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    The Musical Road of Wei Wei

    Written by: Hong Xiu
    Posted on: January 19, 2015 |

    Wei Wei, a Chinese singing sensation

    Wei Wei, the Chinese singer of Zhuang nationality, is a renowned personality of China whose face and voice are unique and unforgettable. Her most famous song, called Dedication of Love, was first performed at the Spring Festival Gala of 1988 on China Central Television. The song became a hit overnight and initiated her rise to fame. Dedication of Love is one of the most popular songs among Chinese people.

    Wei Wei was born in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China. Since a very young age, she had a deep voice which pleasantly surprised her whole family. When she was five or six years old, Wei Wei became interested in imitating the singing of Li Yuhe, a male artist from the Beijing Opera Red Lantern. Her performance of the song was indistinguishable from the original. When she was eight years old, her whole family moved back to her parents’ hometown, Liuzhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of China, which is a beautiful place with green hills and blue water. Wei Wei’s initial training of ballet and opera earned her various opportunities to perform at school, and she soon became a star on the stage. The young girl with dark skin and a thin figure soon blossomed into a beautiful woman. As the old Chinese folk proverb goes, a girl reaches womanhood at the age of 18, getting more and more beautiful with every passing year. With a high forehead, deep eyes and plump lips, she resembles a sculpture combining the feminine beauty of east and west.

    The dream of becoming a star compelled 14-year-old Wei Wei to go to Beijing alone to give the entrance examination of the Central Conservatory of Music. Although the teachers were highly impressed with her unique voice, they informed her that she was too young to attend the real exam.

    The Musical Road of Wei Wei

    Wei Wei performs in Vancouver, Canada

    However, Wei Wei was admitted by the China Railway Art Troupe (which had no age limit), and began a six-year apprenticeship. Later, because of her household registration issue, Wei Wei had to end her career in Beijing and move back to Hohhot all by herself. The only job she could find there was as an usher at a local movie theatre. The constant difficulties faced by Wei Wei made her doubt her dream of becoming a star. However, shortly thereafter, an unexpected opportunity took Wei Wei back to Beijing. A CCTV director was preparing a Mexican dance program for an evening gala when he thought of Wei Wei, who was a good singer and dancer with a wonderful appearance. It was this opportunity that took Wei Wei back on the stage. Soon thereafter, she joined the Chinese Light Music Group, which was quite influential at that time, and marked the return of her career in Beijing.

    The days in Chinese Light Music Group transformed Wei Wei from a student apprentice to an experienced stage performer. In 1986, she participated in the Second National TV Music Competition of Young Singers, which gave her countrywide recognition. Wei Wei’s song Great Asia, featuring renowned male singer Liu Huan, was played prior to the 1990 Beijing Asian Games and earned her unprecedented success, making her a diva in mainland China.

    Wei Wei was among the most talented Chinese pop singers in the 1990s. In addition to sports events, most of Wei Wei’s works were used as theme songs for TV dramas. Her song Destiny is not a windlass was used as the theme for the extremely popular TV drama “The Ancient Ship, Women and Nets”. The fact that this theme was elected as “best song” by foreigners indicates that Chinese folk culture is famous not just in China but also in the outside world. Wei Wei’s most popular songs also include Chasing For Love and Take One Last Look at You.

    The Musical Road of Wei Wei

    Wei Wei sports long hair down to her shoulders whenever she appears on stage. With her deep, sonorous voice and her extraordinary singing style, Wei Wei’s songs are affectionate and majestic. Her versions of traditional Chinese folk songs have a unique lingering charm, such as Rippling Brook, Lullaby, Songs of Zhuang People, and Toast Song of Zhuang People.

    Wei Wei always aspired to be an internationally renowned singer. At the height of her career, she went abroad to promote Chinese music. She sang a cover of the Yunnan folk song Rippling Brook. She commented on it: “When I sing other songs, I use my whole heart; but when I sing this song, I use my whole blood”. Wei Wei also held a solo concert during the Atlanta Olympic Games in the United States.

     

    Wei Wei’s unparalleled voice, coupled with her impressive performance of the song Great Asia at the Beijing Asian Games, made her an ideal candidate to sing the Olympic theme song before the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Her experience abroad vastly improved her fluency and pronunciation of the English language. According to several fans, her performance of English songs is similar to that of the legendary American singer, Whitney Houston. Wei Wei’s extraordinary singing talent and her deep understanding of music make her one of the most popular Chinese singers around the world, with numerous fans at home and abroad.


    As the new year begins, let us also start anew. I’m delighted to extend, on behalf of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and in my own name, new year’s greeting and sincere wishes to YOULIN magazine’s staff and readers.

    Only in hard times can courage and perseverance be manifested. Only with courage can we live to the fullest. 2020 was an extraordinary year. Confronted by the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Pakistan supported each other and took on the challenge in solidarity. The ironclad China-Pakistan friendship grew stronger as time went by. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects advanced steadily in difficult times, become a standard-bearer project of the Belt and Road Initiative in balancing pandemic prevention and project achievement. The handling capacity of the Gwadar Port has continued to rise and Afghanistan transit trade through the port has officially been launched. The Karakoram Highway Phase II upgrade project is fully open to traffic. The Lahore Orange Line project has been put into operation. The construction of Matiari-Lahore HVDC project was fully completed. A batch of green and clean energy projects, such as the Kohala and Azad Pattan hydropower plants have been substantially promoted. Development agreement for the Rashakai SEZ has been signed. The China-Pakistan Community of Shared Future has become closer and closer.

    Reviewing the past and looking to the future, we are confident to write a brilliant new chapter. The year 2021 is the 100th birthday of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. The 100-year journey of CPC surges forward with great momentum and China-Pakistan relationship has flourished in the past 70 years. Standing at a new historic point, China is willing to work together with Pakistan to further implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, connect the CPEC cooperation with the vision of the “Naya Pakistan”, promote the long-term development of the China-Pakistan All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership with love, dedication and commitment. Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan said, “We are going through fire. The sunshine has yet to come.” Yes, Pakistan’s best days are ahead, China will stand with Pakistan firmly all the way.

    YOULIN magazine is dedicated to promoting cultural exchanges between China and Pakistan and is a window for Pakistani friends to learn about China, especially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is hoped that with the joint efforts of China and Pakistan, YOULIN can listen more to the voices of readers in China and Pakistan, better play its role as a bridge to promote more effectively people-to-people bond.

    Last but not least, I would like to wish all the staff and readers of YOULIN a warm and prosper year in 2021.

    Nong Rong Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
    The People’s Republic of China to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
    January 2021