在流媒体时代，除了那些经久不衰的传统歌曲，许多当代音乐作品也发挥着重要的文化传播作用。采访现场，涂妮演唱了最近的流行歌曲《上春山》。当“二月天杨柳醉春烟”的歌声响起，这首描绘贵州春色的民歌被赋予了新的文化意蕴。在“我上春山，约你来见”的文化邀约下，涂妮化身“文化小大使”来到中国，体验“山上儿童放纸鸢”的欢乐，感受“踏遍春山不思还”的文化眷恋。而那句“因为遇见你而不平凡”的告白，恰如其分地道出了她与中国相遇的珍贵与美好。

图为涂妮在采访现场与采编人员的合照

花朵不会移动，但香气随风远行；文化各有根系，却在歌声中枝叶相触。当清风拂过春山，当茉莉花香飘四海，音乐化作文化使者，以温和而有力的方式拉近了不同文明间的距离。作为人类共通的语言，音乐的伟大之处在于它既能守护文化的独特性，又能在旋律与节奏的流动中搭建理解的桥梁。

《茉莉花》等中国歌曲在全球范围内的传播历程告诉我们：真正具有生命力的文化符号，既要有坚守本真的定力，也要有拥抱变化的勇气。而青年一代的跨文化交流也不必总依靠宏大的项目或庄严的场合——一首歌，就足以成为出发的船票。

图为涂妮在中国印象·沙龙活动现场

全球化的时代背景下，我们需要更多像涂妮这样的“文化小大使”，用真诚的歌声搭建起文化交流的桥梁。当越来越多的年轻人愿意唱响彼此的民谣，当不同国家的孩子能在旋律中找到共鸣，人类文明的百花园必将更加绚丽多彩。

撰稿人：何博媛

责任编辑：刘雨婷

Melody as a Bridge: A Dialogue Among Civilizations

Editor's Note: Throughout the evolution of human civilization, music, with its unique artistic charm, has created more possibilities for dialogue and exchange among different cultures. The fragrance of a single jasmine flower can travel through centuries, from the water towns of Jiangnan to the world stage. The melody of a folk song can cross mountains and rivers, resonating between different cultures. The flowing notes tell us that the true meaning of mutual learning among civilizations lies in an open and inclusive attitude, allowing diverse cultures to hear each other's voices through the resonance of music.

At the recent Junior Cultural Ambassadors event hosted by the China Soong Ching Ling Foundation, teenagers from all over the world gathered, united by their love for Chinese culture. As the bustling stage grew quiet, a gentle melody began to play, and the audience seemed to be enveloped in the subtle fragrance of a mysterious flower from the East. "What a beautiful jasmine flower, what a beautiful jasmine flower..." The young girl from Madagascar sang with a crystal-clear voice, expressing her deep affection for Chinese culture.

In the interview with Inquiring Youth, Inheriting Culture（青衿问道，文脉传承） column, we had an in-depth conversation with the Malagasy girl, exploring the reasons behind her passion for Chinese culture. "My name is Tony, I'm 13 years old, and I live in Antananarivo," Remamy Larenah Tony said with a smile. This was her second visit to China. "Last time, I went to Beijing and Tianjin, and the cityscapes there left a deep impression on me." Although she has only been studying Chinese for two years, Tony is already the champion of the "Chinese Bridge" competition for primary school students in Madagascar. When asked about her initial motivation for learning Chinese, Tony said, "My mom encouraged me to learn Chinese. Even though she's Malagasy, she loves Chinese culture very much." During the competition preparation, the mother and daughter often studied Chinese together, choosing the most natural and enjoyable method: singing. The first Chinese song Tony learned was Jasmine Flower.

"What made you think of using music to learn about Chinese culture?" we asked. Tony thought for a moment and replied, "I really love singing and playing the piano, so I find it more efficient to learn Chinese by studying Chinese songs." As she talked about singing, her eyes sparkled with joy. During the interview, she once again hummed the classic folk song, which is famous both in China and abroad, with her beautiful, clear voice.

Jasmine Flower originated in the Jiangsu and Zhejiang regions. As early as the Qianlong era, a collection of opera scripts, Zhui Bai Qiu（《缀白球》）， already included its lyrics: "What a beautiful jasmine flower, what a beautiful jasmine flower, no other flowers in the garden can surpass it. I was about to pick one to wear, but I was afraid of being scolded by the one who guards the flowers." The song's beautiful and catchy melody made it widely popular. Over more than two hundred years of evolution, Jasmine Flower gradually developed many unique regional versions across the country and eventually became a representative work of Chinese art.

Due to the song's wide popularity in China, its melody traveled east to Japan and west to Europe with merchants and scholars during the Ming and Qing dynasties. In 1768, the Enlightenment philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau included it in his Dictionary of Music, which is the earliest record of the song appearing in the West. Twenty-five years later, British scholar John Barrow transcribed a version of Jasmine Flower that monks at the Hualin Temple（《海幢寺》） in Guangzhou had adapted into a Buddhist chant, recording it in a musical score for his travelogue, Travels in China. Giacomo Puccini captured the melody from old records and incorporated it into the aria of the noble and beautiful princess in his opera, Turandot, allowing the subtle fragrance of jasmine to forever linger in the opera house. In the distant context of European civilization, this Chinese melody has been passed down through generations, showcasing its endless vitality in cross-cultural exchange.

From the folk song Fresh Flower Melody to the adapted Jasmine Flower by musician He Fang, and from impromptu jazz variations to magnificent symphonic interpretations, the song has been reborn through repeated reinvention while always maintaining its Eastern musical essence. In the process of creating new cultural memories, Jasmine Flower continuously dialogues with other civilizations, allowing Eastern musical wisdom to meet and blend with artistic souls from around the world.

During the interview, we were curious to ask Tony why she chose to sing Jasmine Flower. With a playful wink, Tony said, "There is a unique type of jasmine in Madagascar (Stephanotis floribunda), so this song feels familiar to me." Music conveys cultural messages, connecting us in a unique way. The coincidence of "jasmine" allows otherwise unfamiliar hearts to find resonance and enables people from different cultural backgrounds to feel each other's emotions and warmth through melody. This kind of exchange is not just an artistic collision; it is a dialogue between hearts that transcends the barriers of language and geography. Art grows and thrives in the soil of culture, and it also serves as a bridge for cultural heritage and exchange among civilizations.

In the streaming era, many contemporary musical works, in addition to timeless traditional songs, also play an important role in cultural dissemination. During the interview, Tony sang the recent popular song, "Shang Chun Shan" （《上春山》）. As the lyrics "The willow is intoxicated in the spring mist on a February day" were sung, this folk song, which describes the spring scenery of Guizhou, was imbued with new cultural significance. Under the invitation of the lyrics "I'm climbing the spring mountain, inviting you to meet me," Tony, as a "Junior Cultural Ambassador," came to China to experience the joy of "children flying kites on the mountain" and feel the cultural attachment of "wandering through the spring mountains, with no thought of returning." And the confession "Because of meeting you, I am not ordinary" perfectly expresses the precious and beautiful nature of her encounter with China.

Flowers do not move, but their fragrance travels with the wind. Cultures have their own roots, but they touch branches and leaves in song. When the gentle breeze sweeps across the spring mountains and the fragrance of jasmine drifts across the four seas, music becomes a cultural envoy, bridging the distance between different civilizations in a gentle yet powerful way. As a universal human language, the greatness of music lies in its ability to both preserve the uniqueness of cultures and build bridges of understanding through the flow of melody and rhythm.

The global spread of Chinese songs like Jasmine Flower tells us that truly vibrant cultural symbols must have both the resolve to adhere to their essence and the courage to embrace change. And for the younger generation, cross-cultural exchange doesn't always have to rely on grand projects or solemn occasions—a single song can be a ticket for a journey.

In the context of globalization, we need more Junior Cultural Ambassadors like Tony, who use their heartfelt songs to build bridges for cultural exchange. When more young people are willing to sing each other's folk songs,and children from different countries can find common ground in melody, the magnificent garden of human civilization is bound to become more colorful and vibrant.