— To make an appointment at our new space in Chinatown, Manhattan, email lulu@far-near.media
— To make an appointment at our new space in Chinatown, Manhattan, email lulu@far-near.media
— To make an appointment at our new space in Chinatown, Manhattan, email lulu@far-near.media
— To make an appointment at our new space in Chinatown, Manhattan, email lulu@far-near.media
— To make an appointment at our new space in Chinatown, Manhattan, email lulu@far-near.media
— To make an appointment at our new space in Chinatown, Manhattan, email lulu@far-near.media
— To make an appointment at our new space in Chinatown, Manhattan, email lulu@far-near.media
— To make an appointment at our new space in Chinatown, Manhattan, email lulu@far-near.media
— To make an appointment at our new space in Chinatown, Manhattan, email lulu@far-near.media
— To make an appointment at our new space in Chinatown, Manhattan, email lulu@far-near.media
— To make an appointment at our new space in Chinatown, Manhattan, email lulu@far-near.media
— To make an appointment at our new space in Chinatown, Manhattan, email lulu@far-near.media
Angela Lin
In the year 2000, Taiwanese musician Lim Giong composed the music for Hsiao Hsien Hou’s now cult-classic film, Millennium Mambo. His song, A Pure Person has gained a cult following of its own, played by thousands across the globe and enciting a sense of nostalgia for a place not every person listening has been.
20 years later, album producer and A&R Angela Lin collaborated with Lim Giong to enlist five artists (Alex Zhang Hungtai, Jieh, Point, Yuying Hsu, Non-Confined Space) to reinterpret what it means today with a new album collaboration, alongside a release of a new song by Giong himself, named “Recite.”
Here, Angela Lin interviews Giong for FAR–NEAR about what it means to be a pure person in an increasingly polarized world.
Angela Lin In 2020, what does ordinary, peace, pure person mean to you?
在 2020，你對 「善良, 平凡, 快樂/單純的人」有什麼認知？
Lim Giong Fulfill your duties as much as possible without overdoing it, reduce your ego, don’t be too greedy and do good deeds.
日常生活工作盡可能的隨緣，減少自我，克制慾妄，多做好事。
Angela Why did you agree to do this project? How does it feel to have other artists re-interpreting the track?
你為什麼同意做這個企劃案呢？對於其他音樂家來重新詮釋您的音樂您有什麼分享？
Lim It happened naturally, just like how the album, “A Pure Person,” was produced. It wasn’t planned. In recent years, making a music album or compilation wasn’t on my mind. It was only on August 1, 2017, when I received an email from California sent by Angela Lin, that the album began… Angela, my work partner, found musicians to reinterpret the song and I chose the pieces I liked. Apart from Point, I didn’t know and haven’t met any of the artists.
它是自然發生的，就像是這張《單純的人》專輯可以製作出來，我一直都是被動的，近年我沒有企圖心跟時間做一張音樂專輯或合輯，只是2017年8月1日在Gmail電郵上接到一封來自美國加州的英文信，署名是：Angela Lin,然後一切都從這裡開始….，工作夥伴找了一些音樂家，我選擇的都是自己喜歡的音樂，除了Point,其他人我不認識也沒見過面。
Angela How does this new song “Recite” connect to the original “A Pure Person” track?
請問這首「Recite」和您的原作「單純人」之間有什麼承傳？
Lim The song “A Pure Person” was about my emotional mindset at the time it was composed. Similarly, “Recite” also reflects my current self. Since the theme of the album relates to what I created 20 years ago, the songs start off as a continuation of where I was 20 years ago. It gradually develops and the chants of “Heart Sutra” at the end reflect my current state of mind.
《單純的人》這首歌，說的是我當下的心情，「recite」 也是用當下的我來創作，既然這張專輯的主題跟20年前相關，我所唱的內容是跟20年前是連結的，最後轉到唱誦《心經》是我現在的狀態。
Angela What were your different states of mind or different processes when writing “A Pure Person” vs “Recite”?
當您在寫作念和單純的人時您有有什麼不同的心態和不同的寫作過程？
Lim “A Pure Person” was written in 2000, when I had just established my studio in Taipei. Three people were involved with the composition, and the mixdown was completed by another mixer. At that time, I was still mentally exploring the process. “Recite” was recorded in my studio in Taichung and I created it alone, from beginning to end. Originally a friend was helping with the mix, but in the end I chose to go with my own version. I had a relatively clear state of mind when I wrote this song.
《單純的人》2000年我剛在台北成立工作室，有三個人參與編曲，有一個混音師mixdown，那時心態還在探索，《念》是在台中家裡的工作室，從頭至尾都是我一人創作，本來有一位朋友參與混音，但最終我還是選擇自己混音的這版，此時的心態比較安定。
No matter how complicated the world is, how heavy the heart is, how tempted by fame and fortune you are, and even if you feel as though you’ve been defiled and corrupted, remind yourself to be a pure person and improve your spirituality and conscience.
不管世界多複雜，內心有多陰暗，外在的名利有多誘惑，自己受了染污與墮落，要提醒自己，做一個單純的人，提升自己的靈性與良心。
Angela How have you changed as an artist between this release of “A Pure Person” and “Recite” ?
作為一個作曲家當您release念和單純的人的時候有什麼改變嗎？
Lim “A Pure Person” is more purposeful, while “Recite” is more casual.
《單純的人》比較有目的性，《念》比較隨緣。
Angela Why did you choose to sing in traditional Taiwanese opera style for the song?
請問您這首歌為什麼選擇台灣傳統歌仔戲的形式來表達？
Lim I am always thinking about where I come from, where I will go in the future, the significance of my cultural heritage and environmental factors and how I can communicate with others while maintaining my independence in this globalized world.
一直在思考，我從哪裡來，將來要往哪裡去，我的文化血脈與環境對我的影響與意義，在這全球化的世界中，我如何與人溝通和自己獨立的存在。
Angela What mood or philosophy did you want to express with the original “A Pure Person” ?
請問在您原作單純的人這首歌中，你想表達的哲學思想或心態是什麼？
Lim No matter how complicated the world is, how heavy the heart is, how tempted by fame and fortune you are, and even if you feel as though you’ve been defiled and corrupted, remind yourself to be a pure person and improve your spirituality and conscience.
不管世界多複雜，內心有多陰暗，外在的名利有多誘惑，自己受了染污與墮落，要提醒自己，做一個單純的人，提升自己的靈性與良心。
Angela What do you think about spreading Taiwanese culture or music to the rest of the world?
請問您對台灣的文化和歌曲傳到世界你有什麼意見？
Lim I don’t have such ambitions. Musical works have their own vitality and that is mostly beyond my control. Each piece has its own fate. All I can do is try my best and go with the flow.
我沒有這樣的企圖心，如我所說，音樂作品有自己的生命力，大部分是我不能控制的，作品有各自的機緣，我能做的只是盡心盡力，其他順其自然。
Angela Lin
Acudus Aranyian
Dier Zhang