I don’t remember when I first watched this clip, but I remember I saw just a bit of it — the first two lines — on CCTV. Maybe it was during the 10th anniversary of the Macao Handover, but I remember the little girl singing.. it was just that, and then they cut away. At that time, I spoke no word of Mandarin (or Cantonese, or any dialect),my mother was watching with me as she listened to it and translated. She turned and told me “you know my name is not Macau, that is not my name.” — A sudden rush of emotions came over me.
I have no idea why that line was so powerful to me, I literally had to go to my room because I felt a little dust bugging me and my tears forming.
There’s another version here, just in case. And the audio on 1ting.com
That was then. I have no idea what got me tonight — must be The Flowers of War business, I always get like this when I read a lot of negative press against China since the Olympics LOL. Anyway, I went on a hunt for that song because I didn’t know what it was called, and my mother didn’t grow up in China singing it so she had no idea it was a popular children’s song.
Called the Song of the Seven Sons – Aomen (七子之歌-澳门)… apparently there’s a Taiwan version as well, but it’s not as hip [1]. I thought there might be 7 versions of the song for different regions that were part of China or something xD
Anyway, a really GOOD translation of the lyrics is hard to find, but I managed to find a good one without doing any translating work (because I’m so lazy like that) but a lot of googling. Chinese, pinyin and translations after the break!
Song of the Seven Sons – Aomen
You know “Macau” is not my real name?
I have been away from you too long, Mom!
But what they took away was nothing but my body,
my heart remains with you.
I’ve longed for you for three-hundred years.
My dear mom, call me by my birth name: Aomen.
Mom! I want to return to your embrace, mom.
七子之歌-澳门
你可知“MACAU”不是我真姓？
我离开你太久了，母亲！
但是他们掳去的是我的肉体，
你依然保管我内心的灵魂。
你可知“MACAU”不是我真姓？
我离开你太久了，母亲！
但是他们掳去的是我的肉体，
你依然保管我内心的灵魂。
三百年来梦寐不忘的生母啊！
请叫儿的乳名，叫我一声“澳门”！
母亲！我要回来，母亲！
你可知“MACAU”不是我真姓？
我离开你太久了，母亲！
但是他们掳去的是我的肉体，
你依然保管我内心的灵魂。
三百年来梦寐不忘的生母啊！
请叫儿的乳名，叫我一声“澳门”！
母亲！我要回来，母亲
Qi Zi Zhi Ge
Nǐ kě zhī “MACAU” bù shì wǒ zhēn xìng?
Wǒ lí kāi nǐ tài jiǔ liao, mǔ qīn!
Dàn shì tā men lǔ qù de shì wǒ de ròu tǐ,
Nǐ yī rán bǎo guǎn wǒ nèi xīn de líng hún.
Nǐ kě zhī “MACAU” bù shì wǒ zhēn xìng?
Wǒ lí kāi nǐ tài jiǔ liao, mǔ qīn!
Dàn shì tā men lǔ qù de shì wǒ de ròu tǐ,
Nǐ yī rán bǎo guǎn wǒ nèi xīn de líng hún.
Sān bǎi nián lái mèng mèi bù wàng de shēng mǔ a!
Qǐng jiào er de rǔ míng, jiào wǒ yī shēng “ào mén”!
Mǔ qīn! Wǒ yào huí lái, mǔ qīn!
Nǐ kě zhī “MACAU” bù shì wǒ zhēn xìng?
Wǒ lí kāi nǐ tài jiǔ liao, mǔ qīn!
Dàn shì tā men lǔ qù de shì wǒ de ròu tǐ,
Nǐ yī rán bǎo guǎn wǒ nèi xīn de líng hún.
Sān bǎi nián lái mèng mèi bù wàng de shēng mǔ a!
Qǐng jiào er de rǔ míng, jiào wǒ yī shēng “ào mén”!
Mǔ qīn! Wǒ yào huí lái, mǔ qīn!
