Song of Jasmine (Mo Li Hua)

Mo Li Hua is a popular Chinese folk song which means The Jasmine Flower. This song was composed during the period of Qianlong Emperor of the Qing Dynasty. Two versions were created with different lyrics and slightly different melody. The much well known one is from the Jiangsu Province and the other from Zhejiang Province.

This song was sung by a Chinese girl at the closing ceremony of the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens to introduce the next site and also sang during the awarding ceremonies of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

We were taught to sing this beautiful song in Guangxi and here’s the lyrics of it:

Hǎo yī duǒ měi lì di mò li huā
Hǎo yī duǒ měi lì di mò li huā
Fēn fāng měi lì mǎn zhī yā
Yòu xiāng yòu bái rén rén kuā
Ràng wǒ lái jiāng nǐ zhāi xià
Sòng gěi bié rén jiā
Mò li huā yā mò li huā

Here is the poetic translation of the song:

Flower of jasmine, so fair!
Flower of jasmine, so fair!
Budding and blooming here and there,
Pure and fragrant all declare.
Let me take you with tender care,
Your sweetness for all to share.
Jasmine fair, oh jasmine fair.

(The photo is taken from the flower gallery and video clip is from youtube.)