Yan Lianke - Lenin's Kisses

The sixth day of the sixth month is generally a busy time of year, but after this day was designated Dragon Day, the men would not do any work on that day, and instead the women would be responsible for preparing food and drink and working the fields, while the men would stay home all day and rest. After spending the day resting, however, the men would then have to go into the fields and work overtime to compensate. On the seventh day of the seventh month, meanwhile, the busy season had already passed, and by this point the women would also be tired, so it would be their turn to rest for a day. On this day, the men would not only cook the meals, but also prepare their wives’ favorite foods.

Of course, it was also necessary to invite people to sing Balou tunes on Dragon Day, Phoenix Day, and Old People’s Day, and the village would spend an enormous sum of money hiring a group of wholer lion dance performers from several dozen li away. Naturally, the children would want to light firecrackers and wear new clothes, just as they would on New Year’s.

15) Livening Song.The Livening Song was the earliest prototype of the Balou tune. Its melody was mostly that of a call-and-response song, and less frequently would take the form of a solo. However, the performance of the Livening Song could take many different forms: Some people sang the tunes while alone on the mountain ridge when they felt lonely and tired; others would sing them back and forth from one mountainside to another; and there was even a group of people who might loiter at the entrance to the village singing the songs together. The melodies had set patterns, but the lyrics varied depending on the setting and the season.

The lyrics that were most popular among the older generation of disabled villagers were:

Hey, hey hey hey. .

You deaf man on the hillside, listen up.

In the sky there is a celestial fairy who is singing.

If you can hear her clearly, she will marry you,

But if you can’t, you will need to spend the rest of your life alone.

Hey, hey hey hey. .

You blind man on the other hillside, watch this.

There is a golden rabbit sleeping at your feet.

If you can catch it, you will enjoy good fortune for the rest of your life,

But if you can’t, you will need to eat plain bread for the rest of your life.

Hey, hey hey hey. .

You cripple down in the gorge, listen up.

You must run up the hill in a single breath.

If you can make it up, you’ll become a wholer,

But if you can’t, you’ll limp for the rest of your life.

Hey, hey hey hey. .

You paraplegic on the mountain ridge, listen up.

The celestial maiden in the sky is lonely.

If you can stand up, she will give you her hand,

And if you lead her home she will become your wife.

Usually, the person singing this would be someone farming on the mountain ridge, who would start singing to relieve his loneliness. The melody would be similar to the duet’s, only more carefree and lyrical. In order to write this novel, I lived in Liven for several years, but the only lyrics that I was able to collect were the following.

The lyrics of the first song:

The soil is rich, oh yeah, it is flowing oil.

The wheat grains are as large as stones.

I pick up a wheat grain on the side of the road,

And when I toss it aside, I accidentally break open your head. .

And the lyrics of the second song:

I am a blind man, and your leg is lame.

You sit on the cart while I pull it.

My feet stand in for yours,

While I borrow your eyes from you. .

Translator’s Note

Translator’s Note

Translator’s Note

Translator’s Note