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)
  • Songs and Games
    • Nursery Rhymes >
      • Dǎ Huā Pāi (Clapping Together)
      • Dǎ Qiáo Mài (Threshing the Buckwheat)
      • Duì Huáng Xiè (Yellow Crab Song)
      • Huá Chuán Gē (The Paddling Song)
      • Jīn Suǒ, Yín Suǒ (Gold Lock, Silver Lock)
    • Nursery Rhymes Continued >
      • Mài Mài Duō, Chī Guǒ Guo (Come Together, Let's Eat Candy)
      • Mù Tóng Yáo (The Shepherd Boy Song
      • Suān Méi Tāng (The Plum Drink)
      • Suǒ nà pèi lǎ bāg (Suona Plays with the Trumpet)
      • Xīng Xīng Duō, Wá Wa Duō (Many Stars, Many Children)
    • Even More Nursery Rhymes! >
      • Yī Yā Yāo (Rowing Song)
      • Yōu Yáo Lán (Rocking the Cradle)
      • Zhuó Mù Niǎo (Woodpecker)
      • Lā Dà Jù (Pulling the Big Saw)
      • Xiǎo Hào Zī, Shàng Dēng Tái (Little Mouse Climbing the Oil Lamp)
      • Xiǎo Xiǎo Zī, Zuò Mén Duēn Er (Little Boy Sitting on the Door Step)
    • Yǒng é (To Goose)
    • Shàng Xué Gē (Going to School)
    • Du Shu Lang (The Little Schoolboy)
    • Diū Shǒu Juàn (Drop the Handkerchief)
    • 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)
  • 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)
  • About

Xiǎo Yàn Zi
Lyrics by Wang Lu
Arranged by Wang Yunjie

On children’s Day in 1956, Wang Lu created this song and published it in “Art of Yangtze River”. In 1957, it was modified by composer Wang Yunjie and used into an episode of “Nurse Diary”.  Since then, this song was sung all over the China. This song is in the form of questions and answers full of children’s fun. 
Picture

Pinyin Version

Xiǎo yàn zi, chuān huā yī,
nián nián chūn tiān dào zhè lǐ
wǒ wèn yàn zi nǐ wéi shá lái,
yàn zi shuō:  zhè lǐ di chūn tiān zhēn měi lì.
Xiǎo yàn zi gào sù nǐ,
jīn nián zhè lǐ gèng měi lì,
wǒ men gài qǐ liǎo dà gōng chǎng,
zhuāng shàng liǎo xīn jī qì.
Huān yíng nǐ cháng qī zhù zài zhè lǐ.

English Translation

​Little swallow wears the flower cloth.
The swallows come here every spring
I ask the little swallow why they come here
They answer that “The spring is beautiful here ”
I tell the little swallow
It will be more beautiful this year
Because we have built a large factory
Installing new machines
Please live here forever.

Chinese Text

小燕子穿花衣
年年春天来这里
我问燕子你为啥来
燕子说这里的春天最美丽
小燕子
告诉你
今年这里更美丽
我们盖起了大工厂
装上了新机器
欢迎你
长期住在这里

Print Translations

xiǎo yàn zi_printable.pdf
File Size: 110 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Audio

Notation

xiao_yan_zi_notation.pdf
File Size: 205 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)
  • Songs and Games
    • Nursery Rhymes >
      • Dǎ Huā Pāi (Clapping Together)
      • Dǎ Qiáo Mài (Threshing the Buckwheat)
      • Duì Huáng Xiè (Yellow Crab Song)
      • Huá Chuán Gē (The Paddling Song)
      • Jīn Suǒ, Yín Suǒ (Gold Lock, Silver Lock)
    • Nursery Rhymes Continued >
      • Mài Mài Duō, Chī Guǒ Guo (Come Together, Let's Eat Candy)
      • Mù Tóng Yáo (The Shepherd Boy Song
      • Suān Méi Tāng (The Plum Drink)
      • Suǒ nà pèi lǎ bāg (Suona Plays with the Trumpet)
      • Xīng Xīng Duō, Wá Wa Duō (Many Stars, Many Children)
    • Even More Nursery Rhymes! >
      • Yī Yā Yāo (Rowing Song)
      • Yōu Yáo Lán (Rocking the Cradle)
      • Zhuó Mù Niǎo (Woodpecker)
      • Lā Dà Jù (Pulling the Big Saw)
      • Xiǎo Hào Zī, Shàng Dēng Tái (Little Mouse Climbing the Oil Lamp)
      • Xiǎo Xiǎo Zī, Zuò Mén Duēn Er (Little Boy Sitting on the Door Step)
    • Yǒng é (To Goose)
    • Shàng Xué Gē (Going to School)
    • Du Shu Lang (The Little Schoolboy)
    • Diū Shǒu Juàn (Drop the Handkerchief)
    • 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)
  • 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)
  • About