Shanghai's Rainbow Singers (彩虹室内合唱团) have released a video detailing the kind of interrogations and tribulations that young people across the country will be gritting their teeth through over Chinese New Year – all in song form, of course.
The comical composition, officially entitled 'What I Do Is For Your Own Good' in English (though more akin to 'CNY Survival Guide' in Chinese), has gone viral ahead of the Spring Festival, racking up hundreds of thousands of views since it was uploaded last week.
'Have you got a significant other? / Is there someone you like? / If not, then let's set you up on a date tomorrow / you better lose some weight quickly,' goes the opening verse. Another deals with a rich next door neighbour's son in a designer hoodie and with a motorcade of Land Rovers parked out front who is well on his way to being 'the next Mark Zuckerberg' – 'You should know you're miles behind', chides the family. The chorus runs 'It's all for your own good'.
The lines are jokey and the audience chuckles along, but of course there's an underlying truth to all of this – and the feelings of inadequacy and parental pressure have clearly struck a note with viewers preparing to return home in the coming days. 'Art coming from life! This is truly authentic art,' comments one user on Youku. 'Genius! Down to earth,' says another. Numerous commenters say the song should be on the Spring Festival Gala, CCTV's traditional Chinese New Year television variety epic.
Here's the (Chinese only) QQ version:
This isn't the first time that the choral group have found favour with Chinese netizens. Founded in 2010 by a group of friends at Shanghai Conservatory of Music, the choir saw their song about excessive working hours - 'My Body is Hollowed Out' – also go viral last summer.
If you're headed home soon for scenes of this sort, good luck.