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鲁冰花 Lu bing hua is the flower which usually grows under tea trees. After Lu bing hua withered away and died, it gave itself and fertilized the land it used to grow on, so that the tea tree will be able to grow stronger. The unselfish Lu bing hua faded away but its spirit remains, just like the most sacred love in the world ⎯ a selfless and unconditional maternal love.

The second part of the song is a Chinese nursery rhyme. It describes that a child remembers her mother’s words in retrospect under a silent, starry night.

According to southern Fujianese dialect，Lu bing hua originally means 路边花 Lu bian hua, road side flowers. The writer of the song lyrics changed it from 路边花 to 鲁冰花 Lu bing hua， just to give it more artistic flavor.

There are some people think Lu bing hua is the so called Lupinus hartwegii. This picture shows you how Lupinus hartwegii looks like.

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鲁冰花
Lu bing hua

曾淑勤
Zeng shu qin

我知道　半夜的星星会唱歌, 想家的夜晚　他就这样和我一唱一和
wo3 zhi1 dao4 ban4 ye4 de5 xing1 xing1 hui4 chang4 ge1, xiang3 jia1 de5 ye4 wan3 ta1 jiu4 zhe4 yang4 he2 wo3 yi2 chang4 yi4 he2
I know that midnight’s star was able to sing songs; the nights when I was missing home, he and I then echoed each other this way.

我(I)知道(know)　半夜(midnight)的(connecting particle)星星(stars)会(will/ able to)唱(sing)歌(song), 想(think)家(home)的(connecting particle)夜晚(night)　他(he)就(exactly)这(this)样(way/manner)和(and)我(I)一(one)唱(sing)一(one)和(echo)

我知道　午后的清风会唱歌, 童年的蝉声　他总是跟风一唱一和
wo3 zhi1 dao4 wu3 hou4 de5 qing1 feng1 hui4 chang4 ge1, tong2 nian2 de5 chan2 sheng1 ta1 zong3 shi4 gen1 feng1 yi2 chang4 yi4 he2
I know that cool breeze in the afternoon would sing songs; cicadas of my childhood always followed the wind and echoed each other.

我(I)知道(know)　午后(afternoon)的(particle)清风(breeze)会(will)唱(sing)歌(song), 童年(childhood)的(particle)蝉(cicadas)声(sound)　他(he)总是(always)跟(and)风(wind)一(one)唱(sing)一(one)和(echo)

当手中握住繁华　心情却变的荒芜
dang1 shou3 zhong1 wo4 zhu4 fan2 hua2, xin1 qing2 que4 bian4 de5 huang1 wu2
When my hands are holding the bustling, yet my mood has turned barren.

当(when)手(hand)中(within)握住(hold down to)繁华(bustling/prosperity)　心情(mood)却(yet)变(become)的(particle)荒芜(barren)

才发现世上　一切都会变卦
cai2 fa1 xian4 shi4 shang4 yi2 qie4 du1 hui4 bian4 gua4
Then I realized in this world, everything will change.

才(then)发现(realize)世上(in the world)　一切(everything)都(all)会(will)变卦(change)

当青春剩下日记　乌丝就要变成白发
dang1 qing1 chun1 sheng4 xia4 ri4 ji4, wu1 si1 jiu4 yao4 bian4 cheng2 bai2 fa3
When youthfulness only leaves diaries as leftover, black hair then is going to turn white.

当(when)青春(youth)剩下(leave)日记(diary)　乌(black)丝(hair)就(then)要(going to)变成(become)白(white)发(hair)

不变的只有那首歌　在心中来回的唱
bu2 bian4 de5 zhi3 you3 na4 shou3 ge1, 　zai4 xin1 zhong1 lai2 hui2 de5 chang4
The only unchangeable is that song that I sing to and fro in my heart.

不(not)变(change)的(particle)只(only)有(have)那(that)首(measure word for song)歌(song)　在(in)心(heart)中(within)来回(to and fro)的(particle)唱(sing)

天上的星星不说话　地上的娃娃想妈妈
tian1 shang4 de5 xing1 xing1 bu4 shuo1 hua4, di4 shang4 de5 wa2 wa5 xiang3 ma1 ma5
The stars in the sky don’t talk; the baby on the ground thinks of mother.

天上(in the sky)的(particle)星星(stars)不(not)说话(talk)　地上(on the ground)的(particle)娃娃(baby)想(think)妈妈(mother)

天上的眼睛眨呀眨　妈妈的心啊鲁冰花
tian1 shang4 de5 yan3 jing1 zha1 ya5 zha1, ma1 ma5 de5 xin1 a5 lu3 bing1 hua1
The eyes in the sky are blinking and blinking; mother’s heart is like Lu bing hua.

天上(in the sky)的(particle)眼睛(eyes)眨(blink)呀(particle)眨(blink)　妈妈(mother)的(particle)心(heart)啊(particle)鲁冰花(Lu bing flower)

家乡的茶园开满花　妈妈的心肝在天涯
jia1 xiang1 de5 cha2 yuan2 kai1 man3 hua1, ma1 ma5 de5 xin1 gan1 zai4 tian1 ya2
The tea garden of hometown is blooming with flowers; mother’s darling is on the other end of the world.

家乡(hometown)的(connecting particle)茶(tea)园(garden)开(bloom)满(full of)花(flower)　妈妈(mother)的(particle)心肝(heart and liver/ darling)在(in)天(sky)涯(beyond)

夜夜想起妈妈的话　闪闪的泪光鲁冰花
ye4 ye4 xiang3 qi3 ma1 ma5 de5 hua4, shan3 shan3 de5 lei4 guang1 lu3 bing1 hua1
Every night when I think of mother’s words; my eyes will sparkle with tears when I think of Lu bing hua.

夜夜(night)想起(think of) 妈妈(mother)的(particle)话(words)　闪闪的(sparkling)泪光(the light of glistening tear drops)鲁冰花(Lubing flowers)

啊~~~闪闪的泪光鲁冰花
a ~~~ shan3 shan3 de5 lei4 guang1 lu3 bing1 hua1
Ah, sparkling tears, Lu bing hua.

啊(interjection of surprise)~~~闪闪的(sparkling)泪光(the light of glistening tear drops)鲁冰花(Lu bing flower)

天上的星星不说话　地上的娃娃想妈妈
tian1 shang4 de5 xing1 xing1 bu4 shuo1 hua4, di4 shang4 de5 wa2 wa5 xiang3 ma1 ma5
The stars in the sky don’t talk; the baby on the ground thinks of mother.

天上(in the sky)的(particle)星星(stars)不(not)说话(talk)　地上(on the ground)的(particle)娃娃(baby)想(think)妈妈(mother)

天上的眼睛眨呀眨　妈妈的心啊鲁冰花
tian1 shang4 de5 yan3 jing1 zha1 ya5 zha1, ma1 ma5 de5 xin1 a5 lu3 bing1 hua1
The eyes in the sky are blinking and blinking; mother’s heart is like Lu bing hua.

天上(in the sky)的(particle)眼睛(eyes)眨(blink)呀(particle)眨(blink)　妈妈(mother)的(particle)心(heart)啊(particle)鲁冰花(Lu bing flower)

家乡的茶园开满花　妈妈的心肝在天涯
jia1 xiang1 de5 cha2 yuan2 kai1 man3 hua1, ma1 ma5 de5 xin1 gan1 zai4 tian1 ya2
The tea garden of hometown is blooming with flowers; mother’s darling is on the other end of the world.

家乡(hometown)的(connecting particle)茶(tea)园(garden)开(bloom)满(full of)花(flower)　妈妈(mother)的(particle)心肝(heart and liver/ darling)在(in)天(sky)涯(beyond)

夜夜想起妈妈的话　闪闪的泪光鲁冰花
ye4 ye4 xiang3 qi3 ma1 ma5 de5 hua4, shan3 shan3 de5 lei4 guang1 lu3 bing1 hua1
Every night when I think of mother’s words; my eyes will sparkle with tears when I think of Lu bing hua.

夜夜(night)想起(think of) 妈妈(mother)的(particle)话(words)　闪闪的(sparkling)泪光(the light of glistening tear drops)鲁冰花(Lubing flowers)

啊—-
a —
Ahhh —-

夜夜想起妈妈的话　闪闪的泪光鲁冰花
ye4 ye4 xiang3 qi3 ma1 ma5 de5 hua4, shan3 shan3 de5 lei4 guang1 lu3 bing1 hua1
Every night when I think of mother’s words; my eyes will sparkle with tears when I think of Lu bing hua.

夜夜(every night)想起(think of)妈妈的(mother’s)话(words)　闪闪的(sparkling)泪光(the light of glistening tear drops)鲁冰花(Lubing flower)

啊—-
a —
Ahhh —-

夜夜想起妈妈的话　闪闪的泪光
ye4 ye4 xiang3 qi3 ma1 ma5 de5 hua4 shan3 shan3 de5 lei4 guang1
Every night when I think of mother’s words; my eyes will sparkle with tears.

夜夜(every night)想起(think of)妈妈的(mother’s)话(words)　闪闪的(sparkling)泪光(the light of glistening tear drops)

Translated by Shu

Quotes of stars

“What Is Love? I have met in the streets a very poor young man who was in love. His hat was old, his coat worn, the water passed through his shoes and the stars through his soul”
― Victor Hugo

“Trust your heart if the seas catch fire, live by love though the stars walk backward.”
― E.E. Cummings

“I like the stars. It’s the illusion of permanence, I think. I mean, they’re always flaring up and caving in and going out. But from here, I can pretend…I can pretend that things last. I can pretend that lives last longer than moments. Gods come, and gods go. Mortals flicker and flash and fade. Worlds don’t last; and stars and galaxies are transient, fleeting things that twinkle like fireflies and vanish into cold and dust. But I can pretend…”
― Neil Gaiman, The Sandman, Vol. 7: Brief Lives

“The nitrogen in our DNA, the calcium in our teeth, the iron in our blood, the carbon in our apple pies were made in the interiors of collapsing stars. We are made of starstuff.”
― Carl Sagan, Cosmos

“I love the stars.
Because they can’t say anything.
I love the stars.
Because they do not judge anyone.”
― Natsuki Takaya

“I think that we are like stars. Something happens to burst us open; but when we burst open and think we are dying; we’re actually turning into a supernova. And then when we look at ourselves again, we see that we’re suddenly more beautiful than we ever were before!”
― C. JoyBell C.

“Yours is the light by which my spirit’s born: – you are my sun, my moon, and all my stars.”
― E.E. Cummings

These quotes come from
http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/stars

I love this song — Starry night — by Mayday, Wu yue tian, for the lyrics, pinyin and English translation, see http://www.chinesetolearn.com/?p=1609

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