4 songs tell China story over six decades
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The old guy refers to Deng, an energetic and tenacious man who was often called the "general architect" of China's reform and opening up, whereas both the years of 1979 (or 1978) and 1992 are landmarks to signal an economic take-off and an emboldened push by Deng towards the market economy, respectively.
Jiang Zemin, the first top leader in PRC history to be able to benefit from a formal university education, carried on Deng's reform. Under his guidance, China entered the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2001. In 1997 and 1999, China resumed sovereignty over Hong Kong and Macao, two colonies taken in unfair treaties.
Jiang, a former Shanghai mayor who speaks English and Russian, was described in the song, "Into the New Era," as "a forerunner who links past and future and leads us into the new era."
The song also briefly recorded that Mao and his colleagues founded New China and Deng's policies allowed the Chinese to be better off.
Jiang Kairu, a self-trained lyricist who wrote both "The Story in Spring" and "Into the New Era," said in an interview with Xinhua, "The ancient 'Book of Rites' reads 'A public spirit will rule all under the sky when the great way prevails,' for which generations of Chinese elites have striven but mostly failed.
"All the Chinese are now sharing the big economic and social benefits that were accelerated by the reform and opening up," the 74-year-old lyricist said.
A new song was played several times during the 60th National Day pageant, once resonating to a verbatim original voice of President Hu Jintao, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, at a CPC National Congress in 2007.
Hu's voice went as, "(We) work hard to achieve new victories in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and write a new chapter of happy life for the people."
The newly-composed "Steering China" sings "1.3 billion people work harmoniously (in the same boat) to paddle in same beats," as well as praises "the forthgoer who steers China is wise and amiable."
Hu, backed by China's rising power and supported by his top team, has played a key global role in international negotiations on the financial crisis, climate change, non-proliferation and nuclear disarmament.
Not only announcing the opening of the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008, President Hu, also commander-in-chief of the Chinese armed forces, oversaw China's first manned space mission in 2003 and the first space walk in 2008.
"Chinese often use songs to express happiness, sadness or indignation," said the songwriter Jiang.
He offers footnotes to the popularity of "March of Broadswords" in the 1930s when Chinese militia fought Japanese invaders, as proof; "The Sky of the Liberated Areas" in the 1940s when the CPC troops fought Kuomintang forces; "Song of Voluntary Army" in the 1950s when the Chinese battled Americans on the Korean Peninsula; "My Wonderful Hometown" in the 1960s when people were proud of achievements made by the fledgling socialist country; "Ode to Beijing" which glorified the Chinese central leadership in the 1970s; and "The Song of Toast" which expressed the jubilation of Chinese who had just stepped out of the political and social turmoil of the late 1970s.
Xu Yi, a Beijing college senior majoring in musical conducting, said she, as the only female conductor in the 60th National Day parade, felt greatly honored to lead her drum band in playing "Steering China."
After at least 500 rehearsals in a quarter of a year, she said, "I have recited every drumbeat of the music."
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