“How clear the sky is in the bright summer, and how fascinating the beautiful sun island is. With fishing rods and camping tents, we came to the sun island…” in 1981, with the broadcast of the documentary “summer in Harbin” shot by CCTV, its main theme song “on the sun island” was widely sung and became the most successful advertisement of the sun island, This is a moving melody about the memory of the beginning of summer recorded in the history of Chinese music.

“Summer in Harbin” is a TV Art Documentary filmed by CCTV in Harbin in 1980. It depicts the summer scenery of Harbin, Heilongjiang Province and summer activities such as “summer in Harbin” concert. As the original theme song at that time failed to pass the examination, the famous composer Wang Liping was temporarily invited to recreate a song. Wang Liming, who was born in 1941 as a young man in Changchun Province, was named as “Wang Liming, who was born in Changchun in 1941”. He wrote many classics, such as camel bells, shepherd’s song, vain eyebrows, the sea, hometown… Which not only created the glory of an era, but also deeply influenced several generations of Chinese people.

“On the sun island” not only made this originally unknown Sun Island lively, but also suddenly became a tourist attraction that many people yearned for at that time. However, neither composer Wang Liping nor singer Zheng Xulan had ever been to sun island before. “I didn’t go to Harbin, nor did I go to Taiyang Island, but I didn’t create it before I went to the field. Fan Zhongyan didn’t go to Yueyang Tower, but he still wrote the story of Yueyang Tower, which wrote the eternal quatrain of ‘worry about the world before the joy of the world’. Although I haven’t been to Taiyang Island, I can use the song” on Taiyang island “to express people’s longing for a better life.” Recalling the scene at that time, Wang Liping said that the theme had been brewing in his heart for a long time before he wrote “on the sun island”.

“I don’t just write the song” on the sun island “, but use the name of the sun island to express our generation’s longing for a happy life and for the future. Art should give people beauty, inspiration and encouragement. I’m glad my song has aroused everyone’s resonance.” Wang Liping said.

Before singing the song “on the sun island”, Zheng Xulan had never been to the sun island, let alone knew there was such an island. The recording of “on the sun island” is Zheng Xulan’s first formal singing in the studio. “It can be said that this song is the first song in my life. There was a big gap between the recording conditions in those years and now. Now, where there is a mistake, you can sing it again. In the past, you must finish it at one go. If there is a slight mistake, you must sing it from the beginning.” The recording and singing of “on the sun island” went well. Zheng Xulan only recorded and sang several times and completed the recording work.

In 1981, the song was officially broadcast on TV with the documentary “summer in Harbin”. What Wang Liping and Zheng Xulan didn’t expect was that this song aroused the resonance of that generation of young people and was popular all over the country at once! Sun island used to be a nameless island. Now it has become a cultural theme park. A song has become a tourist attraction.

Zheng Xulan analyzed that the popularity of “on the sun island” was not only because the song was light and catchy, but also related to the background of the times at that time. Before that, most of the songs people heard were sonorous and high spirited. Pop music has just started. “On the sun island” is very lyrical. Zheng Xulan’s singing style is exquisite and sounds very friendly, so it is welcomed. It’s normal for everyone to want to go to the field to find out if the song sings so well.

Miao Di, curator of Harbin Music Museum, said that “on the sun island” is a fresh and lively song with light wind, catchy, beautiful melody and profound meaning. The melody of the first half of this song is particularly comfortable, and its development method mainly uses repetition and change repetition. Every phrase in the melody starts from the weak beat, especially the two six degree jumps behind, which especially increases the dynamic sense of the melody. In the age of the song, most of the mainstream music has high tunes and high emotions, and the song has changed its style and is very lyrical. Zheng Xulan’s delicate and cordial interpretation, coupled with the full sense of picture details in the lyrics, such as “bright summer”, “boy carrying a six string piano” and “girl in swimsuit”, makes the song fascinating and wants to go to the field to find out. The song not only meets the needs of publicity documentaries, but also makes the sun island in Harbin beautiful and full of leisure, so that even those who have not been to the sun island can enjoy the charm of the song. The song brings fresh and natural wind and melodious music to the mainland song world in the 1980s, which makes people intoxicated and relaxed. After the reform and opening up, music creation ushered in spring. The song “on the sun island” described the spiritual state of the people in Harbin at that time, and made people feel the achievements of economic construction and cultural prosperity here after the reform and opening up. Music can start a city’s brand or become a city’s cultural symbol. After the song “on the sun island” was sung, Harbin has become a tourist destination that many people in China yearn for.

Liaoshen Evening News Director reporter Zhang Song

Photographed by cha Jinhui, reporter of Liaoshen Evening News