Chapter 166: Blue and White Porcelain

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After hearing this verse, Zhou Zhiqian nearly swore aloud. Every hair on his body stood on end.

Yan Mi, on the other hand, was a devoted specialist in “The Nourishment of Love,” so she took things much more simply.

It was only a song. As long as it sounded good, that was enough—and Su Chen’s singing sounded wonderful!

With a song this beautiful, winning first place might be uncertain, but making the top two would certainly be no problem.

As long as he made it through this final elimination round and entered the championship night, he would already be able to make his debut!

That way, at least she would not have failed Zhang Fuyu’s trust.

Yan Mi smiled happily as she listened to Su Chen continue singing.

“The glaze colors spread across the portrait of a court lady, its charm kept private.”

“And your radiant smile, like a flower still waiting to bloom.”

“Your beauty drifts away in a single wisp.”

“To places I can never reach.”

...

By the time the second verse had ended, it was not only the four mentors—even the six professional music critics could not stop marveling.

The antique charm of the melody and the poetic lyrics had completely intoxicated them, holding them spellbound.

The lyrics, too, were remarkable. The transition from the first verse to the second was smooth and seamless, rich with lingering charm.

Now, everyone had begun looking forward to Su Chen’s performance in the chorus.

Some were even worried that the outstanding verses had raised their expectations of the chorus too high, leaving them disappointed.

After all, the greater the hope, the greater the disappointment.

But such concerns were entirely unnecessary where Su Chen was concerned.

“The sky is celadon, waiting for misty rain, while I am waiting for you.”

“Cooking smoke rises in delicate curls, stretching ten thousand miles beyond the river.”

“On the bottom of the vase, I write in clerical script, imitating the elegance of a bygone age.”

“Let it be my foreshadowing for the day I meet you.”

“The sky is celadon, waiting for misty rain, while I am waiting for you.”

“Moonlight is lifted from the water, diffusing into the ending.”

“Like the priceless blue-and-white porcelain, beautiful all on its own.”

“There is laughter in your eyes.”

Even after Su Chen finished the entire chorus, the six people at the judges’ table remained unable to calm their excitement.

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There was only one reason: the chorus of Su Chen’s song had completely lived up to the verses.

There was no sense of starting brilliantly only to falter later. This was brilliance from beginning to end!

The chorus was even more explosive than the verses. Not only had it failed to disappoint, it had surpassed expectations that had already been raised to the heavens.

This time, no one whispered to their neighbor. Breaking from their usual behavior, they listened with complete seriousness, immersing themselves in this new-style traditional song.

“White fish with celadon markings leap vividly across the bottom of the bowl.”

“While copying the Song-style signature, I still find myself thinking of you.”

“You are hidden within the kiln’s flames, concealing a thousand-year-old secret.”

“Delicate beyond compare, like an embroidery needle touching the ground.”

“Banana leaves beyond the curtain provoke a sudden rain; the door ring invites a coat of verdigris.”

“And passing through that little town south of the Yangtze, I happened to stir your heart.”

“Within an ink-washed landscape.”

“You vanish into the depths of the ink.”

...

When Zhou Zhiqian heard the line about banana leaves beyond the curtain provoking a sudden rain and the door ring inviting a coat of verdigris, he could no longer restrain himself. A single expletive burst through his clenched teeth.

For the first time, someone had written lyrics so powerful that he felt like kneeling.

From that moment on, Zhou Zhiqian was utterly convinced.

“The sky is celadon, waiting for misty rain, while I am waiting for you.”

“Cooking smoke rises in delicate curls, stretching ten thousand miles beyond the river.”

“On the bottom of the vase, I write in clerical script, imitating the elegance of a bygone age.”

“Let it be my foreshadowing for the day I meet you.”

“The sky is celadon, waiting for misty rain, while I am waiting for you.”

“Moonlight is lifted from the water, diffusing into the ending.”

“Like the priceless blue-and-white porcelain, beautiful all on its own.”

“There is laughter in your eyes.”

Han Hong, Yan Mi, and Zhou Zhiqian were all immersed in the exquisite atmosphere created by the song.

The newly arrived Cai Xukun, however, frowned.

This kind of traditional Chinese style ran completely contrary to the Western musical culture he had studied.

So although Su Chen’s singing was beautiful, it sounded especially grating to him.

But since Su Chen had not yet finished the song, he did not interrupt. He could only suppress his discomfort and continue listening.

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When the song ended, its antique charm continued to flow through the studio, lingering for a long while before finally fading.

The six music critics at the judges’ table could no longer wait for Liu Shao to speak. They began discussing Su Chen’s song among themselves.

“...This song... it’s truly perfect! And the fusion of popular music with traditional Chinese style is genuinely dazzling.”

“I can even tell everyone, with complete responsibility, that this song has given me tremendous inspiration!”

“I think its appearance may finally have opened the door that traditional Chinese-style music has never managed to open.”

“This song is enough to usher in an entire era!”

After the emotional critic finished speaking, the others nodded as well.

A more rigorous critic began analyzing the song point by point.

“Looking at the song as a whole, it uses descriptions of porcelain as a metaphor for the pursuit of love and the beautiful hopes it inspires.”

“For example, in the verses: ‘The unglazed clay outlines blue-and-white strokes, deepening and fading; the peonies painted upon the vase are like your first makeup; sandalwood incense drifts through the window, and I understand what lies in your heart; upon the rice paper, my brush reaches this point and pauses halfway.’”

“These lyrics depict beautiful scenes through imagery rich in atmosphere, while also expressing reflections on love through an artistic form.”

“First, ‘The unglazed clay outlines blue-and-white strokes, deepening and fading’ realistically portrays the process of making blue-and-white porcelain.”

“The blue-and-white brushwork shifting from dark to light symbolizes the rises and falls, the changes and fluctuations of love. This depiction gives the love within the lyrics an artistic texture, while also hinting at its complexity and changeability.”

“Next, ‘The peonies painted upon the vase are like your first makeup’ compares peonies with a woman’s first adornment, describing the graceful beauty of the beloved.”

“As a representative flower in Huaguo’s traditional culture, the peony signifies prosperity, wealth, nobility, and elegance.”

“By comparing it with her first makeup, the lyrics emphasize the beloved’s unique beauty and her pure, flawless appearance.”

“Then, ‘Sandalwood incense drifts through the window, and I understand what lies in your heart’ conveys an intimate insight into the beloved’s feelings through delicate imagery.”

“The sandalwood entering through the window symbolizes warmth and tranquility. The line shows that the speaker, through careful observation, can sense the emotions within his beloved and understand the thoughts she keeps concealed.”

“Finally, ‘Upon the rice paper, my brush reaches this point and pauses halfway’ presents reflection and creation through the act of writing.”

“The rice paper symbolizes the artistic world of ancient scholars and traditional culture. Pausing halfway through the brushwork suggests that the expression of love remains unfinished, hinting at the ongoing pursuit and exploration of love.”

“Even considered only as a summary of the verses, this section uses artistic elements such as painting, fragrance, and calligraphy to express love with extraordinary atmosphere and eloquence.”

“The lyrics delicately depict the process of creating blue-and-white porcelain, the graceful peonies, sandalwood drifting through a window, and the thoughts arising during creation.”

“The entire verse section evokes beauty, romance, and profound reflection. It draws the listener into a state of intoxication while inspiring resonance and contemplation about love and art.”

“All I can say is... this is a song destined to be handed down through the ages!”