Father's Grassland, Mother's River

Today I listened to the song Father’s Grassland, Mother’s River. It touched me deeply, so I want to share its background, lyrics, and links to listen to it: Dedema version | Tengger version

The lyrics were written by Xi Murong (席慕容), a poet, painter, and essayist from Taiwan. She was born in Chongqing, grew up in Hong Kong, and is a descendant of the Mongolian aristocracy.

At 46, she visited the Inner Mongolian grassland for the first time. That journey inspired her to write the poem Father’s Grassland, Mother’s River.

A decade later, singer Dedema (德德玛) saw television footage of Xi Murong’s return to the grassland and, feeling deeply moved, asked the Mongolian composer Wulantuoga (乌兰托嘎) to help contact her. Xi Murong adapted the poem into song lyrics, Wulantuoga composed the music, and Dedema performed it. Together, they brought this song to life.

Lyrics / 歌词

Father once spoke of the grassland's sweet perfume
父亲曾经形容草原的清香

A scent he could never forget
让他在天涯海角也从不能相忘

Mother would often paint with words
母亲总爱描摹那大河浩荡

That mighty river, rolling across the Mongolian Plateau
奔流在蒙古高原我遥远的家乡

Now, at last, I see this boundless land
如今终于见到辽阔大地

Standing upon the fragrant grass, my tears fall like rain
站在芬芳的草原上我泪落如雨

The river still carries the blessings of our ancestors
河水在传唱着祖先的祝福

Guiding the wandering child back to the road home
保佑漂泊的孩子找到回家的路

Ah, Father's grassland
啊 父亲的草原

Ah, Mother's river
啊 母亲的河

Though my tongue can no longer
虽然己经

Speak the language of my birth
不能用不能用母语来诉说

Please receive my sorrow, please embrace my joy
请接纳我的悲伤我的欢乐

For I am a child of the plateau
我也是高原的孩子啊

And within my heart lives a song
心里有一首歌

A song of my father's grassland, my mother's river
歌中有我父亲的草原母亲的河

Ah, Father's grassland
啊 父亲的草原

Ah, Mother's river
啊 母亲的河

Though my tongue can no longer
虽然己经

Speak the language of my birth
不能用不能用母语来诉说

Please receive my sorrow, please embrace my joy
请接纳我的悲伤我的欢乐

For I am a child of the plateau
我也是高原的孩子啊

And within my heart lives a song
心里有一首歌

A song of my father's grassland, my mother's river
歌中有我父亲的草原母亲的河

I am a child of the plateau
我也是高原的孩子啊

And within my heart lives a song
心里有一首歌

A song of my father's grassland, My mother's river
歌中有我父亲的草原母亲的河