Ancient, modern elements in harmony for new generation

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.

Crazy Folk music

These musicians are part of a larger movement sweeping China that celebrates the rising popularity of guofeng music — a Chinese style that uses elements from traditional culture.

As part of a video series called Crazy Folk, participating artists have released over 300 music videos since October 2020, featuring more than 200 Chinese musicians who give fresh life to pop songs through the distinctive sound of traditional Chinese instruments.

Among popular covers are songs like Jay Chou's Dao Xiang (Fragrant Rice), Liu Shuang's Mohe Ballroom, and Japanese singer Yuu Takahashi's The Wind Rises, making the old music instruments more relatable to younger audiences.

These videos have traveled beyond Chinese music fans to reach international audiences via YouTube and other media platforms. With performances filmed against the stunning backdrops of cities such as Changsha, Hunan province, Luoyang, Henan province and Xiamen, Fujian province, the Crazy Folk series not only showcases China's rich musical traditions, but also highlights the breathtaking beauty of the country's landscapes and historic sites.

"These videos still give me goose bumps!" a viewer from Nepal, Banaz Gurung, commented on YouTube, reflecting the emotional impact of this innovative project.

Behind Crazy Folk is a talented group of young musicians in their late 20s and early 30s, all classically trained at prestigious music conservatories.

Li Haoyan, one of the project's core team members, said the appeal of traditional Chinese music lies not only in its distinctive sound, but also in the aesthetic beauty of the instruments themselves.

"Traditional Chinese music is incredibly expressive," said Li. "The instruments evoke powerful emotions, and visually, they are captivating to modern audiences."

Young people in China are increasingly drawn to their cultural heritage, seeking to reconnect with traditional values in a world being rapidly shaped by globalization, she added.

Connecting with heritage

The team's mission is not just to preserve these ancient sounds but to breathe new life into them through technology. By using artificial intelligence and storytelling, they are creating new ways to present traditional music and incorporating history, museum artifacts, and cultural relics into their performances.

For Xue Yiying, a 26-year-old erhu player from Chengdu, Sichuan province, performing traditional music in a modern context feels both nostalgic and fresh. "I grew up playing the erhu, learning the instrument from my grandmother, who was passionate about traditional Chinese music," Xue recalled.

The erhu, often described as China's answer to the violin, is known for its hauntingly beautiful tone and is capable of expressing a wide range of emotions.

"I used to play it in the typical, softer style," Xue said, "but Crazy Folk opened my eyes to a whole new way of performing. We're taking songs that people already love and giving them a new twist."

Xue explained how playing a well-known pop song on an ancient instrument like the guqin or pipa injects new life into the piece. "It's like rediscovering something familiar in a completely new way," she said.

"These instruments are timeless. Our goal isn't just to preserve tradition but to show how these instruments, some over 1,000 years old, can still move and inspire audiences today — especially younger generations who may never have paid attention to them before."

This growing interest among China's youth is part of a broader cultural movement. Many young Chinese are consciously reconnecting with their heritage, seeing traditional music as a way to explore their identity in an era of rapid change.

Central to this resurgence is the guofeng (national style) movement, which celebrates Chinese aesthetics in fashion, music, and art. The rise of guofeng music, in particular, is a testament to the blending of ancient melodies with modern production techniques, combining classical poetry, traditional instruments, and contemporary themes. This fusion has fostered a greater appreciation for traditional Chinese art forms, especially among younger audiences.

Social media platforms like Douyin and Bilibili have played a pivotal role in the movement's expansion. Viral videos of traditional Chinese instruments, modern pop covers, and collaborations between classical and contemporary artists have brought these ancient sounds to the forefront. This digital exposure has made traditional music more accessible, and more importantly, relevant to today's youth.

Veteran virtuoso

One of the most popular folk musicians among young users of Bilibili is the gray-haired pipa player Fang Jinlong.

Aged in his early 60s, Fang became a viral star after he gave a 12-minute performance at the New Year's Eve concert on Dec 31,2019, which was livestreamed. The performance, Rhythm World, featured Fang performing with a 100-member orchestra. He played an array of traditional musical instruments from China, India, Italy, and Japan, and even performed a solo by tapping on his own face. To appeal to young fans, he incorporated elements from Chinese martial arts culture, American folk music and Japanese anime.

Since that performance, Fang has been sharing videos showcasing the versatility of ancient Chinese musical instruments by working with players of various styles, from classical musicians to rock stars.

"Never doubt the charm of traditional Chinese music. All you need to do is to watch and listen," said Fang, who has great confidence in the appeal of these old instruments.

"Though the instruments are very old, they can be fun and contemporary. What I need to do is to experiment and let the music reach the young people."

Other art forms based in tradition, such as classic Chinese dance and hanfu, are also rising in popularity with young people.

"This interest is partly driven by a desire to reconnect with traditional values and aesthetics in a rapidly modernizing and globalized world. For them, traditional Chinese music, with its deep historical roots, symbolizes a rich cultural legacy that offers a sense of identity and belonging," Fang said.

Another rising star in the guofeng movement is Little Green Onion, a group of musicians led by songwriter Zhou Mingcong.

With their hybrid of pop and traditional music, they have captivated audiences with songs like Bi Shang Guan, or Reflections on the Walls, which has been viewed over 100 million times since its release in 2019.Inspired by the Mogao Caves mural paintings in Dunhuang, Gansu province, Zhou's music evokes memories of China's distant past while remaining contemporary.

This year, the song was adapted and re-performed on social media platforms over 300,000 times, making it a hit again. Veteran vocalist Gong Linna also did a version of the song.

Cultural DNA

Zhou, who studied at the National Academy of Chinese Theatre Arts, describes his work as a blend of pop and Peking Opera. His first release, Kuang Lang Sheng, explored themes of loneliness and dreams through the lens of traditional Chinese opera and delighted listeners across China.

"Chinese music and operas have a unique charm," said Zhou. "It's like cultural DNA in our blood. The moment we hear traditional music, we understand it on a deep, emotional level. It connects us to something ancient yet profoundly present."

Zhou pointed out that guofeng's influence is not just confined to music. The style is increasingly appearing in video games, notably Black Myth: Wukong, a hit action game based on the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West.

The game's soundtrack blends traditional Chinese instruments with modern orchestral music, creating a cinematic experience that resonates with fans of both ancient culture and modern gaming.

The ability to blend old and new is what makes guofeng music so relevant today, Zhou said. In a world where cultural pride is rising alongside technological advances, traditional Chinese music has found its place once again. This renaissance is not about nostalgia, but about evolution — taking the best of the past and fusing it with the possibilities of the future, he added.