Children's choirs unite in harmony

Children from ethnic villages in the tropical rainforest of Hainan province have formed an unlikely friendship with their peers from cosmopolitan Paris — their liaison forged by the unifying power of song.

During French President Emmanuel Macron's visit to China in April 2023, the French children's song Si j'allais en Chine (If I had the opportunity to go to China) went viral online.

In 2024, to commemorate the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and France, the Parisian children's choir Le Choeur des Polysons, performed the song and shared Lunar New Year greetings with China via a television broadcast.

Moved by the show of warmth, Liu Min, composer, conductor, and artistic director of the Li and Miao Ethnic Children's Chorus from Wuzhishan city, Hainan, composed a song called Sing Wuzhishan to France.

Established in August 2022, the Wuzhishan chorus consists mostly of students from the Li and Miao ethnic groups. Growing up surrounded by green mountains and clear waters, the children had no idea that their love of singing would one day take them to the other side of the world.

On May 6, the Wuzhishan chorus traveled to France to take part in 60th anniversary celebrations with the Parisian children's choir. During the event, 18 Li and Miao children donned traditional ethnic attire and sang Sing Wuzhishan to France in both French and Chinese.

Singing the song in French was no easy task for a group of Chinese children with zero knowledge of the language.

"French grammar is quite challenging. The children had to transcribe all the lyrics into Chinese characters and pinyin, mark the tones, and then practice reciting the lyrics fluently," Liu explained. "By understanding the meaning of each line and stringing the lyrics together, they were able to both comprehend and sing it."

The song's lyrics declare Wuzhishan's tropical rainforest and the snow-capped mountains of France are both beneath the same bright sun. The lyrics also refer to the allure of Wuzhishan's black tea and Bordeaux's fine wines, with each area appreciating the other's unique beauty.

Liu said through the song's performance, the children of Wuzhishan expressed their wish for friendly interaction between the people of both nations.

At the Paris event, children from Wuzhishan also performed Li and Miao ethnic music.

Li Ye, interpreter for Le Choeur des Polysons and director of the Association Vent d'Orient Vent d'Occident which has co-organized the concert in Paris, said the occasion marked French people's first exposure to Hainan's ethnic minority music and art, with songs sung in the Li and Miao dialects.