Harmonious tunes

Taiwanese classical musician Chen Mei-o who battled in Taiwan and China to preserve an ancient form of music known as Nanyin, has proved one of China's oldest existing music forms can win over Beijing audiences with its soft, soothing sounds.

Last Saturday afternoon, a conference room in the National Center for the Performing Arts (NCPA) filled with the strains of the ancient Nanyin, or "southern music." Several members of the Han-Tang Yuefu Ensemble, in ancient costumes, sat in the middle of the room, kicking up the melodious music that rippled through the audience.

"Its elegance and nobility have touched me, and I have to hold my breath when enjoying the music," said Zhang Ying, a teacher from the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, adding that "the ensemble is doing something important in preserving the traditional music."

Love story of a King and Queen

It is a warm-up for the premiere of a major work from Han-Tang Yuefu Ensemble, scheduled to be performed in Beijing later this week.

To celebrate their 30th birthday, the Han-Tang Yuefu Ensemble performed a beautiful, everlasting love legend dating back more than 3,000 years ago for the Beijing audience.

During the Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 BC), the King and Queen, Wu Ding and Fu Hao, protected the empire through their great love and mutual support for each other. As one of the most prominent emperors in the Shang Dynasty, Wu Ding had to lead troops and battle intruders from other tribes across the border to defend his country. To support the king, his favored consort Fu Hao voluntarily led a large army against the Tu Fang tribe in the north. The formidable female warrior was victorious and strongly held the realm.

Inspired by inscriptions on bones and tortoise shells from the Shang ruins, the music and dances retain the original charms of Nanyin music, an opera form in eastern China from more than 1,000 years ago.

"It's significant for the cultural exchange, as the performance is a reunion of a couple who have been separated for over 3,000 years," said Chen who is artistic director of the Han-Tang Yuefu Ensemble, adding that for historical reasons, the relics of the King were kept in Taiwan's Palace Museum while the relics of the Queen were reserved in a museum in Anyang, Henan Province.　

The creative directors incorporated several new elements to refresh the audience, such as wushu, martial arts.

Nanyin music

The music became popular in areas such as Taiwan, Hong Kong and some Southeast Asian countries like Singapore and the Philippines.

The Nanyin songs are usually sung in Fujian dialect or Cantonese, which preserve its local flavor. In addition to the vocals, the instruments used include the clapper, two-string fiddle and four-string pear-shaped lute.

At first, Nanyin was considered an elite art only played for royal families.

"It first functioned as a tool for the elite to cultivate temperament," Chen said, adding that it gradually became popular among all walks of life for its unique beauty.

"I myself come from a local opera family and learned folk music of various varieties since I was a child. However, when I first listened to Nanyin in the 1970s, I was greatly touched by such an elegant, melodious music."

However, Chen, a fan of traditional folk music, was saddened when she realized Nanyin opera has recently been drawing smaller crowds. Professional performers were unable to support themselves through the art, and most of the present-day actors are elderly.

Chen decided to take the responsibility of reviving the art. She travelled to several Southeast Asian countries, to learn the intricacies of Nanyin and conduct field studies into its history.

"I want Nanyin music to be as popular as it was during the Han and Tang Dynasties," said Chen.

She plans set up a college for Nanyin research and study, where the ancient art can be passed down and enjoyed by generations to come.