The Book of All Things: Born for Joy

182. The Chain Reaction (Part Two)

The reason why this food-themed song "Candied Hawthorn" appeared is because the program team told him that the final category would include content about introducing food to the world.

Li Zichun wasn't very familiar with Shangjing, but he had strolled through its streets and alleys. Candied hawthorn berries were a local delicacy that wasn't too expensive, so he chose this song.

This also echoes the previous song "Qianmen Sentiments and Big Bowl Tea," which included the line "eating a string of candied hawthorns is enough to celebrate the festival," creating a reciprocal exchange.

Next up was Du Zihua, dressed in a Chinese-style outfit specially made for him by Jin Dili at Li Zichun's request. The white robe featured ink bamboo patterns and flowers in the sleeves, making him look energetic and capable, just like a refined gentleman from a traditional Chinese novel.

After hugging Li Zichun, he walked to the center of the stage and sang "Last Night's Book" sung by Xu Song:

Last night, the crickets chirped incessantly, startling me from a dream a thousand miles away; it was already past midnight.

I rise and walk alone around the steps; all is quiet. The moon shines dimly outside the curtain.

White-haired from the pursuit of fame and fortune, the old pines and bamboos of my hometown now stand tall, hindering my return journey

I long to pour out my heart's secrets to the zither, but true friends are few; if the strings break, who will listen?

In my dreams, I braved thorns and brambles, my iron armor gleaming.

It has already been carried away by the long wind of last night and flowed eastward with the waves.

Outside the city, horses rest, shaking their heads and stamping their hooves; Peng Ju surveys the cold rain.

It's a pity that the whole world is celebrating this achievement...

The lyrics of the main verse are taken from the poem "Little Chongshan: Last Night the Cold Crickets Chirped Incessantly" by Yue Fei, a famous general of the Southern Song Dynasty. The entire song was composed by Xu Song. "Last Night's Letter" interprets the delicate side of Yue Fei's heart behind his unyielding spirit.

To help him sing this song well, Li Zichun specially explained the story of Yue Fei to him, recounting his three times joining the army, his early achievements, his suppression of bandits, his fame spreading throughout Dongting Lake, his resentment and sorrow, his disappointment and regret, the great injustice suffered throughout history, and his posthumous exoneration...

When Li Zichun told this story, people gathered around him, listening with great interest. Some were moved, some were deep in thought, and some were puzzled and saddened.

Du Zihua remained silent after listening, feeling that the song suddenly carried a heavier weight, and upon reading the lyrics, he was somewhat moved.

With the added emotional weight of the story, his singing was so powerful that it seemed as if one could truly feel Yue Fei's turbulent emotions, his inner sense of loss, loneliness, and tenderness.

After the song was finished, everyone was savoring the lyrics. How true it is to say, "Few are the kindred spirits, and who will listen when the strings break?" In this complex and ever-changing society, how many kindred spirits can one truly have in a lifetime?

How many people are willing to sit down and listen to each other's stories of life? How many are willing to step forward and lend a helping hand in times of crisis?

In a society where interests are intertwined, family ties require money to support each other in times of need, romantic love requires economic support, and friendships require reciprocal gestures and companionship to last. Therefore, true feelings are especially precious in this era.

After finishing the song, Du Zihua bowed deeply and left the stage. He had always sung simple songs with just a few words, never songs with such profound stories interwoven within them, which stirred complex emotions within him.

Li Zichun stepped forward and gave him a hug, saying softly, "You sang well, you've improved."

Du Zihua snapped out of her daze, hugged him tightly, and said with a smile, "Thank you."

Li Zichun knew that he had truly grown up.

Singing mindless and meaningless songs for too long reduces the time people have for thinking. Although it may bring joy, it offers no benefit. Once you encounter a song that truly requires cultural refinement and emotional investment, you will be easily overwhelmed and feel that your previous singing was quite mediocre, and you may even feel ashamed of yourself.

If a singer keeps singing about worldly love, hate, and resentment, then the heights he can reach are limited.

After all, in Li Zichun's memory, there are only a handful of songwriters who can truly understand the meaning of "love" and write about the joys and sorrows of love.

Which one of them wasn't a "wandering" genius in the conventional sense, having experienced many winding and dramatic love affairs, going through periods of love and hate that were either mundane or passionate, only to end up with nothing, or getting what they didn't want, or loving but not getting what they wanted.

Who remembers the white moonlight or cinnabar mole of their first love?

The word "love" is too difficult to understand. Very few people can achieve sainthood in lyrics and music. If a musician has three or four memorable love songs in their entire career, they are already a top-notch musician.

Li Zichun gently comforted Du Zihua, and Zhao Qianfan opened his arms and hugged them both.

Zhao Qianfan had mixed feelings about Du Zihua. He both loved and hated this young man who had suddenly entered his life with Li Zichun. However, after spending time together, he felt that Li Zichun's respect and care for him outweighed his love. He was just a mortal, and after a hundred years, no one would be anyone else. He himself would be the one to stay by Li Zichun's side in the end.

Therefore, he now views him as if he were a toy that Li Zichun liked. He loves the house because of the toy, and since you like him, I will like him too.

This is also one of the reasons why he was willing to stay and continue recording, and let Du Zihua accompany Li Zichun to the Oriental Never-Sleeping City.

Human life is too short. Not to mention avoiding all kinds of accidents, being healthy and free from illness and disaster, living to a hundred years old is already a great blessing. Du Zihua will eventually become a few scattered memories in Li Zichun's long life, so let them have more opportunities to spend time together.

After a brief introduction by Gu Qianyi, the next program began: a duet of "Bo Hu Says" by Jiang Yiyi and Xue Qingrou, accompanied by a performance by Peking Opera actors.

A spring breeze knocks on the thatched door; a magpie's cry I cherish.

The opponent is nowhere to be seen; a single move decides the fate of the game; I am drunk and resigned to my fate.

A pot of cooking smoke boils the twilight; a cup of old tea floats and sinks.

A gentle breeze, unnoticed, wipes away all the dust; together we drink under the stars.

Opera-style singing:

The bright moon, eternal and unchanging, shines upon those who are awake throughout history.

Why bother asking about princes and nobles? I've wasted my youth.

The bright moon has no past form, yet it shines upon those who are awake throughout history. Why should nobles and princes ask questions? They blend in with the world, their light mingling with the dust.

Rat Treasure Trove:

Others laugh at my madness, I laugh at their blindness. The tombs of heroes of the Five Mausoleums are nowhere to be seen; without flowers or wine, I till the fields.

In Peach Blossom Valley dwells a Peach Blossom Hermitage; beneath the hermitage dwells a Peach Blossom Immortal. The Peach Blossom Immortal plants peach trees, then picks the blossoms to sell for wine money.

......"

Li Zichun originally planned for Xue Qingrou to sing this song as a solo, but in the end, he decided to have Xue Qingrou and Jiang Yiyi sing it together because Xue Qingrou's opera singing wasn't very good, so he asked Jiang Yiyi to help her out.

The two voices blended well and didn't sound out of place. Every detail was handled perfectly, which impressed the audience and made the music pleasant and enjoyable to listen to.

The next program is quite interesting. It's a collaboration between Zhao Qianfan and Du Zihua. It's said that this song originated from a dream of singer Yin Lin, which led to this beautiful story. They even wrote a classical Chinese version for it, showing their painstaking efforts.

As the curtain slowly rises, Du Zihua stands by the pond, feeding the fish, and the story unfolds with Gu Qianyi's reading aloud.

Once upon a time, there was a painter who was obsessed with painting carp.

He draws fish and feeds them every day, developing a deep affection for the carp.

This carp was none other than Zhao Qianfan, dressed in a light red koi-themed long dress.

One day, a fire suddenly broke out in his house. The painter, unable to take the carp with him, lingered in the flames.

Just as the fire was about to engulf him, he saw a person emerge from the thick smoke and escort him to safety.

The next day, the painter woke up to find the pond completely dried up and the carp gone. He suddenly realized that the person who had saved him that day was actually a carp in disguise.

Looking at the dried-up pond amidst the ruins, Du Zihua was deeply moved. In a half-dreaming state, she and Zhao Qianfan sang "The Koi Carp":

[Zhao Qianfan] The sound of cicadas accompanies the drifting clouds; after memories begin, I quietly gaze into the distance.

The ancient well and dried-up pond, overgrown with weeds, faintly reflect a wisp of the past.

[Du Zihua] The morning light startled the newly sprouted mulberry trees along the path; the wind swept up fallen petals from the courtyard and through the corridor.

Thick ink chases after flowing emotions, staining my plain white clothes.

[Zhao Qianfan] The sunlight is slightly cool. [Du Zihua] The strings of the zither are slightly cool. [Together] The wind blows wildly, and the world is in chaos.

[Zhao Qianfan] Breath is slightly cool. [Du Zihua] Heart is slightly cool. [Together] Time flies by, what does it matter if it's right or wrong?

[Du Zihua] You have wandered through the mortal world for thousands of years, yet you only let me see you one last time.

[Zhao Qianfan] The firelight paints a portrait, burning away time. Don't leave me alone, utterly alone, fading away in a dream.

[Zhao Qianfan] Fireflies wish to forget the summer nights, if ultimately we must bid farewell to this time.

Her skirt inadvertently picked up the fragrance of lotus blossoms, and from that moment on, she fell into the entanglements of the mortal world.

[Du Zihua] The light treading of clogs on the flickering candlelight paints all the clamor and silence onto the canvas.

From the Awakening of Insects all the way to Frost's Descent, tears condense into lines of poetry.

[Du Zihua] The lamplight is slightly cool; [Zhao Qianfan] The brushstrokes are slightly cool; [Together] It's hard to depict illusions, hard to dispel melancholy.

[Du Zihua] The dream is slightly chilly. [Zhao Qianfan] The plot is slightly chilly. [Together] A hazy illusion, overlapping sorrows.

[Together] It turns out that the farewell was because of deep-seated longing.

You exchanged reincarnation for the full moon on my pillow.

I wish my memories could stop at my withered fingertips.

As the flowers fade and the dust settles, it gradually, gradually becomes stranded.

[Du Zihua] Many years later, I dreamed of that day again.

[Zhao Qianfan] The scene is distant, with a hazy, continuous drizzle.

[Together] If the next life is too far away to send our promises

It's better to learn to let go of many obsessions.

With these fragmented lines, I mourn the passing years; in those bygone days, amidst the shimmering waters and distant horizons, who will gather and bury the joys and sorrows?

[Du Zihua] "The sound of cicadas accompanies the wandering clouds, memories of distant places."

In the end, Zhao Qianfan nestled on Du Zihua's lap, and amidst the drifting smoke and clouds, she transformed into a meticulous painting on the big screen.

This meticulous painting was naturally painted by Li Zichun. It is rich in scenic beauty, abstract yet moving. Later, the teacher added many koi swimming on it, as if it were a dreamlike scene in the water.

The curtain slowly closed, and after a brief introduction by Gu Qianyi, it was time for the next program.

Li Zichun had already changed into casual clothes and appeared. The backup dancers were cosplay actors who had been found in advance. They performed the popular anime song "Da La Beng Ba" to the accompaniment of background music.

Little girl: Long, long ago, a giant dragon suddenly appeared, bringing disaster, taking away the princess and disappearing again.

The kingdom is in great danger; who is the bravest in the world?

A brave man arrived and shouted loudly.

Young man: I will take the best sword, climb the highest mountain, venture into the deepest forest, and bring the princess back to me.

The little girl said: The king was very pleased and hurriedly asked his name. The young man thought for a moment and said...

......"

Li Zichun naturally sang Zhou Shen's version. His siren-like, alluring, and versatile voice, coupled with his ability to portray multiple characters, completely stunned the audience, bringing the atmosphere to a climax.

The audience was also stunned, realizing that one person could produce so many sounds so naturally.

Simple, smooth, and versatile, the brightly colored costumes and flexible stage presentation were a hit with the children brought by their parents, and many of them joined in the dancing.

That's when everyone realized that songs can be very simple, and the most important thing is that everyone is happy.

After a simple singing and dancing performance of this game-related song, it was time for Li Zichun's solo performance.

He stood on the stage enjoying everyone's applause. Gu Qianyi, Li Zichun, Zhao Qianfan, Lin Fengmian, Yuan Chengzhi, Xu Lanfang, and Li Jiawei sat around an octagonal table.

Li Zichun sat in the head seat and said with a smile to the people around him, "It's a rare occasion to meet today to drink tea and discuss music, so I'll show you the different journeys the pipa has taken in various places."

As Li Zichun spoke, he played the pipa, connecting his experiences during his six months away from the music scene with his memories from his previous life, and played different tunes on the same instrument in 18 different places.

(Traditional Chinese music master Fang Jinlong imitates 18 different musical instruments with a single pipa. Resources are available on Bilibili; you can search for them if you're interested.)

Li Zichun, holding a pipa, lowered his eyes and casually played, producing a series of flowing musical fragments. Although most of the people did not understand music, they could still distinguish the subtle differences between regions, just like the difference between Beijing accent and Mandarin. Although it was small, there was still a difference.

Many children were experiencing what real traditional music was like for the first time, and their faces were filled with longing and admiration as they couldn't help but exclaim in praise.

For five minutes, he talked to himself, played and sang, his fingers plucking the pipa back and forth, and one note after another flowed naturally like spring water.

At the end, Li Zichun stopped playing, bowed, and said, "I didn't play well, please forgive me."

A twitch appeared on someone's face due to poor facial expression control. Is this considered bad dancing? Then I might as well just throw my hands away.

PS: Data is from the internet.

"Last Night's Letter" is a song with lyrics by Yue Fei and Xu Song, music by Xu Song, and arrangement by He Shan. It was sung by Xu Song in the 9th episode of the fourth season of the CCTV cultural program "Classic Recitation". It was released on April 11, 2021.

"Bo Hu Says" is a song with lyrics by Tang Yin and Yu Xiaoming, music by Earl Johnny, and sung by Tang Bo Hu and Earl Johnny. It was released on November 26, 2020.

"Koi Carp" is an original ancient-style song sung by Yun Zhiqi and Yin Lin, with lyrics by Mu Qingming, music by Yin Lin, and arrangement by Huiyuan Qiong. It is included in the album "Rotten Grass Turns into Fireflies" and is the first installment in the "Strange Tales" series. It was also one of the top ten ancient-style songs of 2013.

"Dala Bengba" is a song with lyrics and music by ilem, and sung by virtual singers Luo Tianyi and Yan He. The song was released as a single on March 25, 2017.