[In ancient China, “song was how the government found out what the people were thinking.” – Eliot Weinberger] What the peasants are singing – listen ... is it happy? Do they praise the husbandman and the harvest? Do they rejoice in their wives and children? Do they express profound gratitude to the Emperor and bless the order of things? Or – or are the songs just too happy – sung all too often? Is there a hint of irony here, a subtle discontent with our rule? Should we take … [Read more...]