Ancient, modern elements in harmony for new generation

An impromptu concert takes place in Chengdu, Sichuan province, on Aug 2, 2023, gathering together traditional Chinese musicians and classical musicians. （Photo provided to China Daily）

In a sleek recording studio, young Chinese musicians are gathered around their instruments. Clad in traditional hanfu — flowing robes with wide sleeves and intricate headpieces — they are preparing to create music, but there's a twist.

These musicians are not playing electric guitars or synthesizers, despite their rock-star aura and sunglasses. Instead, their hands grasp ancient Chinese instruments, including the erhu (a two-stringed fiddle), guzheng (a Chinese zither), suona (a piercing double-reed woodwind) and the zhongruan (a lute).

The studio pulses with energy as they prepare to reimagine a popular song from the 1990s and transform it into a piece that bridges ancient and modern worlds.

Their rendition, aptly titled Disco Dancing Version of Your Shining Knight, revives Hong Kong singer-actor Hacken Lee's 1991 Cantonese hit, which resurfaced in popular culture after being featured in the 2018 Chinese comedy Hello Mr Billionaire.

The original version of Your Shining Knight revisited the glitter-ball days of disco. But this new take combines disco beats with the sound of something far older — ancient Chinese melodies.

The musicians pluck their strings and beat their drums, and perform in sync with AI-generated characters based on historical Chinese relics, such as a figurine of a dancer, and a musician from the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220).

The resulting music video released to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival on Sept 17, captured the imagination of the public, amassing over 15 million views across social media platforms.

The use of ancient Chinese instruments to perform a pop song struck a chord, not only for its catchy beat but for how it masterfully intertwined the old and the modern.