Connecting from Wuhan to Seattle through the "Hanyang Gate Garden"
A few months ago, I recorded the song "Hanyang Gate Garden" （汉阳门花园）for my parents in Wuhan upon my father's request. He told me that the famous singer Han Hong 韩红 performed a cover of this song to show her support for Wuhan people during the first wave of COVID-19 in Wuhan, and my father thinks that Han Hong's Wuhan dialect accent sounds awkward, and that I should record a cover of this song because I'm an "authentic" Wuhan girl. My mother told me that this song, "Hanyang Gate Garden", was written by her college friend, Mr. Feng Xiang 冯翔, who was psychiatrist and then became a folk singer-songwriter. Within one day, I recorded this songs in a rather casual setting and sent to my parents and friends in China.
At first, it was shared within some friends, and friends of friends. Then one day, a doctor who works in the WHO sent me an email, telling me that he was alumni with my mother, and that he hopes that I can publish this video on more platform through his acquaintances in media works. I gladly accepted his suggestion, and posted this video in Chinese media (西瓜视频）as well as Youtube. A few months has passed, this video gained a life on its own, and appeared in many different media platform in China. Even 冯翔 mentioned this in his interview with CCTV that he was surprised that his friends all shared my video instead of his original recording. I received hundreds and hundreds of comments saying that they are so touched and happy to hear my song. In Chinese proverb, this is called "无心插柳柳成荫". I am truly grateful for everyone who supported me and expressed their appreciation. Here I attached some screenshots of comments!
Thus, I opened a channel in Chinese video streaming platform 西瓜视频 and uploaded more of my videos and songs. I hope that through this opportunity, more people can get to know the music I am currently studying, which is Sephardic music and Japanese Shakuhachi music. As a music educator, I also look forward to explore these new channels of transmitting world music to public audiences.