A Chinese pianist has insulted the American nation and humiliated President Obama by playing a well-known anti-American song at a state dinner function attended by both President Obama and Chinese President Hu Jintao.
Famous Chinese pianist Lang Lang was playing for the premiers of both China and the US at a White House function intended to show the supposed amity between the two nations.
However, after the dinner concluded it was realised that one of the songs he had played was actually an anti-American propaganda piece.
The song in question, “My Motherland,” is a famous tune in China, originating from a Korean War propaganda film glorifying China’s attack on UN forces defending South Korea from an unprovoked invasion by the North.
The song contains a refrain calling the Americans “jackals” fit only to be shot:
“There are good wines for friends who come,
And if there be wolves and jackals,
We greet them with hunting rifle.This is my big and powerful Motherland
The land of my birth.
On this vast land peace radiates!”
Both the White House and the Chinese government have refused to acknowledge the significance of the song, although it is widely suspected the Chinese government would have known in advance what exactly the pianist would be playing and what its significance would be.
Lang Lang claims rather improbably that his decision to play a song glorifying a war against the US to their own president was just an expression of national pride and musical taste:
“Playing this song praising China to heads of state from around the world seems to tell them that our China is formidable, that our Chinese people are united; I feel deeply honored and proud.”
[…]
“I thought to play ‘My Motherland’ because I think playing the tune at the White House banquet can help us, as Chinese people, feel extremely proud of ourselves and express our feelings through the song. I think it’s especially good.”
Online, Chinese are crowing with delight at being able to insult their hated foe so brazenly and get away with it, whilst Americans are being left with the distinct impression peace is the last thing which radiates from China…
China be trip, i mean trollin yo!
Did the piano explode afterwards???
They’ll never get their money back, so it seems fair to me.
Best way in Asian society to respond is to politely ignore it. Or use it in the soundtrack for the next Airbender movie.
Never gonna give you up, never gonna let you daaaown 😀