'Homecoming Across the Seas': A song bridging homeland and the world

When red lanterns cast their glow upon the silhouette of the Eiffel Tower, when the flowing movements of Tai Chi unfold amidst the aroma of coffee, when the words "Maman, je suis de retour" softly blend with a Chinese mother's murmurs — this Spring Festival, the song "Homecoming Across the Seas" builds a bridge with music, connecting cultural resonances and emotional journeys across mountains and oceans.

Created by lyricists Huang Yichuan and Xie Hua, and composers Fan Xin and Huang Yichuan, and performed by teachers Huang Yichuan, Fan Xin, Li Mengke, and members of the "Belt and Road" Band — Zhang Zhongxu, Huang Siyu, Nishad Kumar Pokharel, Majd Bentalha, Salma Saybari, and David Yekeh — the song deftly weaves in Eastern imagery like "red lanterns," "the Yangtze River," and "blue-and-white porcelain." It lets these elements wander the world: the London Eye carries an Eastern legend, the soft gesture of Tai Chi rises within the fragrance of coffee, and a lion dance leaps past classical columns abroad. Every collision in the song is not a mere stacking of symbols, but a sincere dialogue and embrace between cultures.

In the chorus, "The blood of the Yellow River pulses through the veins of the four seas, the Great Wall embraces the Earth in its day-and-night watch," extending familial roots into the shared emotional rhythm of humanity. Within the modern beat of the rap section, traditional New Year customs converge with global scenes. Especially that natural French line, "Maman, je suis de retour," instantly touches the softest corner in the hearts of countless wanderers afar.

"Homecoming Across the Seas" sketches not only a reunion dinner table, but also the poised and open stance of cultural confidence. It proves with its notes that the Spring Festival has long been more than a holiday — it is a universal emotional language. Among the myriad glowing windows, one always belongs to home; while adrift across the seas, this song will always guide our return.

This song is a warm cultural encounter, and a common love letter sent to the spring.