The Chinese style is not about the refinement of the lyrics and melody, but more about a certain atmosphere.
Otherwise, it would be form without substance, lacking that genuine feeling from the heart.
This song, "Dongfeng Po" (East Wind Breaks), in another world, can be considered the pioneering work of the Chinese style by Zhou Fang, and is also one of the most classic Chinese style songs.
Unlike "Yan Hua Yi Leng" (Cold Fireworks), which has a story behind it, "Dongfeng Po" also has a story, but this story is not a pre-existing one.
However, the alternating sounds of the pipa and electronic keyboard in "Dongfeng Po" carry a sense of fantasy and elegance, and when they enter each person's ears, they can make one feel as if something is gently approaching.
If "Yan Hua Yi Leng" is a cold wind that chills the bones and numbs the heart, then "Dongfeng Po" is an autumn breeze that stirs up fallen leaves, bringing a coolness that can be easily resisted by simply wrapping oneself tightly in a coat, allowing one to appreciate the red leaves of Fragrant Hills and the blue sky and white clouds of autumn.
A whiff of fragrance brings everyone into the story—someone is lost in reverie, knowing well that the beloved is no longer there, yet pretending that everything is as it was, pretending that he is still inside the house while she waits outside. This self-deception does not harm others; it merely conceals one's own wounds. Many people, when hurt in love, adopt a similar approach. Thus, the melody and lyrics together draw many people into that atmosphere.
"One pot of wandering, drifting through life, hard to swallow
After you left, the warm wine of memories makes my longing thin
Water flows east, how can time be stolen
The flowers bloom once, and I missed it"
The same tone, the same atmosphere.
The lyrics, meticulously crafted, are refreshing to the ears.
The person is gone, leaving an emptiness, and everything seems withered. The distant sunset and withered grass might describe such a situation...
When the line "The flowers bloom once, and I missed it" is heard, many people feel as if they have been struck by an electric current, their whole body slightly trembling, feeling the desire for a bright flower that, when truly seen, is already withered... Isn't this also true of our lives? Perhaps due to youthful arrogance, or for other reasons, we always rush through, missing out, losing things in a cursory glance, and easily betraying...
The flowers bloom once, and I missed it, never to be found again. I can only pretend you haven't left, and when I revisit the old place, a sense of melancholy slowly arises.
The pipa's rhythm quickens, like a million golden bells spinning on a jade plate, accompanied by the faster electronic keyboard, leading to the first climax: "Who is playing the pipa, singing 'Dongfeng Po'
The years peel off the wall, revealing childhood
I still remember that year when we were both young
But now, the pipa's melody is gentle, and my waiting is unheard..."
"Who is playing the pipa, singing 'Dongfeng Po'
The maple leaves color the story, and I see the ending
Outside the fence, on the ancient path, I held your hand
In the desolate years, even the breakup was silent..."
This climax, Li Chenchan's voice does not rise too high, as if the memories are endless, like a clear stream slowly flowing into a ribbon. Although his voice is not particularly high, it pulls everyone's senses into a misty, dreamlike state...
The lyrics, the words—fence, pipa, maple leaves, ancient path, desolate grass—are the perfect elements that lift their spirits, making everyone's emotions truly sink into that atmosphere, as if recalling the past under a warm, non-burning sun.
So many past events, so much time... and the hand-holding walks through the fence and ancient path in the sunset, now all faded into yesterday's flowers. Now, the pipa's melody is gentle, the years long, but my waiting, you will never hear again. That one moment of maturity, once missed, can never be regained. What a profound sense of melancholy!
"Really beautiful..."
"Such a beautiful song, the lyrics are so refined..."
The judges also half-closed their eyes, not needing to read the lyrics to understand... This song, with its beautiful melody and refined lyrics, and Li Chenchan's unique singing style, which is very effective, brings a truly enjoyable experience to the ears from a novel perspective.
Old An didn't know how to praise Li Chenchan...
After the climax, a segment of erhu music suddenly sounds, perfectly blending in, like a fish in water, seamlessly integrating with the melody. The erhu and electronic keyboard, blending ancient and modern, create a harmonious and fluid sound, bringing a great shock and stimulation to the listeners' ears.
"Erhu, electronic keyboard... Wow, Li Chenchan really dares to experiment! He really knows how to play!" Liang Feng couldn't help but post a Weibo, instantly receiving over a thousand likes!
Another chorus floats by...
"The years peel off the wall, revealing childhood..." At this point, a sudden burst of pipa music is added!
The fusion of pipa, electronic keyboard, and erhu, in an instant, raises the sensory impact to another level! This time, Liang Feng and the judges, along with many music enthusiasts who heard the song, were stunned, at a loss for words...
Heaven! Heaven! That's all they could think.
"He is indeed the pioneer! Who dares to play like this? Ancient, modern, pipa, erhu, electronic keyboard! Instruments that were once worlds apart are now beautifully integrated?! If others tried this, they would only create a mishmash!" A highly professional musician couldn't help but comment publicly on his Weibo!
This segment, with the perfect combination of several instruments, the pipa's sound like a thousand chimes in the mountains, the erhu's sound like a clear spring on the rocks, like moonlight flowing, and the electronic keyboard's modern touch, like a leisurely walk through a colorful time, the three sounds blend together, the pipa's urgency, the erhu's smoothness, and the electronic drum's rhythm, creating a dreamlike, entrancing, and ecstatic experience... This is the enjoyment of the listeners, many of whom unconsciously closed their eyes, yet could feel a sense of loneliness and bitterness slowly extending and being blown away by the wind in the desolate sunset...
Until Li Chenchan sang the last line: "In the desolate years, even the breakup was silent..." The gentle erhu sound finally slowly dissipated, and everyone was jolted out of their dreamlike state, looking at Li Chenchan in his black suit with a Mandarin collar, feeling as if they had suddenly woken up from a dream, as if returning from heaven to earth...
PS: Sorry, I just came back from tea picking, so this chapter is late.
Thank you to Ling Yueye Xin, Situ Siwu, Xiang Dang Bing, Be Wei A Chengnuo, Super Chen, Shui Zai Tian Shang Piao, Sha Ri Sha Sha for your continued support.
Thank you to Tang Xiaosheng, Ai Zai Yinxia Xia, Feng Hao Huoyue Di for your continued 588 support.