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” Till today, I cannot stop thinking about you and all of the past;
Just wishing that the waves will raise their hands together in the wind
Like your tenderness”
The entire audience in the Hong Kong Coliseum (香港红勘体育馆) sang in harmony (and most of them in tears). At this moment, the song Like Your Tenderness (<恰似你的温柔>) became the requiem for late Taiwanese musician, Liang Hongzhi (梁弘志). As the song wrote, it was not an easy farewell for Cai Qin (蔡琴) when she learnt in 2004 that Liang was in the advanced stage of pancreatic cancer. Within a year, the illness swiftly claimed the life of this talented composer at the age of 47. Liang wrote his first composition, Like Your Tenderness, in 1980 when he was still attending college. It was rumoured that the love story behind this song was about a young couple who tempoarily stopped seeing each other in order to prepare for their school examinations. Unfortunately, the girl died of cancer during the separation. But her dying wish was to keep her death news from the boy until he completed his examination. When the boy finally learnt the truth, he wrote this song.
More than twenty singers came for the audition of this song; Liang could not find the right person singing to his perfection, until they played Cai Qin’s recording. Liang, who was about to leave the studio, hopped back in excitement: ” Who is she? I want her to sing my song. If you don’t agree, I will not allow you to release this song…”. Like Your Tenderness was included in the Folk Song III (民謠風3) album and (we know the rest…) Cai Qin rocketed to fame overnight. This legendary hit formed the foundation for this evergreen pop singer. Thus, it was understandable why Cai Qin would always dedicated this song to Liang at her concerts. After experiencing the ups and downs in her life, Cai Qin had a better understanding of the song:
“Actually, it’s not a melancholy song. What it tells of is a kind of loneliness. Now after I’ve gone through many ups and downs in life, I understand the loneliness of the composer even better. Imagine his loneliness. He compares himself to an isolated island with no one around, where only the tender hand of the waves brings him comfort.”
To most of us, Like Your Tenderness is more than a song in our hearts. Each time I hear this song, it brought back the memory of the Chinese Orchestra Farewell Party at one of the teacher’s house on 6 Sep 1989 (I remembered the date clearly because Winston played this silly “69” joke on the date). Everyone was sad that this day had come for us to go on separate ways; but each of us was holding back our tears! Until Jingfang came up and sang this song. It was a no-frill performance (no music, no background singers) but it touched where it mattered most to us. Tears rolled down and suddenly we seemed ready to face the reality of the unknown tomorrows. The guys would serve their military service while the ladies furthered their studies at the universities. We were not entirely sure whether we would meet again soon. But our fond memories were comforted by the hand of the waves; gently… just like their tenderness.
There are a few classics that firmly withstood the test of time and Please Say You Love Me (<跟我说爱我>) is clearly one of them. Originally written by demised song composer Liang Hongzhi (梁弘志) in 1982, it was used again as a theme song for the 2007 Taiwanese drama series The Hospital (白色巨塔). I am not a fan of Jerry Yan (言承旭) but my wife followed most of his dramas. What I vividly remembered was this scene where Jerry Yan and his ex-girlfriend (role played by Zhang Junning 张钧宁) met up in a cafe. Being separated and apart for many year, both had much to say to each other; but chose to be silent. It was at this moment, the theme song was played – and it was a melody that brought back the familar yet distanced memories that they shared.
This new version was performed by Taiwanese singer Ah-San (阿桑), who died of breast cancer last year at a tender age of 34! But my favourite remains as the original version sung by Cai Qin (蔡琴) in her album One Thousand Springs (一千个春天) with Li Jianfu (李建复) harmonising in the chorus background. It was written for a Taiwanese movie by the same name, screened in 1981. This is a simple song but under the mastery of Liang Hongzhi, it contained so much of a lover’s sense of helplessness or hopelessness (?), resigning their love to fate. Perhaps, this is why this drama scene and song are so unforgettable and undetachable!
It is crazy to imagine that a poem, written more than a millenium ago, had such a great impact on my life. Tang Dynasty poet, Zhang Ji (张继, 756 A.D.) wrote The Night Stop at Maple Bridge (枫桥夜泊), penning down what he saw and felt about while spending a night at Feng Qiao, a place situated about 40km north of Suzhou in the Jiangsu province.
The poem consisted only of 4 lines and 28 words; but we can inferred that Zhang Ji wrote this poem around 2-3 o’clock in the morning. It was a frosty night; the moon was wanning and crows were crying. The maple trees stood silently along the river bend and the lamp from the fishing boat shimmered softly from a distance . These sights added deepened his sorrowful mood in this sleepless night. At this time, he heard the sound of bell from Han Shan Temple (寒山寺), located outside the city of Gusu.
It was said that Zhang Ji was sorrowful at Feng Qiao because he had failed his imperial examination at the capital Chang’an, and was on his way home. Later, he did pass the examination eventually and became a minor official. The Night Stop at Maple Bridge remained as a one-hit wonder from him. Little is known about him or his other poems.
When I was in Suzhou, I took the opportunity to visit Han Shan Temple. Built during the Liang dynasty (502-557 A.D.), it was initially called Miaolipumingta. Later, it later renamed when two zen buddhists by the name of Han Shan and Shi De came to serve in the temple. Unfortunately, the temple since undergone several renovations and rebuilts, having been destroyed more than once by fire. The current structure was built at the end of the Qing Dynasty, making the original architechtural design almost unrecognizable.
This song was written by Taiwanese musican, Guo Ziyuan (郭之苑); Bao Shengmei (包美聖) was the first singer but my favourite is still Zheng Yi’s (郑怡) in her 1986 album 行行重行行. I chanced upon this cassette album at a pasar malam at Smith Street, Chinatown many years ago. Finally, I bought the CD version in Taipei.
My favourite song list from voice biographies of Pan Yue Yun (潘越云):
- 我的思念 (1980)
- 留一盏灯 (1980)
- 再见离别 (1981)
- 好久不见 (1981)
- 天天天蓝 (1982)
- 守着阳光守着你 (1982)
- 西風的話 (1983)
- 無言的歌 (1983)
- 別離的黃昏 (1983)
- 天空依然下著雨 (1983)
- 愛的箴言 (1983)
- 错误的别离 (1983)
- 心情 (1983)
- 野百合也有春天 (1983)
- 摆渡 (1985)
- 痴痴的等 (1985)
- 锁上记忆 (1985)
- 相思已是不曾闲 (1985)
- 忘了歌词的一首歌 (1985)
- 偶遇 (电视少女日记主题曲) (1985)
- 浮生千山路 (1985)
- 只为那一点感动 (1985)
- 谢谢你曾经爱我 (1986)
- 一片海洋 (1986)
- 最爱 (1986)
- 小镇医生的故事 (1986)
- 旧爱新欢(1986 duet with 李宗盛)
- 桂花巷 (1987)
- 离别赋 (1987)
- 蓝色的回忆 (1987)
- 有情不如无情好 (1987)
- 京华烟云 (1987, duet with 李建复)
- 别留我 (1987)
- 寂寞的雪 (电视铁血杨家将插曲) (1987)
- 情字这条路 (1988)
- 台北雨 (1988)
- 不了情 (1988)
- 这样也好 (duet with 马兆骏)
- 我是不是你最疼爱的人 (1989)
- 你是欲走还留的风 (1989)
- 再当一天爱人 (1989)
- 春天来过我这里 (1990)
- 我们都寂寞 (1990)
- 红娘 (1991)
- 你是我一辈子的爱 (1991)
- 我所爱的你 (1991)
- 属于一个人 (1991)
- 纯情青春梦 (1992)
- 西子湾之恋 (1992)
- 归乡 (1992)
- 再会夜都市 (1992)
- 痴情不是一种罪过 (梅花烙之插曲) (1993)
- 秋天 (1994)
- 落花 (1994 version)
- 为爱拖磨一世人 (1995)
- 蓝蓝的夜蓝蓝的梦 (1995)
- 一次幸福的机会 (1997)
- 拍拍屁股去戀愛 (1999)
- 夜會情人 (1999)
- 黑字誓言 (1999)
- 四月有時也有雨 (1999)
- 芝加歌-台北 (2001)
I have long acknowledged Zheng Yi (郑怡) as a great singer soon after she released her debut album, The Rain Comes Right on Time ( 小雨来的正是时候) in 1983. But my interest on Zheng Yi truly intensified during my JC days after more insightful introduction by my chinese flute teacher, Qiu Yan. Like most of the folk singers, Zheng Yi was still a history college student when she was actively involved in folk song singing and composition during her university days. One day, when Zheng Yi was visting her composer friend, Su Lai (苏来), he told her of a new composed song, Moon Lute (<月琴>). “Come and hear this ” Su invited. After listening to the song, Zheng Yi asked: ” Whom did you write the song for?” “Li Jian Fu” (李建复, the singer of Descendant of the Dragon). Zheng Yi said confidently:” I think I am more suitable to sing this song”. Though Su was doubtful, he followed: “Alright, try it” After listening to Zheng Yi, he was fully convinced and gave the song to her. That’s how Zheng Yi entered the music scene with this impressive song.
But it was her 1983 partership with the famed music producer, Jonathan Li (李宗盛) that pushed her to stardom. That year, she released her first solo album, The Rain Came at the Right Time (小雨来的正是时候), which topped the Taiwan pop chart for 13 consecutive weeks.
However, when success comes too easily, it usually comes with a price. Ironically, the song became her cornerstone for her next 3 albums, remained almost unsurpassable.
Not until 1986 when she joined Coden Records where she released her most important two albums in her career: The Thought of Flight (想飞) and Feeling (心情).
Frankly speaking, Zheng Yi did not have a plain sailing career. Thereafter, she again reached the plateau. She struggled with another 2 more albums before deciding to quit the music industry in 1991 with her finale, Paradise (天堂). She got married and for serveral years, she was a radio DJ for a regular programme, Colourful World (绮丽世界).
Despite this, Zheng Yi remained as one of my most admired and respected singer. What makes her so unforgettable is her signature clean and crispy voice. She gave birth to a pair of twins in 1995 and had recently migrated to Canada. I truly hoped she had found her real paradise.
Zheng Yi’s (郑怡) Voice Biography |
| ▪ 1981 – 郑怡-王新莲-马宜中专辑 (compilation) |
| ▪ 1983 – 郑怡 – 小雨来的正是时候 |
| ▪ 1984 – 郑怡 – 去吧,我的爱 |
| ▪ 1985 – 郑怡 – 苏醒 |
| ▪ 1986 – 郑怡 – 行行重行行 |
| ▪ 1986 – 郑怡 – 想飞 |
| ▪ 1987 – 郑怡 – 心情 |
| ▪ 1988 – 郑怡 – 离家出走 |
| ▪ 1989 – 郑怡 – 周末Ps我很寂寞 |
| ▪ 1991 – 郑怡 – 天堂 |
| ▪ 1993 – 郑怡 – 大师之旅1·罗大佑 |
| ▪ 1993 – 郑怡 – 大师之旅2·小虫 |
| ▪ 1993 – 郑怡 – 大师之旅3·梁弘志 |
Recommendations |
| ▪ 微風往事 (1981) |
| ▪ 月琴 (1981) |
| ▪ 小雨来的正是时候 (1983) |
| ▪ 如果你说 (1983) |
| ▪ 长夜 (1983) |
| ▪ 结束 (1983) |
| ▪ 牛郎织女 (1984) |
| ▪ 暖暖的感觉 (1984) |
| ▪ 早起的太阳 (1985) |
| ▪ 小小孩 (1985) |
| ▪ 红豆词 (1986) |
| ▪ 追寻 (1986) |
| ▪ 枫桥夜泊 (1986) |
| ▪ 想飞 (1986) |
| ▪ 我所知道的爱情 (1986) |
| ▪ 带着我的心 (1986) |
| ▪ 日子还是一样 (1986) |
| ▪ 我和你 (1986, duet with 伍思凯) |
| ▪ 天空上的孤雁 (1986) |
| ▪ 莲藕 (1986) |
| ▪ 心情 (1987) |
| ▪ 沙漠的风 (1987, with 马玉芬& 曲佑良) |
| ▪ 想想我 (1987) |
| ▪ 橱窗 (1987) |
| ▪ 雨后 (1987) |
| ▪ 敲痛我的心 (1987) |
| ▪ 还是梦 (1987) |
| ▪ 野火 (1988) |
| ▪ 月亮 (1988) |
| ▪ 回家的路上（演奏）(1988) |
| ▪ 不得不想你 (1988) |
| ▪ 太阳 (1988) |
| ▪ 星星 (1988) |
| ▪ 杨花 (1989) |
| ▪ 送你一面镜子 (1989) |
| ▪ 周末晚上的电话不要接 (1989) |
| ▪ 星夜的天空 (1989) |
| ▪ 天堂 (1991) |
| ▪ 来时岁月 (1991) |
| ▪ 天堂（演奏曲）(1991) |
There is some truth in the saying, “Wherever there is Chinese, you will find Cai Qin”. Cai Qin (蔡琴) has a singing career spanning over 30 years and released more than 40 albums, sold worldwide from Taiwan and Hong Kong to across Asia and in the States. Her legend began with her singing competition during her first year in the college. At that time, singing ballads composed by local college students was very popular in Taiwan. By chance, Cai Qin’s talent was quickly recognised by late Taiwan musician, Liang Hongzhi (梁弘志) and she shot to fame with her debut, Just like Your Tenderness (<恰似你的温柔>) in the 1980s. With little or no packaging, this was actually how she looked like on the LP covers:
Her next success came pretty quickly in 1984, where she sang the theme song The Last Night (<最后一夜>) for the award winning film, The Last Night of Madam Chin (金大班的最后一夜). Based on famed Taiwanese writer, Bai Xianyong (白先勇)’s novel by the same name, Cai Qin’s rich voice reached the heart of her audience and touches on where it hurts.
At the invitation of the famous director, Yang Dechang (杨德昌), Cai Qin accepted a role in the movie Childhood Sweethearts (青梅竹马). They both soon fell in love and married a year later. However, their marriage was an unhappy one. Yang wanted a platonic love to help on their careers. Cai Qin believed in him and agreed to keep a platonic relationship for ten years. This marriage finally ended with Yang’s betrayal in 1995. It was in the same year, Cai Qin released her Midnight Show (午夜场) album before sinking into depression.
The recovery was slow. In fact, Cai Qin could not fully let go of the relationship until 2002, where she bravely stood in front of her audience at the Walking Together Concert (蔡琴一起走來香港演唱會) held in Hong Kong and sang Lighting up the Neon Lights (<点亮霓虹灯>). This song from her Midnight Show album had reminded so much about her divorce that she avoided singing it since its release. Recollecting the failed relationship, she said: “For love, let bygones be bygone and I am thankful he left. It gives me a chance to be single again and make me recognize there are so many things I need to do.”
Thankfully, God gave her a new lease of life. Cai Qin reached another peak of her career with The Forgotten Time (<被遗忘的时光>), a song played in the 2002 Hong Kong movie, The Internal Affairs (无间道). The unforgettable scene in which two opponents (acted by Andy Lau & Tony Leung) met in a music shop. Tony recommended an audio system, making the comment: “The high note is sweet, while the alto is accurate, and the bass is deep. In a word, it’s transparent. Come and listen to this…” And both sit down shoulder to shoulder, appreciating Cai Qin’s song.
This scene really sums up the opinions of her fans. It is her deep, magnetic vocal and captivating persona that makes her an enduring charm. Even after a three-decade singing career, Cai Qin is still not perceived as being out of date. In fact, this contralto singer simply mellow with grace, just like wine gets better with age. Undoubtly, she is truly an evergreen favorite of music aficionados.
Cai Qin’s (蔡琴) Voice Biography
- 1979 出塞曲
- 1981 秋瑾 . 你的眼神
- 1982 一千個春天 . 再愛我一次 . 藍色的夢
- 1983 不了情 . 昨夜之燈 . 世界名曲專輯. 情是什么.
- 1984 此情可待
- 1985 癡癡的等
- 1986 蔡琴個人演唱會精選 ‘ 83 . 傷心小站 . 人生就是戲
- 1987 時間的河
- 1988 火舞
- 1989 談心
- 1990 回到未來 (國語懷念老歌) . 回到未來 (台語懷念老歌)
- 1991 太陽出來了
- 1992 你不要那樣看著我的眼睛
- 1994 新感情舊回憶
- 1995 午夜场
- 1996 民歌蔡琴 . 飄浪之女 (台語專輯)
- 1997 傻话
- 1999 没有男人的房子不算家 (果陀剧团 <天使不夜城>原声带)
- 2000 機遇 (<淡水小鎮>原聲帶) . 花天走地
- 2001 金片子 I – 天涯歌女 . 金片子 II – 魂縈舊夢 . 橘子紅了 . 继续
- 2002 蔡琴一起走來香港演唱會Live
- 2003 情尽夜上海回忆录 .
- 2004 銀色月光下
- 2007 不了情2007經典歌曲香港演唱會 . 金声演奏厅
- 2008 不悔
- 2009 爱像一首歌
- 恰似你的温柔
- 出塞曲 (1979)
- 抉择(1979)
- 怎么能 (1979)
- 你的眼神 (1981)
- 秋瑾 (1981)
- 小白菜 (1981)
- 渡口 (1982)
- 再爱我一次 (1982)
- 蓝色的梦 (1982)
- 恋痕 (1982)
- 怀念 (1982)
- 一千个春天 (1982, duet with 李建复)
- 跟我说爱我 (1982, duet with 李建复)
- 谢幕曲 (1982)
- 不了情 (1983)
- 昨夜你对我一笑 (1983)
- 情是什么(1983)
- 尘缘 (1983)
- 昨夜之灯 (1983)
- 最后一夜 (1984)
- 读你 (1984)
- 蝶衣 (1984)
- 痴痴的等 (1985)
- 恨不相逢未嫁时 (1985)
- 诉衷情 (1985)
- 人生就是戏 (1986)
- 地下情 (1986)
- 情愿孤独 (1986)
- 竹篱外的春天 (1986)
- 时间的河 (1986)
- 月光 (1986)
- 碰到你的时候 (1986, duet with 苏来)
- 阁楼 (1989)
- 悲剧 (1989)
- 深闺梦里人 (1990)
- 太阳出来了(1991)
- 祝我生日快乐 (1991)
- 我听见我的心在哭 (1991)
- 误点梦 (1991)
- 遗失的情歌 (1992)
- 卿卿如晤 (1992)
- 新感情 旧回忆 (1994)
- 痴情一世人 (1994)
- 天台的月光 (1994)
- 点亮霓虹灯 (1995)
- 心上没有人 (1995)
- 雪歌 (1995)
- 被遗忘的时光 (1996)
- 那些人那些事 (1997)
- 一生都给你 (1997)
- 缺口 (2000)
- 老曲盘 (2000)
- 祝我幸福 (2007)
- 一生都給你 (2007, Concert live)
Official Site: http://www.tsai-chin.com/
Born on 17 Oct 1958 in Taichung Taiwan, Chyi Yu (齐豫) is the elder sister of Taiwanese singer Chyi Chin. Well known for her signature Bohemian style, Chyi disliked boundaries and it was clearly spelt in her appetite and versatility in music; from Chinese songs to English, from classical to pop and from past to present.
Chyi drew much respect and attention after winning the university folk competitions in Taiwan. She emerged as the champion in the 1978 Golden Rhythm Award (金韻獎) with her solo “Diamond and Rust” and was immediately dubbed as the Joan Baez of Taiwan. In the same year, she released her first single, The Village Road (鄉間小路).
But it was her 1979 debut album, The Olive Tree (橄榄树) that propelled her to stardom. The movie theme song, Smiling Face (欢颜), took the Best Movie Song title at the Golden Horse Award. Between 1982 to 1984, Chyi released three album with famed music producer, Li Tai Xiang (李泰祥) , gaining her foothold as Taiwan poetic singer – Blessing (祝福), You are All of My Memories (你是我所有的回忆) and There is a Man (有一个人). There is a Man was named as the best album at the Taiwan Golden Tripod Award (金鼎奖).
In 1985, she co-produced Echoes (回声) with Taiwanese writer San Mao (三毛) and Wang Xinlian (王新莲). This album eventually became an acclaimed classic production in Taiwan and overseas. In the same year, Chyi was among the 60+ singers (from Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia) in A Better Tomorrow (明天会更好).
From 1987 onwards, Chyi seemed to focus her works on English medium. Her first English album, Stories, was an immediate success. In the next three years, she launched Whoever Finds This, I Love You, Paradise Bird and Where Have All the Flowers Gone. Apart from her 1988 chinese album Is There Such Saying (), her chinese songs produced during this period were few and far between. But they were great singles like Let it Free (让它自由 from “快乐天堂”专辑), Rouge (怨女 from 电影“怨女”主题曲), Blue Sky Outside the Window (窗外有蓝天 from a charity event) and Boat Song (船歌 from 电影“衣錦還鄉”主题曲)
In 1993, Chyi recorded Love of My Life (藏爱的女人) with the Moscow Orchestra. This album was awarded by Zhong Shi (中时) as the Best Album of the Year. Three years later, she released her Tears album and held a dual concert (“齐手相莲”演唱会) with Sandy Lam. At this concert (which I attended), she duet with Sandy Lam in Dreamland (夢田).
Chyi finally released another chinese album, Camel.Flying Bird.Fish (骆驼.飞鸟.鱼) after a nine-year lull. She won the Best Female Singer award at the 9th Golden Melody. She made a stunning performance in Lust Water (欲水). This theme song for Joan Chen’s first directing movie Heavenly Bath (天浴) was named the Best Movie Song at the Golden Horse Award in 1999.
She released her last commercial album, C’est La Vie and was again in Singapore as the Chyi Qin’s guest singer (which I attended again) in 2000. In 2003, famed movie director, Zhang Yi Mou (张艺谋) invited her to participate in the play Liu San Jie (印象-刘三姐). She sang three songs (<多谢了>、<藤缠树>、<蝶恋花>).
By her own admission, she has never been a prolific performer. The past three decades of her career only saw seven Chinese albums and seven English releases, with a number of chart-topping singles, including The Highheel of September and The Bird and The Fish. “God gave me a goodvoice, but I’m not active enough. I am not a planner and I sing as I like. Singing has always been my hobby, not a means of living,” Chyi explained.
In 2002, Chyi was converted to Buddhism. She had since released four albums featuring Buddhist chants.
Chyi’s (齐豫) Voice Biography
- 1979 橄榄树
- 1982 祝福
- 1983 你是我所有的回憶
- 1984 有一個人
- 1985 回聲
- 1987 Stories
- 1988 Whoever Finds This I Love You
- 1988 Paradise Bird
- 1988 有沒有這種說法
- 1989 衣錦還鄉 – 船歌 (Movie Soundtrack album)
- 1990 Where Have All The Flowers Gone
- 1993 藏愛的女人(Love of my life)
- 1994 敢愛 敢夢 (Chinese & English Collections)
- 1996 Tears
- 1997 駱駝‧飛鳥‧魚
- 1998 天浴 – 慾水 Whispering Steppes (Movie Soundtrack album)
- 1999 C’est La Vie
- 2003 The unheard of Chyi (Live Concert album)
- 2003 Indescribable Night (English single in her concert album)
- 2003 印象.劉三姐 歌 – 籐纏樹 多謝了 (Concept album produced & only released in Mainland China)
- 2004 唱經給你聽之一.順心 因此更美麗 (1st Buddhism album – Part 1)
- 2004 唱經給你聽之二.安心 發現了勇氣 (1st Buddhism album – Part 2)
- 2004 唱經給你聽之三.快樂行 所以變快樂 (1st Buddhism album – Part 3)
- 2006 唱經給你聽.佛心 (2nd Buddhism album)
- 2010 The Voice (Christianity, Pop & Oldies)
Recommendation
Having followed Chyi’s (齐豫) voice biography for close to 30 years, here’s my list of absolute song recommendations:
- 橄榄树 (1979)
- 走在雨中 (1979)
- 答案 (1979)
- 欢颜 (1979)
- 你是我所有的回忆 (1983)
- 菊叹 (1983)
- 有一个人 (1984)
- 别拧我，疼 (1984)
- 雨丝 (1984)
- 祝福 (1984)
- 牧羊女 (1984)
- 今世 (1984)
- 说给自己听(1985 duet with 潘越云)
- 梦田(1985 duet with 潘越云)
- Diamond & Rust (1987)
- Angels, Roses, and Rain (1988)
- Graveyard Angel (1988)
- 如果真的不要 (1988)
- 一面湖水 (1988 duet with 羅紘武)
- 怨女 (1988)
- Borderline (1990)
- Love of My Life (1993)
- Knife (1996)
- 觉 (1997)
- 四十个无亲无故的年头 (1997)
- 欲水 (1998, Theme from 《天浴》)
- And I love you so (1999)
- 最爱 (2003, Concert live)
Li Tai Xiang (李泰祥) and Chyi (齐豫) were such a perfect match in the early Taiwan music scene; their synergized concoctions were often impressive and usually unforgettable. After the widely accepted success debut of Olive Tree (橄榄树) in 1979, the dual finally got together to excite their fans again four years later with You are My Only Memory 《你是我所有的回忆》. The long wait was definitely worthwhile to Li and Chyi’s audiences; You are My Only Memory is a top-notch song that subsequently joined the pop classic hit list.
But a hidden gem in this 1983 album was another beautiful poetic song named The Sigh of Chrysanthemum《菊叹》. The Sigh of Chrysanthemum originated from Taiwanese poet, Xiang Yang’s (向陽) poetry collection (《心事》 詩集). It was written in 1978 when the young poet was still serving the army. To fully appreciate the song, you have to devote a quiet space. When you listen immensely with your heart, you will slip into the the mental picture of serene dusk with falling leaves wavering against a sunset backdrop, suggesting a tinge of bleakness. The author followed the less trodden path under the weak moon beam; where he trampled on the branches left behind by the woodcutter. He was alone throughout the journey but definitely not lonely; the longing to see the blooming chrysanthemum made him persisted along the trail. The trailing may cost a life-time of searching, but he is certainly willing to wait for that moment.
There are two classics that reigns as my timeless favourite oldies of all times. One is Endless Waiting 痴痴的等 and the other is Love without End 不了情. Coincidentally, both songs were written and by Tao Qin 陶秦 and Wang Fu Ling 王福齡. And both happened to be theme song for movies acted by Lin Dai 林黛 too.
While I liked both songs, Endless Waiting has a special place in my heart. I was told that the Blue and the Black 《藍與黑》was the movie that my parents watched together on their first date. Touted as the Chinese version of Gone with the Wind, this movie was set during World War II, which followed a singer (played by Lin Dai) who searched battle-scarred China for her lover, who was entangled with Japanese invaders, communist insurgents and a warlord’s beautiful daughter. The movie was so lengthy that it had to be screened as two parts. My parents only watched Part II on that date.
Endless Waiting 痴痴的等 is the theme song from that epic Chinese movie. It was originally delivered by veteran Jing Ting 靜婷 and since sang by countless others. My favourite version of this song was discovered in Cai Qin 蔡琴 1985 music album, simply named as Oldies《老歌》. This is an album which I had played well over a couple of hundred times. It seems to have mellowed with age and just gets better and more touching each time I listen to it.
Cai Qin delivered the song with her rich, mellowed voice, taking her audience through an emotion roller-coaster. The hope and disappointment in the third stanza was very well controlled and subtly contrasting tones:
” Many a time, I got excited by the approaching steps, And I longed that you would run to me as I called out your name; But when I saw the clear shadow of the passer-by, I realise it wasn’t you…”
I guess the beauty of this song is such strong and selfless love seemed almost non-existence in this modern age. And sometimes, we seek solace to rekindle our belief in these fairy-tales. Please applause with me as the song ends with:
” My love is deep, so is my hatre; You just left me here, endlessly waiting…” 
On 4 January 1991, renowned Taiwanese writer, San Mao 三毛, was found dead in Rongmin General Hospital. She had hanged herself. It was still a mystery why she committed suicide – some said she was despondent for not receiving any Taiwan’s Golden Horse Film Awards for her film Red Dust; others even thought it was because she was ignored by Wang Luobin.
I was serving the national service then and had been greatly drawn to her travelogues and her adventures in the Sahara Desert. Her life had every twist and turn that one would admire but probably never hope for. It was about that time I bought a Chinese music album named Echoes《三毛作品第15号 – 回声》. It has since became my favourite album in my collections.
Echoes relates the life story of San Mao. She was born in Chongqing, Southwest China on March 26, 1943 but her family moved to Taiwan in 1948. San Mao was deeply drawn into the literary masterpieces at a young age and her school results was very bad affected as she devoted too much time reading these great literary works. Once, her maths teacher embarrassed San Mao in front of her classmates by drawing two big black circles around her eyes (signifying her zero score for maths test) and then made her parade around the school compound. This incident upsets San Mao so much that she became so indrawn and had to discontinue her schooling. For several years, she was taught at home by her lawyer father and hired piano teacher and painters. At the age of 20, she enrolled in the University of Madrid, Spain and got aquaintance with a Spanish boy called He Xi. He Xi loved San Mao, but she kept a distance from him as she thought the boy was too much younger than herself. After returning to Taiwan, she fell in love with a 45-year-old German teacher and they planned for marriage. However, her fiancé suffered a heart attack and died.
San Mao dreamed to be the first female explorer to cross the Sahara Desert. He Xi supported her and gave up being a professional diver to travel with San Mao. It was in Africa that San Mao kept a journal of her experience in the desert and witnessed an era of turmoil where they were forced to relocate to a coastal area. On 30 September 1979 (incidentally the Mid-autumn Festival), He Xi died in a diving accident. There is a song in this album that vividly relates He Xi’s death. This Life《今世》was written by San Mao, composed by 李泰祥 (Li) and performed by 齐豫 (Chyi).
This cassette album played a big part of my army days. Journey back to the army camp on every Sunday nights had always been dark, gloomy and lonely. My sole constant companion was a red Sony Walkman and worn-down novels borrowed from the National Library. As the bus whirled through the dark winding roads and thick forest, I was deported back to the deserted and bleak piece of land in the western Singapore. As always, I would sit at the last row in the bus. Leaving the window slightly ajar, I allowed the wind gently slapped by my face with a tinge of chillness.
With my eyes closed, the song began with a majestic orchestra overture. Chyi’s angelic voice filled the ears and painted vivid scenes of He Xi (San Mao’s husband) who drowned at the sea. A mourning San Mao sat by the sea, wiping off his blood with a handkerchief soaked with her tears.
Chyi stretched her repertoire to deliver this heart-breaking song. In the third stanza, she simply spilled the pain all over:
“Did I not tell you thrice? I am your angel. You should not leave me to fight eternity alone! “Have you forgotten the lady by the sea, waiting for your return? The sun has set, the tide has subsided and the moon has risen You finally returned…silently with the waves Unable to look or speak to me again…”
Nothing can broadcast my admiration for the trio (San, Li & Chyi) or my personal affection for this song. Maybe the best expression is to share it around… Enjoy!
The Lost Seasons 不再重逢的季节 
