If you see a busker fully clad in traditional Chinese attire with a big string instrument on her lap, you’d think you’d be treated to a melody of centuries-old tunes.
Bystanders who flocked around the YouTube content creator Jingxuan may have expected the same thing.
But instead, they witnessed a show unlike any they’ve seen.
Jingxuan hovers her hand around the strings then plucked one back and forth for a ringing tune. This note and the style it was played will remind you of Chinese films set in earlier times and the people expected as much from an instrument called a guzheng.
A guzheng is a musical instrument popular in East Asia.
Imagine a harp laid on its side, that’s the closest comparison. The instrument has varying numbers of strings, depending on the century it was used. Today, however, the most common setting is 21 strings.
The instrument’s history goes way back to the 3rd century BCE and has transformed and influenced similar instruments in Asia.
The guzheng is played through plucking and by pressing certain parts of the string, gliding one’s palms, and trilling notes, you can produce wonderful melodies.
However, Jingxuan had a surprise in store for the audience.
As the audience is lulled into the traditional style of playing, her background music comes on.
It was modern, it was upbeat, and it was something nobody expected. All of a sudden, the people found themselves listening to the intro of Michael Jackson’s “Smooth Criminal.”
Then, the artist began plucking on the strings like she was playing the piano.
She skillfully produced rich notes that perfectly emulated the tone of the song.
You can only imagine the skill needed to produce an arrangement just so the guzheng can play a song it was not designed to be used to.
People all over the internet loved the rendition and appreciated the sheer talent needed to pull this off.
“That was really very impressive and it gave me goosebumps. Of course, I know the song by Michael Jackson but it was on a whole other level.” Said one.
“She plays so smoothly; it is almost criminal.” Said another, playing on the title of the song. The comment garnered around a thousand likes for the wit.
Jingxuan has studied the guzheng for 18 years.
Graduated from the Wuhan Conservatory of Music, she is currently based in France for her master’s degree where she also performs on the streets to help people appreciate Chinese musical culture.
Among her covers are Imagine Dragon’s “Believer,” and Adele’s “Someone Like You.”
However, she also plays a lot of traditional titles where the instrument truly shines.
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This only goes to show the universality of music.
No matter the instrument, no matter the origin of the song, and no matter the artist, music will always stay the same.
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Just like how one commenter puts it, “Music is universal, regardless of what instrument it is played on. We can all recognize it and celebrate it, together”
Watch how this guzheng prodigy plays the instrument in a way it has never been before!
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