China News Agency, Beijing, January 29th, title: Taiwanese musician Huang Qingyuan: Finding "roots" in nostalgia
China News Agency reporter Li Xuefeng
"A person leaving home is like a leaf leaving the 'root'. It is a Chinese tradition to go home for the New Year, and it is also the Chinese people's nostalgia for the 'root'." Taiwanese musician Huang Qingyuan said in an interview with a reporter from China News Agency in Beijing during the Spring Festival. .
Native of Fujian and born in a dependent village in Tainan, Huang Qingyuan grew up listening to vinyl records. During his school days, he began to form a band to sing rock and try to write songs.
In the 1980s, Huang Qingyuan joined a record company and became a witness and participant in the heyday of Taiwanese pop music.
Singer Andy Lau's "Today" and Wang Jie's "Love Too Much" are all his works.
Jacky Cheung's "Kiss Goodbye" and "Blessings", Grasshopper's "Baby I'm Sorry" and other popular hit albums are also produced by him.
Finding "roots" in nostalgia
From Tainan to Kaohsiung, Taipei, and then from Hong Kong to Shanghai and Beijing, recalling his life experience, Huang Qingyuan ridiculed that he has been "wandering", spending less time with his family for decades.
He said that because of this, nostalgia has become an important source of emotion in his music creation.
Among the many works, Huang Qingyuan was deeply impressed by the song "Keep the Roots", which expresses the blood connection between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait.
He wrote in the lyrics: "In order to live, people are running around, but they are intertwined in their fate. How many years have been condensed into this moment, looking forward to the reunion of old dreams..." He said that the inspiration for the lyrics comes from the Spring Festival travel.
Huang Qingyuan recalled that in the early 1990s, due to work needs, he often traveled between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait and Hong Kong.
At the end of the new year, we see overcrowded railway stations all over the country.
In the era when there was no high-speed rail and no online ticket purchase, people carried big bags and small bags on their shoulders and queued up all night just to buy a ticket to go home.
"Those scenes moved me very much. It is difficult to describe this kind of family relationship clearly." Huang Qingyuan said that Taiwan's Spring Festival travel is also busy. Although the north and south are only a few hundred kilometers away, there will still be heavy traffic jams during the Spring Festival.
At that time, no matter how busy I was, I had to rush home to reunite with my parents on New Year's Eve.
Today, although people travel in more diverse ways and carry lighter luggage, their affection for their hometown has not changed at all.
"Going home is all Chinese people's nostalgia for the 'root', and this 'root' is the blood." Huang Qingyuan said that it was precisely because of this feeling that he completed the lyrics of this song overnight .
Accidentally "go north" to take root
Talking about the development experience in Beijing, Huang Qingyuan said with a smile, "It was an accident": At first, I just came to help my friends write songs. I wanted to stay for a short time, but unexpectedly received a lot of cooperation, not only singles, but also theme songs for film and television dramas, The time for the ending song, soundtrack, etc. was gradually taken up, so I stayed, and this stay lasted for nearly 20 years.
In addition to creating, Huang Qingyuan served as a judge in many music talent shows, and also participated in many cross-strait music exchange activities.
In his opinion, creation needs inspiration, music needs collision, and cross-ethnic, cross-regional, cross-background communication is conducive to the development of music.
"It is a good thing for young people to take a brave step and stand on a bigger stage. Chinese culture is a big river, and only when its tributaries are active can it flow farther, otherwise it will easily dry up." He said.
After their parents passed away, Huang Qingyuan and his wife chose to stay in the mainland for the Spring Festival.
"Wherever the relatives are, there is home." He said that many friends from all over the world that he has met over the years have sent invitations to them.
The Taiwanese couple also had the opportunity to spend different Spring Festivals in various parts of the mainland.
"On New Year's Eve, it's fun to gather with like-minded friends to chat about music and creation, eat delicious food and watch the Spring Festival Gala. It's fun to chat with parents." Huang Qingyuan said with a smile. Last year, he received invitations from friends in Chengdu. This year's New Year's Eve is different. From a guest to a host with his wife, six or seven friends gathered in their own home.
Nearly 70 years old, Huang Qingyuan has no plans to retire.
He revealed that shortly after the Spring Festival, he will go to Fujian, his ancestral home, to participate in a cross-strait exchange event to boost the development of the music industry.
Continue to create, help young people, promote music development, etc. Huang Qingyuan said that he still has a lot to do.
"I have to work harder to explain in life, and I will consider stopping when I have no energy and can't record." He said.
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