CHONGQING (CQNEWS) -- On the afternoon of February 21, in Yangjiao Village, Anwen Town, Qijiang District, the melodious sound of the guqin could be heard from the conference room on the third floor of Yangjiao Primary School. In addition to guqin players, over 70 pupils who have seen guqin for the first time plucked the strings.

The guqin has a long history of over 3,000 years, ranked first among the four arts in ancient China: lyre-playing, chess, calligraphy and painting.

In the conference room, Zhang Yi, a member of the Guqin Professional Committee of China Nationalities Orchestra Society and executive member of the Guqin Professional Committee of Chongqing Musicians Association, was telling the children about the history and culture of the guqin. Born in the 80s in Qijiang, he has been accompanying guqin for 17 years and has always planned to do something for his hometown during the Spring Festival hospital. So he decided to introduce this elegant art to Yangjiao Village on the eve of the Lantern Festival.

The reporter saw that children were wide-eyed and red-faced. They occasionally caressed the guqin in front of them, with their eyes full of curiosity.

Zhang Yi and his students performed four classic repertoires, including Flowing Water, Li Sao, A Song of the Crouching Loong, and Guangling Verse.

When listening to Zhang Yi playing Guangling Verse, Shao Xueqin, a student who loves to read A Dream of Red Mansions, was fascinated by the sound of the guqin while holding the chin with hands. "The sound of the guqin is melodious, and I feel as if I’m in a quiet bamboo forest, feeling very relaxed."

To the delight of the children, Zhang Yi and his students also teach them the basic finger techniques of the guqin on site. How was the performance of these rural children who had never played guqin?

"The children are very energetic and listen very carefully, indicating their thirst for knowledge. When touching the strings, they can instantly enter the learning state," said Ji Lingyun, one of the students of Zhang Yi, adding that for rural children, the guqin seems very distant. "I hope this activity can sow the seeds of love for the guqin and other traditional instruments in their hearts. In a few years, this seed may sprout, even bloom and bear fruit."

"Who would like to show the learning achievements?" A
s soon as Zhang Yi stopped, the children raised their hands up. After Li Chengshun played the guqin on stage, he said with a smile, "I hope the teachers can come here and teach us more."

Will Li Chengshun's wish come true?

The awarding ceremony for the Guqin Research Base in Anwen Town, Qijiang District of Guqin Professional Committee of Chongqing Musicians Association was held during the activity. Zhang Yi and his students will come to Anwen Town frequently in the future to bring a series of public benefit guqin lessons, in order to allow rural children to experience the charm of excellent traditional culture. (Translated by Hu Chuanmin, Fathom Language Limited)