. not even snow is whiter. I want to pluck one and wear it But I'm afraid those around me would mock me.
What a jasmine flower! Of all the blooms in the garden, none compares to it. I want to pluck one and wear it But I'm afraid it wouldn't bud next year.</poem> Template:Col-end
MelodyEdit
<score sound raw> \header { tagline = ##f } \layout { indent = 0 \context { \Score \remove "Bar_number_engraver" } } melody = \relative c' { \key c \major \time 2/2
\repeat volta 2 {e4 e8 g a( c) c a |
g4 g8( a) g4 r | }
g g g e8( g) |
a4 a g2 |
e4 d8( e) g4 e8( d) |
c4 c8( d) c2 |
e8( d) c( e) d4. e8 |
g4 a8( c) g2 |
d4 e8( g) d( e) c( a) |
g2 a4 c |
d4. e8 c( d) c( a) |
g2 r \bar ".|"
}
\score {
\melody
\addlyrics {
好 一 朵 美 丽 的 茉 莉 花
芬 芳 美 丽 满 枝 桠
又 香 又 白 人 人 夸
让 我 来 将 你 摘 下
送 给 别 人 家
茉 莉 花 呀 茉 莉 花
}
\addlyrics {
hǎo yī duǒ měi lì de mò li huā
fēn fāng měi lì mǎn zhī yā
yòu xiāng yòu bái rén rén kuā
ràng wǒ lái jiāng nǐ zhāi xià
sòng gěi bié rén jiā
mò li huā ya mò li huā
}
\layout { }
} \score { \unfoldRepeats { \melody } \midi { \tempo 4 = 106 } } </score>
In popular cultureEdit
In Classical Western musicEdit
The 19th century Russian composer Anton Arensky arranged the tune in the 1890s in one of his character pieces, Étude sur un thème chinois, Op. 25, No. 3.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Puccini's Turandot leitmotifEdit
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Puccini began working on his (ultimately incomplete and final opera piece) Turandot in March 1920 after meeting with librettists Giuseppe Adami and Renato Simoni. In his impatience, he began composition in January 1921, before Adami and Simoni had produced the text for the libretto.Template:Sfn As with Madama Butterfly, Puccini strove for a semblance of authenticity by using music from the region, even commissioning a set of thirteen custom-made gongs.<ref>"Howard Van Hyning, Percussionist and Gong Enthusiast, Dies at 74" by Margalit Fox, The New York Times, 8 November 2010. Accessed 9 November 2010.</ref>
Music historians have subsequently traced Puccini's fascination with Chinese music that led to the usage of the folk song as "thanks to a music box, coming from a former Italian diplomat who had served in China, which he received as a gift," who was likely the Baron Edoardo Fassini-Camoss.<ref name=":2" /> Three of the four melodies within this music box was incorporated by Puccini into his opera, the most memorable of which was the folk melody "Mo Li Hua."<ref name="CUtz2021">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name=Sheppard>Template:Cite news</ref> W. Anthony Sheppard, Marylin and Arthur Levitt Professor of Music at Williams College has traced this music box to have been likely the source of the Turandot leitmotif.<ref name=Sheppard /> Sheppard notes that the accompanying music sheets for this music box version which Puccini would have referenced also had mistakenly titled the name of the song as "Sinfa" (fresh flowers).<ref name=Sheppard /> Mo Li Hua serves as a leitmotif for Princess Turandot's splendor.<ref name="SludgeWiki">Template:Harvnb</ref> In total, eight of the themes from Turandot appear to be based on traditional Chinese music and anthems.Template:Sfn
Turandot is set in Imperial China; the tune servs as the leitmotif for the titular fairy-tale Chinese princess.<ref name=":2"/><ref name="Lau2019" />
Puccini's Turandot rendition of "Mo Li Hua" has gained its own compositional popularity. The Chinese-American composer Tan Dun's<ref name=Janz /> Symphony 1997, which commemorated the handover of Hong Kong, uses a setting inspired by Puccini's.<ref name=Sheppard /> His 1990 Nine Songs: Water Spirit performance, where "Mo Li Hua" was referenced, has also been argued by composer Christian Utz to be an evolution upon Puccini's quotated version rather than having drawn from the original folk tune itself.<ref name=Janz />
Notable performancesEdit
The song is said to have been a favourite of former paramount leader Jiang Zemin (CCP general secretary, 1989–2002), and was used in the 1997 Hong Kong handover ceremony at his request.<ref name="NYT" />
At the closing ceremonies of the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece, Template:Transliteration was sung, partially unaccompanied by a young Chinese girl, and partially accompanied by the music by a Peking University students (whose version has been described as infused with a techno beat), to introduce the next Olympic Games site.<ref name="ShanghaiDaily">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="Price2008">Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> An adaptation of the melody by Tan Dun and Wang Hesheng, chosen from more than 4,000 pieces, was played during the medal ceremonies at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games as the introductory motif of the victory theme.<ref name="chinadaily">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
ItTemplate:Which was also performed at the 2010 Shanghai Expo opening ceremony by an orchestra with the pianist Lang Lang.Template:Citation needed
It was played at the ceremony awarding the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize to Liu Xiaobo.<ref>Template:Cite AV media (recording of full piece)</ref>
In movies and television showsEdit
Template:Transliteration appeared in a 1937 Hollywood movie The Good Earth (based on a novel by Pearl S. Buck).<ref name="Chang2006">Template:Cite book</ref>Template:Rp During World War II, some Hollywood films used the "Mo Li Hua" tune to represent the Chinese.<ref name=Sheppard />
The tune, without lyrics, was also used as a musical theme in Avatar: The Last Airbender, a 2005–2008 television series.<ref>Template:Cite episodeTemplate:Failed verification</ref>
Notable recordingsEdit
The song has been adapted by many artists around the world, for example by Kenny G.<ref name="Jin2011" />Template:Rp The YouTube comments for his performance later became an outlet for Chinese protesters to express support for democracy.<ref name=slate/>
In 2009, Russian singer Vitas, during the Chinese premiere of his program Sleepless Night, at least has also performed "Mo Li Hua" (never included in digital download until then).<ref>Vitas' official site. Template:Webarchive</ref>
In 2013, the international Canadian-origin superstar Celine Dion performed the song in Mandarin on the Chinese CCTV-1 as part of its CMG New Year's Gala show welcoming in the 2013 Spring Festival/Chinese New Year. She sang in a duet with Chinese soprano and 2006 Grammy Award nominee classical/folk singer Song Zuying.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Since 2018, Kazakh singer Dimash Qudaibergen has performed this song in Mandarin on four occasions, three years in a row, during New Year and Chinese New Year celebration galas on various TV stations<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> including a duet with the first Chinese Vocaloid dubbed "Luo Tianyi" as vocalist on 23 January 2020.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=":0">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
In 2018, the song was heard in the beginning of music video of Glukoza and Leningrad's song "Zhu-Zhu" ("Жу-жу"). The song was also in beginning of music video of 2021 song by Glukoza named "Moths" ("Мотыльки").Template:Citation needed
In gamesEdit
In the 2016 turn-based strategy 4X video game developed by Firaxis Games, Civilization VI, "Mo Li Hua" is the civilization theme for China, progressing from the original melody during the ancient period to an orchestral evolution of the song in the modern period.Template:Citation needed
See alsoEdit
- Jasminum sambac, the species of jasmine the song is based on.
- Music of China
- List of Chinese folk songs