Onlooker壁上观(Bi Shang Guan) By Yi Ke Xiao Cong一棵小葱(周明聪) & Zhang Xiaohan张晓涵(张曦匀)

CSID_YKXC&AZX_19_O

Pinyin Lyrics, English Lyrics (Translation), Info/About, Background Story, Covers & Versions, Chords, Video, and Streaming Links of Onlooker壁上观(Bi Shang Guan) By Yi Ke Xiao Cong一棵小葱(周明聪) & Zhang Xiaohan张晓涵(张曦匀)

Info/About “Onlooker”

Song Name	Onlooker壁上观(Bi Shang Guan)
Artist	Yi Ke Xiao Cong一棵小葱(周明聪) & Zhang Xiaohan张晓涵(张曦匀)
Lyricist	Xiao Liu
Composer	Yi Ke Xiao Cong
Released	2019
Genre	Chinoiserie
Language	Mandarin

Background Story of “Onlooker”

This song was released on June 27, 2019, and has become one of the most popular tracks by Yi Ke Xiao Cong一棵小葱(周明聪) & Zhang Xiaohan张晓涵(张曦匀). Since its release, it has been widely covered by other artists and has gone viral on TikTok and other social media platforms in 2024.

A Timeless Journey Through Cave Murals
The song “Onlooker” is set against the backdrop of Tang Dynasty Dunhuang murals, telling the story of a visitor to the Mogao Caves. As they gaze upon the celestial feitian (flying apsaras) paintings, their mind drifts into endless reverie, as if transported to the golden age of the Tang Empire.

Blending Artistry Across Eras
Singer Zhang Xiaohan masterfully weaves together pop, opera, and folk vocal styles in this musical creation. The song’s concept emerged when the creative director of Yike Xiaocong envisioned an archaeologist (or traveler) lost in desert winds, stumbling upon an ancient city. The protagonist gets magically drawn into the murals where celestial maidens come alive, witnessing both the civilization’s glorious peak and its eventual decline – until the music fades and the dream abruptly ends, leaving only the silent murals as witnesses to history.

Lyrics in Pinyin/Mandarin/English of “Onlooker”

yí wàng de shā rào zhǐ jiān liú zhuǎn
遗忘的沙绕指尖流转
Forgotten sands flow through fingertips

yún lóu xiān zǐ shuǐ xiù chán mián
云楼仙子水袖缠绵
Cloud tower fairy, water sleeves entwine

jiā lán pú tí xià kè dào lái
迦蓝菩提下客到来
Guests arrive beneath the Bodhi tree

mèng yāo qǐ wǔ bā bù tiān
梦邀起舞八部天
Dreams invite dance of celestial beings

lín xún de gōu hè qǐ fú céng luán
嶙峋的沟壑起伏层峦
Jagged ravines and undulating peaks

shēng xiāo pí pá jīn sè bù niǎn
笙箫琵琶金色步辇
Sheng flute, pipa, golden palanquin

qiān qiū huáng shā bù céng tuì jiǎn
千秋黄沙不曾褪减
Millennia of yellow sand never fade

quán táng de nóng mò zhòng cǎi
全唐的浓墨重彩
Tang dynasty’s rich colors

yī chà nà xǔ xǔ lǚ yǐng fú guāng yìng gōng què
一刹那栩栩缕影浮光映宫阙
In an instant, vivid shadows reflect on palaces

cuò wèn jīn xī shì hé nián
错问今夕是何年
Mistakenly asking what year this is

qīng hú xuán jì wǔ dēng huǒ zài hé chù cháng mián
轻胡旋伎舞灯火在何处长眠
Where do the whirling dancers’ lanterns rest

bàn zhe fán xīng yìng zhū tiān
伴着繁星映诸天
Accompanied by stars reflecting heaven

xuě jìn rǎn wàn qiān huá guāng zhōng shēng sù fó kān
雪浸染万千华光钟声塑佛龛
Snow dyes glorious lights, bells shape Buddha niches

cǐ qù méng chén yǐn lè yàn
此去蒙尘饮乐宴
This dusty journey to feasts

zhū yán gǎi zěn bù jiàn kū huà xī rì cuǐ càn
朱颜改怎不见窟画昔日璀璨
Why don’t we see the cave paintings’ past brilliance

què xǐng lái zuò bì shàng guān
却醒来作壁上观
Only to wake as an onlooker