Saturday 8 October 2011

Chinese Buddhist Songs + The Best Chinese Song

My novel introduces the reader to modern China and to the history and culture of this great nation. I wrote many parts of the novel while listening to Chinese songs to make me feel as if I am in China. I discovered many wonderful Chinese songs, including Chinese Buddhist songs. Three Chinese Buddhist songs are included in my novel. Wei, the mother of the heroine, prays to Guan Yin (a variation of Buddha). She sings three Chinese Buddhist songs and teaches her daugther to sing one as well. You can listen to these wonderful songs on YouTube 
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hf4HvM3gtAI
www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVvHZpuLt0U
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dBxfV0rs3A

After listening to many Chinese songs I was wondering which is the best song. For awhile I considered the song by Teresa Teng "Yue Liang Dai Biao Wo De Xin" (The Moon Represents my Heart) to be the best Chinese song. But maybe the song "Zhen De Hau Xiang Ni" (Really Missing You) is the best. Many singers from China sing this song, but the version by American Chinese students is the most touching. Check their version on Youtube
www.youtube.com/watch?v=SioExojFsr4

Thursday 30 June 2011

Mandopop Songs

My book introduces the readers to many wonderful Chinese songs. I listened to hundreds of songs and put in the book the ones that I really liked. Some of them are Mandopop, which stands for Mandarin popular music, and many came from Taiwan. It all started with Teresa Teng from Taiwan, the Mandopop queen of 1980s. Check her songs on YouTube, like
www.youtube.com/watch?v=bv_cEeDlop0 
www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgfGJsUD47Q

For more contemporary Mandopop songs listen to S.H.E. and Jay Chou, both of them born in Taiwan.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4O-AuVSSRZ8
www.youtube.com/watch?v=gr5fNKK2FaA
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gZIckG0EIM

For a song from Hong Kong, listen to Gloria Yip.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=i58uTpyp6rs