Friday Review

Don’t be intimidated by the title. I know what you’re thinking: “How can I connect with a song when I don’t even understand what it means?” However, the beauty of music lies in its universal language. I’ve always been intrigued by music across many different cultures because I believe that every song can convey a very powerful message.

“Zhong Shen Gu Du” was released as an “original composition” on September 17, 2024, through the Chinese music variety show Melody Journey, which aims to spread awareness of rising young singers and songwriters by premiering their original works. “Zhong Shen Gu Du” was performed by the popular Chinese sensation, Shan Yichun, and written by Ye Saiqinglan. Roughly translating to “Forever in Solitude,” the piece describes the sentiment of loneliness and the experience of coming to terms with being alone through struggle and denial. The key changes in this song, from G minor in the verses to G major in the chorus, beautifully highlight the emotional transition from feeling the pain and weariness of solitude to accepting and appreciating its wonders. 

What I love the most about “Zhong Shen Gu Du” is its lyrics, which paint an incredibly vivid image of the speaker, a lost soul, searching for whom they strive to be and exploring whether or not they really appreciate themselves. The verses introduce a storyline with lyrics that showcase the character’s self-hatred, such as: “The thorns that grow on the outside / Stuck piece by piece into myself / As I embrace myself / And feel the skin-bare pain.” When I first heard these lyrics, I was somewhat taken aback and sentimentally dejected by the excruciating intensity of what the character was willing to do to themself. As that character explores themselves more, conducting a thorough internal search from their first barrier (skin) to their very core (heart), they begin to form realizations in the chorus that “there's a cluster of black fog floating in my head / I'm just as lonely anyway / What's the reason to banish it,” accepting the fact that loneliness can occur at any time to anyone, and they are not alone in their solitude. 

The song’s resolution comes at the very end of the second varied chorus: “One day my heart will be like a haystack / And it will only be until that day when I will realize / That being sentenced to a lifetime of solitude / Was the greatest mercy I could ever ask for.” Ending the song on an elevated note, the character comes to terms with the fact that solitude is not always bad, and that in retrospect, all humans are alone in their own way. The “mercy” of loneliness is that it allows each individual to be unique. By learning how to accept yourself when no one surrounds you, you can acquire the strength needed to face a world that might occasionally reject or demand a lot of you.

Albeit the recency of the “Zhong Shen Gu Du” release, I can already relate to it on many levels and foresee its artistic profundity in the long run. As a new Lawrentian this year, this song has definitely carried me through many ups and downs in my journey of “adjustment,” accompanying me through its exploration of isolation. It vocalizes the words I wish to gift myself and others around me: When no one else is there for you, you are the greatest power you can give yourself. With this advice painted through clouds, terrains, and emotional avalanches, I have been able to channel my self-worth and push through many mental obstacles and challenges. 

Maybe you won’t understand what is coming out of Shan Yichun’s mouth. Maybe you cannot comprehend the song’s technical complexities and colors. But pause one second to give it a listen, and the gorgeous piano chords and rippling phrases will definitely impress you. You never know—music transcends barriers, and perhaps someone out there who is lying awake at night will finally be able to find comfort in the fact that they aren’t fighting a lonely battle, however alone they may feel.