Hu Shi wrote this poem originally titled "Hope" in 1921. That summer when he went to Xishan, his friends Xiong Bingsan and his wife gave him a pot of orchid. He happily took it home and took good care of it while reading and writing. However, no flowers bloomed until autumn. So I wrote this little poem.
Hu Shi is a powerful figure in modern Chinese history, but not many of his works are truly known to the public. This song "Orchid Grass" may be the most widely circulated one. It is fresh, simple, and affectionate, and the expectation and cherishment of life are vividly displayed on the page, and it is catchy. But every time I hum this song, in the beautiful melody, what appears in front of my eyes is not the orchid grass, but the hurried and persistent figure of Hu Shi. When Hu Shi returned from his studies, he also brought an "orchid grass" - liberalism. He traveled thousands of miles to bring it back, planted it on Chinese soil, carefully cared for it, and eagerly expected it to bloom - —It’s more than just “looking three times a day”! I think it was precisely because Hu Shi was in such an anxious mood that when he saw this orchid that had not bloomed for a long time, he suddenly fell in love with the scene and became inspired to write poems. Giving it the name "Hope" may be in the hope that liberal ideas will spread throughout China as soon as possible. Now that this person has passed away, the singing is still in my ears. Thinking about Hu Shi's "orchid grass" that has been in the wind and rain for nearly a hundred years, I can't erase the slightest trace of melancholy.