Chinese Scholars Arent Buying Lang Langs Explanations
Lang Lang, a Chinese pianist, plays the piano at the White House on Friday, Jan. 21. (Screenshot taken from Youtube) While some in the U.S. media have been sympathetically reporting Lang Langs claims of ignorance, some Chinese scholars are holding him responsible for his performance at the White House state dinner for President Barack Obama and his guest Chairman Hu Jintao.
Chinese-born pianist Lang Lang responded to critics in an interview with NPR on January 24. He said he knew nothing about the background of My Motherland, the Chinese song he played at the end of the state dinner. It is the theme song for Battle on Shangganling Mountain, a 1956 anti-American movie about the Korean War. He said he had performed the piece many times simply because he likes the melody.
Zhang Kaichen, the former Liaison Director of the Propaganda Department of the Shenyang City Communist Party Committee who moved to the United States a year ago, said: I dont believe it was Lang Langs decision. It must have been planned and instigated by the Chinese regime. After Lang Lang received criticism, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) did not stand up to take responsibility but continued to push Lang Lang to the front of the stage to explain himself in those ridiculous, pathetic, and nave words.
Zhang said: Lang Lang has enjoyed many benefits from living in a free society. However, he chose to stand on the side of the CCP, a regime that persecutes its own people, and it happened in the White House. It is a very shameful act.
Hu Ping, a well-known scholar and commentator, pointed out that Lang Lang himself said that he had played the song many times before. As a world-class Chinese artist, how could he not know the background?
Chinese-born pianist Lang Lang responded to critics in an interview with NPR on January 24. He said he knew nothing about the background of My Motherland, the Chinese song he played at the end of the state dinner. It is the theme song for Battle on Shangganling Mountain, a 1956 anti-American movie about the Korean War. He said he had performed the piece many times simply because he likes the melody.
Zhang Kaichen, the former Liaison Director of the Propaganda Department of the Shenyang City Communist Party Committee who moved to the United States a year ago, said: I dont believe it was Lang Langs decision. It must have been planned and instigated by the Chinese regime. After Lang Lang received criticism, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) did not stand up to take responsibility but continued to push Lang Lang to the front of the stage to explain himself in those ridiculous, pathetic, and nave words.
Zhang said: Lang Lang has enjoyed many benefits from living in a free society. However, he chose to stand on the side of the CCP, a regime that persecutes its own people, and it happened in the White House. It is a very shameful act.
Hu Ping, a well-known scholar and commentator, pointed out that Lang Lang himself said that he had played the song many times before. As a world-class Chinese artist, how could he not know the background?
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According to diplomatic practice, the CCP must have known the song in advance, especially during Hus visit. Both countries were very cautious this time and planned everything very carefully. Under these circumstances, both parties would have communicated every detail, said Hu.
Lang Lang wrote in his blog on the night after the performance: I once again played My Motherland, one of the most beautiful songs in the eyes of Chinese.as if I was telling them about a powerful China and a unified Chinese people. I feel deeply honored and proud.
Tang Baiqiao, a well-known human rights activist and international affairs expert, commented: Lang Lang is self-contradictory in his responses. Powerful China and a unified Chinese people,has nothing to do with anything else, the strong feelings for the motherland, dont add political themes to the arts, all suggest that he is fully aware of the background and is confused about the difference between China and the CCP.
As an artist, he has played the song many times before and the song was carefully selected. If Lang Land knew nothing about the background, how did he express his feelings through the song?
Lang Lang used what is a standard arrangement of My Motherland. It includes a quotation from another famous anti-American songthe theme song of Heroic Sons and Daughters, a propaganda movie that, like Battle on Shangganling Mountain, concerns the Korean War (http://www.amazon.com/Heroic-Daughters-Chinese-English-Subtitle/dp/B0015MS9FU).
The lyrics corresponding to the section quoted from Heroic Sons and Daughters are Why is the flag as beautiful as a painting? Because it is tainted by the blood of heroes. Why is the spring eternal? Because the lives of the heroes are blooming.
This section of the music from the Heroic Sons and Daughters is at 745 to 815 in this video clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kroEprEpvtA.
Zhang Kaichen said, Playing these two anti-American songs ! at the s tate dinner communicates an angle, a feeling, and a mood that obviously carry a political intention. Especially in China, art serves politics. Whatever the CCP does is done with a political agenda. The objective for having Lang Lang play the red songs cannot be more obvious.chinareports@epochtimes.com
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According to diplomatic practice, the CCP must have known the song in advance, especially during Hus visit. Both countries were very cautious this time and planned everything very carefully. Under these circumstances, both parties would have communicated every detail, said Hu.
Lang Lang wrote in his blog on the night after the performance: I once again played My Motherland, one of the most beautiful songs in the eyes of Chinese.as if I was telling them about a powerful China and a unified Chinese people. I feel deeply honored and proud.
Tang Baiqiao, a well-known human rights activist and international affairs expert, commented: Lang Lang is self-contradictory in his responses. Powerful China and a unified Chinese people,has nothing to do with anything else, the strong feelings for the motherland, dont add political themes to the arts, all suggest that he is fully aware of the background and is confused about the difference between China and the CCP.
As an artist, he has played the song many times before and the song was carefully selected. If Lang Land knew nothing about the background, how did he express his feelings through the song?
Lang Lang used what is a standard arrangement of My Motherland. It includes a quotation from another famous anti-American songthe theme song of Heroic Sons and Daughters, a propaganda movie that, like Battle on Shangganling Mountain, concerns the Korean War (http://www.amazon.com/Heroic-Daughters-Chinese-English-Subtitle/dp/B0015MS9FU).
The lyrics corresponding to the section quoted from Heroic Sons and Daughters are Why is the flag as beautiful as a painting? Because it is tainted by the blood of heroes. Why is the spring eternal? Because the lives of the heroes are blooming.
This section of the music from the Heroic Sons and Daughters is at 745 to 815 in this video clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kroEprEpvtA.
Zhang Kaichen said, Playing these two anti-American songs ! at the s tate dinner communicates an angle, a feeling, and a mood that obviously carry a political intention. Especially in China, art serves politics. Whatever the CCP does is done with a political agenda. The objective for having Lang Lang play the red songs cannot be more obvious.chinareports@epochtimes.com
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