Bāng Chhun-hong is a Taiwanese Hokkien song composed by Teng Yu-hsien, a Hakka Taiwanese musician, and written by Lee Lin-chiu.[1] The song was one of their representative works. It was released by Columbia Records in 1933, and originally sung by several female singers at that time, such as Sun-sun,[2]Ai-ai [zh] (愛愛) or Iam-iam (豔豔). The title (望春風) literally means "Longing for the Spring Breeze".
Bāng Chhun-hong was once adapted into a Japanese patriotic song as "Daichi wa maneku" (Japanese: 大地は招く),[3] literally means "The Mother Earth is Calling on You". It was re-written by Koshiji Shirou (越路詩郎) and sung by Kirishima Noboru (霧島昇). The song has also been released in Japan by Hitoto Yo,[4] a Japanese pop singer. Many Taiwanese singers have covered the song, such as Teresa Teng, Showlen Maya, Feng Fei-fei, Stella Chang, and David Tao.
Since this song's publication, films with similar titles have been released, such as the 1937 film directed by Andou Tarou (安藤太郎),[5] and a 1977 film which has an English name of "The Operations of Spring Wind". Bāng Chhun-hong has frequently been used as background music in Taiwanese films or teleplays. It is also a theme in the soundtrack of Singapore Dreaming,[6] a 2006 released Singaporean film.
Siūⁿ-boeh liông-kun choh ang-sài, ì-ài chāi sim-lāi
Thāi hô-sî, kun lâi chhái, chheng-chhun hoe tng-khai
Hut thiaⁿ gōa-thâu ū lâng lâi, khui-mn̂g kai khòaⁿ-bāi
Go̍at-ló chhiò gún gōng-tōa-tai, hō͘ hong phiàn m̄-chai
English translation
At night waiting alone under a dim lamp, with the spring breeze blowing on my cheeks,
I, an unmarried maiden of seventeen going on eighteen, see a young man.
I see he has a handsome face and a pale complexion; I wonder which family he is from?
Wanting to ask him yet fearing embarrassment, my heart flutters as if it were a pipa being strummed.
Wishing him to be the groom of mine, with love inside my heart.
Waiting, wondering when my beau might come to gather my blooming flowers of youth.
Suddenly I hear someone outside, and I open the door to see,
The moon laughs at my foolishness, for I did not realize it was just the wind.
