Lan Huahua

"Lan Huahua" (simplified Chinese: 蓝花花/兰花花; traditional Chinese: 藍花花/蘭花花; pinyin: Lán Huāhuā) is a folk song from northern Shaanxi in China.^[1] The song tells of a rebellious woman named Lan Huahua who, forced into an arranged marriage, chooses to break with convention and runs away with her lover. The song became highly popular in the People's Republic of China era where she was portrayed as a symbol of class struggle, and the story of the song has been retold in poems, musical dramas and television shows.

Background

"Lan Huahua" is a folk song popular in northern Shaanxi. There are a number of different versions of the song. The song was included in the 1945 anthology Selection of northern Shaanxi folk songs (陝北民歌選). This version has 20 stanzas arranged into 3 sections. The middle section tells of Lan Huahua relation with her lover, while the final section tells of the end of the relationship, with Lan noting that she has many "friends". A shorter version with 5 stanzas is based mainly on the first section, removing mentions of her flirtatiousness and sexuality, and ends with Lan running away to be with her lover. This version was recorded by Guo Lanying.^[1]

Another version popular in the 21st century removed the mention of the landlord.^[2]

Adaptations

The story of Lan Huahua has been retold many times in a variety of forms. An illustrated poem of the story was published in 1959, and a musical was produced in 1978, which was then adapted into a 1985 TV miniseries in 1985.^[1]

The story has also been adapted into an opera Lan Huahua by composer Zhang Qianyi and librettist Zhao Daming for the National Centre for the Performing Arts, which premiered in 2017.^[3]^[4]^[5]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c Gibbs, Levi S. (July 2021). "Retelling the Tale of Lan Huahua: Desire, Stigma, and Social Change in Modern China". CHINOPERL: Journal of Chinese Oral and Performing Literature. 40 (1): 16–34. doi:10.1353/cop.2021.a800143.
^ Hershatter, Gail (2011). The Gender of Memory: Rural Women and China’s Collective Past. University of California Press. p. 333. ISBN 9780520950344.
^ "NCPA Opera Commission LAN Huahua". National Centre for the Performing Arts.
^ Monserrat, Aurora (6 November 2024). "Experience Modern Chinese Opera on WHRO FM 90.3 with 'LAN Huahua'". WHRO.
^ Chen, Nan (25 September 2017). "Chinese opera 'Lan Huahua' to make debut in Beijing". China Daily.

[gibbs-1] Gibbs, Levi S. (July 2021). "Retelling the Tale of Lan Huahua: Desire, Stigma, and Social Change in Modern China". CHINOPERL: Journal of Chinese Oral and Performing Literature. 40 (1): 16–34. doi:10.1353/cop.2021.a800143.

[2] Hershatter, Gail (2011). The Gender of Memory: Rural Women and China’s Collective Past. University of California Press. p. 333. ISBN 9780520950344.

[3] "NCPA Opera Commission LAN Huahua". National Centre for the Performing Arts.

[4] Monserrat, Aurora (6 November 2024). "Experience Modern Chinese Opera on WHRO FM 90.3 with 'LAN Huahua'". WHRO.

[5] Chen, Nan (25 September 2017). "Chinese opera 'Lan Huahua' to make debut in Beijing". China Daily.

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