After offending capital, my songs became more and more popular.

Chapter 189 A little white poplar tree grows beside the sentry post~
I haven't played the piano for several sessions...

When the staff brought up the piano that the singers used for their stage performances, Shen Ming'en was honestly a little emotional.

When Shen Ming'en first decided to continue on the show "Chinese Music Awards", he sat in front of this piano and sang "Me and My Motherland".

Given the circumstances at the time, many people thought he wouldn't be able to continue.

Back then, who could have imagined that Shen Mingen would become so incredibly famous?

“That’s fine…” Shen Ming’en flexed his fingers and slowly sat down at the piano.

From the start of playing the piano to the end of playing the piano, leaving "Chinese Music Awards Center," the road ahead will only be better and smoother.

Whether it was because he was sitting in front of this familiar piano, or because he had finally stirred up some trouble on the show and gotten revenge on some people, Shen Ming'en felt that he was in excellent spirits and vocal condition. He felt that he would be able to interpret the theme of "defense line" in this round more effectively in this state.

"call……"

Taking a deep breath and facing the spotlight, Shen Ming'en stretched out his hands, placing his ten fingers on the black and white piano keys, and began to play slowly...

"Oh!!!"

"Go Shen Ming'en!"

"Take down these idiots!"

"Ahhh!"

The audience cheered him on, and amidst the cheers, one note after another was played from Shen Ming'en's fingertips, quickly echoing in every corner of the studio.

"Oh……"

The audience's eyes lit up when they heard that intro...

Upon hearing Shen Mingen's performance, they couldn't help but nod in approval!

Facing the camera and countless viewers, Shen Ming'en sang while playing the guitar:

……

"A little white poplar tree~"

"Growing next to the outpost~"

"Deep roots, strong trunk, guarding the northern frontier~"

A gentle breeze is blowing~

"The wind rustles the leaves, lol~"

The sun shines, and the leaves shimmer with silver light.

……

With simple language and catchy melodies, Shen Ming'en demonstrated superb singing and songwriting skills from the very beginning in the first round of the fourth round of the "Defense Line" theme of the "Chinese Music Awards: Red Song Season".

[August 1st Proposition] When it comes to the so-called "defense line," most people's first thought is definitely border defense...

Is border defense tough?

Any Chinese person, even with their toes, would definitely answer: "Bitter!"
Staying indoors for a year, sleeping in a tent for a year, having no cell phone signal for a year, showering only once a month, eating undercooked food in a pressure cooker, and constantly facing the possibility of death...

Each and every one of these incidents is like a straw that easily breaks the camel's back for an ordinary person!
Shen Ming'en had previously seen articles about People's Liberation Army soldiers guarding the border in high-altitude areas. Some of them came from low altitudes and suffered various physical discomforts due to altitude sickness. Even so, they would still patrol those no-man's-land known as "no-man's-land" by climbing 70-degree slopes with both hands and feet.
I've also seen videos of people shielding the five-star red flag with their bodies in temperatures of minus twenty or thirty degrees Celsius and gale-force winds...

Those videos are incredibly moving just to watch, let alone how hard they actually work.

They said, "We must never allow our territory to shrink, and we must never lose it!"

It is their belief in protecting their homeland that has given us the wonderful life we ​​enjoy today, so Shen Ming'en is always very sincere when paying tribute.

His sincerity naturally touched every audience member who listened to his singing...

【Ah ah ah! 】

【fed up!】

[Class, students, class is in session!]

In the online live broadcast room, a group of great Confucian scholars began today's "debate on classics" session!
Hello, teacher!

Hello, students!

[Can anyone tell me what expressive techniques Shen Ming'en used in his lyrics?]

【Teacher, I'm here!】

Okay, you, the one who weighs 300 pounds, come here!

I think Shen Ming'en's work uses the personification of natural imagery, that is, the technique of anthropomorphism!

The white poplar tree, a symbol of the soldier, is introduced in the opening line, "White poplar, white poplar, growing beside the outpost," directly linking the poplar to the outpost and endowing it with the qualities of "deep roots, strong trunk, guarding the northern frontier." The existence of the outpost further emphasizes the memorable significance of border defense!

The phrase "deep roots" symbolizes the deep commitment to the people, while "strong trunk" alludes to the resilience of the soldiers, and "guarding the northern frontier" highlights their responsibility to protect the country.

The natural attributes of plants and the spirit of soldiers formed a clever correspondence at this moment, making the "Little White Poplar" a "spiritual totem" for the border guards!

……

"I go……"

The director's camera panned to the singers backstage, and you could see that the guests, who were already overwhelmed with work because of Shen Ming'en's last-minute decision to add an extra song, didn't have very pleasant expressions on their faces.

The audience can perceive the meaning in Shen Ming'en's song "Little White Poplar," and as fellow creators, they can also feel it.

The more you feel it, the more you are impressed by Shen Ming'en's "talent".

Strictly speaking, compared to Shen Ming'en's previous works, "Little White Poplar" is not as dramatic and is somewhat bland. However, the strength of this song lies in the fact that its connotation is very clear and distinct.

Those who know, know the level of Shen Ming'en's work...

Many of his works have been described by outsiders as "works that can be used in textbooks," and these works all have one thing in common: their rich and meaningful emotional expression.

To put it simply, each of Shen Ming'en's revolutionary songs, taken individually, could serve as a "reading comprehension" lesson for primary and secondary school Chinese language teachers across the country for several sessions.

And with this song, "Little White Poplar," just hearing a few lines sung by him, you can almost picture a Chinese teacher giving a reading comprehension exercise to the students in class...

That's so insightful!

How exactly did he find these angles?

Many creators are starting to question their own existence. When the topic of "border defense" comes up, many people immediately think about how to praise the officers, and from what angle...

The idea is correct, but it's a bit too simplistic.

To praise the police officers, you can't just write simple praises; you have to praise them from different angles and with different connotations, especially praising their great spirit!
As for "singing praises of the spirit", Shen Ming'en does it very well in every song!
He always skillfully uses metaphors to praise the spirit of the local people!
It is precisely this angle of the "metaphor" that is truly brilliant!
And at this moment...

On stage, Shen Ming'en's performance continued...

……

"Come on, come on, come on..."

"Come on, come on, come on, come on..."

"Little white poplar, little white poplar~"

"It grows, so I grow too~"

"Stand with me on the frontier!" ...

Shen Ming'en's works are always meticulously analyzed by the audience in the live broadcast room, word by word.

Why?

Because if you don't savor it word by word, you really can't appreciate its charm no matter what!

It was during these times that the group of "great scholars" in the live broadcast room would always step forward and provide detailed analysis of the "profound meaning" in Shen Ming'en's works!
They're all totally addicted to reading comprehension!

The comments kept scrolling:

Come on, classmates, who can tell me what emotions Shen Ming'en expressed in these two lines of the chorus?

[Me! Teacher! Me! Ahhh!]

Okay, you, the one who's 1.9 meters tall, come here!

【Ahhh! It's finally my turn! Ahhh!】

I think there's a metaphor about life in these lyrics by Shen Ming'en!

Oh? What brings you to that? Please explain in detail!

The chorus, "Little white poplar, little white poplar, it grows and I grow too, guarding the border together," uses "growth" as a central theme, synchronizing the growth of the sapling with the growth of the soldier. The little white poplar stands tall amidst wind and frost, while the soldier matures through the trials of the frontier. The image of the two "guarding the border together" not only reflects the symbiotic relationship between soldiers and the frontier land but also metaphorically suggests that "guarding" is a protracted war that requires exceptional time and perseverance!

Okay! Okay, okay! No seat!

……

Shen Ming'en was singing, the comments were scrolling, and the expressions of the group of people backstage were all different.

It's worth mentioning that the expressions of Haji Ling and Xu Jiajia backstage were anything but pleasant...

Although it's unclear what sudden illness Shen Ming'en had that prompted him to want to sing an extra song, his demeanor and arrogant manner while adding the song gave off an inexplicable sense of "effortlessness."

It was as if he was sending a signal to Hajiling from afar, as if to say, "You think you can take me down with just five wheels? Come on, try and argue some more!"
There was an ominous feeling in the beginning, and now Shen Ming'en's song "Little White Poplar" is also brewing a very strong border defense sentiment!

you say!

How could Haji-ling's expression be considered pleasant?

Xu Jiajia is the same way...

Originally, it was the fourth round, and Xu Jiajia had high hopes, expecting Shen Mingen's performance to decline in this round...

But this dad's performance didn't decline at all; on the contrary, he continued to rise and even suggested singing an extra round!
Honestly, Xu Jiajia now has a kind of psychological trauma when she looks at Shen Mingen...

She wondered, is there really no limit to what a person can achieve?

How could someone be so talented as to create five challenging patriotic works of different themes in a single week, and even dare to add another one on the spot?
exaggerate……

That's an exaggeration!
Anyway, this round is just like always. Even if Xu Jiajia had a lot of guts, she wouldn't dare to go against Emperor Ming'en!
……

"Back then, when I left my hometown..."

Farewell to Yangshuzhuang~

"Mom brought tree saplings~"

"Speak softly to me~"

"Take it with you~"

"I'll keep my loved ones' instructions in mind~"

Plant it, and you'll feel like your hometown is right beside you.

……

Throughout Section A, Shen Ming'en's singing is very memorable and catchy, and he perfectly captures the spirit of the border guards.

But if you ask the vast majority of the general public, they actually prefer the two sentences Shen Ming'en uttered in section B...

Many people know about the great spirit of the border guards, but many people can't truly experience it firsthand. After all, most people have never served in the military, and their knowledge of the hardships faced by the border guards comes only from videos on social media.

But if you talk about more down-to-earth topics related to "family," then everyone can really relate...

[This part doesn't need you great scholars!]

Let's go!

In the online live stream, a large number of viewers directly replaced the group of esteemed scholars who greeted teachers and students with praise, and they eagerly flooded the chat with comments:

I believe Shen Ming'en's lyrics are a blend of patriotism and personal emotion!

The lyrics incorporate the detail of "Mom giving a sapling," connecting the "small family" with the "greater good." Mom's words of advice are both a gentle concern and a trust in the nation!

The soldier planting the sapling was not only a response to his mother, but also a demonstration of his sense of responsibility!

[Personal sentiments and collective mission merge here, making "perseverance" not just an empty slogan, but a deeply felt emotional choice!]

……

The core spirit of the song "Little White Poplar" lies in one thing: greatness in the ordinary!

It interprets greatness through the ordinary, avoiding grand praise of heroism and instead focusing on everyday details such as "planting trees" and "guarding the sentry post," making the spirit of "perseverance" and "dedication" more penetrating!

By using personal perspectives such as "a mother's instructions" and "the growth of a sapling," the audience can connect with the stories from their own emotions, making it easier for them to empathize with the sacrifices and responsibilities of the officers, thus achieving a natural sublimation from "the individual self" to "the greater self."

The greatness of border guards lies in the ordinary moments they spend with the white poplars year after year!
What does it mean to interpret the most profound spirit (perseverance and risk) with the simplest imagery (a young poplar tree) and the most sincere emotions (motherly love and patriotism)?

Many viewers in the online live stream gave the song high praise.

As the comments scrolled wildly, Shen Ming'en continued singing:

……

"Come on, come on, come on..."

"Come on, come on, come on, come on..."

"Little white poplar, little white poplar~"

"Also wearing green military uniforms~"

"Join me in guarding the border!"

……

The song's "down-to-earth" nature is perfectly complemented by the "colloquial" principle followed in its melody composition. "Little White Poplar" uses the pentatonic scale of traditional Chinese music, with a moderate range and a brisk rhythm, combining the masculine spirit of military songs with the lyricism of folk songs.

The verse has a gentle melody, unfolding the story in a gentle way; the chorus reinforces the memory with the repeated "Little white poplar, little white poplar", the melody rises and carries a vigorous vitality, like a call to the little white poplar, and also like a shout for upholding beliefs!
This "narrative + lyrical" melodic structure makes the song suitable for both solo and choral singing, balancing artistic expression and accessibility!
Such works are timeless classics!
……

"Come on, come on..."

"Little white poplar, little white poplar~"

"Join me in guarding the border!"

"Let's guard the border together!"

……

(End of this chapter)