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Shirley Sings a Chinese Folk Song--056: A Song of Peonies -- Mudan Zhi Ge

LISTEN TO SHIRLEY SING THE SONG

Flowers are among my favorite natural things and the peony is one of my favorite flowers.

I love the peony because its flower is so big, its color so rich and its life force so strong. Also, I love the peony because it has brought me a lot of thoughts. I often wonder why it is so beautiful, what it experienced before it opened its beautiful petals, how great Mother Nature makes it so wonderful :-) Maybe just because of these thoughts I have painted many peonies in different styles since I started to paint again... :-)

Sometimes, I also feel that a nice woman is like a beautiful peony. After undergoing long and hard time, after experiencing a long cold winter, it is able to change to be the most beautiful blossom in the flower world. A person is also same, as long as he/she has experienced the most difficult time and season, he/she can really understand, pay more attention to, and to cherish the happiness and beauty in the human world. :-)   

So after working in my office for about 8 hours, on Saturday night I re-learned a song that I originally learned a year ago, A Song of Peonies.

Compared with my singing one year ago, my teacher felt so happy for my progress. Now I have put it on my little web site and hope it will bring you a big smile. :-)

Also I do hope that my effort will be a little help to you in learning more about Chinese culture and language. :-)


MAIN MEANING OF THE SONGLISTEN TO SHIRLEY SING THE SONG:
Ah, ah, peony,

You are the most bright-colored among all flowers.

Ah, ah, peony,

You are the most splendid in the " flower-country".

Somebody says you are delicately pretty,

How can a delicate life be so well - rounded?

Somebody says you are in the riches & honor.

No one knows that youve gone through the cold and poverty.

Ah, ah, peony,
Ah, ah, peony,
No one knows that youve gone through the cold and   poverty
Ah, ah, peony,
You are the brightest among all flowers.
Ah, ah, peony,
You are the most splendid in the flower-country.

When the earth is still frozen,   
You are pregnant with the new lease of life.
When the spring breeze is blowing,
You are bringing the beauty to the   human world,
Ah, ah, peony,
Ah, ah, peony,
You are bringing the beauty to the human world...


you are the most beautiful flower in all the gardens.
When the land is freezing
you are gestating so much vital force.
When spring wind is blowing,
you are bringing beauty to the human world,
Ah, ah, peony,
Ah,ah,peony,
you are bringing beauty to the world...

CHINESE CHARACTER AND PRONUNCIATION LISTEN TO SHIRLEY SING THE SONG:

-- mudang zhi ge

, -- a, a,
-- mudan,
-- baihua cong zhong zui xianyan
, -- a, a,
-- mudan,
紕茹 -- zhong xian guo li zui zhuangguan
紵 -- you ren shuo ni jiao mei,
-- jiao mei de shengming
隙鍵 -- na you zheyang fengman,
絲 茣 -- you ren shuo ni fugui,
-- na zhidao ni zeng li jin pinhan.
, -- a, a,
-- mudan,
, -- a, a,
-- mudan,
-- na zhidao ni zeng li jin pinhan.

, -- a, a,
-- mudan,
-- baihua cong zhong zui xianyan
, -- a, a,
-- mudan,
紕茹 -- zhong xian guo li zui zhuangguan
-- bing feng dadi de shihou,
-- ni zheng yunyu zhe shengji yipian
-- chunfeng chui lai de shihou,
臂筝篋咲 -- ni ba meili bai gei renjian
, -- a, a,
-- mudan,
, -- a, a,
-- mudan,
臂筝篋咲--ni ba meili bai gei renjian


LISTEN TO SHIRLEY SING THE SONG:

If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please write to shirley@ebridge.cn, or shirleyz004@yahoo.com, You are welcome to publish your opinions in Forum For Friends. :-)   

--Shirley
Written, Translated, Sung and Recorded on Sat, May 27, 2007