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Changsha dazzles visitors during vibrant May Day holiday The Wuyi business center in Changsha, Hunan province, comes alive as tourists take advantage of the May Day holiday. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] The tourism market in Changsha, Hunan province, experienced soaring popularity during the five-day May Day holiday, with major attractions drawing massive crowds.   The Wuyi business center became a focal point of excitement. As dusk settled, the area transformed into a dynamic spectacle illuminated by dazzling lights and bustling pedestrians.     The Wuyi business center in Changsha, Hunan province, comes alive as tourists take advantage of the May Day holiday. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] Visitors and locals wandered through streets bathed in neon glow, savoring Hunan's iconic cuisine and immersing themselves in the lively atmosphere. From savoring spicy crayfish to indulging in milk tea, the district offered a sensory feast that encapsulated Changsha's unique charm.   Against the backdrop of the Xiangjiang River's shimmering skyline, the Wuyi business center thrived well past midnight, with night markets, bars, and pedestrian zones pulsing with life. This spring-summer transition period became a joyous celebration of Changsha's urban vitality, leaving visitors enchanted by its round-the-clock allure.   The Wuyi business center in Changsha, Hunan province, comes alive as tourists take advantage of the May Day holiday. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]   The Wuyi business center in Changsha, Hunan province, comes alive as tourists take advantage of the May Day holiday. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]   The Wuyi business center in Changsha, Hunan province, comes alive as tourists take advantage of the May Day holiday. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]   The above content comes from China Daily

A music influencer fuses pop and tradition by covering global hits on the guzheng, bringing Chinese culture to new audiences.   Music influencer Moyun (pseudonym) reimagines pop hits on the guzheng.[Photo provided to China Daily] "When choosing a career, I've always believed that young people should pursue what they genuinely love."   That's exactly the path Moyun (pseudonym) has taken. A music influencer with multiple viral hits worldwide, she has carved out a career for herself by covering both Chinese and Western pop songs on the guzheng, a traditional Chinese string instrument.   Since 2014, Moyun has been uploading her adaptations of pop music to Bilibili, a Chinese video-sharing platform. One of her early videos — a cover of the hit Japanese song Senbonzakura — quickly gained millions of views. The video became known as "Bilibili's Crown Jewel" and earned her the nickname "Guzheng Guru" in bullet comments from netizens.   Despite the rapid success, Moyun didn't let it disrupt her life. "I was still a student at the time, and during those years focused on studying, the video's sudden popularity didn't really change my daily routine," she recalled.   But the wave of positive feedback from the audience greatly inspired her to follow her passion for the guzheng.   "Even though I wasn't professionally trained, I've been playing the guzheng since childhood and have always loved it," she said. "So, compared to my original major — which is teaching Chinese as a second language — becoming a guzheng content creator after graduation felt like a clearer calling."   Fueled by that motivation, Moyun has built a loyal following by reinterpreting modern hits on the centuries-old instrument — including songs like Quan Yu Tian Xia (Sun Quan the Emperor) — and has gradually developed a unique style that blends tradition with pop culture.   In previous interviews, Moyun has shared some of the challenges in her creative process. "Traditional Chinese instruments aren't really suited for ensemble playing — each has a very strong personality," she said. "The guzheng is a bit like the bass — it's not easy to create a lot of variation with it."   To cover a song, Moyun starts by composing a rough score. As she practices, she gradually adapts it to the guzheng's scale and applies appropriate plucking techniques, all while sticking to the original chords.   "After that, I try to give the song an even stronger guzheng flavor," she added.   To help her focus more on stage, Moyun began wearing a veil while performing as a student — a choice that later became her signature style.   "As someone who didn't major in music, my stage presence and body language weren't as polished as those of professionals. Wearing a veil helped me concentrate," she explained.   According to Moyun, her inspiration comes from the music she loves and her daily life.   For example, as a native of Chengdu in Southwest China's Sichuan province, she feels a deep connection to Sanxingdui, an ancient archaeological site known for its mysterious and significant Bronze Age artifacts. This connection led her to collaborate with the Sanxingdui Museum on a musical piece that promotes Chengdu's culture in her own way.   Gaming is another big part of her life. "After Black Myth: Wukong was released, I rearranged some of its tracks for the guzheng, which really resonated with many game fans," Moyun said.   Going global In recent years, Western instrumental repertoire has become a major source of inspiration for Moyun's adaptations.   For her, sharing traditional Chinese instruments across cultures and engaging in mutual learning is fascinating.   "That's why I also post my videos on international platforms like YouTube," she said.   Plucking the guzheng with impressive speed and precision while rhythmically tapping its wooden frame to create catchy, foot-stomping beats, Moyun has captivated international audiences with her technical mastery.   One standout example is her cover of the Eagles' Hotel California, which has garnered more than 20 million views on YouTube. She based her version on the band's 1994 reunion tour performance, even replicating the percussion using live looping techniques.   "The modes in the original song fit the guzheng beautifully," Moyun said. "After analyzing its structure, I noticed repeating harmonic patterns, which made looping a natural choice."   The video's appeal was enhanced by her costume, which evoked the Wei and Jin dynasties (220-420), featuring a wide-sleeved robe and a handwoven straw hat that partially concealed her face.   After watching her videos, many international viewers are amazed by her performances and often ask the same question: "What instrument is this? I've never seen it before."   To Moyun, it's unfortunate that the guzheng remains relatively unknown outside of China, and that some viewers even mistake it for the koto, a Japanese plucked string instrument. She also finds the common English translation, "Chinese zither", inaccurate.   "Chinese translators have historically used existing English words for Chinese concepts. Many still call the guzheng a 'zither', but the zither is a German or Austrian instrument," Moyun explained.   Still, she's hopeful that change is coming, especially as more young people in China seek to reconnect with their cultural roots.   "I believe that when we present the guzheng with cultural confidence on global stages — introducing it proudly by name — guzheng will become the accepted universal term," she said.   Moyun's efforts to promote the instrument globally have also been recognized. Last year, she was named one of the "Good Young Netizens" for sharing the beauty of Chinese instruments with the world, in a campaign organized by the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League of China and the Cyberspace Administration of China.   Next, Moyun plans to reinterpret modern songs from various genres using the guzheng, challenging stereotypes about traditional Chinese instruments.   With a focus on finger-style techniques and original compositions, she aims to expand the boundaries of what the guzheng can do. "Never confine yourself — explore broader horizons," she said.   The above content comes from China Daily

By giving ancient art form a modern twist, Sichuan performers keep tradition alive   A delicately cut puppet on display at the museum. Shadow puppetry is one of China's oldest forms of folk art. [Photo by Shen Bohan/Xinhua]   As one of China's oldest folk art forms, shadow puppetry — a mesmerizing blend of painting, carving, storytelling and singing — has been inscribed into the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.   In Langzhong, Sichuan province, generations of shadow puppetry artists have kept this traditional art alive.   Shadow puppetry, or piyingxi, means "performance with shadows of leather". Popular in northern Sichuan, particularly around Langzhong, Nanchong and Guang'an, Langzhong shadow puppets are made primarily from cowhide or paper.   Their facial expressions and costumes often mimic those of Sichuan Opera, its singing style also closely replicated. The performances typically depict historical and mythological folk tales.   At a museum established by shadow puppet performer and sculptor Wang Biao in Langzhong, Sichuan province, visitors are invited to try their hand at the ancient art form onstage behind the screen. [Photo by Shen Bohan/Xinhua]   One standout representative in the region is the Wang family, who have been involved in the art for over 350 years since it flourished during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Born in 1965, Wang Biao is a seventh-generation inheritor of Wang family shadow puppetry and a national representative inheritor of Sichuan shadow puppetry. Learning the craft from his grandfather, Wang Wencun, Wang Biao mastered the skills of performance and carving at a young age.   In the 1980s, he traveled across the country with his grandfather, performing at weddings, funerals, housewarming parties, birthday celebrations and other events.   However, by the 1990s, the shadow puppetry market in northern Sichuan began to decline, forcing him to seek work elsewhere, but he never forgot his passion for shadow puppetry.   Wang (middle) instructs apprentices Yang Ju (right) and Yin Li in captivating the audience through their hand movements. [Photo by Shen Bohan/Xinhua]   In 2000, with the support of Zhao Shutong, a shadow puppet collector in Chengdu, Sichuan, Wang Biao relocated in Chengdu with his wife and two apprentices, where they established a shadow puppetry troupe.   They began performing in parks, schools and other venues, gradually reviving the art form. In 2004, he returned to Langzhong and founded a shadow puppetry troupe, performing in its ancient town.   Wang Biao always remembers his grandfather's words:"Do not let shadow puppetry end with your generation". Manipulated by Wang using rods, puppet figures create the illusion of moving images on a screen illuminated from behind. [Photo by Shen Bohan/Xinhua]   He knows that the survival and development of traditional art depend on adapting to modern aesthetics and audience preferences. To breathe new life into it, he introduced performances that incorporate dance music and cartoon elements.   The troupe has toured over 30 countries and regions across Europe, North America and Southeast Asia, demonstrating the ancient art form to international audiences.   Wang Biao has also collaborated with universities, including the Shanghai Theatre Academy, Southwest Minzu University, Sichuan Normal University and Chengdu University, to offer courses on shadow puppetry, passing on his skills to the next generation.   Visitors take pictures as they attend a performance at Wang's self-financed museum, which houses over 50,000 exhibits, including hundreds of ancient scripts. [Photo by Shen Bohan/Xinhua]   In 2018, he funded for the establishment of a museum dedicated to the art in Langzhong, which houses over 50,000 exhibits, including hundreds of ancient scripts.   In recent years, Wang Biao and other Langzhong shadow puppetry artists have continued to enrich their repertoire and explore new ways of integrating shadow puppetry with exhibitions, education and cultural creativity.   By leveraging modern technology, they are transforming shadow puppetry into a multifaceted cultural experience, ensuring that this ancient art form remains a vibrant bridge connecting the past and the future.   Thanks to their efforts, shadow puppetry is not just a relic of history but a living, evolving art that continues to inspire and captivate audiences.   Wang selects cow leather to form intricate silhouettes. Shadow puppetry is a theatrical form based on puppets. [Photo by Shen Bohan/Xinhua]   The shadow puppets are made of leather plates. Their facial expressions resemble those in Sichuan Opera. [Photo by Shen Bohan/Xinhua]   Li Qifang, a worker at the shadow puppet museum, hangs puppets to be used in upcoming performances. [Photo by Shen Bohan/Xinhua]   The above content comes from China Daily