[Explanation] Burn incense to clean hands, bathe and change clothes.
On September 1, the 34-year-old Gong Yong played the beautiful guqin music in his studio with reference to a special score written in Chinese characters.
Gong Yong lives in Changchun, Jilin Province. He has practiced the guqin since he was 8 years old. He is now the inheritor of the intangible cultural heritage guqin art in Jilin Province.
In 1994, he came into contact with and learned to play the guqin. In 2010, he learned to make the guqin. In 2019, he became the inheritor of the intangible cultural heritage guqin art in Jilin Province.
Gong Yong told reporters that he walked very lonely on this path of inheritance.
[Concurrent] Gong Yong, Inheritor of Guqin Art, Intangible Cultural Heritage of Jilin Province
In fact, when I was young, I remember that Guzheng and Pipa were actually unpopular instruments.
I have read an article that in the late 1980s (the 20th century), people who could play (gu) pianos throughout the country, no matter how high their level, is that there were no more than 1,000 people who could play the piano. This is already the upper limit.
[Explanation] Unlike the familiar instruments such as piano and violin, Guqin has a strong historical and cultural background in China, but it is not known to most people.
Therefore, it was very difficult for Gong Yong to open up a guqin school in his childhood.
Gong Yong recalled that his teacher had also persuaded him to use guqin learning as a "hobby" in his spare time instead of his main business because the guqin was too small.
[Concurrent] Gong Yong, Inheritor of Guqin Art, Intangible Cultural Heritage of Jilin Province
(20th century) In the late 1990s, I felt that Guqin would not have much development.
The classmates and teachers did not understand it very well, including the teachers who were very concerned about me. They told me that you should achieve something in your studies, have a job, and then spend your spare time thinking about the guqin. Don't devote all your time and energy to this.
[Explanation] But Gong Yong still wants to persist.
After studying the guqin from a national non-genetic inheritor, Gong Yong decided to start a guqin class by himself, and hold related exchange meetings from time to time to make guqin by himself, so that more people can understand and love the art of guqin.
With hard work and persistence, Gong Yong finally ushered in a reward.
This year, the Jilin Academy of the Arts where he worked was the first to set up the Guqin Performing Arts major and successfully recruited two students.
Behind this achievement, there is also Gong Yong's continuous promotion.
Gong Yong said frankly that today's guqin art is still "unpopular", and the inheritance of this ancient culture requires more heartfelt love.
[Concurrent] Gong Yong, Inheritor of Guqin Art, Intangible Cultural Heritage of Jilin Province
For example, we usually spend our spare time drinking tea, writing, and painting. We also hope to use this form to influence students and piano friends. Therefore, we hope that piano students can immerse themselves in the atmosphere of this traditional culture. Inside.
So even if he only plays a few small tunes, he also has the aesthetic feeling of traditional Chinese culture. This is what we want to convey to everyone.
It's not just to teach a skill, but to popularize the concept of traditional Chinese culture to the majority of guqin fans.
Reporter from Changchun Lu Shengnan
Editor in charge: [Lu Yan]