Analysis of 醉赤壁 (Tale of the Red Cliff) by 林俊杰 (JJ Lin)
For GEK1053/GEH1006 Chinese Music, Language and Literature (in English)
Discussion Group: D1
Project Team: 2
By Guo Ziyue (A0129620L), Chen Ying (A0123612W), Chong Rei Yin (A0158157X) and Daisy Manning (A0164368W)
Introduction
The song Tale of the Red Cliff was first released in Asia on October 18, 2008. The singer/composer is JJ Lin (林俊杰) who is a Singaporean singer, songwriter, record producer and actor based in Taiwan while the lyricist is Vincent Fang. JJ Lin first released the song on his album “Sixology.” His record company at the time was Ocean Butterflies Music, which is based out of Singapore but also has locations in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Malaysia and the United States. Sixology is named as such because it was Lin’s sixth album release. The album is entirely in Mandarin and is considered Mandopop. The album also won the Album of the Year award in both Hong Kong and Taiwan. The song has not been used in any films or TV dramas, however it is used as the theme song for the 2008 online game “ChiBi OnLine Game.”
Musical style
This song, as previously mentioned, was written in 2008 and belongs to the Mandopop genre. The style is R&B (Rhythm and Blues). Just like Jay Chou’s 暗号 (2002), 七里香 (2004), 夜曲 (2005) and 夜的第七章 (2006), the strong sense of rhythm and laid-back tempo of around 80 beats per minute makes it fit into the “R&B” category. The melody employs elements of Chinese folk music and classical Chinese music through use of the pentatonic scale. The pentatonic scale is the most characteristic scale that is representative of Chinese culture. The music the Chinese emperor listens to is based on this scale, which only has 5 tones: Do, Re, Mi, So and La. The Western classical scale, on the other hand, has 7 tones: Do, Re, Mi, Fa, So, La and Ti. A combination of any two notes of the pentatonic scale is always consonant, because it does not contain the 4th and 7th scale degrees (Fa and Ti, respectively). This makes the scale more peaceful and free of tension as compared to the Western scale.
However, the pentatonic scale is used sparingly and strategically throughout the song. The five-note descending motif “C-Bb-Ab-Eb-F” is used in the introduction and in the chorus, but immediately after this, the Western scale takes over. When looking at the song as a whole, it is more accurate to say that the ‘pentatonic’ segments highlight and reinforce the Chinese elements of the music. The motif is the metaphorical spice of the dish based on the Western scale.
The traditional Chinese instruments that are used in this music are the Erhu, Guzheng and the Gong. The Erhu is a bowed string instrument that resembles the violin, but has a nasal and thin sound quality compared to the warm sounds of a violin. The Guzheng is a large cousin of the lute and is plucked with the fingers. The Gong is an unpitched percussion instrument made of bronze or copper-based alloy and is struck with a soft mallet. The metallic composition of the instrument makes its sound sustain long after it is struck. The five-note descending motif appears five times in the song, at 0:56, 1:19, 2:38, and 3:01 of the music video. It is first played by Erhu, then sung twice in the first chorus, and twice again in the second chorus. The Guzheng fulfils more of an accompanimental role by providing the harmony. The Gong is used in the climax of the song to heighten musical drama (specifically at 3:32 on the word “神” of “眼神”). In the two verses before the chorus, however, the song features Western instruments such as the piano to bring more contrast to the music.
The first Chinese gramophone recording made in Shanghai, China in March 1903, marked the beginning of the Chinese recorded music industry (Ge, 2009). The term “mandopop” was established to describe the wealth of Mandarin popular music that has emerged since then. The contemporary term “Zhong Guo Feng” is used to describe songs within the mandopop genre that either borrow extensively from Chinese culture and music, or make Chinese culture one of the key features. The most prominent artist who established himself as a “Zhong Guo Feng” singer is Jay Chou, with David Tao and Wang Leehom serving as notable mentions. In this song, JJ Lin uses Chinese music elements that make the song qualify for the term “Zhong Guo Feng.” Rather than describing the song as mixing Chinese with Western elements, it is more accurate to say that the Chinese elements are an add-on to the Western pop music foundation.
Analysis of song lyrics
Overall, the lyrics of this song portray the deep love between the protagonist and his lover. They emphasise the strength and everlastingness of their love by bringing in memories of the past, fate and reincarnation. Additionally, feelings of reluctance to part can also be sensed throughout the song. This song hence, highlights subtly how love does not come easily and is not everlasting. The protagonist seems to be chasing after the love he yearns for but yet, throughout the song, there are no signs of success of his pursuit of love and what is left are his deep desires and feelings for his lover.
Firstly, from the lyrics, it is evident that the love story between the protagonist and his lover is set in times of conflict and war. Lyrics such as “turning around, I wield my sword (我挥剑转身),” “blood, intense like the colour of rouge, gushes out (而鲜血如红唇),” and “scars I bore in the battle of the red cliff (是我醉醉坠入赤壁的伤痕)” (musicalpoems, 2010) makes use of war imagery to establish a setting filled with serious violence. Such a fiercely involvement of violence and physical pain suggests that the protagonist is willing to fight fiercely for the love that he is still painfully holding onto.
Lyrics such as “someone in my previous life weeping in sorrow (前世谁在泪语纷纷)” (musicalpoems, 2010) highlights the link to the past, “a moment of fate ties a knot in a lifetime of destiny (一次缘份结一次绳)” (musicalpoems, 2010) talks about fate and destiny, and “the reincarnation of your soul (是你转世而来的魂)” (musicalpoems, 2010, with edits by the authors) illustrates the connection to reincarnation. These lyrics underline the tenacity and timelessness of their love. Such a reference to reincarnation and the past life seem to suggest their reluctance to part and their desire to be a part of each other’s lives in future highlights the love they share.
Furthermore, “And I'm still waiting now / Alas, life offers just but only one chance (我今生还在等 一世 就只能有一次的认真)” (musicalpoems, 2010) highlights that the protagonist understands that true love comes rarely, yet when it does, it is well worth the wait. Hence, the protagonist’s willingness to wait presents a sense of sincerity, genuinity and patience towards the love he yearns. This further presents how the protagonist cherishes his lover and the love they share.
The song also evokes feelings of melancholy and sadness. Lyrics such as “weeping in sorrow (泪语纷纷),” “the pain in me was not inflicted by the sword (伤人的不是刀刃)” and “galloping as the tears flow (马蹄声如泪奔)” (musicalpoems, 2010) illustrate the pain and agony that was brought about by the separation of the lovers. The protagonist's attempt at presenting the pain received from the separation as more hurtful than the pain that results from something deeply physical seems to suggest the severe intensity of the pain he is dealing with as a result of the separation. This further highlights that the protagonist would have been willing to sacrifice and to suffer far more rather than being forced to be separated from his lover. This accentuates the deep love shared by the two people highlighted in the lyrics. Adding on, “I kept chasing after your voice. My feelings for you run deeper than ever (我一路的跟 一路回声 我对你用情极深)" (musicalpoems.2010) seems to further highlight the strong desire in his pursuit for love. He seems to be determined in not giving up his chase and how even during the tiring pursuit, his love can grow deeper. This further accentuates how his perspective towards love is persistent and rooted and how he does not sway even in times of doubts and pain which then, depicts the strength of his love
Also, the lyrics seem to suggest a lot of connections and relationships between violence and love, such as how violence is inevitably experienced in the pursuit of love. This is in the context of the past which, then, drives us to compare how the ways in which the pursuit of love in past times are portrayed as often being vastly different than modern times.
Such a difference can been highlighted by comparing the lyrics of love songs that are written in the modern context. An example would be the song 修炼爱情 Practice Love released in 2013 by JJ Lin. The lyrics go “The happiness and grief from practicing love is uneasy for us. It is a sign of bravery to refine your tears into happiness (修煉爱情的悲欢 我们这些努力不简单 快乐炼成泪水 是一种勇敢)” (translated by author). Here, the lyricist claims that the pursuit of love is one that is inevitably filled with tears. However, it is comparatively less painful than violence and physical pain, as mentioned above. There are comparatively lesser physical pain imagery but more emotional pain imagery being used in this song. This drives us to think about how over the years, as people’s mindset and perspective changes, their view on love is heavily impacted and altered. Love could no longer be about physical pain and the pursuit might be less physically tiring and is now more emotional.
Adding on, “The illusion we used to have, the forgiveness we can have in future (几年前的幻想 几年后的原谅)" (translated by author) is based more on thoughts that individuals have whereby it is not seen but felt. In comparison to the more physical imagery used in Tale of the Red Cliff, where lyrics describe the more tangible and literal sceneries.
Incorporation of Chinese literary texts
Specifically, this “red cliff (赤壁)” that is included in both the title of the song, “tale of the red cliff (醉赤壁),” and in the lyrics (“the scars I bore in the battle of the red cliff [是我醉醉坠入赤壁的伤痕]”), alludes to the Chinese literature text “Romance of the Three Kingdoms (三国演义).” “Romance of the Three Kingdoms” is a Chinese historical novel, and it is considered to be one of the four great classical novels of Chinese literature (Neo, 2014). It was written by Luo Guanzhong (罗贯中), a scholar from the late Yuan dynasty and early Ming dynasty (Neo, 2014), and the novel was written during the Ming era (McLaren, 2006).
“Romance of the Three Kingdoms” is a novel based closely on historical events. It is said that 70 percent of the novel is factual and 30 percent of it is fictitious (Lin, 2005). The period of the Three Kingdoms was included in history records and also incorporated into performing art such as folk tales and dramas (Neo, 2014). According to McLaren (2006, p. 293), it is the general consensus that Luo consulted official history records for the “general outline of events” and “the cast of characters”, but also derived the others, such as the depiction of characters, from “fictionalized renditions” in performing art.
The novel was written based on the ancient Chinese history of the three kingdoms, namely Wei, Shu and Wu, from the late Eastern Han to the Western Jin dynasty (Neo, 2014). As Luoyang is the capital of the kingdom of Wei, it is also apparent that the “Luoyang” (洛阳) mentioned in the lyrics “the roots of the old tree at Luoyang (洛阳城旁的老树根)” makes references to this period of the Three Kingdoms.
“Romance of the Three Kingdoms” talks about the power struggle for dominance between the Three Kingdoms led by Cao Cao (from the Kingdom of Wei), Liu Bei (from the Kingdom of Shu) and Sun Quan (from the Kingdom of Wu). The main plot of the novel mainly highlights the various political and military conflicts between them.
Amongst the many conflicts, one particular confrontation that stood out was the Battle of the Red Cliff. The Kingdoms of Shu and Wu joined forces to fight the Kingdom of Wei. In order to persuade Zhou Yu, the commander of the Wu army, to join forces with Shu Kingdom, Zhu Ge Liang (from the Kingdom of Shu) lied to Zhou Yu that Cao Cao (from Kingdom of Wei) wants to capture Zhou’s wife, Xiao Qiao, for himself. Zhou was thus angered and decided to join forces with Wu to defeat Cao Cao. This battle turned out to be a decisive and climactic battle as Zhou Yu defeated the fleet led by Cao Cao.
In addition, there is a Chinese Shi poem called “Red Cliff” (赤壁) by Tang poet Du Mu (杜牡). The depiction of the Three Kingdoms period in this poem is rather romantic. According to Poon (2011a), the poem expresses the protagonist’s sentimental and nostalgic feelings towards the Battle of the Red Cliff, and it also relates to the romance of Zhou Yu and Xiao Qiao. Du’s poem writes: “If east wind had not aided young Master Zhou / Still: spring would bind the Qiao girls deep in Bronze Bird Tower (東風不與周郎便, 銅雀春深鎖二喬)” (Egan, 2008, p. 218). Instead of focusing on the battle itself, Du Mu focused on the two beautiful sisters, Da Qiao and Xiao Qiao. Hence, the Battle of the Red Cliff, originally a serious historical event, becomes a “romantic daydream” in Du Mu’s poem (Egan, 2008, p. 217).
Another literary text that could be connected to the Red Cliff is a Chinese Ci poem named “To the Tune “The Charm of Niannu: Meditation on the Past at Red Cliff” (念奴娇·赤壁怀古) by famous Song poet Su Shi (苏轼). The title of the poem as well as the line “Lying to the west of the old fort, it is said, / Is the Red Cliff, known because of Zhou Yu of the Three Kingdoms (古疊西邊, 人道是, 三國周郎赤壁)” (Lian, 2008, p. 271) immediately establishes the link to the Battle of the Red Cliff. It also highlights the romance between Zhou Yu and Xiao Qiao through the line “Thinking far back, I see Zhou Gongjin [Zhou Yu] / With Little Qiao [Xiao Qiao] as his new bride (遙想公瑾當年, 小喬初嫁了)” (Lian, 2008, p. 271, with edits by the authors).
Connection between song lyrics and literary texts
The connection between the song lyrics and the Chinese classic novel “Romance of the Three Kingdoms” highlights their shared historical setting. Through this similarity in historical setting, listeners can get a gauge of the time and place of the main narrative described in the lyrics. It serves as a backdrop of the lyrics, and helps to establish the overall melancholic and nostalgic mood of the song. This thus enhances the emotional impact of the song. The violence and conflict between the kingdoms also sets a precedent of violence and disruption helps the listener understand the conflict between the two lovers in the song.
However, the song itself seems to be focused more on romance between the two characters, whereas the novel actually focuses more on the various political and military conflicts between the Three Kingdoms. In the novel, the mentions of the romance between Zhou Yu and Xiao Qiao is rather limited, either in passing or as a way to highlight the characters’ strategic brilliance. Thus, despite the shared historical setting, the difference between the song and the original novel lies in the fact that the song places a greater emphasis on the romantic perspective, while the novel stresses the military strategies and negotiations of that particular era. Therefore, the background of the novel ‘Romance of the Three Kingdoms’ serves as the general basis for the song to further extend the romance between Zhou Yu and Xiao Qiao, helping to stretch listeners’ imagination and creating a more vivid impression of the characters. This is fitting because many listeners can relate more to the song when it deals with love and heartbreak, while if it focused on conflict and violence like that in the novel, many would have a hard time directly relating to and enjoying the meaning behind the lyrics.
On the other hand, the song shares a similar perspective with the two poems, “Red Cliff” and “To the Tune “The Charm of Niannu: Meditation on the Past at Red Cliff.” Both the song and the two poems share a similar historical setting as well, which helps to establish the overall mood of the song. However, in contrast to the novel, both the song and the two poems take a more romantic approach to portraying the events that happened in the Three Kingdoms era, choosing to highlight romantic relationships and feelings instead of the violent battles and military strategies.
Overall, the song lyrics of Tale of the Red Cliff includes allusions to traditional Chinese literature, which result in a more poetic expression. It was previously mentioned that the musical style of the song is reflective of the “Zhong Guo Feng” style. Likewise, the lyrics of the song are also reflective of the “Zhong Guo Feng” style. In fact, the lyricist of the song, Vincent Fang (also known as Fang Wen Shan 方文山), is an artist known to be at the forefront of the “Zhong Guo Feng” style. He has previously written many songs in the “Zhong Guo Feng” style for notable “Zhong Guo Feng” artistes such as Jay Chou.
Reflections and conclusion
Overall, our group’s impression of the song is that it is a beautiful, elegant and melancholic song. The interesting fusion of the R&B genre and classical Chinese elements left a strong impression on us. What stood out to us most was the use of traditional Chinese instruments, such as the erhu, as it was also able to bring out the sadness of the song and add depth. The poetic and figurative language of the song lyrics also reinforce the romantic and emotional aspects of the song, leaving a lasting impact on us.
Tale of Red Cliff is a song that is reflective of “Pop culture China.” According to Chua (2001), it refers to the dense flow of exchanges and consumption of ethnic Chinese cultural products between geographically-dispersed Chinese populations. There is no specific cultural “centre,” and cultural products often include elements of the different regions with significant ethnic Chinese populations, such as People’s Republic of China (PRC), Taiwan, Singapore and Hong Kong (Chua, 2001).
The singer and composer of the song is JJ Lin, a Singaporean singer-songwriter who is based in Taiwan. The lyricist, Vincent Fang, is Taiwanese. As previously mentioned, the song was released under Ocean Butterflies Music, a music company founded in Singapore and also serving PRC, Taiwan and Hong Kong. The song itself also incorporates classical Chinese musical elements as well as traditional literary texts. Hence, the song projects the notion of “Chineseness” not as a specific geographic location, but as an interaction between the different ethnic Chinese populations in different region. The differences in ideology, experiences and sentiments between the different locations build on the common Chinese written script and a “shared” past to establish this integrated yet localised kind of “Chineseness.”
Our analysis of the song has allowed us to look into the qualities of Chinese popular music. It is upon close examination that we realise that even modern Chinese popular songs are embedded with traditional Chinese elements. Our analysis also caused us to take a closer look at the intertwined relationship between Chinese popular music and Chinese literature, allowing us to recognise the impact that classical Chinese literature has on contemporary Chinese popular music today.
References
Chua, B.H. (2001). Pop culture China. Singapore Journal of Tropical Geography, 22(2), 113-121. doi: 10.1111/1467-9493.00097
Egan, C. (2008). Recent-style Shi Poetry: Quatrains - Red Cliff. In Z. Cai (Eds.), How to read Chinese poetry: A guided anthology (pp. 217-218). NY: Columbia University Press.
Ge, T. (2009). Records and Modern Shanghai Social Life. Shanghai, China: Shanghai Lexicographical Publishing House.
Lian, X. (2008). Ci Poetry: Long Song Lyrics (Manci) - To the Tune “The Charm of Niannu”: Meditation on the Past at Red Cliff. In Z. Cai (Eds.), How to read Chinese poetry: A guided anthology (pp. 270-273). NY: Columbia University Press.
Lin, Q.X. (2005). Brushing History Against The Grain: Reading the Chinese New Historical Fiction (1986-1999). Hong Kong, HK: Hong Kong University Press.
musicalpoems. (2010). Tale of the Red Cliff [Zùi Chí Bì (醉赤壁)]. Retrieved from http://lyricstranslate.com/en/zui-chi-bi-tale-red-cliff.html
McLaren, A.E. (2006). History repackaged in the Age of Print: The “Sanguozhi” and “Sanguo yanyi”. Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, 69(2), 293-313.
Neo, F.K.T. (2012). Guan-Yu the Hero: Romance of the Three Kingdoms. SG: Partridge Singapore.
Poon, A. (2011). Du Mu’s Poem - Red Cliff. Asia Sentinel. Retrieved from http://www.asiasentinel.com/alice-poon/culture/du-mus-poem-red-cliffs/
Discussion Group: D1
Project Team: 2
By Guo Ziyue (A0129620L), Chen Ying (A0123612W), Chong Rei Yin (A0158157X) and Daisy Manning (A0164368W)
Introduction
The song Tale of the Red Cliff was first released in Asia on October 18, 2008. The singer/composer is JJ Lin (林俊杰) who is a Singaporean singer, songwriter, record producer and actor based in Taiwan while the lyricist is Vincent Fang. JJ Lin first released the song on his album “Sixology.” His record company at the time was Ocean Butterflies Music, which is based out of Singapore but also has locations in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Malaysia and the United States. Sixology is named as such because it was Lin’s sixth album release. The album is entirely in Mandarin and is considered Mandopop. The album also won the Album of the Year award in both Hong Kong and Taiwan. The song has not been used in any films or TV dramas, however it is used as the theme song for the 2008 online game “ChiBi OnLine Game.”
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| Album cover of JJ Lin's "Sixology", featuring JJ Lin himself |
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| Lyricist Vincent Fang |
Musical style
This song, as previously mentioned, was written in 2008 and belongs to the Mandopop genre. The style is R&B (Rhythm and Blues). Just like Jay Chou’s 暗号 (2002), 七里香 (2004), 夜曲 (2005) and 夜的第七章 (2006), the strong sense of rhythm and laid-back tempo of around 80 beats per minute makes it fit into the “R&B” category. The melody employs elements of Chinese folk music and classical Chinese music through use of the pentatonic scale. The pentatonic scale is the most characteristic scale that is representative of Chinese culture. The music the Chinese emperor listens to is based on this scale, which only has 5 tones: Do, Re, Mi, So and La. The Western classical scale, on the other hand, has 7 tones: Do, Re, Mi, Fa, So, La and Ti. A combination of any two notes of the pentatonic scale is always consonant, because it does not contain the 4th and 7th scale degrees (Fa and Ti, respectively). This makes the scale more peaceful and free of tension as compared to the Western scale.
However, the pentatonic scale is used sparingly and strategically throughout the song. The five-note descending motif “C-Bb-Ab-Eb-F” is used in the introduction and in the chorus, but immediately after this, the Western scale takes over. When looking at the song as a whole, it is more accurate to say that the ‘pentatonic’ segments highlight and reinforce the Chinese elements of the music. The motif is the metaphorical spice of the dish based on the Western scale.
The traditional Chinese instruments that are used in this music are the Erhu, Guzheng and the Gong. The Erhu is a bowed string instrument that resembles the violin, but has a nasal and thin sound quality compared to the warm sounds of a violin. The Guzheng is a large cousin of the lute and is plucked with the fingers. The Gong is an unpitched percussion instrument made of bronze or copper-based alloy and is struck with a soft mallet. The metallic composition of the instrument makes its sound sustain long after it is struck. The five-note descending motif appears five times in the song, at 0:56, 1:19, 2:38, and 3:01 of the music video. It is first played by Erhu, then sung twice in the first chorus, and twice again in the second chorus. The Guzheng fulfils more of an accompanimental role by providing the harmony. The Gong is used in the climax of the song to heighten musical drama (specifically at 3:32 on the word “神” of “眼神”). In the two verses before the chorus, however, the song features Western instruments such as the piano to bring more contrast to the music.
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| The Erhu |
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| The Guzheng |
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| The Chinese Gong |
The first Chinese gramophone recording made in Shanghai, China in March 1903, marked the beginning of the Chinese recorded music industry (Ge, 2009). The term “mandopop” was established to describe the wealth of Mandarin popular music that has emerged since then. The contemporary term “Zhong Guo Feng” is used to describe songs within the mandopop genre that either borrow extensively from Chinese culture and music, or make Chinese culture one of the key features. The most prominent artist who established himself as a “Zhong Guo Feng” singer is Jay Chou, with David Tao and Wang Leehom serving as notable mentions. In this song, JJ Lin uses Chinese music elements that make the song qualify for the term “Zhong Guo Feng.” Rather than describing the song as mixing Chinese with Western elements, it is more accurate to say that the Chinese elements are an add-on to the Western pop music foundation.
Analysis of song lyrics
落叶堆积了好几层 而我踩过青春 听见 前世谁在泪语纷纷
一次缘分结一次绳 我今生还在等 一世 就只能有一次的认真
确认过眼神 我遇上对的人 我挥剑转身而鲜血如红唇
前朝记忆渡红尘 伤人的不是刀刃 是 妳转世而来的魂
确认过眼神 我遇上对的人 我策马出征 马蹄声如泪奔
青石板上的月光照进这山城
我一路的跟 妳轮回声 我对妳用情极深
洛阳城旁的老树根 像回忆般延伸 妳问 经过是谁的心跳声
我拿醇酒一坛饮恨 妳那千年眼神 是我 醉醉坠入赤壁的 伤痕
确认过眼神 我遇上对的人 我挥剑转身而鲜血如红唇
前朝记忆渡红尘 伤人的不是刀刃 是妳转世而来的魂
确认过眼神 我遇上对的人 我策马出征 马蹄声如泪奔
青石板上的月光照进这山城
我一路的跟 妳轮回声 我对妳用情极深
确认过眼神 我遇上对的人 我策马出征 马蹄声如泪奔
青石板上的月光照进这山城
我一路的跟 妳轮回声 我对妳用情极深
我一路的跟 妳轮回声 我对妳用情极深
The fallen leaves mount gradually
As I walked out of the days of youth
I heard someone in my previous life weeping in sorrow
A moment of fate ties a knot in a lifetime of destiny
And I'm still waiting now
Alas, life offers just but only one chance
*Looking into your eyes, I know I've found you
Turning around, I wield my sword. Blood, intense like the colour of rouge, gushes out.
Memories from the past flooding back. The pain in me was not inflicted by the sword
but by you
**Looking into your eyes, I know I've found you
I leapt onto my horse, galloping as the tears flow
The glow of the moon shines across the mountains and into the city
I kept chasing after your voice. My feelings for you run deeper than ever.
Like the roots of the old tree at Luoyang,
memories (from the past) are hidden.
When you wonder each time a person passes by
I drown myself in sorrows and anger
For that faraway look in your eyes
are the scars I bore in the battle of the red cliff.
Translated English lyrics from http://lyricstranslate.com/en/zui-chi-bi-tale-red-cliff.html, by musicalpoems (2010)
Translated English lyrics from http://lyricstranslate.com/en/zui-chi-bi-tale-red-cliff.html, by musicalpoems (2010)
Overall, the lyrics of this song portray the deep love between the protagonist and his lover. They emphasise the strength and everlastingness of their love by bringing in memories of the past, fate and reincarnation. Additionally, feelings of reluctance to part can also be sensed throughout the song. This song hence, highlights subtly how love does not come easily and is not everlasting. The protagonist seems to be chasing after the love he yearns for but yet, throughout the song, there are no signs of success of his pursuit of love and what is left are his deep desires and feelings for his lover.
Firstly, from the lyrics, it is evident that the love story between the protagonist and his lover is set in times of conflict and war. Lyrics such as “turning around, I wield my sword (我挥剑转身),” “blood, intense like the colour of rouge, gushes out (而鲜血如红唇),” and “scars I bore in the battle of the red cliff (是我醉醉坠入赤壁的伤痕)” (musicalpoems, 2010) makes use of war imagery to establish a setting filled with serious violence. Such a fiercely involvement of violence and physical pain suggests that the protagonist is willing to fight fiercely for the love that he is still painfully holding onto.
Lyrics such as “someone in my previous life weeping in sorrow (前世谁在泪语纷纷)” (musicalpoems, 2010) highlights the link to the past, “a moment of fate ties a knot in a lifetime of destiny (一次缘份结一次绳)” (musicalpoems, 2010) talks about fate and destiny, and “the reincarnation of your soul (是你转世而来的魂)” (musicalpoems, 2010, with edits by the authors) illustrates the connection to reincarnation. These lyrics underline the tenacity and timelessness of their love. Such a reference to reincarnation and the past life seem to suggest their reluctance to part and their desire to be a part of each other’s lives in future highlights the love they share.
Furthermore, “And I'm still waiting now / Alas, life offers just but only one chance (我今生还在等 一世 就只能有一次的认真)” (musicalpoems, 2010) highlights that the protagonist understands that true love comes rarely, yet when it does, it is well worth the wait. Hence, the protagonist’s willingness to wait presents a sense of sincerity, genuinity and patience towards the love he yearns. This further presents how the protagonist cherishes his lover and the love they share.
The song also evokes feelings of melancholy and sadness. Lyrics such as “weeping in sorrow (泪语纷纷),” “the pain in me was not inflicted by the sword (伤人的不是刀刃)” and “galloping as the tears flow (马蹄声如泪奔)” (musicalpoems, 2010) illustrate the pain and agony that was brought about by the separation of the lovers. The protagonist's attempt at presenting the pain received from the separation as more hurtful than the pain that results from something deeply physical seems to suggest the severe intensity of the pain he is dealing with as a result of the separation. This further highlights that the protagonist would have been willing to sacrifice and to suffer far more rather than being forced to be separated from his lover. This accentuates the deep love shared by the two people highlighted in the lyrics. Adding on, “I kept chasing after your voice. My feelings for you run deeper than ever (我一路的跟 一路回声 我对你用情极深)" (musicalpoems.2010) seems to further highlight the strong desire in his pursuit for love. He seems to be determined in not giving up his chase and how even during the tiring pursuit, his love can grow deeper. This further accentuates how his perspective towards love is persistent and rooted and how he does not sway even in times of doubts and pain which then, depicts the strength of his love
Also, the lyrics seem to suggest a lot of connections and relationships between violence and love, such as how violence is inevitably experienced in the pursuit of love. This is in the context of the past which, then, drives us to compare how the ways in which the pursuit of love in past times are portrayed as often being vastly different than modern times.
Such a difference can been highlighted by comparing the lyrics of love songs that are written in the modern context. An example would be the song 修炼爱情 Practice Love released in 2013 by JJ Lin. The lyrics go “The happiness and grief from practicing love is uneasy for us. It is a sign of bravery to refine your tears into happiness (修煉爱情的悲欢 我们这些努力不简单 快乐炼成泪水 是一种勇敢)” (translated by author). Here, the lyricist claims that the pursuit of love is one that is inevitably filled with tears. However, it is comparatively less painful than violence and physical pain, as mentioned above. There are comparatively lesser physical pain imagery but more emotional pain imagery being used in this song. This drives us to think about how over the years, as people’s mindset and perspective changes, their view on love is heavily impacted and altered. Love could no longer be about physical pain and the pursuit might be less physically tiring and is now more emotional.
Adding on, “The illusion we used to have, the forgiveness we can have in future (几年前的幻想 几年后的原谅)" (translated by author) is based more on thoughts that individuals have whereby it is not seen but felt. In comparison to the more physical imagery used in Tale of the Red Cliff, where lyrics describe the more tangible and literal sceneries.
Incorporation of Chinese literary texts
Specifically, this “red cliff (赤壁)” that is included in both the title of the song, “tale of the red cliff (醉赤壁),” and in the lyrics (“the scars I bore in the battle of the red cliff [是我醉醉坠入赤壁的伤痕]”), alludes to the Chinese literature text “Romance of the Three Kingdoms (三国演义).” “Romance of the Three Kingdoms” is a Chinese historical novel, and it is considered to be one of the four great classical novels of Chinese literature (Neo, 2014). It was written by Luo Guanzhong (罗贯中), a scholar from the late Yuan dynasty and early Ming dynasty (Neo, 2014), and the novel was written during the Ming era (McLaren, 2006).
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| Book cover of "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" |
“Romance of the Three Kingdoms” is a novel based closely on historical events. It is said that 70 percent of the novel is factual and 30 percent of it is fictitious (Lin, 2005). The period of the Three Kingdoms was included in history records and also incorporated into performing art such as folk tales and dramas (Neo, 2014). According to McLaren (2006, p. 293), it is the general consensus that Luo consulted official history records for the “general outline of events” and “the cast of characters”, but also derived the others, such as the depiction of characters, from “fictionalized renditions” in performing art.
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| Map of the Three Kingdoms (Chinasage, n.d.) |
The novel was written based on the ancient Chinese history of the three kingdoms, namely Wei, Shu and Wu, from the late Eastern Han to the Western Jin dynasty (Neo, 2014). As Luoyang is the capital of the kingdom of Wei, it is also apparent that the “Luoyang” (洛阳) mentioned in the lyrics “the roots of the old tree at Luoyang (洛阳城旁的老树根)” makes references to this period of the Three Kingdoms.
“Romance of the Three Kingdoms” talks about the power struggle for dominance between the Three Kingdoms led by Cao Cao (from the Kingdom of Wei), Liu Bei (from the Kingdom of Shu) and Sun Quan (from the Kingdom of Wu). The main plot of the novel mainly highlights the various political and military conflicts between them.
Amongst the many conflicts, one particular confrontation that stood out was the Battle of the Red Cliff. The Kingdoms of Shu and Wu joined forces to fight the Kingdom of Wei. In order to persuade Zhou Yu, the commander of the Wu army, to join forces with Shu Kingdom, Zhu Ge Liang (from the Kingdom of Shu) lied to Zhou Yu that Cao Cao (from Kingdom of Wei) wants to capture Zhou’s wife, Xiao Qiao, for himself. Zhou was thus angered and decided to join forces with Wu to defeat Cao Cao. This battle turned out to be a decisive and climactic battle as Zhou Yu defeated the fleet led by Cao Cao.
In addition, there is a Chinese Shi poem called “Red Cliff” (赤壁) by Tang poet Du Mu (杜牡). The depiction of the Three Kingdoms period in this poem is rather romantic. According to Poon (2011a), the poem expresses the protagonist’s sentimental and nostalgic feelings towards the Battle of the Red Cliff, and it also relates to the romance of Zhou Yu and Xiao Qiao. Du’s poem writes: “If east wind had not aided young Master Zhou / Still: spring would bind the Qiao girls deep in Bronze Bird Tower (東風不與周郎便, 銅雀春深鎖二喬)” (Egan, 2008, p. 218). Instead of focusing on the battle itself, Du Mu focused on the two beautiful sisters, Da Qiao and Xiao Qiao. Hence, the Battle of the Red Cliff, originally a serious historical event, becomes a “romantic daydream” in Du Mu’s poem (Egan, 2008, p. 217).
Another literary text that could be connected to the Red Cliff is a Chinese Ci poem named “To the Tune “The Charm of Niannu: Meditation on the Past at Red Cliff” (念奴娇·赤壁怀古) by famous Song poet Su Shi (苏轼). The title of the poem as well as the line “Lying to the west of the old fort, it is said, / Is the Red Cliff, known because of Zhou Yu of the Three Kingdoms (古疊西邊, 人道是, 三國周郎赤壁)” (Lian, 2008, p. 271) immediately establishes the link to the Battle of the Red Cliff. It also highlights the romance between Zhou Yu and Xiao Qiao through the line “Thinking far back, I see Zhou Gongjin [Zhou Yu] / With Little Qiao [Xiao Qiao] as his new bride (遙想公瑾當年, 小喬初嫁了)” (Lian, 2008, p. 271, with edits by the authors).
Connection between song lyrics and literary texts
The connection between the song lyrics and the Chinese classic novel “Romance of the Three Kingdoms” highlights their shared historical setting. Through this similarity in historical setting, listeners can get a gauge of the time and place of the main narrative described in the lyrics. It serves as a backdrop of the lyrics, and helps to establish the overall melancholic and nostalgic mood of the song. This thus enhances the emotional impact of the song. The violence and conflict between the kingdoms also sets a precedent of violence and disruption helps the listener understand the conflict between the two lovers in the song.
However, the song itself seems to be focused more on romance between the two characters, whereas the novel actually focuses more on the various political and military conflicts between the Three Kingdoms. In the novel, the mentions of the romance between Zhou Yu and Xiao Qiao is rather limited, either in passing or as a way to highlight the characters’ strategic brilliance. Thus, despite the shared historical setting, the difference between the song and the original novel lies in the fact that the song places a greater emphasis on the romantic perspective, while the novel stresses the military strategies and negotiations of that particular era. Therefore, the background of the novel ‘Romance of the Three Kingdoms’ serves as the general basis for the song to further extend the romance between Zhou Yu and Xiao Qiao, helping to stretch listeners’ imagination and creating a more vivid impression of the characters. This is fitting because many listeners can relate more to the song when it deals with love and heartbreak, while if it focused on conflict and violence like that in the novel, many would have a hard time directly relating to and enjoying the meaning behind the lyrics.
On the other hand, the song shares a similar perspective with the two poems, “Red Cliff” and “To the Tune “The Charm of Niannu: Meditation on the Past at Red Cliff.” Both the song and the two poems share a similar historical setting as well, which helps to establish the overall mood of the song. However, in contrast to the novel, both the song and the two poems take a more romantic approach to portraying the events that happened in the Three Kingdoms era, choosing to highlight romantic relationships and feelings instead of the violent battles and military strategies.
Overall, the song lyrics of Tale of the Red Cliff includes allusions to traditional Chinese literature, which result in a more poetic expression. It was previously mentioned that the musical style of the song is reflective of the “Zhong Guo Feng” style. Likewise, the lyrics of the song are also reflective of the “Zhong Guo Feng” style. In fact, the lyricist of the song, Vincent Fang (also known as Fang Wen Shan 方文山), is an artist known to be at the forefront of the “Zhong Guo Feng” style. He has previously written many songs in the “Zhong Guo Feng” style for notable “Zhong Guo Feng” artistes such as Jay Chou.
Reflections and conclusion
Overall, our group’s impression of the song is that it is a beautiful, elegant and melancholic song. The interesting fusion of the R&B genre and classical Chinese elements left a strong impression on us. What stood out to us most was the use of traditional Chinese instruments, such as the erhu, as it was also able to bring out the sadness of the song and add depth. The poetic and figurative language of the song lyrics also reinforce the romantic and emotional aspects of the song, leaving a lasting impact on us.
Tale of Red Cliff is a song that is reflective of “Pop culture China.” According to Chua (2001), it refers to the dense flow of exchanges and consumption of ethnic Chinese cultural products between geographically-dispersed Chinese populations. There is no specific cultural “centre,” and cultural products often include elements of the different regions with significant ethnic Chinese populations, such as People’s Republic of China (PRC), Taiwan, Singapore and Hong Kong (Chua, 2001).
The singer and composer of the song is JJ Lin, a Singaporean singer-songwriter who is based in Taiwan. The lyricist, Vincent Fang, is Taiwanese. As previously mentioned, the song was released under Ocean Butterflies Music, a music company founded in Singapore and also serving PRC, Taiwan and Hong Kong. The song itself also incorporates classical Chinese musical elements as well as traditional literary texts. Hence, the song projects the notion of “Chineseness” not as a specific geographic location, but as an interaction between the different ethnic Chinese populations in different region. The differences in ideology, experiences and sentiments between the different locations build on the common Chinese written script and a “shared” past to establish this integrated yet localised kind of “Chineseness.”
Our analysis of the song has allowed us to look into the qualities of Chinese popular music. It is upon close examination that we realise that even modern Chinese popular songs are embedded with traditional Chinese elements. Our analysis also caused us to take a closer look at the intertwined relationship between Chinese popular music and Chinese literature, allowing us to recognise the impact that classical Chinese literature has on contemporary Chinese popular music today.
References
Chinasage. (n.d.). Map of the Three Kingdoms [Online image]. Retrieved from
http://www.chinasage.info/dynastydisunity.htm
Chua, B.H. (2001). Pop culture China. Singapore Journal of Tropical Geography, 22(2), 113-121. doi: 10.1111/1467-9493.00097
Egan, C. (2008). Recent-style Shi Poetry: Quatrains - Red Cliff. In Z. Cai (Eds.), How to read Chinese poetry: A guided anthology (pp. 217-218). NY: Columbia University Press.
Ge, T. (2009). Records and Modern Shanghai Social Life. Shanghai, China: Shanghai Lexicographical Publishing House.
Lian, X. (2008). Ci Poetry: Long Song Lyrics (Manci) - To the Tune “The Charm of Niannu”: Meditation on the Past at Red Cliff. In Z. Cai (Eds.), How to read Chinese poetry: A guided anthology (pp. 270-273). NY: Columbia University Press.
Lin, Q.X. (2005). Brushing History Against The Grain: Reading the Chinese New Historical Fiction (1986-1999). Hong Kong, HK: Hong Kong University Press.
musicalpoems. (2010). Tale of the Red Cliff [Zùi Chí Bì (醉赤壁)]. Retrieved from http://lyricstranslate.com/en/zui-chi-bi-tale-red-cliff.html
McLaren, A.E. (2006). History repackaged in the Age of Print: The “Sanguozhi” and “Sanguo yanyi”. Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, 69(2), 293-313.
Neo, F.K.T. (2012). Guan-Yu the Hero: Romance of the Three Kingdoms. SG: Partridge Singapore.
Poon, A. (2011). Du Mu’s Poem - Red Cliff. Asia Sentinel. Retrieved from http://www.asiasentinel.com/alice-poon/culture/du-mus-poem-red-cliffs/
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