Chinese Folk Songs for Music Teachers
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  • Ancient Poems
    • Xiāng Sī (Thinking of Each Other)
    • Dēng guàn què lóu (Climbing Stork Tower)
    • Jìng Yè Sī (Quiet Night Thoughts)
    • Fù Dé Gǔ Yuán Cǎo Sòng Bié (Farewell on an Ancient Plain)
  • Popular Classics
    • Hǎo Dà Yì Kē Shù​​ (Great Big Tree)
    • Shì Shàng Zhǐ Yǒu Mā Mā Hǎo (Mom is the best in the World)
    • Mō Lì Huā (Jasmine Flower)
    • Chóng ér fēi (Fireflies)
    • Nán Wàng Jīn Xiāo (Unforgettable Night)
    • Wǒ Hé Nǐ(You and Me)
  • Songs and Games
    • Diū Shǒu Juàn (Drop the Handkerchief)
    • Yǒng é (To Goose)
    • Shàng Xué Gē (Going to School)
    • Du Shu Lang (The Little Schoolboy)
    • Xiǎo Yàn Zi (Little Swallow)
  • Regional Folk Songs
    • Kang Ding (Sichuan Province)
    • Xiǎo hé tǎng shuǐ (Flowing River)
    • Wa Ha Ha (Xinjiang Province)
    • Zai Na Yao Yuan De Di Fang (Xinjiang Province)
    • Yí Méng Shān Xiǎo Diào (YiMeng Mountain)
    • Biān Huā Lán (Weaving Flower Baskets)
    • Xiān qǐ le nǐ dē gài tóu lǎi (Xinjiang Province)
    • Biān Huā Lán (Weaving Flower Baskets)
    • Jiāo Chěng Shān (Shanxi Province)
    • Shí Dòu Dòu (Shanxi Province)
  • About

Nán Wàng Jīn Xiāo​​
(Unforgettable Night)
By Qiao Yu and Wang Ming

This song would work well as part of a Chinese New Year celebration. It is a song of blessing, blessing for the country its people. The feeling from the music is one of richness and fullness.

I had the opportunity to attend several banquets during one of my visits to Shouguang Century School. At one banquet, my translator was explaining the Folk Song Collection Project to a principal. The next moment, the principal started singing this song in a low, operatic voice. Slowly all of the attendees of the banquet also began to sing. Once again, I was amazed at how music brings people together and how, in China, they share such a rich song tradition.

Pinyin Version

Nán wàng jīn xiāo,
nán wàng jīn xiāo,
bǔ lùn tiān yá yǔ  jiǎo,
shén zhōu wàn lǐ tóng huái bào,
gòng zhù yuàn zǔ guó hǎo zǔ guó hǎo.
gòng zhù yuàn zǔ guó hǎo.
gòng zhù yuàn zǔ guó hǎo.

Gào bié jīn xiāo, gào bié jīn xiāo,
bǔ lùn xīn yǒu, yǔ gù jiāo,
míng nián chūn lái zài xiāng yāo,
qīng shān zài rén weì lǎo rén weì lǎo.
qīng shān zài rén weì lǎo.
qīng shān zài rén weì lǎo.
rén weì lǎo.

English Translation

​Tonight is unforgettable.
Tonight is unforgettable.
It does not matter if you are in the farthest corner of the land or sea.
We are in the same arms of our vast country.
Together we wish for the well being of our homeland.
We wish for the well being of our homeland.
We wish for the well being of our homeland.

Farewell tonight.
Farewell tonight.
It does not matter if we are old friends or new ones.
We will meet again next spring.
The green mountains will still be there.
People will still be young, still be young.

Chinese Text

难忘今宵难忘今宵        
无论天涯与海角           
神州万里同怀抱           
共祝愿祖国好祖国好     
共祝愿祖国好             
共祝愿祖国好     

Print Translations

nán_wàng_jīn_xiāo_printable.pdf
File Size: 101 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Audio

Notation

nan_wang_jin_xiao_notation.pdf
File Size: 318 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

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The Chinese Folk Music Project is a resource for english-speaking music teachers to teach their students chinese songs in a culturally responsive way. This project is made possible with the support of the Confucius Institute in Edmonton.
  • Home
  • Ancient Poems
    • Xiāng Sī (Thinking of Each Other)
    • Dēng guàn què lóu (Climbing Stork Tower)
    • Jìng Yè Sī (Quiet Night Thoughts)
    • Fù Dé Gǔ Yuán Cǎo Sòng Bié (Farewell on an Ancient Plain)
  • Popular Classics
    • Hǎo Dà Yì Kē Shù​​ (Great Big Tree)
    • Shì Shàng Zhǐ Yǒu Mā Mā Hǎo (Mom is the best in the World)
    • Mō Lì Huā (Jasmine Flower)
    • Chóng ér fēi (Fireflies)
    • Nán Wàng Jīn Xiāo (Unforgettable Night)
    • Wǒ Hé Nǐ(You and Me)
  • Songs and Games
    • Diū Shǒu Juàn (Drop the Handkerchief)
    • Yǒng é (To Goose)
    • Shàng Xué Gē (Going to School)
    • Du Shu Lang (The Little Schoolboy)
    • Xiǎo Yàn Zi (Little Swallow)
  • Regional Folk Songs
    • Kang Ding (Sichuan Province)
    • Xiǎo hé tǎng shuǐ (Flowing River)
    • Wa Ha Ha (Xinjiang Province)
    • Zai Na Yao Yuan De Di Fang (Xinjiang Province)
    • Yí Méng Shān Xiǎo Diào (YiMeng Mountain)
    • Biān Huā Lán (Weaving Flower Baskets)
    • Xiān qǐ le nǐ dē gài tóu lǎi (Xinjiang Province)
    • Biān Huā Lán (Weaving Flower Baskets)
    • Jiāo Chěng Shān (Shanxi Province)
    • Shí Dòu Dòu (Shanxi Province)
  • About