Get ready for a mesmerizing fusion of ancient and contemporary sounds at the What is the Qin: Tang Dynasty – Lonely Smoke Rising concert. With performers like Tang Bin and his talented ensemble, the event will transport you through the majestic music of the Tang Dynasty, blending traditional tunes with modern influences. Expect an immersive experience full of rich melodies and unique cultural vibes!

Introduction:

Plucking the qin and playing the xiao, immersing oneself in poetry and painting. Striking the zheng and beating the drum, recalling the vast desert and the lonely smoke. Tang dynasty winds are strong, feasting on guests from all directions. The eight tones harmonize, and the melody of Ni Chang echoes through the air.

The Zide Qin Society will wear Tang Dynasty-inspired costumes, performing like figures from ancient paintings. With qin and sheng, they will present a feast of music to their audience. The concert What is the Qin: Tang Dynasty – Lonely Smoke Rising will feature traditional and adapted ancient tunes, as well as new works, blending the essence of ancient artistry with fresh sounds.

Performance Overview:

The vast river, the setting sun, the endless desert, and the lonely smoke rising. In the eyes of Zide Qin Society’s Artistic Director, Tang Bin, the spirit of Tang Dynasty music lies in the borders and foreign lands, where personal fate collides with national emotions in grand historical narratives. Lonely Smoke Rising is like a modern encounter with the Tang Dynasty’s dreams, immersing in the colorful and fantastical dream core, traveling through mountains and rivers, and touching the pulse of music.

Accompanying the music, one reflects on the Yulan (orchid), looks at the long scroll and ponders, dreams of Chang’an and enjoys the journey, witnessing strange phenomena and realizing the illusory world. The three-part Yangguan further deepens the sentiment, while parting with the willow at the western exit, a feeling of departure with no familiar face. Walking alone, like a lone seagull in the vast sky.

Program List:

1. Guqin and Drum: "Yulan"
   Adapted from Gu Yi Cong Shu by Tang Bin

2. Instrumental Ensemble: "Illusory Chang’an"
   Composed/Arranged by Tang Bin

3. Instrumental Ensemble: "Parting with Willow at Yangguan"
   Arranged by Zhang Di, Zhou Yiyang, Tang Bin, Huang Se

4. Gu Zheng and Middle Eastern Drum: "Traveler"
   Composed by Wei Jun

5. Instrumental Ensemble: "Cool Borderlands"
   Composed by Tang Bin
   Orchestral Recording: Budapest Symphony Orchestra

6. Instrumental Ensemble: "The Joy of Music"
   Arranged by Huang Se, Tang Bin, Zhou Yiyang, Zhang Di

7. Zhong Ruan Solo: "Climbing Mount Tai"
   Composed by Lin Jiliang

8. Guqin Solo: "E Nai"
   Based on Tian Wen Ge Qin Pu

9. Instrumental Ensemble and Dance: "The Tale of the Jade Fox"
   Composed/Arranged by Tang Bin
   Choreography: Zhang Yufei

10. Instrumental Ensemble: "The Great Xia"
    Composed by Tang Bin

11. Guqin and Percussion: "Yizhen"
    Arranged by Tang Bin

12. Instrumental Ensemble: "Breaking the Battle Formation"
    Composed by Tang Bin
    Orchestral Recording: Budapest Symphony Orchestra

13. Instrumental Ensemble: "The Dream of the Phoenix Robe"
    Composed/Arranged by Tian Mi, Zhou Chuhang
    Orchestral Recording: Budapest Symphony Orchestra

Program Descriptions:

Instrumental Ensemble: "Yulan"
Adapted from Gu Yi Cong Shu by Tang Bin
This piece is based on one of the oldest surviving guqin compositions, written by Qiu Ming of the Liang Dynasty. The song reflects a deep sense of quiet and yearning, capturing the noble fragrance of orchids and the sorrow of unspoken emotions.

Instrumental Ensemble: "Illusory Chang’an"
Composed/Arranged by Tang Bin
This composition follows a four-part structure, depicting an imagined Tang Dynasty scene with rituals, music, and dance. The sound of the flute, zheng, drums, and gongs intertwine to embody the qualities described in The Art of War by Sun Tzu, such as swiftness like the wind and stillness like a mountain.

Instrumental Ensemble: "Parting with Willow at Yangguan"
Arranged by Zhang Di, Zhou Yiyang, Tang Bin, Huang Se
This piece adapts the ancient tune Yangguan San Die, incorporating Middle Eastern elements. The music carries the listener from Chang’an to the western regions, evoking imagery of farewell, desolation, and separation.

Gu Zheng and Middle Eastern Drum: "Traveler"
Composed by Wei Jun
Inspired by the Silk Road, this piece reflects the search for lost faith and civilization amidst the endless desert. The melody invokes the imagery of a lone monk traveling toward Chang’an, seeking enlightenment.

Instrumental Ensemble: "Cool Borderlands"
Composed by Tang Bin
Orchestral Recording: Budapest Symphony Orchestra
This piece depicts the life of ordinary people as they expand their territory and build cities, reminiscing about past dreams and reflecting on changes over time.

Instrumental Ensemble: "The Joy of Music"
Arranged by Huang Se, Tang Bin, Zhou Yiyang, Zhang Di
Adapted from a Middle Eastern folk tune, this piece celebrates the joy of music and fleeting encounters, where the sound of music creates joy that lingers just before departure.

Zhong Ruan Solo: "Climbing Mount Tai"
Composed by Lin Jiliang
Inspired by a visit to Mount Tai in 1982, this composition features elements of Shandong Lu opera music and mimics the sound of ancient jade pendants, evoking the peaceful elegance of the mountains.

Guqin Solo: "E Nai"
Based on Tian Wen Ge Qin Pu
The piece, inspired by the famous poem by Liu Zongyuan, embodies a serene journey on a boat, wandering through the quiet, natural landscapes of mountains and rivers.

Instrumental Ensemble and Dance: "The Tale of the Jade Fox"
Composed/Arranged by Tang Bin
Choreography: Zhang Yufei
This piece, rich in Middle Eastern scales, tells the story of an enchanting dream in the endless desert, where illusions and reality blur, symbolized by the graceful dance of the jade fox.

Instrumental Ensemble: "The Great Xia"
Composed by Tang Bin
This piece is inspired by ancient music that praises Emperor Yu of the Xia Dynasty for controlling the flood. It is divided into four sections, telling a mythical story of creation, destruction, and renewal.

Guqin and Percussion: "Yizhen"
Arranged by Tang Bin
This piece, based on a Ming Dynasty musical manuscript, reflects a Daoist theme of tranquility, simplicity, and the cultivation of spirit through music.

Instrumental Ensemble: "Breaking the Battle Formation"
Composed by Tang Bin
Orchestral Recording: Budapest Symphony Orchestra
Inspired by ancient battle formations, this piece is a dramatic four-part composition depicting the rise, clash, and fall of warriors in battle.

Instrumental Ensemble: "The Dream of the Phoenix Robe"
Composed/Arranged by Tian Mi, Zhou Chuhang
Orchestral Recording: Budapest Symphony Orchestra
This piece blends traditional and contemporary elements to recreate the dreamlike dance of the Phoenix Robe, echoing the grandeur of the Tang Dynasty’s court.

About Zide Qin Society:

Founded in 2014, Zide Qin Society is one of the most unique traditional Chinese music groups, leading the way in "ancient painting music" on the internet. They perform in traditional Chinese attire, using music as a medium to reimagine ancient rhythms through the perspective of modern youth. Their works, such as Gui Zhi Xiang, Drunken Fisherman, Singing at Dusk, and The Great Xia, have garnered millions of online viewers. Since 2020, Zide Qin Society has performed on CCTV’s Mid-Autumn Festival Gala for four consecutive years, gaining popularity and introducing traditional culture to a global audience.