Mr. Huangshan, Mt. Huangshan. You have been through so much,
Ups and downs cuased by dynastic changes?! But you still stand towering like a giant there.
Mt. Huangshan, Mt. Huangshan. You have been through so much,
Morning winds and dusk rains? But you still preserve your forever face.
Mulberry fields, has changed into seas. And seas,
Has changed into mulberry fields. But you still use your towering body.
Your green and dense forest, your strength, and your vigorous spirits,
Has won the Yellow Emperor and his later generation’s love and respect. The wounded hearts,
Receive caress from you. Travelers residing away from the nation.
Receive comforts from you. The cascading peaks,
Are motherland’s flesh and blood. The dense pines and cypress,
Are motherland’s hair and skin. Motherland’s sufferings are long and deep.
Motherland’s calamities, play again and again.
The forever Mt. Huangshan. You still smile to the world of mortals.
The never old Mt. Huangshan. You are still quiet and serene.
When will the strong wind stop blowing? When will the big rain stop falling?
At the end of the darkness night Is daybreak. Look.
There is a golden bird in the deep sea of clouds. His wings are giant roc’s wings.
Listen. Inside the wounded blood and flesh, there is a beating heart.
His pulses are Mt. Huangshan’s clouds.
Clouds in Mt. Huangshan. Clouds in Mt. Huangshan.
In the beatings of the heart, the Yellow Emperor’s descendants gather together.
Gather together. Gather together.
The wings of roc. The wings of roc, is flying high in the sky of the motherland.
Exposition of the music:
The music has two versions; one was the work performed by Tang Hsiao-Shih and a chorus in 1982; the other was the solo sung by Li Chien-Fu in 1990. In the music, Li Tai-Hsiang deliberately introduced in electronic organ to imitate Bandi’s (bamboo flute’s) tone color and incubate maternally miserable atmosphere and the sincere feelings about the deep and secluded valley and fragrant grass in homeland. And simple and abstract drum beats are just like human’s heartbeats; when the drum is vertically and strongly beaten, it also has the humane symbolization of external power invasion. The vocal chant tells the story step by step from the indistinct melody of electronic organ and resolute rhythm of drum beats. At first hearing, it is somewhat difficult; however, after continuing to listen to the music, you will feel the voice is around the ears.
—From “Climb Another Mountain Peak”
III. Manuscript
Handwritten first draft (page 1) of
“Mt. Huangshan in B minor” (1982)
Copied handwritten note (page 1) of
“Mt. Huangshan” (1982)
A Slice of Wonder
