Li Xiang Lan (李香蘭) - Lan Guei Ji Ji

A traditional chinese shidaqu "song". By Li Xiang Lan.
In fact, it is a tone poem put to music. The singer compares orchids to human life, as everything must know an end someday.
Special thanks to Simon, fellow sinologist who reported as much about the meaning of this record.

From the 20's, Li Xiang Lan has recorded such traditional chinese songs from "shidaqu era" (in classical mandarin). Born Yoshiko Yamaguchi, from japanese parents, she took the chinese name Li Xiang Lan after the invasion of Manchuria around 1920. After that, she lived in Shanghai till 1949 when the communist party took control over the city. She appeared in japanese propaganda movies, among other things. After WW II, she escaped execution after revelation of her japanese origin, and then fled to Hollywood and Broadway, where she was known under the name Shirley Yamaguchi. She went back to Japan several years later, becoming reporter for a local television, and covering happenings in Vietnam, Cambodge and the Middle-east... Today, she is known as Yoshiko Otaka, after her wedding with a japanese diplomat.

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