Red Cloth” (一块红布, yī kuài hóng bù) is a song by Cui Jian (崔健), often called the father of Chinese rock. Cui Jian rose to fame in the 1980s as a pioneer of rock music in China, using his music to express deep emotions, social critique, and personal struggles. Here’s the Chinese lyrics with English translations, pinyin and more.
Cui Jian’s “一块红布” (“A Piece of Red Cloth”) is considered to be one of the most famous songs in Chinese rock. Released in 1991 on the album Solution, it uses the image of a red cloth blindfolding “the narrator” to explore themes of obedience, illusion, dependence, and loss of freedom.
The lyrics can be read as a personal love story, but many listeners and scholars interpret them as a metaphor for political authority, ideological control, and the frustrations of Chinese youth around the late 1980s and early 1990s. The recurring tension between comfort and blindness is central to the song’s power.
The song became especially iconic because Cui often performed it wearing a red blindfold. Its imagery, combined with Cui’s status as the “father of Chinese rock,” helped make it a lasting symbol of dissent, self-expression, and social reflection in modern Chinese music.
Table of Contents
崔健 – 一块红布 (1991)
Verse 1
那天是你用一块红布
蒙住我双眼也蒙住了天
你问我看见了什么
我说我看见了幸福
Verse 2
这个感觉真让我舒服
它让我忘掉我没地儿住
你问我还要去何方
我说要上你的路
Verse 3
看不见你也看不见路
我的手也被你攥住
你问我还在想什么
我说要让你做主
Chorus
哦 我感觉你不是铁
却像铁一样的强和烈
哦 我感觉你身上有血
因为你的手是热乎乎
Verse 4
这个感觉真让我舒服
它让我忘掉我没地儿住
你问我还要去何方
我说要上你的路
Bridge
哦 我感觉这不是荒野
却看不见这儿的土地已经干裂
哦 我感觉我要喝点水
可你的嘴将我的嘴堵住
Outro
我不能走我也不能哭
因为我的身体已经干枯
我要永远这样陪伴着你
因为我最知道你的痛苦
Lyrics with pinyin and translation
Verse 1
那天是你用一块红布
Nà tiān shì nǐ yòng yī kuài hóng bù
That day, you used a piece of red cloth
蒙住我双眼也蒙住了天
Méng zhù wǒ shuāng yǎn yě méng zhù le tiān
To cover my eyes and also cover the sky
你问我看见了什么
Nǐ wèn wǒ kàn jiàn le shén me
You asked me what I saw
我说我看见了幸福
Wǒ shuō wǒ kàn jiàn le xìng fú
I said I saw happiness
Verse 2
这个感觉真让我舒服
Zhè gè gǎn jué zhēn ràng wǒ shū fu
This feeling really makes me comfortable
它让我忘掉我没地儿住
Tā ràng wǒ wàng diào wǒ méi dì ér zhù
It makes me forget that I have no place to stay
你问我还要去何方
Nǐ wèn wǒ hái yào qù hé fāng
You asked me where else I wanted to go
我说要上你的路
Wǒ shuō yào shàng nǐ de lù
I said I wanted to follow your path
Verse 3
看不见你也看不见路
Kàn bù jiàn nǐ yě kàn bù jiàn lù
I can’t see you, and I can’t see the road
我的手也被你攥住
Wǒ de shǒu yě bèi nǐ zuàn zhù
My hand is also tightly held by you
你问我还在想什么
Nǐ wèn wǒ hái zài xiǎng shén me
You asked me what I was still thinking about
我说要让你做主
Wǒ shuō yào ràng nǐ zuò zhǔ
I said I wanted you to take control
Chorus
哦 我感觉你不是铁
Ó wǒ gǎn jué nǐ bú shì tiě
Oh, I feel that you are not made of iron
却像铁一样的强和烈
Què xiàng tiě yī yàng de qiáng hé liè
Yet you are as strong and fierce as iron
哦 我感觉你身上有血
Ó wǒ gǎn jué nǐ shēn shàng yǒu xuè
Oh, I feel that there is blood in your body
因为你的手是热乎乎
Yīn wèi nǐ de shǒu shì rè hū hū
Because your hands are warm
Verse 4
这个感觉真让我舒服
Zhè gè gǎn jué zhēn ràng wǒ shū fu
This feeling really makes me comfortable
它让我忘掉我没地儿住
Tā ràng wǒ wàng diào wǒ méi dì ér zhù
It makes me forget that I have no place to stay
你问我还要去何方
Nǐ wèn wǒ hái yào qù hé fāng
You asked me where else I wanted to go
我说要上你的路
Wǒ shuō yào shàng nǐ de lù
I said I wanted to follow your path
Bridge
哦 我感觉这不是荒野
Ó wǒ gǎn jué zhè bú shì huāng yě
Oh, I feel this is not a wasteland
却看不见这儿的土地已经干裂
Què kàn bù jiàn zhè ér de tǔ dì yǐ jīng gān liè
Yet I can’t see that the land here has already cracked
哦 我感觉我要喝点水
Ó wǒ gǎn jué wǒ yào hē diǎn shuǐ
Oh, I feel like I need to drink some water
可你的嘴将我的嘴堵住
Kě nǐ de zuǐ jiāng wǒ de zuǐ dǔ zhù
But your mouth blocks my mouth
Final Verse
我不能走我也不能哭
Wǒ bù néng zǒu wǒ yě bù néng kū
I can’t walk, and I can’t cry
因为我的身体已经干枯
Yīn wèi wǒ de shēn tǐ yǐ jīng gān kū
Because my body has already dried up
我要永远这样陪伴着你
Wǒ yào yǒng yuǎn zhè yàng péi bàn zhe nǐ
I want to stay by your side forever like this
因为我最知道你的痛苦
Yīn wèi wǒ zuì zhī dào nǐ de tòng kǔ
Because I know your pain the best
Key vocabulary from the song
| Chinese | Pinyin | English Meaning | Notes / Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 红布 | hóng bù | red cloth | Symbolizes control, censorship, or blindfolding. |
| 蒙住 | méng zhù | to cover, to blindfold | Often used when blocking vision. |
| 双眼 | shuāng yǎn | both eyes | 双 (shuāng) means “pair” or “both.” |
| 幸福 | xìng fú | happiness, bliss | Deeper than “快乐 (kuài lè),” often refers to life satisfaction. |
| 感觉 | gǎn jué | feeling, sense | Can be a noun or verb (to feel). |
| 舒服 | shū fu | comfortable | Used for both physical and emotional comfort. |
| 忘掉 | wàng diào | to forget completely | Stronger than just 忘记 (wàng jì). |
| 地儿 | dì ér | place (colloquial) | Northern Chinese slang for “place.” |
| 攥住 | zuàn zhù | to grasp tightly | More forceful than just “hold” (握住 wò zhù). |
| 做主 | zuò zhǔ | to make decisions, to take control | Literally “be the master.” |
| 强和烈 | qiáng hé liè | strong and fierce | Used to describe toughness. |
| 身上 | shēn shàng | on the body | Refers to physical presence. |
| 热乎乎 | rè hū hū | warm | A descriptive, affectionate way to say “warm.” |
| 荒野 | huāng yě | wilderness, wasteland | Implies desolation. |
| 土地 | tǔ dì | land, soil | Refers to physical ground. |
| 干裂 | gān liè | cracked due to dryness | Describes parched land. |
| 堵住 | dǔ zhù | to block, to seal | Often used for stopping movement or sound. |
| 干枯 | gān kū | dried up, withered | Can describe plants, bodies, or emotions. |
| 陪伴 | péi bàn | to accompany, to stay with | Often used to express companionship. |
| 痛苦 | tòng kǔ | pain, suffering | A strong word for emotional or physical distress. |
Key sentences
1. 那天是你用一块红布，蒙住我双眼也蒙住了天。
- Nà tiān shì nǐ yòng yī kuài hóng bù, méng zhù wǒ shuāng yǎn yě méng zhù le tiān.
- That day, you used a piece of red cloth to cover my eyes and also cover the sky.
2. 你问我看见了什么，我说我看见了幸福。
- Nǐ wèn wǒ kàn jiàn le shén me, wǒ shuō wǒ kàn jiàn le xìng fú.
- You asked me what I saw, I said I saw happiness.
3. 这个感觉真让我舒服，它让我忘掉我没地儿住。
- Zhè gè gǎn jué zhēn ràng wǒ shū fu, tā ràng wǒ wàng diào wǒ méi dì ér zhù.
- This feeling really makes me comfortable; it makes me forget that I have no place to stay.
4. 你问我还要去何方，我说要上你的路。
- Nǐ wèn wǒ hái yào qù hé fāng, wǒ shuō yào shàng nǐ de lù.
- You asked me where else I wanted to go, I said I wanted to follow your path.
- Meaning: This suggests blind obedience – the speaker does not have their own direction and follows someone else’s.
5. 哦，我感觉你不是铁，却像铁一样的强和烈。
- Ó, wǒ gǎn jué nǐ bú shì tiě, què xiàng tiě yī yàng de qiáng hé liè.
- Oh, I feel that you are not made of iron, yet you are as strong and fierce as iron.
6. 哦，我感觉你身上有血，因为你的手是热乎乎。
- Ó, wǒ gǎn jué nǐ shēn shàng yǒu xuè, yīn wèi nǐ de shǒu shì rè hū hū.
- Oh, I feel that there is blood in your body because your hands are warm.
7. 哦，我感觉这不是荒野，却看不见这儿的土地已经干裂。
- Ó, wǒ gǎn jué zhè bú shì huāng yě, què kàn bù jiàn zhè ér de tǔ dì yǐ jīng gān liè.
- Oh, I feel this is not a wasteland, yet I can’t see that the land here has already cracked.
8. 哦，我感觉我要喝点水，可你的嘴将我的嘴堵住。
- Ó, wǒ gǎn jué wǒ yào hē diǎn shuǐ, kě nǐ de zuǐ jiāng wǒ de zuǐ dǔ zhù.
- Oh, I feel like I need to drink some water, but your mouth blocks my mouth.
9. 我不能走我也不能哭，因为我的身体已经干枯。
- Wǒ bù néng zǒu wǒ yě bù néng kū, yīn wèi wǒ de shēn tǐ yǐ jīng gān kū.
- I cannot walk, and I cannot cry, because my body has already dried up.
10. 我要永远这样陪伴着你，因为我最知道你的痛苦。
- Wǒ yào yǒng yuǎn zhè yàng péi bàn zhe nǐ, yīn wèi wǒ zuì zhī dào nǐ de tòng kǔ.
- I want to stay by your side forever like this, because I know your pain the best.
More expressions and phrases from the song
| Expression | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 蒙住双眼 | méng zhù shuāng yǎn | To blindfold, to cover both eyes |
| 看不见路 | kàn bù jiàn lù | To not see the road (metaphor for lack of direction) |
| 做主 | zuò zhǔ | To take control, to decide |
| 强和烈 | qiáng hé liè | Strong and fierce |
| 身上有血 | shēn shàng yǒu xuè | To have blood in one’s body (symbolizing humanity or life) |
| 土地已经干裂 | tǔ dì yǐ jīng gān liè | The land has already cracked (symbolizing hardship) |
| 堵住嘴 | dǔ zhù zuǐ | To block someone’s mouth (symbolizing suppression) |
| 不能哭 | bù néng kū | Unable to cry (emotionally or physically exhausted) |
| 陪伴着你 | péi bàn zhe nǐ | To accompany you (loyalty or submission) |
| 你的痛苦 | nǐ de tòng kǔ | Your pain (recognizing suffering) |
Song meaning and interpretation
It seems the most common interpretation of “一块红布” is that it describes a person who willingly surrenders their vision and independence to a powerful force that promises comfort, purpose, or love. The red cloth blinds the narrator, yet also gives warmth and direction. As the song progresses, this dependence becomes unsettling: the narrator can no longer see reality clearly and loses the ability to choose freely.
The lyrics work on multiple levels. They can be heard as a story of an intense romantic relationship, but many listeners also read them as an allegory about (Chinese communist) ideology, political authority, or collective belief. The song’s enduring power comes from this ambiguity between protection and control, trust and submission.
Chinese summary
这首歌讲述了一个人被一块红布蒙住眼睛，看不见世界，但他说自己“看见了幸福”。这表示他可能被控制或欺骗，不知道真正的现实。
歌中还提到，他的手被抓住，无法决定自己的方向，只能跟随别人。这代表失去自由，只能服从。即使他感觉到温暖，他仍然在一个干枯、没有希望的地方，无法逃走，也无法哭泣。
最后，他决定一直陪伴着对方，因为他明白对方的痛苦。这首歌用隐喻表达了迷失、服从和现实的残酷。
