Tian Xian Pei

Only a few of you will recognize the title of this post.  But after you read this, I'm betting that those of you who don't know, will remember it.
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As the children grow older in the orphanage, the SWI does their best to provide education and training to the children, so that they can thrive on their own outside the orphanage. 

I was introduced to a beautiful young woman, who was blind.  They had told me that she was very proud of the fact that she qualified as being in the top tier of students studying the art of Chinese massage.  She will be turning this skill into a profession.  As a special treat, I was given the opportunity to be her first Western practice subject.  I was only too happy to oblidge, as I do have a bad back.  To the giggles of the surrounding students, and my daughter, this young woman did a fantastic job on my upper back.  I felt 20 years younger.

I congratulated her on her skills, and then proceeded to an adjacent room to meet and chat with the other students, and was treated to an improvised dance routine from some of the younger students. We were in a small room that was covered in smooth white tile on the floors and part way up the wall.  On one side of the room, full length windows let in a bright mid-day sun which warmed us from the chilly outside air.

As the clapping and smiles subsided following the performance, the young blind woman was led in front of me by another student.  I was a bit perplexed by a statement made in Chinese, and then Steven translated that she wanted to sing for me.  I was delighted.

What happened next would change me forever.

The student left the blind woman alone in front of me as silence fell over the small room. 

Her voice pierced the air like an explosion.  It was strong, loud, and it stopped my heart.  The hairs on the back of my neck stood on edge, and I was left unable to breathe or blink.  Fortunately my daughter had the wherewithal to start video recording the event, which I will play for you here.  I sat in rapt attention as she continued in perfect pitch, the sound attacking me from all sides like a siren song.

This video is unfortunately a very pathetic quality that doesn't do 1/100th justice to the quality and the experience of listening to this talented young lady in person.

I couldn't get her song out of my head, as Steven Tao informed me that this song is very traditional, and very local.  It is called Huang Mei Xi , or HuangMei opera.  The song she was singing was particular to Anhui province, and was the song of Tian Xian Pei.

I have combed the internet, and have asked the local students to explain this opera to me, and will paste what I have found here.  I will also include the lyrics to the song the girl is singing. 

For those of you with Bengbu children... you are blessed with a rich tradition and culture!!

(translated by a Student of Bengbu #2 Middle school, who is VERY proud to be a Bengbu Girl!):

Tianxianpei is a traditional classical repertoire of Huangmei opera . The story goes that there was a man named Dong Yong.  He was poor, and his parents had died. He sold himself to a ministry councilor named Fu into slavery for three years, in order to afford his father's funeral. The Jade Emperor's seven daughters were playing in the Bridge of Magpie (it's a symbol of love), looking into the earth. The youngest fairy lost her heart to Dongyong, and came down to the earth. They got married happily. In order to change Dongyong's 3-year-long employment into 100days, the 7th fairy invited all her sisters to help solve the problem that weaving 10 pieces of cloth overnight .They finally succeeded, the couple returned home. The Jade Emperor learned his daughter's romance, wrathed, commanding the 7th fairy to return the Heaven Palace at once, otherwise Dongyong would be the victim. The 7th fairy felt helpless, with pain and tears, she returned home, leaving an eternal pity.

In essence, the novel extolled the fairies and Dong Yong's bright side of human nature, and also flogged and criticized the Jade Emperor, the role of the ugly and dark. And at the same time, also depicted the Fus as ugly villains, and the son of Fu was even given comedy color. This myth novel showed true love and truth between heaven and earth, thus to say, the theme is positive, the content is healthy and progressive, the characters are distinctive, the story goes ups and downs. In a word, it’s a rare, thoughtful, artistic, highly readable work.

The lyrics of her song:

With pairs of birds singing on the tree

So green rivers and mounts look great

Picking a flower off conveniently

I put it in my dear’s chignon affectionately

From now on being of enslaving-free

My wife and I are on the way home free

You may plough and I will make some textile

I shoulder water you do some watering while

Being so humble, our house can keep out wind

A loving couple regards poverty as honey to drink

Couple of us is just like that of mandarin ducks

Flying wing to wing in the people’s world with good luck