LISTEN TO SHIRLEY SINGING THE SONG -- May 27, 2007

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 SINGING 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 you’ve gone through the cold and poverty.

Ah, ah, peony,
Ah, ah, peony,
No one knows that you’ve 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 SINGING THE SONG:

牡丹之歌-- mudang zhi ge

啊, 啊 -- a, a,
牡丹 -- mudan,
百花丛中最鲜艳 -- baihua cong zhong zui xianyan。
啊, 啊 -- a, a,
牡丹 -- mudan,
众香国里最壮观 -- zhong xian guo li zui zhuangguan。
有人说 你娇媚 -- you ren shuo ni jiao mei,
娇媚的生命-- jiao mei de shengming
哪有这样丰满 -- na you zheyang fengman,
有人 说 你 富 贵 -- you ren shuo ni fugui,
哪知道你曾历尽贫寒 -- na zhidao ni zeng li jin pinhan.
啊, 啊 -- a, a,
牡丹 -- mudan,
啊, 啊 -- a, a,
牡丹 -- mudan,
哪知道你曾历尽贫寒-- na zhidao ni zeng li jin pinhan.

啊, 啊 -- a, a,
牡丹 -- mudan,
百花丛中最鲜艳 -- baihua cong zhong zui xianyan。
啊, 啊 -- a, a,
牡丹 -- mudan,
众香国里最壮观 -- zhong xian guo li zui zhuangguan。
冰封大地的时候 -- bing feng dadi de shihou,
你正蕴育着生机一片 -- ni zheng yunyu zhe shengji yipian。
春风吹来的时候-- chunfeng chui lai de shihou,
你把美丽带给人间 -- ni ba meili bai gei renjian。
啊, 啊 -- a, a,
牡丹 -- mudan,
啊, 啊 -- a, a,
牡丹 -- mudan,
你把美丽带给人间--ni ba meili bai gei renjian。


LISTEN TO SHIRLEY SINGING THE SONG:

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

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