“Mo Li Hua”: China’s Folk Chef-D'œuvre
Image Source: Pexels; Adrienne Andersen
Planet Earth is immersed in such a variety of sounds; the digital age is no exception to this societal shift in how music is perceived. Beyond the popular music that dominates today’s streaming platforms (along with billboards, radio stations, etc.), folk music is a genre already laid on our doorstep since birth. It is most commonly recognized as “traditional” in which it is typically passed on orally from generation to generation. Thus, as music ages and evolves with time, it tends to filter into rat pieces, which is the entire basis of folk (unlike the art music still admired by many musicians in the twenty-first century). On the same wavelength, the composer is oftentimes anonymous for that very reason. “Traditional” folk songs are expounded by its close proximity to people in a community. As depicted by Capital Music, these signature songs are “an interest in promoting grassroots participation” tethered to the identity of self in a larger whole. Folk music is nonetheless a cultural phenomenon oozing from a certain geographic location. By studying its different elements, one can dissect the aura of life from even centuries prior; a time capsule preserved in the form of sound.
Despite disparities between “Western” and “Eastern” cultures, time has bridged the gap between the two. Although accustomed to what many perceive to be “American” norms, many Asian-Americans been exposed to the traditional ways halfway across the globe. For many at least, Chinese ancestry paved the conversation at the dinner table, certain holidays shared with a select number of family friends (Lunar New Year as a prime example), and dominated the music observed through their childhood to now.
As a nation with the world’s highest population, it would be an understatement to say that China is immensely diverse in almost every facet. Whether it be food, tradition, or any other fundamental premise to Chinese values, the 23 provinces of the PRC are distinguished and united by their cultural interests. The Zhou Dynasty (1122 B.C.E. - 256 B.C.E.) was documented as one of the first eras to embrace traditional music into Chinese civilization. Confucius, a great philosopher during this time, had been spectated to introduce the concept of song with his book, Shijing, also known as the Book of Songs. In retrospect, traditional music is typically performed on solo instruments such as bamboo pipes, the qin, the erhu, the pipa, the ruan, zheng, dizi and more. This is accompanied by an individual singer. and has a scale of only five notes. Woodwinds, percussion, strings, and non-resonant vocals are the center of Chinese folk music (different procedures apply to Xiqu, known as Chinese Opera, although it’s also a component of the Ethnic Han Music that features folk as well). As a nation governed by ritual and ceremony, music was a method to organize and harbor certain ethics obeyed by the Chinese people. Folk music can be assimilated with China’s national anthem.
“Mo Li Hua,” or rather known as “Jasmine Flower,” is a renowned piece from Chinese folk music that dates back to the 18th century (the Qing Dynasty), notably showcased at the 2004 and 2008 Summer Olympics. The East-Asian piece was adopted by Italian composer Giacomo Puccini in his opera, Turandot (1926), stirring up attention from the “West.” It gestures to peace and serenity with the distinct use of the erhu to harmonize with the voice. The pentatonic scale is optimized in this piece, which consists of five notes. Therefore, the range is quite narrow, extending from a G to an E, in which octaves may vary. Despite the trade-off between the display and absence of vocal performance (monophonic and homophonic, once again), the song exudes a light density and minimal syncopation. The timbre can be observed to be smooth and . Rhythm isn’t quite the primary focus of this piece, yet the 4/4 time signature and middle ground between an andante and adagio tempo highlight folk as a universal language itself. Emphasized by the legato nature of “Mo Li Hua,” the melody was quite conjunct in structure. The chorus, repeated three times throughout the entire piece, is preceded by an instrumental interval that “echos” or “reflects” the succeeding vocal phrases. To dissect the lyrics of the chorus, “Hao yi duo mei li de mo li hua,” or “What a beautiful jasmine flower,” is replicated twice in major key before “Feng-fang mei li man zhi ya, / You xiang you bai re ren kua,” or “Fragrant, beautiful, full branches, / Fragrant and white, everyone praises you,” is notated. Each refrain concludes with “Wo you xin cai yi duo dai, / You pa ren xiao wo sha, / Mo li hua ya mo li hua.” or “I want to pick you to wear, / But am afraid people will laugh and think I’m silly, Jasmine flower, oh, jasmine flower.” “Mo Li Hua” is monumental to unifying its nation of origin through simple lyrics paired with a standout melody (and identifiable rhythm).
Undeniably, the purpose of folk music is to give a glimpse into the lives of those both correlated and not correlated with oneself. These traditional compositions are curated by strangers of the past and act as portrayals to cultural inference. Already, the lyrics of “Jasmine Flower” embody the essence of the delicate, amiable women from the Qing Dynasty. Chinese folk music is overall an art form that continues to unify a country divided in politics, religion, and such. As an emblem of the People’s Republic of China, this piece alone serves as an example for the potential in any means of music. In regards to the composition’s simplicity, “Mo Li Hua” truthfully depicts a narrative understood by many but felt by all. Texture, form, harmony, and other musical components found were nurtured with the passing of time. Nonetheless, each individual’s interpretation unveils a perspective to “Jasmine Flower” not ever deciphered hence. While music from then may disintegrate in future centuries to come, it shall suffice to appreciate the sounds that still ring from ear to ear.