An instrument of knowledge

Among their videos, the most viewed are the rearrangement of contemporary pieces. The studio aims to produce the pieces in harmony with the style of traditional Chinese music, and accurately present Chinese aesthetics. An uploaded video of several minutes can often take an entire day to shoot. Each performer spends around two hours on their makeup and costume, and the pieces are performed repeatedly to ensure the best audio and visual recording.

Now, with around a dozen members, the studio features a team of young people from diverse backgrounds, including Bai Wuxia, a former materials science and history major, and Ye Lijia, who studied nutritional science.

With the team's eclectic composition and a youthful mindset, members of the studio are free to recommend a piece of music that resonates with them, and it's often up to Tang to make a decision and to work on the arrangement.

While it makes videos of rearranged popular music, the studio remains committed to recording and passing on ancient guqin pieces in their purest form.

"The modified or rearranged pieces are naturally easier for the contemporary audience to accept, but in the end, some who have experienced all the variations will come to appreciate the essence of guqin music," Tang adds.

chengyuezhu@chinadaily.com.cn