Pinyin Lyrics, English Lyrics (Translation), Info/About, Background Story, Covers & Versions, Chords, Video, and Download/mp3 of Herbalist’s Manual本草纲目(Ben Cao Gang Mu) By Jay Chou周杰伦
Info/About “Herbalist’s Manual”
| Song Name | Herbalist’s Manual本草纲目(Ben Cao Gang Mu) |
| Artist | Jay Chou周杰伦 |
| Lyricist | Vincent Fang |
| Composer | Jay Chou |
| Released | 2006 |
| Genre | Rap/Chinoiserie |
| Language | Mandarin |
Background Story of “Herbalist’s Manual”
This song was released on September 5, 2006, it’s one of the most popular songs of Jay Chou周杰伦, since release, it has been very popular on Tik Tok and other social media.
Lyrics in Pinyin/Mandarin/English of “Herbalist’s Manual”
rú guǒ huá tuó zài shì chóng yáng dōu bèi yī zhì
如 果 华 佗 再 世 崇 洋 都 被 医 治
If Hua Tuo were still alive, worshipping of foreign cultures would be healed
wài bāng lái xué hàn zì jī fā wǒ mín zú yì shí
外 邦 来 学 汉 字 激 发 我 民 族 意 识
Foreigners coming to learn Chinese characters stimulates my cultural knowledge and heritage
mǎ qián zǐ jué míng zǐ cāng ěr zǐ hái yǒu lián zǐ
马 钱 子 决 明 子 苍 耳 子 还 有 莲 子
Strychnos, sicklepod, rough cocklebur and lotus seed
huáng yào zǐ kǔ dòu zǐ chuān liàn zǐ wǒ yào miàn zǐ
黄 药 子 苦 豆 子 川 楝 子 我 要 面 子
Air yam, sophora root, chinaberry, I want face
yòng wǒ de fāng shì gǎi xiě yī bù lì shǐ
用 我 的 方 式 改 写 一 部 历 史
Using my own approach to rewrite a part of history
méi shí me bié de shì gēn zhe wǒ niàn jǐ gè zì
没 什 么 别 的 事 跟 着 我 念 几 个 字
This is not something special, follow me in uttering a few words
shān yào dāng guī gǒu qǐ GO
山 药 当 归 枸 杞 GO
Chinese yam, female ginseng, goji, go!
shān yào dāng guī gǒu qǐ GO
山 药 当 归 枸 杞 GO
Chinese yam, female ginseng, goji, go!
kàn wǒ zhuā yī bǎ zhōng yào fú xià yī tiē jiāo ào
看 我 抓 一 把 中 药 服 下 一 帖 骄 傲
Watch me grab some Chinese medicines and throw in some pride
wǒ biǎo qíng yōu zāi tiào gè dà gài
我 表 情 悠 哉 跳 个 大 概
My reaction is tranquil, I hurdle over problems
dòng zuò qīng sōng zì zài nǐ xué bú lái
动 作 轻 松 自 在 你 学 不 来
My actions are relaxed and free, you will never learn
ní hóng de zhāo pái diào zhěng hǎo zhuàng tài
霓 虹 的 招 牌 调 整 好 状 态
Neon signs organised into a neat manner
zài huá lì de chéng shì děng dài xǐng lái
在 华 丽 的 城 市 等 待 醒 来
In this grand city waiting [for it] to awaken
wǒ biǎo qíng yōu zāi tiào gè dà gài
我 表 情 悠 哉 跳 个 大 概
My reaction is tranquil, I hurdle over problems
yòng shū fǎ shū cháo dài nèi lì chuán kāi
用 书 法 书 朝 代 内 力 传 开
Use calligraphy to describe a dynasty, internal force is unleashed
háo qì huī zhèng kǎi gěi yī quán duì bái
豪 气 挥 正 楷 给 一 拳 对 白
Write standard calligraphy in a gallant manner, give a fist of dialogue
jié jú píng tǎng xià lái kàn shuí lì hài
结 局 平 躺 下 来 看 谁 厉 害
The ending starts to become clear, see who is the most impressive
liàn chéng shí me dān róu chéng shí me wán
炼 成 什 么 丹 揉 成 什 么 丸
Refined into what panacea? Kneaded into what pill?
lù róng qiē piàn bú néng tài báo
鹿 茸 切 片 不 能 太 薄
Velvet antlers must not be sliced too thinly
lǎo shī fù de shǒu fǎ bú néng zhè yàng luàn chāo
老 师 傅 的 手 法 不 能 这 样 乱 抄
the old masters’ skill cannot just be haphazardly copied
guī líng gāo yún nán bái yào hái yǒu dōng chóng xià cǎo
龟 苓 膏 云 南 白 药 还 有 冬 虫 夏 草
Tortoise jelly, Yunnan Baiyao and cordyceps
zì jǐ de yīn lè zì jǐ de yào fèn liàng gāng gāng hǎo
自 己 的 音 乐 自 己 的 药 分 量 刚 刚 好
My own music, my medicine, the amount is just right
tīng wǒ shuō zhōng yào kǔ chāo xí yīng gāi gèng kǔ
听 我 说 中 药 苦 抄 袭 应 该 更 苦
Once heard that Chinese medicines were very bitter, plagiarism is even more distasteful
kuài fān kāi běn cǎo gāng mù duō kàn yī xiē shàn běn shū
快 翻 开 本 草 纲 目 多 看 一 些 善 本 书
Quickly open the Herbalist’s Manual, read more books on virtues
chán sū dì lóng yǐ fān guò jiāng hú
蟾 酥 地 龙 已 翻 过 江 湖
Bufotoxin, Di Long overturn the underworld
zhè xiē lǎo zǔ zōng de xīn kǔ wǒ men yī dìng bú néng shū
这 些 老 祖 宗 的 辛 苦 我 们 一 定 不 能 输
This is our ancestors’ hard work, we cannot lose
jiù shì zhè gè guāng jiù shì zhè gè guāng yī qǐ chàng
就 是 这 个 光 就 是 这 个 光 一 起 唱
This is the light, this is the light, let’s sing together
（jiù shì zhè gè guāng jiù shì zhè gè guāng Hey~）
（就 是 这 个 光 就 是 这 个 光 Hey~）
(This is the light, this is the light, hey)
ràng wǒ lái diào gè piān fāng zhuān zhì nǐ mèi wài de nèi shāng
让 我 来 调 个 偏 方 专 治 你 媚 外 的 内 伤
Let me write you a prescription that especially cures internal wounds of foreign-fawning
yǐ zhā gēn qiān nián de hàn fāng yǒu bié rén bú zhī dào de lì liàng
已 扎 根 千 年 的 汉 方 有 别 人 不 知 道 的 力 量
A prescription rooted in millenniums of Chinese culture has unknown strength
wǒ biǎo qíng yōu zāi tiào gè dà gài
我 表 情 悠 哉 跳 个 大 概
My reaction is tranquil, I hurdle over problems
dòng zuò qīng sōng zì zài nǐ xué bú lái
动 作 轻 松 自 在 你 学 不 来
My actions are relaxed and free, you will never learn
ní hóng de zhāo pái diào zhěng hǎo zhuàng tài
霓 虹 的 招 牌 调 整 好 状 态
Neon signs organised into a neat manner
zài huá lì de chéng shì děng dài xǐng lái
在 华 丽 的 城 市 等 待 醒 来
In this grand city waiting [for it] to awaken
wǒ biǎo qíng yōu zāi tiào gè dà gài
我 表 情 悠 哉 跳 个 大 概
My reaction is tranquil, I hurdle over problems
yòng shū fǎ shū cháo dài nèi lì chuán kāi
用 书 法 书 朝 代 内 力 传 开
Use calligraphy to describe a dynasty, internal force is unleashed
háo qì huī zhèng kǎi gěi yī quán duì bái
豪 气 挥 正 楷 给 一 拳 对 白
Write standard calligraphy in a gallant manner, give a fist of dialogue
jié jú píng tǎng xià lái kàn shuí lì hài
结 局 平 躺 下 来 看 谁 厉 害
The ending starts to become clear, see who is the most impressive
dūn xiǎo jiāng shī dūn xiǎo jiāng shī dūn
蹲 小 僵 尸 蹲 小 僵 尸 蹲
Squat, little zombie, squat, little zombie, squat
yòu dūn xiǎo jiāng shī dūn àn xiàng diǎn dēng
又 蹲 小 僵 尸 蹲 暗 巷 点 灯
Squat again, little zombie, squat, light the dark alleyway
yòu dūn xiǎo jiāng shī dūn zuàn luó bo kēng
又 蹲 小 僵 尸 蹲 钻 萝 卜 坑
Squat again, little zombie, squat, dig a turnip hole
yòu dūn xiǎo jiāng shī dūn niàn zhòu yǔ hēng
又 蹲 小 僵 尸 蹲 念 咒 语 哼
Squat again, little zombie, squat, chant a mantra
dūn xiǎo jiāng shī dūn xiǎo jiāng shī dūn
蹲 小 僵 尸 蹲 小 僵 尸 蹲
Squat, little zombie, squat, little zombie, squat
yòu dūn xiǎo jiāng shī dūn àn xiàng diǎn dēng
又 蹲 小 僵 尸 蹲 暗 巷 点 灯
Squat again, little zombie, squat, light the dark alleyway
yòu dūn xiǎo jiāng shī dūn zuàn luó bo kēng
又 蹲 小 僵 尸 蹲 钻 萝 卜 坑
Squat again, little zombie, squat, dig a turnip hole
yòu dūn xiǎo jiāng shī dūn niàn zhòu yǔ hēng
又 蹲 小 僵 尸 蹲 念 咒 语 哼
Squat again, little zombie, squat, chant a mantra
lā lā lā lā lā （lā lā lā lā lā ）
啦 啦 啦 啦 啦 （啦 啦 啦 啦 啦 ）
La la la la la (La la la la la)
lā lā lā lā lā （lā lā lā lā lā hēi ～）
啦 啦 啦 啦 啦 （啦 啦 啦 啦 啦 嘿 ～）
La la la la la (La la la la la, hey)
lā lā lā lā lā （lā lā lā lā lā ）
啦 啦 啦 啦 啦 （啦 啦 啦 啦 啦 ）
La la la la la (La la la la la)
lā lā lā lā lā （lā lā lā lā lā ）
啦 啦 啦 啦 啦 （啦 啦 啦 啦 啦 ）
La la la la la (La la la la la)
Covers & Versions of “Herbalist’s Manual”
MV Version
Live performance in 2007
Live performance by Jay Chou周杰伦 & Song Zuying宋祖英 (there’s an interesting story behind this performance, around 2008, a netizen posted a video that went viral, which combined this song of Jay Chou with the “Spicy Girl辣妹子” of Song Zuying宋祖英 (a famous folk song singer in China) because part of the two songs were similar, later the two singers actually performed this song together on the 2009 New Year Gala.)
Live performance in Singapore in 2022
Cover by 7en
Dance Cover
KTV/Instrumental version
Exercise Version
Drum Tutorial Version
Cover by Zhou Shen周深 in dialect
Drum Cover
Cover by TF Family TF家族
Chords of “Herbalist’s Manual”
https://chordify.net/chords/zhou-jie-lun-songs/ben-cao-gang-mu-chords
Download/MP3 of “Herbalist’s Manual”
Please support the artist by paying for the music, later I will add the legitimate download source of this song, please come back later, thank you
