The song was written (Japanese composer, 古賀政男; lyricist, 西條八十) based on a true story happening in 1938 during Japan’s occupying in Taiwan (Ilha Formosa, 1895-1945). A 17-year old Atayal girl called Sayun Hayun from Nan'oku village, Giran district, Taihoku Prefecture (Atayal is one of the 9 aboriginal tribes in Taiwan), who went missing and thought to have drowned while helping carry the luggage of her teacher Masaki Takita and seeing him off for a military duty during a storm.
Her heroic and helpful deed was deemed as patriotic and served as an example for the the successful Japanization policy of the Japanese Government. After World War II, the story was re-discovered and became a rich case for the study of Colonial policy and practices in the academic world.
サヨンの鐘 (月光小夜曲, Sayon's Bell)
Composer：古賀政男
嵐吹きまく 峯ふもと
ながれ危うき 丸木橋
渡るは誰ぞ うるわし乙女
紅きくちびる ああサヨン
散るや嵐に 花一枝(ひとえ)
消えて哀しき 水けむり
藩社の森に 小鳥は啼けど
何故に帰らぬ ああサヨン
清き乙女の 真心を
誰か涙に 偲ばざる
南の島の たそがれ深く
鐘は鳴る鳴る ああサヨン