8 replies to this topic

[General_Zhaoyun]

The traditional Chinese medicine book "Compedium of Materia Medica (本草綱目）" by Chinese physician Li Shizheng 李時珍） was one of the most important classics on Chinese Herbs compiled during Ming Dynasty.

Jay Chou made a perfect combination of introducing TCM into his song, which has all the names of Chinese herbs. The song is also a satire against those who hero-worship westernization and make a reference to traditional Chinese culture.



Good music, dance and lyric

Enjoy!

[Lafaso870]

I liek this song , especially the version he cooperated with Song Zuying ,very attractive ...

[General_Zhaoyun]

Jay Chou says that in this music, the lyrics was meant to mock those Chinese who are too westernized and do not like Chinese culture.

Jay Chou's Zhong Guo Feng music clearly modernized many "traditional aspects" of Chinese culture.

[Yeleixingfeng]

I personally dislike Jay Chow's way of interpreting Chinese culture. How can singing names of herbs be promoting Chinese culture - it is insulting, if anything, considering how rock and noisy the song is. 宋词 or 元曲 is still tolerable as they were originally meant to be sung, but 本草纲目 is ... *speechless* Its like singing out your biology textbook mockingly and still be regarded as promoting biology. How absurd..

[TiYiJian]

Jay Chou says that in this music, the lyrics was meant to mock those Chinese who are too westernized and do not like Chinese culture.

Jay Chou's Zhong Guo Feng music clearly modernized many "traditional aspects" of Chinese culture.

although this music is very westernized

[General_Zhaoyun]

although this music is very westernized

The music is afterall still a rap music played using western instrument.

[Yeleixingfeng]

The music is afterall still a rap music played using western instrument.

Then again, how are you to promote Chinese culture when your music composition involves no Chinese elements? RAP itself is not suited for tonal languages, where everything is sung according to beat and no longer its tone. I am not saying that Chinese music must forever stick to operas, but develop something different than the Westerns, or at least something more suited to Chinese - as a language.

I think, to really dedicate to promote Chinese music, is - at least - try to involve more Chinese instruments in contemporary music. It doesn't hurt to have erhus as a second voice, rather than the violins or Western flutes. Guzheng can also try replacing piano.

[Catherine]

At least Jay Chou leads the trend of Chinese pop music and I think the typical pieces of his Zhong Guo Feng music are "东风破", "发如雪", "千里之外", "菊花台". And many of his songs involve chinese elements and instruments.
Zhongguo Feng is a mix between Chinese music and Western influences. ZGF songs can use Chinese instruments, vocal techniques, and pentatonic scale, but mixed with Western elements.

Then again, how are you to promote Chinese culture when your music composition involves no Chinese elements? RAP itself is not suited for tonal languages, where everything is sung according to beat and no longer its tone. I am not saying that Chinese music must forever stick to operas, but develop something different than the Westerns, or at least something more suited to Chinese - as a language.

I think, to really dedicate to promote Chinese music, is - at least - try to involve more Chinese instruments in contemporary music. It doesn't hurt to have erhus as a second voice, rather than the violins or Western flutes. Guzheng can also try replacing piano.

[laowai]

I think it's dangerous to promote medicine as a point of cultural pride. As with any medical text written over 400 years ago, there are parts of the Ben Cao Gang Mu that are valuable and parts that are mistaken. This is to be expected given the limited scientific and technical knowledge of the time. For example, the Ben Cao Gang Mu claims that lead is not toxic. Serious students of the Chinese materia medica use modern scientific methods to evaluate its contents. The problem is, if we approach a medical textbook ideologically, as a "jewel of Chinese culture" or whatever, it is very hard to be objective and critical about its contents.

I enjoyed the song, though... and Jay Chou's dancing in the MV :-)