There is a recursive story/joke in Mandarin that goes like this (characters, then pinyin, then English):
从前有一座山，山上有一座庙，庙里有一个和尚在讲故事。讲的什么呢？“从前，有一座山……”
Cóngqián yǒu yīzuò shān, shānshàng yǒu yīzuò miào, miào li yǒu yīgè héshàng zài jiǎng gùshì. Jiǎng de shénme ne? “Cóngqián, yǒu yīzuò shān……”
Once there was a mountain. On the mountain was a temple. In the temple was a monk, telling a story. Telling a story about what? “Once there was a mountain...”
I do not know the source of the story, but it seems widely known.
And I believe that is the inspiration for this M. Ward song.
There is a recursive story/joke in Mandarin that goes like this (characters, then pinyin, then English):
从前有一座山，山上有一座庙，庙里有一个和尚在讲故事。讲的什么呢？“从前，有一座山……”
Cóngqián yǒu yīzuò shān, shānshàng yǒu yīzuò miào, miào li yǒu yīgè héshàng zài jiǎng gùshì. Jiǎng de shénme ne? “Cóngqián, yǒu yīzuò shān……”
Once there was a mountain. On the mountain was a temple. In the temple was a monk, telling a story. Telling a story about what? “Once there was a mountain...”
I do not know the source of the story, but it seems widely known.
And I believe that is the inspiration for this M. Ward song.