Chinese Netizens Responses to Lang Langs Performance at the White House
Editors Note: President Obama invited Chinese pianist Lang Lang to the White House to perform on Jan. 19 at the state dinner for visiting Chinese paramount leader Hu Jintao. Lang Lang played a solo, the famous Chinese propaganda song, My Motherland, for the participants. The song created great controversy, because it is the theme song of a famous 1956 anti-American movie about the Korean War, titled Battle on Shangganling Mountain. China calls that war a War to Resist America and Support (North) Korea.
Lang Lang denied that he was aware of the songs background. Chinas state media also said not to read too much into the song, but to many Chinese, this is a great diplomatic victory over the United States, especially right after the United States had demonstrated superior military power. The following are some comments by Chinese netizens.
Later, I played a solo song, My Motherland. In the minds of us Chinese, it is one the most beautiful songs. To be able to play this music in praise of China in front of so many foreign guests, especially the heads of state, as if to tell them about the strength of China and the unity of the Chinese, I felt deeply honored and proud.
Lang Langs own blog [1]
The highly-skilled China took this opportunity, using a beautiful movement, to play a message beyond the piano keys to the U.S. aircraft carrier battle group in the Yellow Sea, When friends are here, there is fine wine; But if the jackal comes, what greets it is the hunting rifle. (From the lyrics of the My Motherland where the jackal refers to the U.S. invaders)
The power struggle on the black and white keys that Lang Lang played in 2011 was still a tie, the same as the one 59 years ago when countless warriors bravely fought and bled to the last drop of blood. The best footnote to the music was still the face of Chinese Marshall Peng Dehuai, who led countless Chinese soldiers to stop the Americans flood of steel (its mechanized army) marching nor! th to th e swan song of old soldiers never die by the aging U.S. General McArthur.
The great powers fight will use both piano and steel. Neither can be neglected.
- A blog on Peoples Daily Online BBS [2]
Both the music and the lyrics are wonderful. Lang Lang is forceful!
- A comment on Tiexue BBS [3]
Yu Xiangzhen | IP Address: 123.122.92.* | 2011/01/25, 18:12
Ha-ha, the jackal means the U.S. imperialist! Its clear that they took advantage of the fact that President Obama has little knowledge of Chinese songs. Ha-ha.
Liu Yuanlin | IP Address: 211.161.38.* | 2011/01/25, 22:12
A fighter with real power, (China) is temporarily behind (the United States); But a fighter with tricks, (the United States) will forever lose to (China).
- Two comments on Liu Yuanlins Blog [4]
Lang Lang played My Motherland in the White House. He is such an unprecedented achiever!
- The Blogger
Support! Support! Support! Support! Support! Support! Support! Crazily Support!
- One comment
Ring an alarm bell to America. Give it a tough lesson.
- Another comment [5]
Guys, dont be so forgetful. The three aircraft carriers and F22 stealth fighters are still at our door. If you truly think that they came just for North Korea, you truly have some brain damage. The song My Motherland at the Hongmen Banquet (
[a Chinese story where the host held a banquet with the intention of killing the guest] is a wakeup call for those who forget this. Its a song that the Chinese will never forget. It shows our love of country, and, at the same time, it tells the Americans, whose soldiers are at our door, that the Chinese will never yield. Even in a war without smoke, we still sing the song of My Motherland and firmly safeguard our nations interests. What impressed us about this song is that Lang Lang is not only a highly skilled pianist, but also a great artist. Art knows no borders, but artists know. Actually, this song, even during ! todays seemingly peaceful situation [between China and the United States], is still of extraordinary significance. All the actions that the American strategists take are for their own country and their peoples benefit. By the same token, all the actions that our politicians take are for our own country and our peoples benefit. Therefore, [the United States] should be on an equal footing with us and think it over. Dont push us around too much.
- A comment on Tianya website [6]
As for Obama, knowing the background of the song My Motherland is not bad for him at all. It can fix his twisted historic understanding of the Korean War. On Nov. 10, 2010, in South Korea, Obama said the following about the Korean War, This was no tie. This was a victory It was a victory then, and it is a victory today. Two weeks after his speech, the Korean Peninsulas situation nosedived: South Korea insisted on a military exercise, North Korea had blood on its bayonet [referring to North Koreas bombarding South Koreas Yeonpyeong Island with artillery fire], the U.S. aircraft carriers came to the door of North Korea and China, and the Japanese took the opportunity to return to the Korean Peninsula. For all these things, I dont know what the Nobel Peace Prize winner Obama will think.
- A comment to a posting at Chongqing Auto Fans Club website [7]
Endnotes:
[1] Lang Lang: Very Excited to Play at the White House State Dinner; Explaining Why He Chose the Song from Battle on Shangganling Mountain, Xinhua, January 23, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/overseas/2011-01/23/c_121013096.htm
[2] The Sino-U.S. Fight, from Steel to Piano, Peoples Daily BBS, January 26, 2011
http://bbs1.people.com.cn/postDetail.! do?id=10 7054703&boardId=2
[3] Lang Lang Played My Motherland, the Theme Song from the Resist America, Support Korea movie Battle on Shangganling Mountain, Tiexue BBS, January 26, 2011
http://bbs.tiexue.net/post_4822593_1.html
[4] Should Lang Lang Play My Motherland at the White House State Dinner? blshe.com, January 25, 2011
http://liuyuanlin.blshe.com/post/40/639580
[5] Lang Lang Played My Motherland at the White House. He Is Such an Unprecedented Achiever, Tiexue BBS,
http://bbs.tiexue.net/post_4821631_1.html
[6] Lang Lang Played My Motherland at the White House, Stirring up All the Beasts! Tianya Website, January 24, 2011
http://www.tianya.cn/publicforum/content/worldlook/1/318221.shtml
[7] Lang Lang Played a Song from the Resist America, Support Korea Movie at the White House State Dinner, Chongqing Auto Fans Club website, January 25, 2011
http://www.cqautofan.com/viewthread.php?tid=273322
Photo Caption(s) & Photo Location(s)
Lang Lang denied that he was aware of the songs background. Chinas state media also said not to read too much into the song, but to many Chinese, this is a great diplomatic victory over the United States, especially right after the United States had demonstrated superior military power. The following are some comments by Chinese netizens.
Later, I played a solo song, My Motherland. In the minds of us Chinese, it is one the most beautiful songs. To be able to play this music in praise of China in front of so many foreign guests, especially the heads of state, as if to tell them about the strength of China and the unity of the Chinese, I felt deeply honored and proud.
Lang Langs own blog [1]
The highly-skilled China took this opportunity, using a beautiful movement, to play a message beyond the piano keys to the U.S. aircraft carrier battle group in the Yellow Sea, When friends are here, there is fine wine; But if the jackal comes, what greets it is the hunting rifle. (From the lyrics of the My Motherland where the jackal refers to the U.S. invaders)
The power struggle on the black and white keys that Lang Lang played in 2011 was still a tie, the same as the one 59 years ago when countless warriors bravely fought and bled to the last drop of blood. The best footnote to the music was still the face of Chinese Marshall Peng Dehuai, who led countless Chinese soldiers to stop the Americans flood of steel (its mechanized army) marching nor! th to th e swan song of old soldiers never die by the aging U.S. General McArthur.
The great powers fight will use both piano and steel. Neither can be neglected.
- A blog on Peoples Daily Online BBS [2]
Both the music and the lyrics are wonderful. Lang Lang is forceful!
- A comment on Tiexue BBS [3]
Yu Xiangzhen | IP Address: 123.122.92.* | 2011/01/25, 18:12
Ha-ha, the jackal means the U.S. imperialist! Its clear that they took advantage of the fact that President Obama has little knowledge of Chinese songs. Ha-ha.
Liu Yuanlin | IP Address: 211.161.38.* | 2011/01/25, 22:12
A fighter with real power, (China) is temporarily behind (the United States); But a fighter with tricks, (the United States) will forever lose to (China).
- Two comments on Liu Yuanlins Blog [4]
Lang Lang played My Motherland in the White House. He is such an unprecedented achiever!
- The Blogger
Support! Support! Support! Support! Support! Support! Support! Crazily Support!
- One comment
Ring an alarm bell to America. Give it a tough lesson.
- Another comment [5]
Guys, dont be so forgetful. The three aircraft carriers and F22 stealth fighters are still at our door. If you truly think that they came just for North Korea, you truly have some brain damage. The song My Motherland at the Hongmen Banquet (
[a Chinese story where the host held a banquet with the intention of killing the guest] is a wakeup call for those who forget this. Its a song that the Chinese will never forget. It shows our love of country, and, at the same time, it tells the Americans, whose soldiers are at our door, that the Chinese will never yield. Even in a war without smoke, we still sing the song of My Motherland and firmly safeguard our nations interests. What impressed us about this song is that Lang Lang is not only a highly skilled pianist, but also a great artist. Art knows no borders, but artists know. Actually, this song, even during ! todays seemingly peaceful situation [between China and the United States], is still of extraordinary significance. All the actions that the American strategists take are for their own country and their peoples benefit. By the same token, all the actions that our politicians take are for our own country and our peoples benefit. Therefore, [the United States] should be on an equal footing with us and think it over. Dont push us around too much.
- A comment on Tianya website [6]
As for Obama, knowing the background of the song My Motherland is not bad for him at all. It can fix his twisted historic understanding of the Korean War. On Nov. 10, 2010, in South Korea, Obama said the following about the Korean War, This was no tie. This was a victory It was a victory then, and it is a victory today. Two weeks after his speech, the Korean Peninsulas situation nosedived: South Korea insisted on a military exercise, North Korea had blood on its bayonet [referring to North Koreas bombarding South Koreas Yeonpyeong Island with artillery fire], the U.S. aircraft carriers came to the door of North Korea and China, and the Japanese took the opportunity to return to the Korean Peninsula. For all these things, I dont know what the Nobel Peace Prize winner Obama will think.
- A comment to a posting at Chongqing Auto Fans Club website [7]
Endnotes:
[1] Lang Lang: Very Excited to Play at the White House State Dinner; Explaining Why He Chose the Song from Battle on Shangganling Mountain, Xinhua, January 23, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/overseas/2011-01/23/c_121013096.htm
[2] The Sino-U.S. Fight, from Steel to Piano, Peoples Daily BBS, January 26, 2011
http://bbs1.people.com.cn/postDetail.! do?id=10 7054703&boardId=2
[3] Lang Lang Played My Motherland, the Theme Song from the Resist America, Support Korea movie Battle on Shangganling Mountain, Tiexue BBS, January 26, 2011
http://bbs.tiexue.net/post_4822593_1.html
[4] Should Lang Lang Play My Motherland at the White House State Dinner? blshe.com, January 25, 2011
http://liuyuanlin.blshe.com/post/40/639580
[5] Lang Lang Played My Motherland at the White House. He Is Such an Unprecedented Achiever, Tiexue BBS,
http://bbs.tiexue.net/post_4821631_1.html
[6] Lang Lang Played My Motherland at the White House, Stirring up All the Beasts! Tianya Website, January 24, 2011
http://www.tianya.cn/publicforum/content/worldlook/1/318221.shtml
[7] Lang Lang Played a Song from the Resist America, Support Korea Movie at the White House State Dinner, Chongqing Auto Fans Club website, January 25, 2011
http://www.cqautofan.com/viewthread.php?tid=273322
Photo Caption(s) & Photo Location(s)
.jpg)
Comments