JiaYou
“Jiayou” is an energetic celebration of China's natural beauty, rich cultural heritage, remarkable inventions, and spirit of perseverance. Through the eyes of an African visitor, the song journeys across Guilin, Zhangjiajie, and Huangshan, expressing wonder at the country's breathtaking landscapes.
The lyrics honor China's historical contributions, including paper, printing, gunpowder, and the compass, while celebrating its transformation through hard work, resilience, and steady progress.
The song also embraces everyday Chinese life, from communal dancing in public squares to the warmth of sharing a meal around a family table.
At its heart, “Jiayou” is a joyful call to keep moving forward, reminding us that great achievements are built through persistence, unity, and the determination never to give up.
Cover art for ZSORAYII’s “Jiayou” shows a Black African woman in an elegant red-and-gold dress beside a Chinese woman in traditional-inspired attire holding a pipa. They stand together on a boat amid China’s dramatic karst mountains, misty waterways, pagodas, and a passing high-speed train. The warm scene symbolizes friendship, cultural connection, tradition, natural beauty, and modern progress.
Ah! Jiayou!
I land for Guilin
where the mountain dey stand for water,
shanshui, shanshui,
stone wey God carve with him hand,
Zhangjiajie dey rise like finger
wey point for sky,
Huangshan yunhai,
cloud dey pass under my eye,
I no get word for this one,
so I go use their own,
hao mei, hao mei,
beauty wey stand alone.
Zhongguo, Zhongguo,
zhan qilai,
bowl wey empty before
don full again today.
Jiayou, jiayou,
bu ting, no dey stop,
jiayou, jiayou,
manman lai, e go work,
zhi, huoyao, zhinanzhen,
paper, powder, needle for sea,
jiayou, jiayou,
look wetin dem build for we.
Dem write for paper
before paper reach the world,
dem print am, dem sail am,
dem point am north for the girl,
hunger been sit for the table
like family wey no dey leave,
now the table full of steam
and the train dey fly for eve,
no be magic, na morning,
na the same hand every day,
manman lai, manman lai,
brick by brick dem lay.
Jiayou, jiayou,
bu ting, no dey stop,
jiayou, jiayou,
manman lai, e go work,
zhi, huoyao, zhinanzhen,
paper, powder, needle for sea,
jiayou, jiayou,
look wetin dem build for we.
guangchang, guangchang,
ayi tiao wu,
yi qi, yi qi,
tiao wu, tiao wu,
guangchang, guangchang,
ayi tiao wu,
yi qi, yi qi,
bu ting, bu ting.
bu ting, bu ting.
For here dem no dey ask you
how you dey,
dem go ask you
chi fan le ma,
you don chop today?
one round table,
one hot pot,
everybody hand inside,
na so love dey talk
when e no wan hide.
Jiayou, jiayou,
bu ting, no dey stop,
jiayou, jiayou,
manman lai, e go work,
zhi, huoyao, zhinanzhen,
paper, powder, needle for sea,
jiayou, jiayou,
look wetin dem build for we.
hao mei,
Zhongguo,
jiayou, jiayou,
jiayou,
jiayou,
jiayou,
jiayou!