Years ago, a group of friends invited me and a Chinese lady who was visiting the U.S. to a dinner party.
After dining, the host wanted to have a little musical interlude, so we broke out the guitars and began to play and sing.
I did a few Irish songs, and the host sang some American folk songs.
We asked the Chinese lady whose English was rudimentary if she'd favor us with a Chinese song.
We were very surprised when the melody of her song was the same as the "Lowlands of Holland".
So, did English sailors bring the melody back from China, or did the Chinese get it from the singing of English sailors?