On the Hopeful Field 在希望的田野上

A song announcing the hope of re-emergence

Overview

Chinese Name: 在希望的田野上

English Name: On the Hopeful Field, Zai Xi Wang De Tian Ye Shang

Music: Shi Guangnan 施光南

Lyricist: Chen Xiaoguang 陈晓光

Original Singer: Peng Liyuan 彭丽媛

” On the Hopeful Field 在希望的田野上” is a song praising China’s rural areas which undergoing reforms. The music is composed mainly of traditional lyrical melody. The lyrics are novel and unique, and the tune is vivid and simple.

Composition Story Of On the Hopeful Field

The land of China in the 1980s was bathed in the spring breeze. The song’s melody is fused with the passionate female voice, making people feel like seeing an endless field shrouded in the morning light, and the areas are full of tranquillity.

In 1978, the third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee laid out a beautiful blueprint for the comprehensive reform of China’s rural areas. In just a few years, China’s rural areas have undergone earth-shaking changes, and the living standards of farmers have improved significantly.

At that time, music editor Chen Xiaoguang 陈晓光 experienced life in rural areas of Sichuan and Anhui. He deeply felt the people’s joy from the bottom of their hearts and the vitality of the motherland’s ever-changing land. So he wrote the lyrics “On the Field of Hope” excitedly. Later, he recalled that it took only half a day to compose this song.

Subsequently, Chen Xiaoguang gave the lyrics of this song to the famous composer Shi Guangnan 施光南. This young man, Chongqing, is also full of love for the countryside and expectations for the new era. He completed the composition in only half a day. From this perspective, the creation of this song only took one day.

In 1982, the song was handed over to Peng Liyuan 彭丽媛, a young female singer who was not yet 20 years old at the time. Her youthful interpretation quickly spread the beautiful melody across the country. It represents the Chinese farmers’ yearning for a new life and love for their hometown and soon became the “theme song” of the pristine countryside in the new era.

Interestingly, this song was taken to space by the Chinese Lunar Exploration Project in 2014. During the 8-day lunar exploration journey, the passion and dreams of Chinese musicians sang in the vast area all the way.

Lyrics of On the Hopeful Field

Chinese Lyrics

English Translation

Our hometown is on the field of hope.

Smoke from kitchen chimneys is drifting above the new built housings.

Little rivers flow by the side of villages.

That one filed of winter barley, (that) one field of sorghum.

Ten Chinese miles (yo) lily pond, ten Chinese miles fragrance.

Ah, hey, you, heh, ya, ah, eh, ah, you! Hi!

We, generation after generation, live on this field.

To be prosperous for her, to be thriving for her.

Our hopes are on the field of hope.

Seedlings of crops are growing within farmers‘ sweats.

Cattle and sheep grow up within shepherds’ sounds of flute.

Spinning cotton yarns at the west village, (that) casting nets in the eastern harbor.

Northern frontier (oh) sowing seeds, southern country threshing grains.

Ah, hey, you, heh, ya, ah, eh, ah, you! Hi!

We, generation after generation, live on this field.

To dress up for her, to groom and adorn oneself for her.

Our future is on the field of hope.

People live under the bright and beautiful sunshine.

Living is being transformed in people’s physical labor.

Old people are raising their cups and making a toast, (that) children are happy and laughing.

Young men (oh) play (musical instrument), young ladies sing songs.

Ah, hey, you, heh, ya, ah, eh, ah, you! Hi!

We, generation after generation, live on this field.

To be happy for her, to gain glory for her.

On the Hopeful Field Peng Liyuan 彭丽媛