There is also music to accompany Edification Hour. I have been enriched twice daily with flute heavy Chinese love songs (or what I assume are love songs). With a female singer gently crooning a lyrical melody, many of these tunes sound like "My Heart Will Go On" without the dramatic percussion climax (the Chinese don't seem to like percussion, but they do like all forms of wind instruments). I would guess Celine Dion is very popular in China.
Another Western artist who must be popular over here is Josh Groban. How do I know this? Because one song that has been featured (twice!) during Edification Hour is "You Raise Me Up." It was strangely comforting to hear a familiar tune blasting out of the PA system here. And who wouldn't be comforted by these lyrics:
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up: To more than I can be.
Quite edifying, eh?
I guess some nights, however, the campus requires additional edification. For reasons still unbeknownst to me, some nights (but not all!) the university blasts an incredibly harsh and angry-sounding five minute broadcast around 9pm. Perhaps it is bad news? Perhaps no one correctly guessed the trivia question earlier? Maybe one day I'll know. For now, though, I'd rather just stick with Josh or Celine.