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

Chapter 248 Giant Dragon, Giant Dragon, open your eyes wide, open your eyes wide forever!
If the opening lines of "Descendants of the Dragon" are "anchoring the coordinates of the roots," using the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers, the two "mother rivers," as memory points to establish the "regional roots," then the lines before the chorus completely achieve a leap from "geography" to "culture."

Whether the "dragon" was a real creature in history is still under investigation. Even though we have the "twelve zodiac animals," there is no record of the "dragon" in historical materials.

Therefore, the "dragon" in the song is more like a "spiritual totem" of our country and nation. It symbolizes strength, auspiciousness, unity, and the cultural bloodline that has continued from ancient myths such as Fuxi and Huangdi to this day.

Clearly defining identity, breaking down individual differences, and emphasizing the attributes of "community"—it's safe to say that even just listening to a few simple lyrics makes for a very unique "reading comprehension" experience!
[That familiar feeling is back!]

The viewers in the live stream were instantly ignited with enthusiasm, and the chat was flooded with comments:

Come on, brothers, it's time for Ming En's song lesson again!

[No wonder he's a spokesperson for revolutionary songs! Every single one of his songs is worthy of being analyzed in detail!]

[It's clearly a mainstream style song, but it incorporates classic and popular rock elements, making it more appealing to young people. Great, really great!]

Even setting aside the song's theme, just considering the melody and lyrics, this song is a rare gem in Chinese music!

This melody alone is destined to be a hit!

This is a classic; it will be passed down forever!

……

"Oh ho!"

At the scene, many guests couldn't help but cheer and applaud for Shen Ming'en.

Strictly speaking, the atmosphere of "Sparkling Melody" is much better than that of "Chinese Music Awards". You have to know that during the "Chinese Music Awards" period, whether it was Zheng Yun and his group who were itching for a fight at the beginning or Yue Huochuan and others who came after upgrading to "Red Song Season", there was basically nothing good about them. At most, they would pretend to be good people on the surface, but most of them were just hating Shen Ming'en because the capital targeted Shen Ming'en and they were implicated by him.

The problem is, the proposition was made by capital, not by Shen Ming'en, so why are they making things difficult for Shen Ming'en?

Isn't it because they don't dare to confront capital, so they can only take their anger out on Shen Ming'en?
"Spark of Music" was spearheaded by Shen Ming'en and Feng Yucan. Since it was their own program, they did not design any PK or battle mechanism. The main focus was on "relaxation" and promoting patriotism and mainstream culture.

Shen Ming'en even said that if they couldn't do two songs this episode, then his "Descendants of the Dragon" would serve as the opening song, and he would have another song later on, so everyone else would each have one song...

The difficulty level can also be randomly selected.

Just say it!
What are the difficulties?
So why would these people have a problem with Shen Ming'en?

Originally, Shen Ming'en was in a top-tier position after returning from his trip to the toilet. Since those capitalists had been "sanctioned" and no one dared to target Shen Ming'en, and things were going smoothly for him, who wouldn't want to curry favor with him?
With the guests creating a lively atmosphere, even the uncles and aunties started waving their hands!
Under those circumstances, Shen Ming'en also sang loudly:

……

"I grew up at the feet of the dragon!"

"When you grow up, you will be a descendant of the dragon!"

"Black eyes, black hair, yellow skin!"

"Forever and ever, we are descendants of the dragon!"

……

Some say that Shen Ming'en seems more composed since returning from his life of leisure...

His every move and smile on stage seemed to represent a qualitative leap compared to before.

It's a kind of composure and confidence that comes from within, something that most singers and artists don't possess.

In response, fans commented: "What kind of scene haven't you seen? What's there to be afraid of or uneasy about?"

As soon as these words came out...

【puff……】

【Hahaha……】

This immediately drew a burst of laughter.

Yes!

Hajiin has done things like singing "The Big Sword Cuts Down the Heads of the Japanese Devils" in front of the sanctuary of the small, quiet place. He's seen hundreds and thousands of people riot while he's singing, rushing onto the stage shouting "Baka yarou" as if they wanted to beat him up.
Shen Ming'en held his own in those "international occasions"!
What's there to be afraid of?!

Among the guests invited to the first episode of "Spark Chapter", there were several big names and veterans in the industry. But even they wouldn't dare to say that they could completely overpower Shen Ming'en at this moment!

As long as he stands here, Hajime is the most eye-catching person in the entire room!
The twinkling starlight shines upon it!
[It really feels very culturally significant...]

The audience couldn't help but praise Shen Ming'en's chorus of "Descendants of the Dragon":

[This truly highlights the characteristics of our nation from head to toe, emphasizing national pride!]

Black eyes, black hair, and yellow skin—using racial characteristics as a direct representation—define "cultural identity" as a "dual binding of physiology and identity"...

These lyrics are simply classic!

[It feels like these lyrics encompass not only every Chinese person, but also Chinese people worldwide, who would be stirred by this simple description to collectively recognize a shared sense of "external exchange and identity"!]

This has nothing to do with geographical or linguistic differences; it really only takes a "visual symbol" to evoke a sense of belonging!

……

The verses and chorus of "Descendants of the Dragon" have already begun to reveal the core message. After listening to this part, most people will have a general understanding of the song's main theme and the emotions it wants to express.

The song's core lies in its precise capture of the most fundamental "identity anxiety and need for recognition" among Chinese people...

Using the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers to anchor the regional roots, the "dragon" to anchor the cultural roots, and "black eyes and yellow skin" to anchor the individual identity, these three "anchors" are superimposed and conveyed through a simple and powerful melody, making this song no longer just a work of "praise," but a song of "confirmation"!
Confirm "who we are and where we come from"...

And this "confirmation" is transformed into a collective emotion that transcends time and space!

It can be said that these very distinctive patriotic sentiments and national pride are typical characteristics found in classic revolutionary songs, which are like textbook examples!
Of course, it is also its most vibrant and beautiful color!
That's all!
In the eyes of this generation of audiences, "Descendants of the Dragon" is already a "classic" that can be passed down forever.

After listening to section A, the audience didn't have high expectations for section B...

After all, many songs nowadays are basically just repeating section A in section B. This is not a flaw, since section B can be sung in different ways, such as raising the pitch, etc., which is also a common practice for many singers in "creation".

But what no one expected was...

The lyrics of Shen Ming'en's "Descendants of the Dragon" (section B) immediately captivated everyone's attention and touched their hearts!

"Dong dong..."

After a brief interlude, accompanied by music, Shen Ming'en, carrying a guitar, sang loudly while playing:

……

"A peaceful night a hundred years ago!"

"In the dead of night before a great upheaval!"

"The sound of gunfire shattered the peaceful night!"

"Besieged on all sides is the sword of appeasement!"

……

The same melody, different lyrics, carrying a touch of "tragic" emotion, are all crammed into the hearts of every listener.

Upon hearing the lyrics, many people were perhaps a little surprised and didn't immediately understand them...

moment……

"Wow!!!" Several guests at the scene started to cheer!
In the online live stream, some viewers who understood the "deeper meaning" of the lyrics were immediately impressed!

The comments section was scrolling wildly:

[All I can say is, Shen Ming'en, you really dare to write this!]

[Hahaha... That's great! I love songs with a touch of historical fact!]

[That was a damn good insult! I love the irony!]

It's like reading those critical books from the 70s and 80s—it really resonates!

……

Just by listening to these few lines of lyrics, many people might "take it literally" and think that these lyrics are about the humiliation we suffered during the war years...

But historically, how could we have only begun to be humiliated at that particular stage...?

Pay attention, the song explicitly says three words: "a hundred years ago"!
Where does this point in time, "a hundred years ago," point to?

The spearhead is unbiased, pointing precisely to the Qing Dynasty, the period when we were invaded by foreign powers!

That, too, marks the beginning of a century of humiliation!

"A tranquil night" symbolizes the Qing Dynasty's isolationism and backwardness; "On the eve of a great change" suggests that the invasion of Western powers disrupted our original social order; "The sound of gunfire shattered the tranquil night" directly corresponds to the fact that the war reduced our land to a semi-colonial and semi-feudal society!

First of all, these few lines of lyrics are a blatant "reflection of historical background"!
And these lyrics don't just contain these...

There is also a metaphor for a "national crisis"!
The lyrics in the song are "Surrounded by enemies on all sides is the sword of appeasement," and the original words begin with "the sword of the y people," which metaphorically means that we were isolated and helpless under the encirclement of powerful nations. The word "appeasement" further criticizes the weakness and compromise of the Qing Dynasty, revealing the root cause of our "backwardness and being beaten, and loss of sovereignty."

It contains metaphors and allusions, serving as a reminder to the Chinese people never to forget national humiliation!
With lyrics like these, how could the audience not like them?!
And that's not all yet!

Shen Ming'en continued singing:

……

"The sound of cannons still echoes after all these years!"

"How many years, and how many more years~"

"Dragon, dragon, open your eyes wide!"

"Keep your eyes open forever!"

……

The song's emotional tone continues the narrative of historical pain, suggesting that we have been in turmoil and upheaval for a long time after the war, and that the national crisis is deepening. At the same time, the final chorus pushes the emotions of the whole song to a climax!
It can be said that Shen Ming'en's last line, "Giant dragon, giant dragon, open your eyes wide, open your eyes wide forever," is the emotional climax of the entire song.

"Dragon" symbolizes the nation; "open your eyes" is a call for this long-suffering nation to awaken from its slumber and see clearly the situation and its own shortcomings!
This can be seen as both a reflection on the "passive and vulnerable" situation in modern times and an inspiration for self-strengthening in the future!
If this were taken to a Chinese textbook and asked a Chinese teacher to do reading comprehension exercises, what would the teacher say?
Your Chinese teacher might ask you, "What emotions does this song express?"
Then a smart student would naturally answer:

"This song expresses the author's strong desire for national rejuvenation!"

The teacher will say, "That's the standard answer!"

And realizing these things...

【oh……!!!】

I wonder how many viewers couldn't help but say:

I got goosebumps!

[The goosebumps on my body could make enough dumpling soup for everyone in the live stream!]

[Metaphor, critique, and warning! It contains elements of "spiritual totem," "regional identity," and a strong yearning for the rejuvenation of the motherland, reminding us "never to forget national humiliation"...]

This song is absolutely amazing!

[Damn it, all I want to say is declare war on the great powers!]

One day, we'll first wipe out the Japanese invaders, then the imperialist powers!

[Mom: Do you think "covering the whole world" only refers to a small part of life?]

[Ahhh! Brothers, never forget our national humiliation! Let's achieve our grand vision of a global Chinese federation this morning!]

【Rush! 】

……

He's gone mad!
This audience is absolutely blown away!
Some emotions are best not to be taken too deep, because once you get too deep, it's hard to extricate yourself!
To be honest, Shen Ming'en's chorus in section B is really very moving. It uses concise language to condense the suffering and struggle of modern my country, expressing both the sorrow for history and the belief in national awakening and self-reliance.

They are not only the "emotional core" of the songs, but also a shared historical memory and spiritual bond for Chinese people all over the world!

Perhaps it was because Shen Mingen's own popularity and the promotion of "Spark Chapter" were both done well, but the number of viewers in the live stream at the same time skyrocketed. Although it was a simultaneous live stream on various platforms across the internet, the number of viewers on each platform was ridiculously high.

According to unreliable statistics, all platforms combined can have around 200 to 300 million people watching online at the same time!

When Shen Ming'en sang "Descendants of the Dragon" to the very end of the chorus in section B, the crowd, cheers, and discussion truly reached their peak!
And not just online live streaming rooms...

The same applies offline!

"Clap clap clap..."

"it is good!"

Even with those guests leading the way, some of the older men and women in the audience were too old to cheer or applaud as loudly as they did…

But now, after listening to the complete B section of "Descendants of the Dragon," even they couldn't help but cheer and applaud.

Even some of the older men and women had tears welling up in their eyes, reflecting light under the lamplight...

In fact, the older generation is more deeply aware of the humiliations the country has suffered. They may not talk about it usually, but that doesn't mean they are not indignant about it.

Shen Ming'en's "Descendants of the Dragon" perfectly touched upon their deepest patriotic feelings!
On stage, Shen Ming'en abandoned playing the guitar; he waved his hands and sang softly:

"Dragon, dragon, open your eyes wide..."

"Always keep your eyes open..."

Actually, when you combine the "historical background" of the previous chorus with that context, singing those two lines of lyrics again really gives you a different feeling.

Perhaps because these two lines of lyrics are very catchy and repeated, some people in the audience quietly started singing along. One person sang, two people sang, and when everyone was humming along in tacit understanding, even someone as experienced as Shen Ming'en waved his hands to signal everyone to join in.

"Dragon, dragon, open your eyes wide..."

"Always keep your eyes open..."

On an autumn night, Shen Ming'en stood in an ordinary rural village in northern China, waving his hands and leading every Chinese person watching the program in a continuous singing:

"Dragon, dragon, open your eyes wide..."

"Always keep your eyes open..."

With foreshadowing and a climax, this kind of ending far surpasses any other ending and is far more meaningful than any other ending.

We hope our country will be strong and prosperous, and we hope that the dragon of the East will always have a pair of bright eyes that can see through all the illusions of the world and move towards a more prosperous and powerful tomorrow!
……

(End of this chapter)