The wine pitcher has always been there.

    Through the ages, wine has comforted those at their most lonesome, and celebrated countless times with the victorious.

One man, slightly intoxicated, feels the urge to flourish his sword. The blade still shimmers with the glory of times passed, dreams that will never be forgotten.

Another man, wine cup in hand, dances alone under the light of the moon. I will leave the meaning of life up to the heavens, after all, I’m only here for so long.

The legendary figures of yesterday have seen everything, have been through everything.

    Countless heroes and legends, many of which have been embodied for eternity in the words of China’s wise ancient poets. This compilation of Chinese poems set to original music has been in the works for over two years, the idea first being developed by Rhymoi Music’s producer Ye Yunchuan and composer Meng Qinghua while they were working on the Song of Songs series. They wanted not only to create their most mature work in their eight years of cooperation, they also wanted to explore the talent of the man who is known as the “tenor of Beijing opera”.

    This voice can be heard on earlier Rhymoi collections, featured in songs such as Invitation to Wine, The Whole River Red, and Mediation of the Past at Chibi (Red Cliff) – to the Tune of Nian Nu Jiao, the latter of which appeared on Song of Songs 2. His voice is at times triumphant, at times raging, but always unforgettable. His name is Guan Dongtian; he has been selected as a traditional bearer of intangible heritages, is a famous Beijing opera laosheng performer, and has earned himself the nickname “tenor of Beijing opera”. Whereas on Song of Songs he only performed the vocals for several tracks, on this compilation Guan provides all the main vocals, so his versatile talent can be experienced on a larger scale.

    The songs begin with Dao, which was first written in the Spring and Autumn Period and later formed the foundation of Daoism, then take you through classics of all of China’s ancient dynasties, ending with a modern poem, Mao Zedong’s Spring in Qin Garden – Snow, spanning more than 2500 years of literary talent. Musically, these ten songs include elements and influences from traditional Chinese melodies, as well as western instruments and methodologies, creating a unique backdrop for the powerful Beijing opera-inspired vocals.

    Two of the most prominent tracks on the compilation are Short Song Style and Spring in Qin Garden – Snow; the former features a drum group and deep chorus vocals, representing the lofty ambitions of Cao Cao; and the latter employs an exhilarating orchestra style, bringing to life Chairman Mao’s rugged yet glorious trek across China.

    Mao Amin’s vocal contribution is a pleasant surprise as well. In Phoenix Hairpin she and Guan Dongtian perform charming duet vocals, and her uniquely deep voice makes the song even more memorable.

    What a World uses instruments and melodies from Chinese folk music to bring a traditional flavor to its lyrics, and Peach Blossom Temple contains a mix of Yue opera, Pingtan, Laoting Dagu and Huangmei opera, as playful and whimsical as Tang Bohu, the man who wrote the poem.

    The musical accompaniment of Dao sticks to natural bare essentials, as taught in Daoism; there’s also a humorous twist on the would-be somber Thoughts on a Still Night; Drinking Alone Under the Moon, with music inspired by that of ancient northwestern China; Breaking the Formation, with its big opening and big closing; and Riverside Town, a tale of sorrow and longing. Each poem is more moving than the last, as are the musical performances.

    This particular compilation is a milestone in Rhymoi’s history: almost one hundred musicians participated in the recording, making it their most ambitious production to date. Zha Jiazhen’s guqin is mellow and soothing; Chang Jing’s guzheng, Dai Ya’s wind instruments, Du Cong’s xun and chiba, and Deng Jiandong’s erhu all bring their own magical charm to the songs. But among the Chinese instruments you’ll also hear several western ones as well, such as piano, French horn, and a cello made 300 years ago by a famous Italian craftsman.

    So many ages, so many stories, so many years of the past becoming only more distant; but at least we have accounts of that which once was and those who once were, so that they may now live on forever.