Recently, a video clip of a Chinese folk music performance titled “A Laughter from the Seas” uploaded by a YouTube user, ZeSSIV, has received a lot of attention. “Traditional Chinese folk music is so charming,” “This can be called a performance by national artists,” “There is no boundary for music! I comprehended it” are just some of the comments added by viewers. It proved to be a real pleasure for fans of famous martial arts novelist Louis Cha to have such an excellently executed version of the song. “The Chinese people have been working hard to protect and pass on traditional Chinese culture, which is impressive,” another Internet user wrote. The popular video clip was originally from a live music event held in autumn by MOMO, a Chinese social media app. The event, was directed by the group within China Association of Performing Arts responsible for live broadcasts and the Beijing Network Culture Association, and hosted by MOMO.
“A Laughter from the Seas” is one of the theme songs of the film, The Swordsman, a Chinese martial arts novel by Cha. The novel The Swordsman was made into movie by leading Hong Kong director Tsui Hark in the 1990s, and has become an insurmountable classic in the eyes of Cha’s fans. The theme song has taken on air of mystique among its fans. In the video, musicians play five traditional Chinese instruments, the erhu, flute, pipa, ruan (a plucked stringed instrument) and bass drum, to interpret the natural, free and easy-going nature that contrasts with the heroic feelings of this classic musical work. The result is something of beauty, sounding at one time dynamic, majestic, exquisite and elegant.
As more and more viewers see the clip, they have been surprised when they learn the identities of the performers, each of whom are national folk musicians from top Chinese orchestras. Some of these performers, who, at first went unnoticed, are professors of music at famous universities, while others have learned the artform from famous teachers. Several members of the 12 Girls Band, an all-female Chinese musical group that is highly popular in Japan, are emcees on MOMO’s live streaming platform. They recently again returned to Japan to perform this year to much acclaim.
With the increasing popularity of network broadcasts, a growing number of talented creators and their art works are being noticed and enjoyed by audiences all over the world via the Internet. Culture and art know no boundaries, with Japanese and Chinese fans sharing the same appreciation for the beauty of art and art creators.
SOURCE MOMO
