As the Games end, her jasmine fragrance stays
- Placido Domingo, Song Zuying light “The Flame of Love” with passion

Chinese soprano Song Zuying (Chinese: 宋祖英; pinyin: Sòng Zǔyīng) was born to a peasant family in scenic mountainous Guzhang County, Hunan Province on August 13, 1966. She is an ethnic Miao (note 1) Chinese. When she was 12, Song’s father died of illness. Being the eldest child of three, she started sharing the heavy burden of supporting her family together with her mother.

With no musician ever in Song’s family history, it was a miracle how Song attained her natural talent of singing. Her sweet and pure voice was nurtured by the beauty of mountains, magnified by the sound of fountains, matured by the sadness of her father’s passing, enhanced by the full taste of life at an early age. She sang when working in the fields, climbing rocky roads, collecting tea leaves, weaving for her mom, or sitting her younger siblings. She sang in darkness, dimmed oil-lit lantern, as well as in bright sunshine. Nothing stopped her from singing. Back then in Western Hunan, there was no electricity nor any other convenience that we today take for granted. Life was less than basic. (note 2)


Source: Typical scenery and Miao customs in Western Hunan or ‘Xiangxi’ where Guzhang County is located.
Source: www.hnt.gov.cn & www.xinhua.net

Almost exactly on her 15th birthday, Song auditioned for, and was officially selected to become a performer at the Guzhang County Dance Opera (Chinese style). At that point, she began her improbable musical journey which eventually led her to achieve the highest acclaim in China and in the world.

She studied in the Music and Dance Department of the Central University of Nationalities and later received her graduate degree majoring in ethnic vocal music at China Conservatory of Music.

Song won numerous prizes in various vocal music competitions and performed in Europe, Australia, the United States, Canada and Southeast Asia. In 2006, her CD "The Diva Goes to the Movies: A Centennial Celebration of Chinese Film Song" was nominated for the 49th Annual Grammy Awards in the category of Best Classical Crossover Album.

On the night of the closing ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games, together with the esteemed tenor Placido Domingo, Song lit ‘The Flame of Love’ with passion in her eyes, majestic beauty in her voice and sweet grace on her face. A New Yorker commented this on the Youtube:

‘I was seeing the event at TV station in New York and I was mesmerized at the closing!’

From the mountainous village of Western Hunan to the podium in the Bird’s Nest at the Olympic Games, Song, today’s cultural icon in China, inspires millions of Chinese people to aim high and pursue their dreams with passion.

Here is the lyric of ‘The Flame of Love’.

The Flame of Love

- English translation with credit to Youtube user ‘kkger’

(男)望著你茉莉飄香的臉,開放在告別動容瞬間。

(Domingo) Looking at your face, wafting the fragrance of jasmine, blooming at the moment of heartfelt farewell

(女)今夜我要走到你身邊,我和你一起去飛。

(Song) Tonight I want to be by your side, flying together with you.

  (男) (Domingo) With you soaring through the sky

(女) (Song) So much more that we can see

(合) (Joint) Flying together high

  (女)望著你茉莉飄香的臉,開放在告別動容瞬間。

(Song) Looking at your face, wafting the fragrance of jasmine, blooming at the moment of heartfelt farewell

  (男) (Domingo) On this night I want to be with you.

(合) (Joint) I want to fly with no one but you。

今夜和你一起去飛,和你一起去飛,今夜我要走到你身邊,和你一起去飛。

Tonight I want to fly with you, together with you, tonight I want to be by your side, fly together with you.

(女)美麗。

(Song) Beautiful

  (男)無限。

(Domingo) Boundless.

(男)On this night I want to be with you.

(合)I want to fly with no one but you.

今夜和你一起去飛,和你一起去飛,今夜我要走到你身邊,和你一起去飛。

(Joint) Tonight I want to fly with you, together with you, tonight I want to be by your side, fly together with you.

(女)美麗。

(Song) Beautiful

  (男)無限。

   (合)浪漫無邊,浪漫無邊。

(Joint) Endless romance, endless romance

帶著我魅力東方之戀,飛翔太陽月亮中間,今夜我要和你點燃心中的火焰... ...火焰

Look below to the charm of the East,

Flying hearts between the sun and moon

Look below to the charm of the East,

Flying hearts between the sun and moon

Tonight I will light the flame of the heart with you

The Flame!

Pictures of Song Zuying:


Source: http://english.rednet.cn/c/2008/08/25/1580036.htm


Source: www.sina.com.cn


Source: www.sina.com.cn

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Note 1:The Miao live primarily in southern China including provinces of Guizhou, Hunan, Yunnan, Sichuan, Guangxi, Hainan, Guangdong, and Hubei. Some members of the Miao sub-groups, most notably Hmong/Mong people, have migrated out of China into Southeast Asia (northern Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar (Burma) and Thailand). According to the 2000 census, the number of Miao in China was estimated to be about 9.6 million. –Wikipedia/Miao

Note: The author summarized and translated various documents from online Chinese source: baike.baidu.com

 

 

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