The Legend of Guan Di
The McCain Brothers Lyrics
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A god of the sun, the moon, the wind, and rain
It's hard to imagine and it may sound absurd
But there's even a patron saint of bean-curd
Guan-Di is his name
Guan-Di is his name
Guan-Di is his name
In the mining town of Gold Lick, the year was 1870
The Chinese came to work, and rid themselves of poverty
Then one night it happened, disaster struck
A rumble from below, the Chinese were stuck
An old chinaman prayed, for the loved ones he so cherished
Asking the saint of curd, to protect the souls who perished
Guan-Di is his name
Guan-Di is his name
Guan-You Guan-Me Guan-Di
Guan-Di is his name
With flashing red eyes, and a flowing white beard
Everyone knew he was a god to be feared
No living creature survived his wrath
Everyone knew not to ever cross his path
Guan-Di is his name
Guan-Di is his name
Guan-You Guan-Me Guan-Di
Guan-Di is his name
The McCain Brothers' "The Legend of Guan-Di" is a song that talks about the Chinese belief of a god for everything, from natural elements like sun and moon to specific items like bean-curd. However, the focus of the song is on the god Guan-Di, who is the patron saint of bean-curd. The song narrates a mining town in Gold Lick, which had Chinese workers trying to rid themselves of poverty. One night, disaster struck, and the Chinese were stuck after a rumble from below. An old chinaman who deeply cared for his loved ones prayed for the souls who had perished, asking the saint of curd, Guan-Di, to protect them.
The song describes Guan-Di as a god to be feared, with flashing red eyes and a flowing white beard. No living creature can survive his wrath or cross his path. The lyrics of the song assert that Guan-Di was called upon, and he indeed heard the prayers of the old chinaman and provided protection to the souls who had perished. The song highlights the belief in Chinese mythology and the importance of faith in the divine to ward off evil.
Line by Line Meaning
The Chinese believe there is a god of everything
Chinese culture is rich in theology, with each aspect of life having its own deity.
A god of the sun, the moon, the wind, and rain
Not only are natural aspects deified, but also weather conditions.
It's hard to imagine and it may sound absurd
Westerners may find it difficult to comprehend the extent of Chinese spirituality.
but there's even a patron saint of bean-curd
Deities exist for even the most mundane aspects of life, such as food.
Guan-Di is his name
The focus of this story is Guan-Di, a deity worshiped by some Chinese.
Guan-You Guan-Me Guan-Di
A playful variation of Guan-Di's name, with different interpretations possible.
In the mining town of Gold Lick, the year was 1870
This story takes place in a historic mining community populated by Chinese laborers.
the Chinese came to work, and rid themselves of poverty
Many Chinese immigrated to the United States in search of economic opportunity.
Then one night it happened, disaster struck
A calamitous event befell the miners, causing great loss of life.
A rumble from below, the Chinese were stuck
It is unclear from the lyrics what calamity had occurred, but many Chinese miners were trapped underground.
An old chinaman prayed, for the loved ones he so cherished
An elderly Chinese man, likely a survivor of the disaster, prayed for his friends and family who were caught in the catastrophe.
Asking the saint of curd, to protect the souls who perished
The man prayed to Guan-Di, who is apparently associated with bean-curd, to safeguard the souls of the dead miners.
With flashing red eyes, and a flowing white beard
Guan-Di is depicted as having intimidating and striking facial features.
Everyone knew he was a god to be feared
Guan-Di was not just a benign patron saint, but a deity with the power to cause destruction.
No living creature survived his wrath
Guan-Di was capable of unleashing catastrophic force that could annihilate all life in its path.
Everyone knew not to ever cross his path
The miners in Gold Lick learned to respect the power and authority of Guan-Di.
Writer(s): ben mccain
Contributed by Sadie T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.