"Learning Chinese culture is like doing yoga for the brain."——Joyce Jonathan
French singer Joyce Jonathan, known for her love of Chinese culture, wowed audiences with her performance on the stage of the music competition "Sisters Riding the Winds and Breaking the Waves 2024." With her guitar and microphone, she captivated the crowd with her rendition of "Les Champs-Élysées" under the dazzling lights.
Reflecting on her decades-long connection with China, she said, "China is like my second home."
Connection to China: Receiving my first guitar in Beijing
Her bond with China traces back to her childhood, as her parents, enamored with Chinese culture,can speak Mandarin. At the age of ten, Joyce visited Beijing for the first time, and five years later, she received her first guitar there. Since then, China and music have left an indelible mark on her life.
In 2017, Joyce embarked on a concert tour in China, meeting fans in seven cities including Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou. This year, she graced the stage of "Sisters Riding the Winds and Breaking the Waves 2024."
Each visit to China leaves Joyce amazed by the country's rapid pace of development. She remarked, "Every minute at 'Sisters Riding the Winds and Breaking the Waves' is filled with changes. The rhythm is fast. The stage, concepts,and ideas - everything is amazing. It's the best show I've ever participated in, and it will be unforgettable for me."
Sino-French cultural exchange: Enlightening songstress for French learners
In about a week, mastering a song from scratch, orchestrating a multi-person stage performance, and vying for a coveted spot - the intensive competition may seem commonplace to Chinese audiences. However, the image of the French often carries a sense of relaxation among Chinese people. Joyce Jonathan, however, emphasizes that for her, it's more about enjoying the moment and finding joy in the process.
"'Sisters Riding the Winds and Breaking the Waves' is not a sports competition; it's a wonderful stage for delivering beautiful songs to people. We give our all for every performance and receive a lot of love from the audience," Joyce Jonathan remarked.”
Besides the live audiences, Joyce has also garnered a lot of goodwill online. In the post of her debut stage performance video, many comments echo sentiments like, "The enlightening goddess for French language students," or "Your song was the first French song I've ever heard."
Joyce expressed happiness and pride at this, stating, "Learning language through melody is indeed a great method." This method has been validated in Joyce's own experience. On the show, she has sung in Chinese multiple times, stunning the audience with her flawless pronunciation. "Perhaps I've been exposed to Chinese since I was in my mother's womb, and I've been in contact with it since childhood, so I naturally feel familiar with it."
Cultural ambassadorship: Shared wisdom sustaining Sino-French friendship
This year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of Sino-French diplomatic relations. Like her parents, Joyce is also an enthusiast of Chinese culture. She believes that the continuation of friendship embodies the shared wisdom of the two peoples.
Her favorite quote from the "Analects" -"To know what you know and what you do not know, that is true knowledge" - resonates with her understanding of the mutual cognition between China and France.
Joyce has some understanding of Chinese sages like Confucius and Laozi. She says that Chinese culture emphasizes respect for others, self-awareness, and distancing oneself from jealousy, which can help soothe inner turmoil. "Learning Chinese culture is like doing yoga for the brain."
"Sino-French cultures share many charms. We both have a long history that we're proud of, and we both love the arts. Chinese people also pursue romance, perhaps in a different way from the French, but both possess rich emotions, sensitive hearts, and yearning for beautiful things," Joyce remarked.
Source | Yangcheng Evening News
