A tribute of sorts.

‘A stone is not a gem without polishing, nor is a boy a man without trials’ (Lao Tzu – Xian Dynasty).

A poignant proverb, I believe. It describes its country of origin quite succinctly as well. China has had a long and colourful past. It has seen its fair share of trials, beginning when the first dynastic emperor, Qi, unified the warring states of the region. China lead the ancient world with its science and discoveries, giving us paper, gunpowder, the compass and the printed word. It is the world’s oldest continuous civilization and its dialect is the world’s oldest written language system.

It’s no wonder, then, that China was selected to host the 2008 Olympic Games. With such a vast and vivid history steeped in tradition, China will show the world that the same dedication and drive that gave us the leading technologies of six millennia has been called into service to give us the best Olympic Games in history.

In the spirit of fellowship and camaraderie, Sam and I have combined our creative might to write a tribute to the Chinese people through the majesty of song. It’s a haunting rendition of a Cantonese chant, accented with Buddhist rhythms and the laughter of a small boy (we wanted to capture the innocence of the Chinese people). And the lyrics? They are difficult to interpret, but you may hear ‘You humble me with your honour’. If Asian cinema has taught us anything, it’s that oriental women will accept men into their homes upon promises of vengeance and honour, hence the lyrics.

It’s a beautiful ballad of unity and kinship, one which may be adopted by the People’s Republic of China for their national anthem. Only time will tell. But don’t be surprised if you hear this song being played at the Olympics.