於是她不再歌唱

Limona Li's song "於是她不再歌唱" is a poignant reflection on resistance, silence, and the struggle for freedom. Dedicated to the year 2022 and the poet Bei Dao, the lyrics paint a vivid picture of a night filled with protest and the quiet despair that follows. The song captures the essence of a life fighting against unseen forces, where voices are stifled, and words lose their power, dissolving into the rain. In this context, silence becomes a form of armor, a way to protect oneself when expression is no longer safe or possible.

The repetition of the phrase "於是她不再歌唱" ("thus she no longer sings") underscores a profound transformation. The protagonist chooses silence as both a weapon and a burden, a means of survival in a world where truth and lies blur together. The imagery of burning books and the inability to distinguish between right and wrong highlights the oppressive environment that forces individuals to abandon their quest for truth. This silence is not a sign of defeat but a strategic retreat, a way to endure and resist in a time when open defiance could lead to destruction.

The song's closing lines evoke a powerful image of defiance and hope. The "silent horizon" separating the living from the dead symbolizes the choice between submission and resistance. The protagonist's decision to "choose the sky" rather than kneel signifies a refusal to be subdued by oppressors. The metaphor of "blood-red dawn" emerging from the "bullet holes of stars" suggests that even in the darkest times, there is a promise of a new beginning, a dawn of freedom and change.