I stumbled across the superb Chinese donghua Zen Dao Ge, Season 1 a few weeks ago, and binged all 12 episodes in one sitting.
It is a martial arts-themed animation that follows He Fangzhi, a young man who’s father was betrayed by people he trusted, leading to the murder of 17 family members and leaving He Fangzhi alone.
After spending 13 years perfecting his martial art, he sets off on a long journey to find the people who sold his father out with only revenge in mind.
It is a story that is as sad as it is satisfying, as He Fangzhi systematically finds the people responsible and makes them pay and with an ending with a twist, and is filled with stunningly animated fight scenes and a beautiful quite stylized art style.
Zen Dao Ge, Season 1 also features an opening and an ending theme song. Both of which are fabulous songs, but it is Zen Dao Ge’s ending theme song I am here to talk about today.
As that song is so heartrendingly lovely, it burrows its way into your memory and won’t let go.
Zen Dao Ge‘s ending theme song – ‘遠行人’ by Yamo (aka ‘The One Who Travels Afar‘)
While the Zen Dao Ge ED’s title ‘遠行人’ has been translated as ‘The One Who Travels Afar’, another translation can also mean ‘Distant Pedestrians‘.
Both are pretty titles, so take your pick of the one you prefer.
It is a song performed by Yamo with a sweet, melancholic voice that perfectly illustrates the poignancy of He Fangzhi’s long journey because, while he finds person after person in a chain of people responsible for his family’s death, he still feels they are all sheltering the real culprit.
Besides, killing them will never bring his father or the rest of his family back.
The ”遠行人’ by Yamo’ lyrics also tell the story of He Fangzhi’s loss in such a heart-felt way:
The bright moon shines everywhere
Reflecting on waters all around
The wind howls, and waves surge
Families are scattered, loved ones lost
The mountains are distance, the waters far away
Life or death we’ll know today
Heart flustered, mind bewildered
How bright the moon shines wherever you areTraveling under wind and rain
Over mountains and rivers, on this long journey we won’t meet again
The minnow is swift, the sadness deep
Life is but a fleeting dream
Rivers are wide, and blood crimson
The silvery waves move of their own will
Rivers and lakes darken, while the Milky Way shines
This small boat sets off, and stops for no-one
‘遠行人’ by Yamo, of course, is also the song Ah Ya sings in Episode 5, as she and He Fangzhi are rowing the boat through the flooded lands. The song her parents taught her.
You can listen to the Zhen Dao Ge ending theme song — ‘遠行人’ by Yamo (aka ‘The One Who Travels Afar‘) in both the video and on the Spotify player below. (song #2 on the player)
The player also features the opening theme song sung by Liu Minghui as the first track.
Unfortunately, it is impossible to find Zhen Dao Ge streaming on any legal service, at least in Europe where I am located.
Tencent Video (aka WeTV) was streaming it at one point, but isn’t at the moment. In other words, do your best.