McDull Internationale

Although I have had quite a strong leaning toward the Left, I haven't listened Internationale(國際歌), one of the most important anthem of the Communist movement until recently.

The first one I happened to listen to was the one by a Chinese rock band Tang Chao (唐朝樂隊, right). I love the heavy beat of electric bass guitar in this version. It really goes well the traditional chorus of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (中國人民解放軍) style. (Listening to this, I wonder how Beethoven's Ninth Symphony sounds with the traditional chorus and a rock band sounds... Could be very good.)

Too bad that this version is banned in the mainland China (中國內地). It may be an act of blasphemy for the Chinese Communists to alter such a sacred song... (Well, the Party was actually afraid that this kind of song would be used in popular protest against the corruption among some of its cadres.)

Rock 'n' roll is indeed the marching song for lonely urban workers. Its heavy beats have always encouraged me go on advancing for my own glory.

Now is the very time I really need such an encouragement. Almost defeated by heavy workload and the summer heat, I am helped by this Chinese rock version of Internationale to keep my integrity...so that I can go on working...so that I can hold onto a hope...

And I also found that one of the theme songs (The Anthem of Chun Tin Fa Fa Kindergarten 春天花花幼稚園校歌) of My Life As McDull (麥兜故事), a very popular Hong Kong cartoon movie is based on Internationale.

I first felt it very difficult to find anything common about this humorous cartoon about a slow piglet and the Communist anthem. I guess you'd feel the same way when you see what McDull (麥兜) looks like (above)...

But I then remembered that a mainland Chinese magazine editor had once said My Life As McDull surprised him because it was so much leftist (as Hong Kong is supposed be a very capitalistic city). I do not remember what exactly made him think so. But I can imagine it as the McDull cartoon showed so much empathy to the people of the lowest strata in this city (with whom I work with now as a garbage collector). And I found the missing link between Internationale and this beloved slow piggy...

I know that this kind of empathy keeps Hong Kong, a paradise for the rich, from being a hell for the poor. And this is one of the reasons why I love this city - a curious mix of lessaiz-faire capitalism and social democracy. Hong Kong was already like this during the British rule. No woneder why her handover to the Socialist China was so smooth...