The Girl from Dabancheng (Chinese: 达板城的姑娘, Uyghur: Qamberxan) is a well known folk song with Chinese lyric translated by Wang Luobin, and adapted from the Uyghur folksong Qamberxan. One of the early recordings of the song Qamberxan was done by a German ethnomusicologist on the singing of a Turpan Taranchi farmer's 16-year-old daughter. The song was most likely composed by an Uyghur soldier back in the time of Yaqub Beg, when the soldier was posted from southern Xinjiang to the north (Ili) or east (Turpan). Indeed, there are many songs dated back that time associated with a soldier's courtship, such as Havagul (mispronounced and adapted by Wang Luobin as Avargul), which talks about a girl in Ili. However, Qamberxan talks about a girl in Dabancheng (or Davanching in the Uyghur language) which lies between Turpan and Urumqi, and is a district of Urumqi. This district is well known as an entrepot on inter-oasis travel. The reputation of the beauty of local girls is partly due to the mixing among the different populations that traveled through it.
Following is the Uyghur and Chinese lyrics of the song Qamberxan (Uyghur transliteration uses the TB31 alphabet):
Qambarxan达板城的姑娘Uyğur Xeliq Naxşise维吾尔民歌Davançiñniği yeri qattiq tavuzi tatliq达坂城的石路硬又平啦 西瓜大又甜啦Davançiñda bir yarım bar Qambarxan atlıq那里住的的姑娘辫子长啊 两个眼睛真漂亮Qambarxanniği saçı uzun yerge tegemdu你要是嫁人不要嫁给别人一定要你嫁给我Qambarxandın sorap beqiñ erge tegemdu带上你的钱财连着你的妹妹赶上那马车来Uşşaqqina ünçilirim çeçilip ketti terip berseñçuSoyey disem boyum yetmes egilip berseñçuAtlarıñnı xaydaydiken muz davan bilen=(birlen)Bir yaxşını qiynaydiken bir yaman birlenQarısam görenmeydu Davançiñdiği qorğanEcep bir yaman iken Qambarxandin ayrilğanEnglish Translation
Qambarhan
The soil of the Davanching is hardBut the water melon is sweetMy darling is in DavanchingQambarhan is so sweet.Qambarhan’s hair is so longIt touches the groundPlease ask darling QambarhanDoes she want to get a husband.My tiny pearls spilled on the groundPlease help me to pick them upI’d like to kiss you, but can’t reachPlease bow your head down.One can ride a horseAround icy mountains.One tortures a good soulBy an evil manIt is hard to seeNo matter how hard I look.The separation with Qambarhan.Is extremely hard to endure