[Online Opinion]The lyrics of the cover of “The Lights of the Stars” have been changed. Netizens “The Chinese nation has come to the safest time” – China Digital Times

In the Hunan Satellite TV variety show “Riding the Wind and Waves” that was broadcast recently, five singers, Wang Xinling, Zhang Tianai, Gillian, Ah Sa, and Wu Jinyan, sang the classic song “Lighting the Stars” by Taiwanese singer-songwriter Zheng Zhihua, but the original lyrics:

The current sky is a dirty sky, the stars are in the civilized sky, and can no longer be seen

was changed to:

The current sky is a clear sky, and the stars are always visible in the civilized sky.

Zheng Zhihua posted on Weibo on the evening of July 3, saying, “I am shocked, angry and regretful about the fact that the lyrics of my classic song “The Lights of the Stars” were changed indiscriminately!”

The incident sparked heated discussions among netizens. Some netizens thought that the lyrics were adapted reasonably. Netizen @不 comment on associate professor did not change his nickname and commented: “Respect your prudence in the lyrics. But the five sisters want to show everyone an uplifting side. And your song was created in a very A long time ago. Social existence determines social consciousness, and future generations can also create creations that conform to the characteristics of the times according to the changed times. I hope you can understand. I also hope that you can come and see more, the sky in the mainland is really clear.” There are also netizens who criticized Zheng Zhihua for “politicizing” the lyrics.

However, more netizens believe that modifying the lyrics without the author’s consent is disrespectful to the original author, and even more netizens “positively quantified” the lyrics of “National Anthem of the People’s Republic of China”, putting “the Chinese nation in the most dangerous place”. “Time” was changed to “The Chinese nation has come to the safest time”.

As of press time, Hunan Satellite TV has not responded to Zheng Zhihua, but some netizens pointed out that China Central Television had broadcast a version of the lyrics in 2018.

The following comments were collected from the Internet by China Digital Times editors:

@dongdonggun: Let’s change it, just change it all, it’s pretty good too——

“Sometimes I feel like a little bird, if I want to fly, I just swish and fly high…”
“Baby Asia, smiling in the wind…”
“Welcome to mention the past, how can there be wind and rain in life…”
“The bell sounded the signal to go home, and in his life, there was no sigh…”
“The warm icy rain patted softly on the face…”
“I haven’t met a few demons, I haven’t met a few demons, and we haven’t met a few demons at all…”

No Pin Donkey (written on the WeChat public account “Chinese No Pin Joke Encyclopedia”): The author believes that not only this song needs to be changed, but other songs by Zheng Zhihua should also be drastically revised. Take the well-known “Sailor” as an example, its lyrics are really worth studying.

For example, “bitter sand, the feeling of blowing a sore face, like a father’s scolding, a mother’s cry, will never be forgotten”

After reading this lyric, the image of the unhealthy protagonist of a native family emerges on the paper. It is not very positive and should be changed to:

“Sweet sand, the feeling of stroking your face, like a father’s praise, a mother’s praise, will never be forgotten”

@latenightacat: Regarding Jacky Cheung being sprayed, one of the most typical fallacies is to use identity politics to retaliate against identity politics, and use forceful statements to turn more people to the opposite side. Regarding Zheng Zhihua’s changed lyrics: Zheng Zhihua is a singer in Taiwan who is sharply critical of the authorities. His lyrics were written in the past, not criticizing the present, and have long since become classics. Therefore, it is not Zheng Zhihua’s songs that are politicized, but precisely the deletion and modification of their lyrics. The lyrics move is politicizing.

@ Retrograde Shanhaiguan: The more you look, the more angry you become. Zheng Zhihua’s songs are the true embodiment of Taiwan’s political ugliness and social reality at that time. He was physically and mentally strong, and used his singing and lyrics to express his desire for the peaceful reunification of the two sides of the strait and his thoughts on Taiwan’s independence. The dissatisfaction of Zheng Zhihua is that positive energy is a hero, why should he change his lyrics? By tampering with other people’s lyrics at will, are you denying history? Are you a Taiwanese separatist for your words of praise?

@Bult Qianyu: The original lyrics were satirizing the Taiwan authorities, but if they were changed now, it would be equivalent to praising Taiwan.

@Ma Zhihai: Zheng Zhihua’s songs are all criticizing, protesting, and accusing. You use his songs as a bouncing, mindless happy song, and don’t think about the situation where people can’t even walk in their entire lives?

@I always prefer Xiaowanzi: Songs that could be sung thirty years ago cannot be sung now. Dramas that could be broadcast 30 years ago cannot be broadcast now. What could be said thirty years ago cannot be said now. Straightforwardness and truth-telling are a big mistake in the eyes of the mainstream media and public opinion controllers.

@FULU Shou Xi Cai 112233: Songs full of humanism have been changed to flattering hymns.

@dingtaisheng: In the past, I also changed the lyrics, mostly by changing the seemingly dark words to homophonic words. This time, Sister Lang completely changed the stars to be bright and civilized. Zheng Zhihua directly expressed his shock, anger and regret. This is not just flattery, but the stupidest choice to be made under the domination of fear. In the future, I am afraid that no one will dare to sing songs about injustice, evil, depravity, darkness, or fat, stupid, inferior, and uneducated songs in the lyrics!

@星chen_AC: Teacher, CCTV changed the lyrics of your song in 2018.

@Klinsi_1113: It hasn’t been banned yet, so just have fun.

@ Thick Sweater: The day in the liberated area is a sunny day.

@Hoyao not me: The most deafening line of the whole song has been changed to completely misinterpret the meaning.