Wang Li wrote, "This is a folk song in Hebei Province and neighboring areas. There are some more words not sung in this version. No one knows for how many centuries it has been sung and enjoyed by the people. It's full of nice legendary stories that we all know since our childhood. Zhaozhou Bridge in Zhao County, Hebei Province, was designed by Lichun over 1400 years ago and is still perfect now. It's the oldest stone arch bridge in the world. People appreciate its wonder, so the sage Confucius, the famous skilled craftsman Lu Ban, and other gods in fairy tales such as Zhang Guolao and Chaiwangye have been associated with the bridge. All the people, young or old, love this song forever."
Cowboy
Children's Song
Children's Song
(Chinese)
(English)
Who built Zhaozhou Bridge?
Who left the stone banisters?
Who passed the bridge on a donkey?
Who pushed a cart and made a line of depression?
Who pushed a cart and made a line of depression?
Lu Ban built Zhaozhou Bridge,
The sage left the stone banisters,
Zhang Guolao passed the bridge on a donkey,
Chaiwangye pushed a cart and made a line of depression,
Chaiwangye pushed a cart and made a line of depression.
Notes
When I asked Wang Li why this song is called "Cowboy", she wrote, "The song was originally sung by cowboys so it is called 'Xiao Fang Niu'". That means "Young Cowherd". A cowherd is someone who herds cattle.
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Pinyin
Xiǎo Fàng Niú
zhào zhōu qiáo lái shén me rén xiū？
yù shí lán ɡǎn shén me rén liú？
shén me rén qí lǘ qiáo shànɡ zǒu？
shén me rén tuī chē yā le yī tànɡ ɡōu me yī yā hāi？
shén me rén tuī chē yā le yī tànɡ ɡōu me yī yā hāi？
zhào zhōu qiáo lái lǔ bān xiū，
yù shí lán ɡǎn shènɡ rén liú，
zhānɡ ɡuǒ lǎo qí lǘ qiáo shànɡ zǒu，
chái wánɡ yé tuī chē yā le yī tànɡ ɡōu me yī yā hāi，
chái wánɡ yé tuī chē yā le yī tànɡ ɡōu me yī yā hāi。
Comments
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Anne-Marie Arijs sent a Dutch translation:
Wie bouwde de Zhaozhou brug?
Wie verliet de stenen leuningen?
Wie ging de brug over op een ezel?
Wie duwde een kar en veroorzaakte een file? Yiyaahey
Wie duwde een kar en veroorzaakte een file? Yiyaahey
Lu Ban bouwde de de Zhaozhou brug
De wijze mens verliet de stenen leuning
Zhang Guo Lao ging de brug over op een ezel
Chai WangYe duwde een kar en veroorzaakte een file. Yiyaahey
Chai WangYe duwde een kar en veroorzaakte een file. Yiyaahey
Computerized Text
(We apologize if this doesn't display properly on your screen):
小放牛
赵州桥来什么人修？
玉石栏杆什么人留？
什么人骑驴桥上走？
什么人推车压了一趟沟么咿呀嗨？
什么人推车压了一趟沟么咿呀嗨？
赵州桥来鲁班修，
玉石栏杆圣人留，
张果老骑驴桥上走，
柴王爷推车压了一趟沟么咿呀嗨，
柴王爷推车压了一趟沟么咿呀嗨。
Thanks and Acknowledgements
Many thanks to Wang Li for contributing and translating this song, for the Pinyin and for providing the sheet music and the photo of the bridge. Thanks to Monique Palomares for the midi tune. Thanks to Anna-Marie Arijs for the Dutch translation.
M goi! & Xie xie!
